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About Angel Oi Yee Cheng
Posts by Angel Oi Yee Cheng
Which way will education in America go?
Angel Oi Yee Cheng	. Education	. education equity, education policy, education reform
As an international student in America, I did not know much about "No Child Left Behind" until reading Ravitch's book, "The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education." As a graduate student in a Comparative and International Education program, I have an advantage of gaining a wider perspective on the field. Ravitch started this book by sharing her personal experience of being a supporter and later a critic of the reform. It gave us an insight into how the reform was developed and implemented, and why Ravitch has changed her position in this educational reform.
What a beautiful slogan it is to call it "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB)! After getting to know the context, the reform was no more than just stimulating the growth of standardized tests in the United States. When many educators have been criticizing standardized tests, why did President Bush still push for it?
One of the goals of NCLB was that all students in all schools had to be proficient in reading and mathematics by 2014. Surprisingly, setting this high standard was to compete with Hong Kong and Singapore, which were the targets of America. Growing up within the education system in Hong Kong, I particularly would not support the excessive emphasis on the academic results. One of the weaknesses of students from Asia has been a lack of critical and analytical thinking. Ironically, America would like to learn from us owing to the economic success in some Asian regions. The size of population and areas of America, Hong Kong, and Singapore has varied so much with very different cultures, history, and settings of systems. It also implies that each implementation could be a very different process which may lead to different consequences. Would the academic results and economic growth really have the direct correlation? I doubt it. The United States is famous for its technological invention. To name a few, there has been rising up of reputable companies including Apple Inc, Facebook Inc. Google Inc, and Microsoft Corporation. Will this shift towards standardized tests gradually diminish the strength of "Western education" in innovation?
During her talk at Lehigh University on Feb 10th, Ravitch pointed out that Shanghai has won the rankings of the international assessments. It was verified by the results shown in Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2009, according to CNN news. The world was shocked and overwhelmed by better performance of Shanghai's teenagers in their mathematics, science, and reading than their peers in the United States, Germany, and Japan, though it was the first time that Shanghai participated in this tri-annual survey of the world's school systems. Nevertheless, there is a cost for it as cheating commonly occurred among students in China. It not only happens in the national examinations in China, but also in the SAT examinations which Chinese students have to pass for entering universities in America. It is not a secret as these kinds of cases sometimes become visible in international media. It also becomes a widespread issue of underlining standardized test scores that educators in China have to deal with.
In addition, Ravitch (2010) also shared the research results documenting that there are not many differences in academic performance among public schools and charter schools. The gap between black and white students has not narrowed either after implementing NCLB. Unfortunately, the policy just further widened the gap of inequality, which was completely opposite to the original aim. At the end of the day, who should take the responsibility for the failure of "No Child Left Behind"? Why are the schools, teachers, and students the "victims" in this experiment, rather than the politicians or policymakers? Sadly, education reform is just like a gamble. Those who are in control would still enjoy obtaining considerable income and not receive any punishments. Instead, schools without good performance have to be shut down. Teachers and students are just "chess pieces" in their hands. This scenario has already illustrated the injustice in execution process, which did not only waste the resources, but also the time.
I totally agree with Ravitch that sustainability could only been achieved by improving curriculum, instruction, as well as working and learning conditions of teachers and students. If data or test score are the only driving forces for the schools leading students to learn about the STEM subjects, we can imagine how linear the society will be in the future. Where is the holistic learning environment that educators should provide for the next generation? How can students adapt when they go to the liberal arts colleges which the United States is well-known for? Would it lead the decline of liberal arts colleges in the future? It will entirely change the dynamics of higher education in America as well. If these problems will not be taken into consideration and addressed seriously, ripple effects would definitely be created for the whole educational system.
Ravitch, D. (2010). The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education. New York: Basic Books.
Blossoming Demand of International Schools in Hong Kong
Angel Oi Yee Cheng	. Education, Education market	. Hong Kong, international school, Privatization
The blossoming of international schools in Hong Kong is an interesting topic to discuss within the context of privatization of education. Although parents need to pay a fortune to secure a seat, they are still very much willing to do so. There is a long list of international schools ranging from preschools all the way to upper secondary level where they adopt the British, American, Canadian, and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs accordingly.[1] Recently, Harrow International School, an elite boarding school that originated in Britain, has opened in Hong Kong. While fees are high, long waiting lists still exist for international schools.[2] Why is there such a huge demand in this city? I have some insights about it after working in an international school for some time.
First of all, parents who send their children to international schools are highly educated and better off financially. They have realized the uncertainty about the future of Hong Kong's local education system, which has undergone a series of reforms since the handover in 1997. The major ones included changing the medium of instruction from English to our mother-tongue language, introducing community colleges, transiting from the British to American model, and introducing civic education. So, what will be the next one? Parents may be afraid that their kids are only the experiments of the HKSAR government. Many parents believe that studying at international schools will ensure more stable growth and development of their children without interruptions by constant policy changes. Paradoxically, senior education officials often praise the excellence of Hong Kong local public education. In reality, only a few of them let their own children matriculate locally while most of them would like to send their children to study abroad or in international schools.
Second, the curriculum of international schools can provide a lot more than that of local schools. For example, the core of an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program comprises of "The Extended Essay", "Theory of Knowledge", and "Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS)". The first one gives students a chance to examine topics of global significance through their independent research and in-depth study. The second one allows students to develop their critical thinking and coherent approach to unify and articulate various academic disciplines. The third one encourages students to engage in art for creativity, physical activity for healthy lifestyle, and service to community for having universal values. [3] The main focus of IB Program is to cultivate the global mindedness and international competence of the next generation to become all-rounded individuals who are prepared to tackle emerging unknown worldwide problems in the 21st century. These elements are what the local education system lacks.
Third, with the considerable amount of money that parents invest in their children, international schools are able to offer more resources than local public schools. Most importantly, there are at least full-time university guidance counselors for mentoring senior high school students to make the right decision about choosing the most suitable university according to their ability, character, and interest. In addition, international school students have more exposure to universities worldwide as many of them would visit their schools to set up booths for giving out brochures and answering queries. It could have an overarching effect on their career paths as well. In addition, there are numerous enrichment programs for students to select, like intensive English programs in America or England, short-term overseas trips to different continents, or musical performances, which also enhance their capacity of multicultural communication with classmates from various backgrounds.
Fourth, the growing numbers of expatriate communities increase the demand for international schools to accommodate their children. The laissez faire economic market of Hong Kong attracts many foreign investors to come for business in this free-port metropolis with low taxation. Some of them move there as senior management executives in multi-national corporations or scholars in well-known tertiary education intuitions. According to the survey conducted by Employment Conditions Abroad Limited, expatriates in Hong Kong obtain the fourth highest compensation packages in Asia. [4] In order to attract more of them to move to Hong Kong, the companies usually pay the expatriates rewarding salaries, housing allowances, plus tuition fees for international schools for their kids.
After taking the course of "International Education Policy" this semester, I see the different sides of privatization of education clearly by having more profound knowledge about its advantages and disadvantages. What's your opinion about the international schools then? Do they distort the original meaning of education? At the very least, international schools have given the "consumers" more choice in the education "market". At the end of the day, however, who can afford it? Obviously, international schools will keep marginalizing students from lower socio-economic status. The gap between rich and poor will just be more visualized in the field of education. People generally have a stereotype that those who can receive "quality education" are from rich backgrounds. If this kind of "privileged education" can be enjoyed by all of the children, what will our future society be like? This leaves us a lot of room to rethink the above questions and strike a balance in the global context.
[1] Yan, C. (2014). Guide to Hong Kong Schools and Education. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on April 19, 2014, from http://guides.wsj.com/hong-kong/guide-to-hong-kong/education/
[2] Hunt, K. (2012, September 3). Elite Schools head east as Asia's education market booms. Cable News Network. Retrieved on April 19, 2014, from http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/03/world/asia/asia-education/
[3] International Baccalaureate Organization (2014). The IB Diploma Program. Retrieved on April 19, 2014, from http://www.ibo.org/diploma/
[4] Employment Conditions Abroad Limited (2012). Expatriates in Hong Kong enjoy Asia's fourth-highest pay packages. Retrieved on April 19, 2014, from http://www.eca-international.com/news/press_releases/7706/Expatriates_in_Hong_Kong_enjoy_Asia_s_fourth_highest_pay_packages#.U1MApPldWFU
Widespread Culture of Private Tutoring in Hong Kong
Angel Oi Yee Cheng	. Private tutoring	. Hong Kong, Private tutoring, Privatization, Shadow Education
The course "International Education Policy" under the Master's Program of Comparative and International Education at Lehigh University has broadened my view in various ways. One of them is the area of private tutoring, which has also been referred to as "Shadow Education" by Dr. Mark Bray.[1] Dr. Bray is the UNESCO Chair Professor of Comparative Education in the Comparative Education Research Centre at the University of Hong Kong whose research focuses on private supplementary tutoring.[2]Before taking this course, I had an impression that private tutoring primarily existed in Southeast Asian countries. However, I have learned that it has been very common in many parts of the world, including Europe and the United States, but just in different forms. It reminds me of many interesting scenarios about private tutoring in Hong Kong, which I will examine in this blog.
Mainly, there are two types of private tutoring in Hong Kong. One is held at home and the other one is held in the education centers, which operate as businesses. For the former one, numerous online websites serve as a bridge between students and private tutors to match the requirements or criteria of both parties.[3] For the latter one, there are significant numbers of education centers with a wide variety of choices for the public, including classes in musical instruments, dancing, artwork, languages, sports, martial arts, or even actuarial science. Some people may refer to these classes as enrichment programs. Evidently, many learning centers also offer classes in academic areas, like English, Mathematics, Chinese, while some of them purposely assist students tackle local or overseas public examinations, including SAT and TOEFL.
Many factors contribute to the flourishing industry of private tutoring in Hong Kong. First, Hong Kong's examination-oriented education system has put too much emphasis on the students' academic results, which can alter their future academic and professional trajectories. The recent shift from two to one public examination due to education reform from the British to American model further accelerated the explosion of private tutoring as students have much more pressure to only have one chance at succeeding on the exam.[4] However, being a good student does not mean that you can be successful in these examinations. What students need are the techniques and strategies to predict accurately the topics or questions in the upcoming exams according to the pattern from the past papers, as it is almost impossible for students to study all of the materials that teachers provide in the curriculum. By paying tuition for private tutoring, students hope to perfect the specific skills that they cannot learn in public schools because regular schoolteachers are deprived of comparable resources or the time to do that.[5]
Second, Hong Kong parents have the mentality of pushing their children to achieve excellently in academics due to the great influence of Confucianism.[6] Because the birth rate of this city is one of the lowest in the world,[7] "tiger parents" often place all their hopes in one child to become a "Dragon" – an almighty creature in Chinese culture.[8] Before the babies are born, mothers already think about which kindergartens, primary, and secondary schools their children would need to get in, so that they could attend the top universities and have good jobs at the end. Parents also believe that private tutoring could assist their children in learning extra information, so that they could succeed on public examinations. In addition, parents expect their children to become competent in all areas, including languages, art, music, sports, and martial arts. They do not want them to lose at the starting point. As a result, they force their children to enter this vicious cycle of competitions and occupy their free time with many private classes – no matter whether they like it or not, often as early as only one or two years old. Sometimes, kids are tired and cannot enjoy their childhoods due to excessive external study. We can imagine how much academic stress Hong Kong's next generation needs to bear, especially those who fail in this system. This pressure has been blamed for a growing suicide rate among students with poor academic record.[9]
Third, being a private tutor in Hong Kong can be a lucrative career. I used to be a part-time private tutor for primary school students when I was an undergraduate student to help cover living expenses. Some tutors can even make a living from tutoring services. Recently, Hong Kong has experienced a new phenomenon of some private tutors from education centers becoming famous celebrities like kings or queens. The most successful one is Richard Eng who has become a multi-millionaire! He founded Beacon College and he is considered to be the firstcelebrity tutor in Hong Kong. He wears lipstick for photo shoots and all classes are broadcast live through closed-circuit television.[10] With this career, he is able to drive a half-a-million-dollar Lamborghini car as well as dress himself up with brand-name clothing and manicured hair. [11]
Fourth, there is a lack of governmental regulations of private tutoring and many tutors operate no differently than entrepreneurs. The most fascinating phenomenon is the emergence of giant billboards in the most popular places where teenagers go. This creates the image of private tutors as pop stars. Besides, millions and millions of advertisements go online. Glossy brochures and impressive promotional videos are seen everywhere. Some tutoring schools will have full-page newspaper advertisements and television screens in railway stations and on buses to catch youngsters' attention, claiming to transform failing students into A-grade pupils.[12] Some tutors even have their own teams of stylists, fashion designers and photographers to make them look perfect and attract students.[13] Lately, with the advancement of technology, students can have additional purchases such as personalized interaction with the star tutor or the tutor's assistant via Facebook or email.[14]
Research in other countries suggests that private tutoring is a manifestation of privatization in education. According to a recent study conducted by the Asian Development Bank and the Comparative Education Research Centre at the University of Hong Kong, private tutoring will aggravate social inequalities, divert needed household income into an unregulated industry, and generate inefficiencies in education systems. [15] Sadly, the private tutoring phenomenon also demonstrates how little confidence parents and students in Hong Kong have in public education to lead the achievement of our next generation.
[1] Bray, M.(2009). Confronting the shadow education system: What government policies for private tutoring? Paris, France: UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning.
[2] The University of Hong Kong (2014). Faculty of Education – About the Faculty – Professor BRAY, Mark. Retrieved on April 12, 2014 from http://web.edu.hku.hk/staff/academic/mbray
[3] Hon, H.N. (2010). Hong Kong's Shadow Education: Private Tutoring in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Anthropologist, 4 (10).
[4] Sharma, Y (2012, November 27). Meet the "tutor kings and queens". The BBC. Retrieved on April 12, 2014, from http://www.bbc.com/news/business-20085558
[5] Lui, M. (2007, January 28). Hot for teacher in Hong Kong. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on April 12, 2014, from http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/28/news/adfg-sexy28
[6] Ho, E.S.C., LAM, C.C., and WONG, N.Y. (2002). Parents' Beliefs and Practices in Education in Confucian Heritage Cultures: The Hong Kong Case. Journal of Southeast Asian Education, 3(1), 99-114.
[7] The World Bank Group (2014). Fertility Rate, Total (Births per women). Retrieved on April 12, 2014, from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.TFRT.IN
[8] Ministry of Culture, P.R. China (2003). The Almighty Dragon. Retrieved on April 12, 2014, from http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_chinaway/2004-02/25/content_45896.htm
[9] Takoaka, N. (2013, December 12). Asian students still ace world rankings. Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved on April 13, 2014, from http://asia.nikkei.com/print/article/8662
[10] Ng, Y.H. (2009, June 1). In Hong Kong, Cram School Teachers' Image Rivals Pop Stars'. New York Times. Retrieved on April 13, 2014,from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/business/global/01iht-cramside.html?_r=0
[11] Corren, A. (2009, November 10). Hong Kong's 'celebrity tutors' turn millionaires. Cable News Netowrk. Retrieved on April 13, 2014 from http://edition.cnn.com/2009/BUSINESS/11/08/hong.kong.celebrity.tutors/index.html
[12] The Independent (2011, June 5). Exam-obsessed Hong Kong makes celebrity tutors rich. Retrieved on April 12, 2014, from http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/examobsessed-hong-kong-makes-celebrity-tutors-rich-2293297.html
[13] Lui, M. (2007, January 28). Hot for teacher in Hong Kong. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on April 12, 2014, from http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/28/news/adfg-sexy28
[14] Sharma, Y (2012, November 27). Meet the "tutor kings and queens". The BBC. Retrieved on April 12, 2014, from http://www.bbc.com/news/business-20085558
[15] Asian Development Bank (2012). ADB Study Highlights Dark Side of 'Shadow Education'. Retrieved on April 12, 2014, from http://www.adb.org/news/adb-study-highlights-dark-side-shadow-education
The Controversies of Moral, Civic, and National Education in Hong Kong
Angel Oi Yee Cheng	. Education Reform	. china, Citizenship Education, Civic Education, education reform, Hong Kong, National Education
Civic education seems an indispensable element for the citizens in most of the nations. Some countries may refer to it as "Citizenship Education" or "National Education." According to Branson and Quigley (1998), civic education in a democracy is education to encourage citizens to become actively involved in their own governance. In other words, citizens should have critical mindset and not just passively accept the demands of others. It includes the study of civic law and civic code, and the study of government with attention to the roles, rights, and duties of citizens in the operation and oversight of government.
Ideally, democracy is fully realized when every member of the political community shares in its governance. Members of the political body are its citizens and membership implies participation. Citizens' participation in a democratic society must be based on informed, critical reflection, and on the understanding and acceptance of the rights and responsibilities that go with that membership.[1] The goal is to engage citizens to be actively involved in the governance or politics and cultivate their positive attitudes towards their own country.
Not surprisingly, the introduction of Moral, Civic, and National Education into Hong Kong's public school curriculums through Chief Executive Donald Tsang's "Policy Address 2010-2011" has raised a lot of controversy in the society, especially in the academic arena. The HKSAR Government planned to implement the reform in various stages by initially introducing a new subject in primary schools in 2012 and then in secondary schools in 2013.[2] Notwithstanding a gradual implementation approach, there have been waves of demonstrations by parents, teachers, and students. During the peak day on July 29, 2012, 90,000 people (or 32,000 according to the government's estimates) went on the streets to demonstrate in super hot and humid weather.[3] The protesters firmly believed that the main political motivation behind Chinese Central Government in Beijing was to use Moral, Civic, and National Education as a tool to "brainwash" the citizens in Hong Kong with its communist ideology. They were afraid that the degree of freedom in this special administrative region would be gradually limited or eventually diminished. The demonstration had even caught international attention through the mass media such as New York Times, NBC, CNN, or BBC news.
The main reason for this controversy was that people in Hong Kong have been suffering from an identity crisis after a century of British rule. Annually, the University of Hong Kong implements a public survey through Public Opinion Program to keep track of the progress of the citizens' identity. In the questionnaire, one of the questions directly asks about the self-perception of identity among the people of Hong Kong, with the following multiple choices available as a possible response: "Hong Kong Citizen," "Chinese Citizen," "Hong Kong Chinese Citizen," "Chinese Hong Kong Citizen," "Other," "Don't Know / hard to say," or "Refuse to answer."[4] Most of the Hong Kong citizens always distinguish themselves from the Mainland Chinese.
Ironically, most Hong Kong people are actually the early settlers from China. As students during the British colonial era, however, we did not study anything about a national identity associated with China. We can see that education is a powerful socialized tool to influence one's mind. After handover to the Chinese regime in 1997, we have witnessed a series of ongoing clashes between Hong Kong and Mainland China in political, economic, and cultural aspects. More and more conflicts between these two places have surfaced with the massive coverage of media every day.
In introducing Moral, Civic, and National Education in Hong Kong, different actors played an active role behind the scenes – including the Chinese Central Government, the Hong Kong SAR Government, various political parties, educators, and youth (students) – all with their own interests and agendas. This created a divisive scenario, i.e. Chinese Central Government, the Hong Kong SAR Government, pro-Chinese political parties, educators, and students, on one side, and demonstrators against them, on another side. Some youth put their health at risk by going on hunger strike outside the government headquarters for days and days to illustrate the intensity of their anger, although some critics believed that political parties paid students for going on strike. Later, the hunger strike included teachers, a parent, and even a retired professor.[5] Following the serious resistance and criticism from the broader community, the government finally was willing to delay the introduction of the new school subject by suggesting a three-year trial run period, allowing the schools to start, at the latest, in 2015 after consultation and major amendments of some sensitive terms.[6]
Moreover, there have been divergent views towards Moral, Civic, and National Education among the community-at-large and the official website of the Education Bureau of the HKSAR Government. It seemed that Education Bureau of the HKSAR Government has included civic education in a very subtle way. The website says that the new subject could develop students' ability to analyze and judge issues relating to personal, family, social, national, and global issues at different developmental stages, and increase their motivation to make commitment and contribution. The areas will include current issues, moral education, national education, life education, values education, basic law education, health education, sex education, environmental education, and human rights education.[7] Conversely, the public may believe that it would be chiefly to promote national education and enhance students' understanding of China and national identity.[8]
This education reform literally reflected how little trust Hong Kong citizens have in the Chinese Central government. It may also show how frightened the next generation is about convergence with the motherland, Mainland China. From my own perspective, this trend is just unavoidable as it is a way for Hong Kong to have a better integration. The influence from China overall will be further intensified in the coming decades. Hong Kong people just cannot deny the fact that we have to depend much on China, particularly in the economic development. At the very least, we have to deal with the influx of increasingly large numbers of Mainland Chinese tourists every day. Hence, we have a saying: "Hong Kong people have dual feelings towards China, both hatred and loving emotions."
[1] Branson, M.S. & Quigley, C.N. (1998). The Role of Civic Education. George Washington University. Retrieved on April 4, 2014, from http://www.gwu.edu/~ccps/pop_civ.html
[2] Liu, J. (2012, August 31). Hong Kong debates 'national education' classes. The BBC. Retrieved on April 4, 2014, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-19407425
[3] Lai, A. (2012, July 30). National education' raises furor in Hong Kong. Cable News Network. Retrieved on April 4, 2014, from http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/30/world/asia/hong-kong-national-education-controversy/
[4] University of Hong Kong (2014). Public Opinion Program. Retrieved on April 4, 2014, from http://hkupop.hku.hk/english/popexpress/qre/tp1312075_18.html
[5] Lai, A. (2012, September 4). Hong Kong school year starts hunger strikes. Cable News Network. Retrieved on April 4, 2014,from http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/04/world/asia/hong-kong-national-education-protests/
[6] Chong & Tam (2012, October 9). Controversial guidelines on national education shelved. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. Retrieved on April 4, 2014, from http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1056653/controversial-guidelines-national-education-shelved
[7] Education Bureau of the HKSAR Government (2014). Moral, Civic and National Education. Retrieved on April 4, 2014, from http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/4-key-tasks/moral-civic/index.html
[8] International Business Times (2012, September 6). Hong Kong Protestors of National Education Wary of Integration with Mainland China. Retrieved on April 4, 2014, from http://www.ibtimes.com/hong-kong-protesters-national-education-wary-integration-mainland-china-780011
Personal Reflection on CIES Conference in Toronto 2014
Angel Oi Yee Cheng	. Education equity	. CIES, Conference, Higher Education, Peace Education
Organizing conferences in China or overseas about International Education was always a major part of my previous jobs. A few weeks ago, for the first time in my life, I changed my role from a conference organizer to a participant of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) Conference in Toronto, Canada. When I entered the venue of more than 2,000 participants, I was quite overwhelmed. Knowing that they came from 130 countries, I realized that the whole world is just in front of me! I was really amazed by the scale and the manpower behind the conference to make everything possible. It must have included unimaginable and tremendous collective effort and time to place different pieces together. Going through the intensive programs every day was like shopping for your preferences among a wide range of choices in comparative and international education.
One of my favorite sessions was focused on Peace Education. The most impressive presenter was Dr. Jennifer Kim, Chairperson of "Build the Peace Committee" who is based in Chicago. She talked about how the Chicago School District, the third largest school district in the United States, has incorporated the United Nations Millennium Goals into the public institutions. Pictures of school activities illustrating the success of promoting peace in schools were shown. I was wondering all the time how we could promote peace through education. Undoubtedly, it has been quite a new field in international education. After their presentations, I did ask if there is any concrete curriculum yet for Peace Education. However, the speaker responded that this area still needs more research, exploration, and discovery. Startlingly, peace seems quite universal as a goal that most of us would like to pursue but generally, there has not been much context in education to achieve it.
Another inspiring session was "Transnational perspectives on democracy, human rights, and democratic education in an era of globalization." One of the presenters was Dr. Fazal Rizvi who is one of the authors of the required textbook, "Globalizing Education Policy," which we use in the International Education Policy class at Lehigh University. This topic was about the innovative collaboration of a Master's Program in Comparative and International Education between Institute of Education at University of London, The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto, and the Graduate School of Education at University of Melbourne, to explore issues related to globalization and social policy. Though these three well-known universities in the world involve different kinds of education systems, this type of hybrid program might be the first-time ever in the field of higher education to gather various scholars, including planners and learners, together for in-depth discussions. In addition, the style of this presentation literally demonstrated how technology has advanced the level of education. Two of the presenters from Australia successfully delivered their parts and answered audience's questions through Skype.
In addition, Toronto was one of the most suitable cities to host the CIES Conference as it is a truly multicultural place. You not only could find various kinds of restaurants serving authentic food from where you came from, you could also randomly walk on the streets and end up having wonderful conversations with pedestrians who were always very helpful and friendly. For example, we met at least three very interesting people in one day. Here are some experiences that I would like to share with you. These also illustrated how people have moved without borders in the era of globalization because of political, economic, or personal reasons.
First, when two of us looked for the direction from our hotel to the Sheraton Conference Center, we just stopped one of the people on the street to ask for directions. Luckily, he was able to walk us to the destination. Along the way, we asked each other where we all came from. Amusingly, his ethnicity was Chinese but he never went back to China. He was born in India as his parents were in the Sino-Indian War and placed in the concentration camp. Then, he flew to Germany before settling down in Canada.
Second, we went into the the Toronto City Hall which is the home of the municipal government of the city. We ran into an African American lady who was selling her herbal products. When I received her name card, I realized her last name was "Lee", a very common surname of Southern Chinese. Then, I was curious enough to ask her about it. Surprisingly, her father was Chinese and her ancestors could be traced back to the Emperor Dynasty in China.
Third, we passed by the Metropolitan United Church, a large 200-year neo-Gothic church in downtown Toronto. We thought that we could not visit it, because it was the site of making a film production. Suddenly, a custody person of this church, who was a Hindu, saw us and just passionately asked us to go in. He toured us around and told us his story of how he first flew to Canada from Sri Lanka illegally back in the old days. Then, he worked his way up and got a much better life with a house and two sons now. From our conversation, I could feel how much he loves Canada, which provided him room for development in its real embracing environment.
Undeniably, this trip to Toronto for the CIES Conference has been an eye-opening experience for me! It was an incredible hub to offer us a unique chance to meet with various professional educators from all over the globe. At the end, you would never know how small the connections within the comparative and international education world could be until you actively talked with other participants. I was astonished by the broad areas that comparative and international education could cover, ranging from private tutoring, social justice education, language education, early childhood education, to privatization of higher education, study abroad programs, and education for all. I do look forward to attending the next conference in Washington, D.C. and continue to explore the field of comparative and international education.
Community Colleges in Hong Kong: Are they helpful or harmful?
Angel Oi Yee Cheng	. Education Reform	. Community College, Hong Kong
When we mention the term "community college," most of us will naturally relate it to the North American education system. Surprisingly, the Hong Kong government adopted the idea of community colleges in 2000. As Hong Kong's education system is deeply based on the British model, introducing community colleges has not only been a dramatic change for educators and students, but also a huge mismatch of expectations among different stakeholders.
In North America, the system of community colleges is very well developed and has a long history. It first started in the early years of the twentieth century to cater to the need of the nation's expanding industries. Community colleges are seen as important higher education institutions.[1] In addition, they have comprehensive articulation arrangements and credit transfer systems between community colleges and nearby four-year institutions. Therefore, students mostly are able to go on to obtain bachelor's degrees.[2]
In Hong Kong, following the Annual Policy Address from the Chief Executive Tung Chee-Wah in 2000, the government encouraged establishing community colleges as a part of education reforms and life-long learning. It also aimed to have 60% of the senior secondary school leavers receive tertiary education in ten years.[3] In this context, the industry of community colleges has blossomed.
Eight public universities in Hong Kong, one after another, started setting up community colleges under their umbrellas. Most of them have been self-financing. In other words, their income has depended heavily on the numbers of enrolled students. The speed of expansion has been incredible.
At the same time, the concept of community colleges has been a brand new idea to the general public in Hong Kong, partially because the education system has been greatly influenced by the UK model where community colleges are non-existent. Moreover, according to the traditional mindset, merely the top 18% of the post-secondary students are qualified to enter the formal tertiary institutions.[4] Those who cannot proceed to the mainstream universities would be considered to be academically inferior. Choosing the path of community colleges in Hong Kong would be one of the alternatives for students to try to find a way out.
The incorporation of the elements of the American education system into the British one triggered many problems. First, naming the Associate Degree Programs from community colleges as "sub-degree programs" would give a very wrong perception, implying the inferior status of the community college program to the bachelor's degree programs. The notion would be radically different from the North American system, where community colleges have been considered to be a vital part of its higher education system.
Second, when community colleges were first established, all the parents, students, and educators lacked basic confidence in the Associate Degree Programs. They were unaware of where these diplomas would lead students to. Moreover, the idea of community colleges has not gained recognition from employers who received education in previous decades and had no concept of community colleges. In other words, community colleges created much uncertainty in the society.
Third, as most of the community colleges are self-financed, they appear to use this opportunity to make education a business. Community colleges thus become one example of commercializing education. The more students community colleges enroll, the more profit they earn. In 2012, Lingnan Institute of Further Education and the Community College of Lingnan University admitted 5,300 new students, three times more than the previous year. Among other problems, there were reports of lacking chairs in classrooms.[5] This case caught the attention of the public, leading to the investigation by the Legislative Council. More importantly, however, it shook the foundation of trust in education quality in Hong Kong.
Fourth, an ongoing opening of new community colleges has led to over expansion. A total number of full-time accredited self-financing post-secondary programs jumped from 41 in the 2001/2002 academic year to 199 in the 2004/2005 academic year.[6] It contributed to over supply of post-secondary degrees in Hong Kong, putting the quality of education into question.
Last but not least, the link between community colleges and universities have not been clearly established. Most of the students from community colleges who attempted to transfer into universities have failed to get admission to local tertiary institutions owing to fierce competition and highly selective admission conditions.[7] Even though some overseas universities have recognized the diplomas issued by community colleges in Hong Kong, a large percentage of local students could not afford paying the tuition fee and living expenses. Unfortunately, this group of students would end up facing a dilemma. They could neither have good jobs from employers nor gain access to bachelor's degree programs.
Clearly, the community college system in Hong Kong needs a complete re-evaluation. Although the government would like to have almost everyone to receive post-secondary education, the solution of the community colleges has generated more difficulties. The implementation of the community colleges in Hong Kong not only failed to capture the essence of the North American community college system, but also has revealed the shortsighted weakness of the HKSAR government.
[1] Yung, Man Sing (2005). Globalization and sustainability of the community college in the Asia-Pacific region: the case of Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. Hong Kong Teachers' Centre Journal, 4,
[2] Brawer, F., Cohen, A. & Kisker, C. (2013). The American Community College, 6th ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
[3] Yung, Man Sing (2002). Community College: A new born baby of the Hong Kong education system for the new millennium. Hong Kong Teachers' Centre Journal, 1, 22.
[4] Time Out Group Limited (2013, August 27). Hong Kong's growing shortage of university places. Retrieved March 4, 2014, from http://www.timeout.com.hk/big-smog/features/60578/hong-kongs-growing-shortage-of-university-places.html
[5] Chong, Dennis (2012, October 17). Lingnan students warn burgeoning numbers threaten education quality. South China Morning Post. Retrieved March 4, 2014, from http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1062640/lingnan-students-warn-burgeoning-numbers-threaten-education-quality
6 Yung, Man Sing (2005). Globalization and sustainability of the community college in the Asia-Pacific region: the case of Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. Hong Kong Teachers' Centre Journal, 4.
7 Yung, Man Sing (2002). Community College: A new born baby of the Hong Kong education system for the new millennium. Hong Kong Teachers' Centre Journal, 1, 22.
Education Reforms in Hong Kong: Which way will they go?
Angel Oi Yee Cheng	. Education Reform	. Hong Kong, Medium of Instruction
Hong Kong, where I grew up, is a fascinating place due to its British colonial history and its geographic location adjacent to Mainland China. I did not realize it until I left the region to observe it from a different perspective. Unavoidably, the education system has been greatly influenced by the changing governance from British to Chinese influence since 1997. In this mega city, nobody has been able to escape the sweeping tide of political transition, including the turmoil and challenges faced by the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in implementing new policies. Hong Kong history perfectly exemplifies policy borrowing from England and then from China in its education system.
British government never failed to impose its systems on the (former) colonies. After a 100 years of British rule, which resulted in Hong Kong's transformation from a small fishing village to a metropolitan city, it is not hard to find traces of British culture in every corner of this city, including double-deck buses, or exactly the same street names as those in England, and even the concept of an afternoon tea time. Politically, it has a legislative system similar to parliament, a Chief Secretary to run a wide ranging bureaucracy, and Minister working as an Executive Council under a Chief Execute. Besides political and cultural influences, the British introduced major reforms in the education system as the most effective way to instill British values in the next generation. Therefore, all students are required to learn English from the age of three in kindergarten.
Using English as a medium of instruction may have been a plus, enabling Hong Kong citizens to be linguistically competent in both the East and the West. It has also pleased Chinese parents so much. For previous generations, good quality education was not accessible until the British government executed nine-year compulsory education in 1978. We cannot forget that the parental influence on children in Chinese culture can affect the life of the next generation. Parents strongly believe that their children (especially with good English language skills) could lead them to flourishing lives, not only at schools but also along their career paths.
In addition, Hong Kong used to have the educational structures greatly modeled on those of the United Kingdom, including six years of primary school, seven years of secondary school, with three years of tertiary education for those who could succeed in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination and Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination.
Before the handover of sovereignty in 1997, China and Great Britain agreed that Hong Kong would follow "One Country, Two Systems," i.e. that it would remain unchanged for 50 years and that during this period Hong Kong would gradually converge with the Mainland. This policy was issued by Deng Xiaoping, the Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China (PRC), for the reunification of China during the early 1980s. It simply meant Hong Kong could retain its distinct identity, political system, and strengths as an international business, financial, shipping, and aviation centre, while the rest of China would continue to align with the socialist system.[1]
However, this agreement did not prevent the Chinese government from wiping the colonial influence in Hong Kong. Since Tung Chee-hwa, the first HKSAR Chief Executive, started his term, the education system has undergone constant reforms.
Since the post-colonial period, changing the medium of instruction in secondary schools has been one of the most controversial policies in Hong Kong's education. Prior to the 1970s, English was still the only official language, which earned a supreme status in people's mind.[2] English was the language of government, education, academia, and law. It was always considered an elite language. This mindset has been implanted for generations.
In April 1997, three months before the handover, HKSAR government published a document regarding compulsory Chinese medium instruction policy. It suggested that using mother tongue would help students understand education content more thoroughly. On the contrary, many students, parents, and the schools held opposite ideas and protested against it. In September 2007, the government stepped back to give more freedom to schools to be exempt from this policy.[3] As a result, only 25% of the secondary schools were approved to continue EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) education, whereas the rest of the secondary schools must use CMI (Chinese as a Medium of Instruction) in teaching most subjects except English.[4] This shift made Hong Kong citizens realize the political nature of the education reform.
Furthermore, the new language policy required teachers to enhance their language proficiency. Thus, there was an emergence of Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers in 2008 to mainly assess the Mandarin and English skills. In 2009, there was a new curriculum introduced at senior secondary level, Liberal Studies. This subject has been a great challenge to Hong Kong students who did not get much training in critical thinking in the old education system. In the same year, another dramatic reform was the application of the Chinese educational system, which followed the American model of "three-three-four" (middle school-high school-tertiary education). This has affected all levels of local students and educators. It has also meant getting rid of the British structure. Students would end up having one public examination, the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE), instead of taking two that were mentioned earlier. The most controversial area was the introduction of civic education in 2012, which caused a series of radical protests initiated by political parties and youth.
Changing language policy in education was only the first wave of reforms that the HKSAR government has initiated to decrease the British influence over the years. The reactions of parents, students, and educators have been very strong, reflecting not only the deep-rooted mindset about the privileged status of English in this city, but also the achievement of British rule over the citizens during its colonial period. The entire reform movement generates more societal instability, which inevitably lowers the confidence of parents in the local schools.
[1] GovHK (2013). Government. Retrieved from http://www.gov.hk/en/about/abouthk/facts.htm
[2] Poon, Anita (2004). Language Policy in Hong Kong: Its Impact on language education and language use in post-handover Hong Kong. Journal of Taiwan Normal University, 49. Retrieved from http://www.ord.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnuj/j49/j491-13.pdf
[4] Shiwen, Pan (2000). Hong Kong's Bilingual Past and Present. Hong Kong Institute of Education. Retrieved from http://www.uri.edu/iaics/content/2000v10n1/08%20Pan%20Shiwen.pdf


text:
require 'active_record/railtie'
require 'active_support/core_ext'

module Workflowable
  module ModelAdditions
    #extend ActiveSupport::Concern

    def self.included(base)
      base.extend ClassMethods
    end

    module ClassMethods
      def acts_as_workflowable
        include Workflowable::ModelAdditions::LocalInstanceMethods
        class_eval do
          attr_accessor :workflow_options
          attr_accessor :current_user

          belongs_to :workflow, :class_name => "Workflowable::Workflow"
          belongs_to :stage, :class_name => "Workflowable::Stage"
          before_save :set_default_stage

        end
      end
    end

    module LocalInstanceMethods

      def next_step_options(next_step, options={}, user=nil, unspecified_only=false)
        options ||= {}

        if(user.nil? && defined? current_user)
          user = current_user
        end

        if(stage)
          next_stage = stage.next_steps.find_by_id(next_step)
        else
          next_stage = workflow.stages.find_by_id(next_step)
        end

        if(next_stage)
          next_stage_options = {}
          next_stage_options[:global] = workflow.workflow_action_options(options[:global], self, self.stage, next_stage, user)
          next_stage_options[:before] = next_stage.run_before_options(options[:before], self, self.stage, user)
          next_stage_options[:after] = stage.run_after_options(options[:after], self, next_stage, user) if stage
          return next_stage_options

        else
          return nil
        end

      end

      def validate_actions(stage_id, options={}, user=nil)
        options ||= {}
        errors=[]

        if(user.nil? && defined? current_user)
          user = current_user
        end

        if(stage)
          new_stage = stage.next_steps.find_by_id(stage_id)
        else
          new_stage = workflow.stages.find_by_id(stage_id)
        end

        if(new_stage)
          workflow_errors = workflow.validate_action_options(options[:global], self, self.stage, new_stage, user)
          after_errors = stage.present? ?  stage.validate_after_actions(options[:after], self, new_stage, user) : nil
          before_errors = new_stage.validate_before_actions(options[:before], self, self.stage, user)
          errors << workflow_errors if workflow_errors.present?
          errors << after_errors if after_errors.present?
          errors << before_errors if before_errors.present?

          if(errors.present?)
            return errors
          end
          return nil
        else
          return errors + ["Could not identify next stage"]
        end

      end

      def set_stage(stage_id, options={}, user=nil)
        options ||= {}
        errors=[]
        if(user.nil? && defined? current_user)
          user = current_user
        end

        errors = validate_actions(stage_id, options, user)

        if(errors.present?)
          return errors
        end

        if(stage)
          new_stage = stage.next_steps.find_by_id(stage_id)
        else
          new_stage = workflow.stages.find_by_id(stage_id)
        end

        if(new_stage)

          workflow.run_workflow_actions(options[:global], self, self.stage, new_stage, user)
          stage.run_after_actions(options[:after], self, new_stage, user) if stage
          new_stage.run_before_actions(options[:before], self, self.stage, user)
          update_attributes(stage_id: new_stage.id)
          return true
        end
      end

      private

      def set_default_stage
        self.set_stage(workflow.initial_stage_id, self.workflow_options) if (workflow && workflow.initial_stage_id && self.stage.blank?)
        #self.stage_id = workflow.initial_stage_id

      end

    end
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


There is in each of us a sundial factor of our mentality. We are inclined only to count the sunny hours. Moreover after exhausting wars men tend to suffer a weariness of mind. This lassitude can make them shrink away from facing the limitations of human nature. It can produce a facile scepticism about their evil deeds. New generations dislike reading the history of the gas chambers, and so the fact that men claiming to be civilized put millions to death in the gas chambers slip from history.
Most people approach the subject of War Crimes Trials fundamentally either as cynic or idealist. This is, I think, because in essence the case for or against trying war criminals depends on that controversial subject which has become succinctly known as human rights. Your cynic says, "Human Rights? There are none." Your idealist, however, takes the view that there are certain rights and freedoms not created by lawyers but to which mankind as such are heir and which cannot be alienated. The idea of fundamental Human Rights is one in which I firmly believe.
If our unfortunate generation has proved one thing it has demonstrated that the barbarian is not behind us but always underneath us ready to rise up.


A five minute video which catches the flavor of life for musicians at Avaloch Farm Music Institute.
A/B Duo (flutist Meerenai Shim and percussionist Christopher G. Jones) performs Isla for flute, vibraphone, and live audio processing (2012) by Ian Dicke.
Avaloch Farm's Grand Opening Concert, Performances by Rhoda Hardy, Lev-Hartka Duo, Purple Line Trio, tooQ, The Trio Venia and The Chiara String Quartet.


This house / villa (old house) of 178 m² (about 1914 ft²), with a land size of 3000 m² (about 0,74 acres) contains 6 rooms including 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 shower room and 2 toilets. It is equipped with a living room, with a terrace and with a cellar. Heating : fuel oil radiator. Others : fireplace.


The Grand Casino Hotel at Hinckley, Minnesota, was designed for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe to provide a destination property unparalleled in northern Minnesota.
This seven-story, 253,000-square-foot hotel provides a corresponding image to the existing casino facility. The first floor of the hotel contains a family-style swimming pool, a 10,600-square-foot ballroom/bingo hall, and the lobby, which includes a registration area and a granite waterfall. Retail space, a fireplace lounge, and four meeting rooms are also located on the first floor. Over 280 guest rooms and suites fill the rest of the upper levels.
The contemporary north woods interior design was strongly influenced by "Prairie School" design themes, which are found in the millwork details, lighting and furniture. The exterior of the hotel design is quite contemporary and architecturally in keeping with the design concept of the casino buildings. Shingobee Builders, Inc. and Ryan Companies US, Inc. teamed with Walsh Bishop Associates, architect, and ICI Interior Design on the fast-track design-build process utilized to complete the hotel.


text:
Stage times for this weekend
We'll be on stage at the Appleby Jazz Festival on Thursday at 9.30pm and at Womad in the Siam Tent between 3.30 and 4.30pm on Friday. On Saturday we head off to Cambridge Folk Festival where we'll be playing the main stage on Saturday at 4.10pm with special guest Eliza Carthy and we'll be doing an album signing at the Mojo Tent (next to the CD stall) at 5.30pm, immediately after that show. On Sunday we'll be doing the closing set on the Radio 2 stage starting at 10.05pm. We look forward to seeing you there!
The Tall Islands by Salsa Celtica
All rights reserved Salsa Celtica © 2021
Designed by 16K Design. Hosted by Roslin Design

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Whether your shopping centre comprises of three stores or 500 stores. Security Concepts Services has the capability and experience to help you look after the security and customer service needs of your centre.
Our world class security book 'SECURITY ADVENTURE SERVICE' is a testimony of our expertise in security most especially in shopping centre and retail security.
Security Concepts Services, knows and understands shopping centre security inside and out. The below services we can provide are not limited, but rather a beginning of what we deliver. Our capabilities is vast in shopping centre and retail security provision and management.
When it comes to shopping centre security in Melbourne, it all boils down to two words 'Customer Service'! Security Concepts Services will supply your shopping centre with specific security guards who are specially trained and suitable for your shopping centre. They are security officers who are highly trained on customer assistance and service.
Over the years, Security Concepts Services have come to the knowledge of the importance of highly trained and certified first aid security officers for your business. The security officers we will be supplying you will possess exceptional first aid response experience. Not only responding to first aid but also understanding that the security officer is the first point of contact between the customer and the shopping centre management. Therefore our guards will make sure the customer requiring first aid assistance is well cared for with utmost professionalism while also adhering to centre management and centre site operating procedures (SOP).
From industry experience, the way the security officer professionally responds to a customer that requires first aid dramatically reduces the likelihood by which the customer would want to go for a claim against the shopping centre.
Security Concepts Services train all the guards on professional first aid response technique, coupled with our highly regarded book 'SECURITY ADVENTURE SERVICE' that explains this too.
We understand that the marketing and retail team of most shopping centres can get really busy and may require setup assistance in, during and after hours. Our security officers are able to assist you with such task and request at any moment notice.
Assisting marketing, retail, operations or maintenance teams with any extra requests will be included in the Security Site Operating Procedures.
Security Concepts Services will supply security officers who will conduct day time roving/foot patrols in and around the shopping centre and also mobile patrols at night or day time. This patrol can be wanded, GPS or normal patrols.
Our security officers will be trained and skilled in monitoring FIP rooms and monitoring and operating the CCTV for your centre. Whatever is your request concerning FIP and CCTV, our security officers will adhere to centre management instructions and procedures.
We will supply you the best security officers for your business, who are well trained in all incident reporting and management. All incidents are captured in a sophisticated and professional format. The daily log for your shopping centre will be accurate, timely and forwarded to management daily.


text:
Rogue Court Blocks Trump's Executive Order
Donald Trump, Immigration, Politics 8
Just hours after President Trump signed his Executive Order freezing travel until extreme vetting is implemented, Leftists mobilized to protest at airports and in the streets.
But now, they've taken to the Courts to stop President Trump's plans to help ensure we know who is coming in our country.
A rogue federal appeals court blocked President Trump's plans to reinstate the ban.
That set off President Trump, who vowed to fight back.
SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!
The national has media tried to color the Executive Order as a "Muslim ban," even though it has zero effect on travel from the top six countries with the highest population of Muslims.
In fact, the ban only affects people travelling from seven specifically named countries identified by the Obama administration as major sources of terrorism.
Earlier this week, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, made a name for himself by fighting Trump's Executive Order.
Ferguson and Washington State Governor, Jay Inslee seem to be willing to fight tooth-and-nail to keep America's doors wide open for anyone who wants to come in.
In a quote in the Washington Post, Gov. Inslee stated, "This is what resistance looks like."
Ever since Trump's election, liberals and so-called "progressives" have taken to the "Resistance" mantra.
Their goal is to block everything Trump does — even if it's a matter of national security.
The Executive Order was set to expire in 90 days, so it's possible it may run out before the U.S. Supreme Court could take it up.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration will be scrambling to find another way to live up to his campaign promises to secure our borders.
But the anti-Trump media and Leftists will try to block Trump's attempts to implement extreme vetting, despite the risks an open door policy poses to American security.
Hillary's legal problems just got way worse
Leftist Agitators Swarm Republican Town Halls
Stephen Jackson
Gary Cair cant compare to a 25 year old Churchill.The content of his quote speaks for its mountain of evidence. Churchill shld be paraphrased to liberals who like muslims live by their feelings, the fever in their brains, rabies,thats it.
Jay Helt, Lt. Col USAF (ret)
At least President Trump is trying to make the country better and strong again.
I truly admire him even more because of all the snowflake wussy liberal who are trying to cause him to fail. They are giving back bone and strength to the president, which he needs, to defeat these morons. The bow waves and protests only slow down the recovery of the disaster BO almost achieved. I think Mr. Carr need to return to his safe place and contemplate huis navel for a few years maybe he will find some fuzz he can use.
Gary Carr
Yes, Churchill did say that, although not quite in those words, in a book he wrote in 1899, when he was 25 years old. (He lived to be 90.) Most of us say and do really dumb things when we are young. For instance, Churchill, great statesman that he was, thought the Gallipolis invasion was a good idea.
"Cair/Carr" – I don't get it. Please explain. As to "wussy liberal" – well, nobody's perfect, but I'll wear it with pride.
Dan Stewart
gary cair, you are the perfect example of a "wussy liberal". (name intentionally misspelled).
Personally, I think ALL muslims should be banned & all those here should be deported. Every muslim is a potential terrorist. Winston Churchill said long ago; "islam is to a man, as rabies is to a dog".
"Rogue Court"???? Oh, please! I suppose the "rogue court" is filled with "so-called" judges, eh? This is not the first time that a President has been slapped down by the Courts and, hopefully, will not be the last. Donald Trump speaks for a minority of citizens, many of whom voted in protest of lack of jobs. Wait until all those well-paying jobs fail to return to the U.S. And if they do return, they won't be "well-paying" if a Puzder-led Dept. of Labor is set up against worker rights – anti-union, anti higher minimum wage. Beware the wrath of blue-collar workers. They won't play nice like a bunch of wussy liberals.


I loved this championship….back in Chicago, at the Palmer House, saw Marsha Jordan who created a wonderful video on WLS-TV. Great action, and I was credentialed…..what more could I ask?
This was the championships in Chicago two years ago……It was the best one I have seen out of the three to date…Chicago was old home week to me, the Palmer House was wonderful, the Windy City Rollers treated me wonderfully, and my friend Marsha Jordan at ABC was kind enough to do a wonderful feature on the event.
I will see my fourth championship this coming weekend in Atlanta, and I will be at the Roll Models booth (best uniforms going), giving away trinkets and having autographed Derby books as usual. It will be great, but not the magic of Chicago where the game originated. And I have the feeling this will be the last WFTDA tournament I will attend….Please drop by!


108 The vaccine contains live attenuated Gumboro disease virus, intermediary type (strain VMG-91) grown in embryonated chicks' SPF eggs. One vaccinal dose contains at least 103 TCID50. The vaccine is lyophilised with the addition of PPGF (PLIVA) stabiliser.
165 The vaccine stimulates formation of specific antibodies against Gumboro disease in chicks (infectious bursal disease).
222 Active immunoprophylaxis against infectious bursal disease in healthy chicks.
279 Clinically sick and exhausted chicks should not be vaccinated as well as those under stress.
336 The vaccine is given resuspended in cold and clean drinking water without chlorine or other disinfectant. Resuspend 1000 vaccinal doses in 10 L of water. To make the birds thirsty, withhold the supplies of drinking water 3 hours prior to immunisation. Drinking system should be clean, without traces of feed or disinfectants. Provide sufficient number of waterers, i. e. about 30% more than required, to ensure water intake to all birds within one hour.
374 It is recommended to vaccinate the chicks to vaccinated mothers with born immunity to Gumboro disease or who were inoculated with a mild strain of infectious bursal disease.
412 Chicks are given a single dose at the age of 10-20 days. Relevant to epizootiologic status, the vaccine may be given in two doses at the age of 8-12 days and 18-20 days. A single dose already establishes sound immunity against bursal disease.
469 Immunity in the vaccinated birds is established 4-5 days post vaccination.
526 To avoid possible interaction in the immune response, GUMBOKAL® IM SPF vaccine should not be given 4 days before to 4 days after vaccination against Newcastle disease and infectious bronchitis in hens.
564 Dishes for preparation and administration of the vaccine should be perfectly clean and the water free of disinfectants.
602 The vaccine is administered to all birds in the flock.
640 Avoid exposure to direct sunlight.
678 Packaging and vaccine leftovers must be disposed of in a safe way, preferably by boiling in water.
792 Store in a dark place, at 2-8°C (refrigerator). Keep away from children.
963 Boxes with 10x1000 and 10x2000 vaccinal doses.
1077 In every animal population there are some with poorer response to vaccination. In addition to proper storage and administration, success of vaccination depends on hereditary factors, age of the animal, subclinical diseases, maternal antibodies, feed, stress factors and concurrent administration of other drugs.
1115 Given the variations in vaccination programmes, before vaccinating the whole flock it is recommended to consult the veterinarian who is an expert in poultry.


text:
Nine-Year-Old Kazakh Boy Does 550 Push-Ups, Breaks Record
By Meruert Nurgazinova in People on 16 September 2015
ASTANA –Nine-year-old Amir Makhmet celebrated the 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate by doing an equal number of push-ups and breaking his previous record in the process.
Makhmet is a two-time champion in the Kazakhstan Information Encyclopaedia Directory (KInES), setting his first record at the June 1 opening of the Street Workout summer season. He followed it with a second record at the Akmola region Street Workout championship by performing 50 push-ups in 30 seconds.
Eminent Kazakh athletes such as weightlifter Ilya Ilyin, boxer Serik Sapiyev, Federation of Jiu-Jitsu and MMA President Anatoly Kim and karateandMMA world champion and Presidential Professional Sport Club Astana General Manager Aidar Makhmetov, who is the uncle of the boy, came to the event to support Makhmet.
"The boy did really well; he is a great example for our young people. It is good that our people are trying to distinguish themselves in a good way. It is great that there is a book – Kazakhstan Information Encyclopaedia Directory – which fixes such records. It is a worldwide practice. I think we need to develop it more," said Ilyin.
The young athlete's mother, Kalamkas Makhmetova, was more worried about her son than anyone else in attendance. Makhmet is an impulsive, purposeful and hyperactive child who became seriously involved in sports one year ago.
"My husband is responsible for the child's activities and it is his merit. They talk a lot and plan something all the time. I'm just watching after his school studies. He got engaged in sport when he was eight years old. The first record was set at that age," said Makhmetova. "I do not worry about whether he will do the required number of push-ups; I worry about his health at the moment when he will do it and after."
She added he has repeatedly met with Olympic champions and wants to emulate them. The young athlete likes boxing and judo and has excellent grades in school.
"I hope he will grow up a good citizen of our country and will be a world-famous athlete. When it comes to me as his father, I will always be around, I will support," said Anuar Makhmetov.
"Today, we are pleased to fix a new record of our young hero. To tell the truth, the whole editorial board and research department is very excited. Kazakhstan's Record Book focuses on the most positive developments in the life of the Kazakh people. We try to fix records that elevate the spirit of the people and raise human culture. This book, which will be released in two months, includes a photo of Amir. We do not fix records like the biggest number of pies eaten or beer drunk, only sane ones. This book has only the most successful achievements of the people of our society," said KInES representative Kuandyk Kudaibergenov.
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If you are familiar with the gourmet landscape of Juhu, chances are you would not be a stranger to this very hip and 80´s style restaurant and lounge called Villa 69. The news is, Villa 69 is now closed and in its place you will see an equally flamboyant place called "A Bar Called Life". The flamboyance is obvious by the large signage proclaiming its name outside. As if this wasn't enough, the tastefully done super-sized terrace outside, speaks volumes of its opulence and flamboyance.
The massive size of the restaurant resonates on the drinks menu as well – I found it running over several pages with drinks of all kinds featured on its pages and a decent wine list to match. The food menu on the other hand is surprisingly small. You wonder why since the person behind the scene here won the award for the best female chef of India in 2016 and you would think that she would like to highlight her culinary prowess through her first free standing baby. Chef Amninder Sandhu is quick to point that since A Bar Called Life is a celebration of life through dance, drink and food (in no particular order), she has chosen to feature a restricted menu that focuses on dishes that go well with the drinks and at the same time showcase her talent.
With that said, we proceeded on our culinary sojourn for the evening. The evening opened with a very refreshing and classic Watermelon and Feta cheese salad. Chef Sandhu, living up to her name, has added her own twist to it by adding pop rocks to it. The resultant combo is crisp, exploding, delicious and perfect for a sveltery humid summer afternoon. This salad is served alongside a Kadi Patta Mojito and a Kacchi Keri drink, both of which once again spell summer with their refreshing use of Curry leaves and Raw Mangoes simultaneously.
A massive bowl shaped crisp Roomali roti was brought out next. What impressed me most about this starter was the fact that the spiciness of the bread was balanced off with the creamy burrata in the centre of the roti. The size of the starter is huge and is good enough to serve 4 people. My only peeve with this dish was that I found this starter to be a bit too oily and a bit messy to eat by hand, but then that's the only way to eat it.
The assorted veg and non veg starter platters were good, classic Indian fare. Chef Sandhu has a HUGE potential to tap here by adding her savoir faire to these dishes and take them above their current run-off-the-mill self.
The smokey whiskey based classic old fashioned comes with an interesting element in the form of flavoured Ice cubes which add to the drink as they melt. This was quite an interesting take for me as I relished my drink in long drawn sips savoring its smokiness and the changing flavor palate.
The second revelation of the evening for us was the Bhoot Jholakia chicken wings which thankfully enough, was served alongside a platter of mango maki sushi. The heat from the Bhoot Jholakia chillies hits you at the tail end of your bite, and when it does, it smokes the bezeeezus out of you. For the chilly lovers, this is an absolute delight and despite being substantially heat intolerant, I relished the dish for its uniqueness. Thankfully the mango sushi helped soothe my tripes successfully.
Another interesting dish that this restaurant serves is the Bamboo shoot mutton served with Jasmine rice and Gondhoraj Lebu. The mutton is cooked inside Bamboo shoots and is served out of the container at the table. The intense aroma that follows is good enough to make anyone´s stomach growl. The Jasmine rice and the Gondhoraj lebu are apt accompaniments and the entire dish is an aromatic delicious journey, an ode to India´s rich North Eastern legacy.
The dessert line-up saw us sampling some Kale Gajar kaa halwaa (made from the rarely available black carrots), Nolengurer Ice Cream (which is by now a popular Bengali classic) and – hold your breath – Ghosht ka Halwaa. Yes you heard me right – a dessert made from MUTTON! Now those of you who are wondering, the Gosht ka Halwa tastes quite similar to the milk cake, quite rich at certain places, so finely minced that you don't feel the mutton content at all. Chef Sandhu´s version, however, keeps the mutton a bit coarse and you feel it as you eat.
A Bar Called Life spells class from the moment you walk in; the massive sized terrace area and the busy dance floor further adds to the vibe of the place. For the crowds in and around Juhu and nearer suburban areas, this is definitely a wonderful hang out area with some classic food options. Chef Sandhu is a talented chef and I look forward to see her innovation come out of this kitchen, beyond the classic fare it currently serves.
Mezzo Mezzo at JW Marriott, Juhu – A Battle with a difference!


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Panthers pounce on surprised Capitals
Posted on Tuesday, July 29, 2014 by WCHL Hockey
McGinn posts two points, Kinkaid holds fort for Florida
Florida Panthers (3) vs Washington Capitals (1)......
The Panthers went into Sunday's game versus the Capitals in Landover having lost just once in their last eight games. The Caps meanwhile were riding a three game win streak of their own.
The first period was scoreless as both goalies stopped 11 shots, the Panthers PP had two chances but came up short on both man advantages.
The second frame started the same with the Caps taking an early penalty but this time the 'Cats pounced on their opportunity with Josh Bailey bagging his 8th of the season at 3:48 while Jonathan Huberdeau was serving a slashing penalty. Florida doubled their lead at 10:39 as Jamie McGinn collected his first of the season with a wrister over the glove of Mike Smith. The Panthers enjoyed a 20-17 shot advantage through 40 minutes.
In the third period the Capitals got on the board thanks to a man advantage goal from Michael Handzus at 2:07, his second of the year, with Josh Bailey serving time for interference. Sergei Gonchar restored Florida's two goal lead at the 13:07 mark thanks to McGinn's second point of the night, whose slapshot Smith got a pad on but directed it straight out to the point where Gonchar released his 100 plus mile an hour slapshot that nearly took the net off it's moorings. The 'Cats out-shot the Caps 31-22 in the game.
Keith Kinkaid won his first start as a Florida Panther, stopping 21 shots, Kinkaid was the surprise starter as Montoya's equipment never made it's way to Washington and Tim Thomas was given a scheduled maintenance day and didn't even travel with the team.
MOLSON'S 3 STARS
1 - Jamie McGinn (Flo).... 1 goal, 1 assist, +2, 6 shots, played almost 19:00
2 - Keith Kinkaid (Flo)..... surprised starter stopped 21 shots for his first win this season in his first start.
3 - Sergei Gonchar (Flo).... Gonch's laser beam was insurance marker, 4 shots
Pens edge Nucks in a shootout
Posted on Wednesday, July 23, 2014 by WCHL Hockey
Kane dekes Vokoun to move Pittsburgh past stubborn Canucks
Vancouver Canucks (1) vs Pittsburgh Penguins (2) - SO .....
The Canucks hit the ice on Saturday in Pittsburgh hoping to keep their two game win streak intact. The Penguins just wanted to get back on the winning track.
For the first two periods it looked like neither team were interested in the two points up for grabs. After 40 minutes the shots were 16-12 in favor of the Canucks, with just three minor penalties between the two teams.
In the third stanza ex-Canuck John Tavares scored his 4th of the season, the first against his former team, the goal came at 10:07 assisted by Dan Hamhuis. The Canucks drew even on Manny "the man" Malholtra's first of the season at 12:24.
The game went to a shoot out with Patrick Kane beating Tomas Vokoun with a sick backhand between the legs drag move that had the Vancouver goalie motioning for a trainer after the goal.
Joey MacDonald won his first for the Pens, stopping 28 shots, while his counterpart Tomas Vokoun dropped to 8-4-1 while stopping 28 shots.
MOLSON 3 STARS:
1 - Tomas Vokoun (Van)
2 - Joey MacDonald (Pit)
3 - John Tavares (Pit)


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Shanghai — For the third time since U.S. President Donald Trump was elected, Chinese President Xi Jinping took to the global stage on Monday to repeat his rhetoric against protectionism and promote his country as an advocate for international openness and cooperation.
While China has made some progress on opening up its economy to foreign companies, critics say the pace is still too slow and many of Xi's announcements have been in the works for some time. In fact, China's attempts to position itself as a champion of globalization fly in the face of its status as one of the most protectionist major nations.
The Chinese leader said his country will seek to stimulate the potential for increased imports and will further lower import tariffs. He also pledged that China will speed up the opening of its education, telecommunications and cultural sectors. As it now stands, Asia's largest economy maintains extensive barriers for foreign firms looking to conduct business in those areas.
Xi also acknowledged that parts of China's economy are facing challenges and uncertainty right now, but said the government is working quickly to address those issues and has improved in its overall ability to manage macroeconomic growth.
The Monday speech comes less than 48 hours before the midterm elections in the U.S., which the world is watching for signs about whether the Trump administration can maintain its policy momentum. The Tuesday contests could also hold implications for Washington's foreign relations as trade tensions between the world's two largest economies have escalated.
Last week, major stock indexes rose amid renewed hope that Trump and Xi were moving closer to an agreement on trade. White House officials later pushed back on the idea of an imminent deal, however. The two leaders are set to meet later this month at the G-20 summit in Argentina.
In the meantime, China is promoting itself to the world as a major buyer of goods with the week-long China International Import Expo. More than 3,600 enterprises have signed up for the expo and 172 countries and regions will participate, according to the event's website.


At the age of ten Gerard Freeman sneaks into his mother's bedroom and opens a locked drawer in her dressing table. There he discovers a hidden book and a photograph of a woman he has never seen before. When his mother Phyllis catches him, her reaction is swift and shocking. She attacks and beats him mercilessly, and makes him promise never to go through her things again.
Prior to this incident Gerard and Phyllis shared a dreamy fascination with her childhood home in England. Following the death of her parents, as Phyllis describes it, she was raised by her grandmother on an estate known as Staplefield. Her memories of it are a far cry from the mundane life she leads with her husband and son in the suburbs of Mawson, Australia. Yet she never visits England, and she has no contact with relatives or friends from her childhood. For his part, Gerard has always loved his mother's recollections of the great family estate, which he imagines inheriting some day.
Following the discovery of the photograph Phyllis stops recounting her memories of Staplefield, and an essential part of Gerard's relationship with his mother begins to atrophy. In his loneliness at home and at school, he accepts a letter of invitation to become pen pals with an English girl named Alice, who was both orphaned and crippled by an auto accident. This is the beginning of a deep and abiding friendship that will influence the course of Gerard's life. As he grows closer to Alice through their correspondence, he drifts emotionally further from his mother. But Phyllis' neurotic needs and phobias keep him physically close, stifling his natural impulse to explore the world on his own.
Over the years Gerard traces the history of Phyllis' grandmother Viola, a writer of ghost stories published in obscure limited editions. These tales are filled with generational curses and coincidence. They echo the memories Phyllis shared with Gerard when he was young. They tantalize with the idea of an unobtainable inheritance.
Viola's stories and Alice's letters are expertly woven into The Ghost Writer, together with Gerard's narrative. Parallel images and events resonate and reinforce one another. At times Gerard is not certain what is true history and what is fiction. Stories merge and separate, and reality mirrors what has already taken place in the ghostly tales of his Victorian ancestors.
Over the course of two widely separated visits to England, Gerard attempts to reclaim his mysterious heritage. But his hold on it is slippery, and the more he tries to sort truth from fiction the more menacing the underlying secrets become. Soon he is questioning his mother's veracity and his own sanity in a quest for the truth about Staplefield.
There are many delights to this spooky novel. A few of Viola's tales are worthy of master ghost storyteller M.R. James. They accumulate a disturbing power and stay with you. They blur the line between action and emotional response. They also permit some very impressive sleight of hand to occur while the reader is engrossed in Gerard's spooky adventures.
The narrator's journey toward truth is both physical and psychological. While establishing a plausible storyline, author John Harwood litters the landscape with clues. Some will alert lovers of literary horror and some are simply beautiful reminders that the real purpose of a ghost story is to express through narrative the trembling fear and unspeakable regret buried deep in the human heart.


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Promoting and protecting human rights
info@doras.org
EMAIL US AT info@doras.org
CALL US NOW 061 310 328
About Doras
Advice & Information Centre
Transition from Direct Provision
Victims of Trafficking Support
Report Racism
Direct Provision
Integration & Anti-Racism
Voting rights & political system
Doras Luimní have been supporting women and men affected by human trafficking since 2011. Service users/clients include women trafficked for sexual exploitation; women currently involved in or exiting from prostitution; male and female clients trafficked for forced labour and labour exploitation; women trafficked for forced marriage.
For more information on our direct support services for victims of human trafficking, visit Victims of Trafficking
HUMAN TRAFFICKING & PROSTITUTION IN LIMERICK
In 2015, Doras Luimní produced a research report, No Chances, No Choices, which outlines a snapshot of 10 human trafficking and prostitution cases presenting to Doras Luimní, and an overview of the street outreach programme to people in prostitution over an 18 month period.
It provides evidence of the complexity of human trafficking, the difficulties facing migrants who navigate the Irish immigration system, the barriers when accessing statutory services, and the overlap between human trafficking and migrant prostitution.
This research indicates that:
Men and women are affected by human trafficking in Limerick
Trafficking takes many forms in Limerick – trafficking for sexual exploitation, forced labour, forced marriage and criminal activity
State supports for victims of trafficking are inadequate
Many of the issues that affect victims of trafficking also affect people in migrant prostitution.
ANTI HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT (AHTU), DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Doras Luimní feeds into the National Referral Mechanism framework on human trafficking. Staff attend the working group meetings at the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) in the Department of Justice and Equality as members of the 1) Sexual Exploitation and National Referral Mechanism Working Group, and 2) the Awareness Raising and Training Working Group.
For more information on our anti-trafficking work and specialised support services for survivors of trafficking, visit Victims of Trafficking
DOWNLOAD 'NO CHANCES, NO CHOICES' REPORT
Doras Luimní made a detailed submission to the Oireachtas Committee providing a regional perspective from the Mid-West and explaining our argument in favour of legislative change to combat exploitation in the Irish sex industry. Download here
DORAS LUIMNÍ ADVOCATE FOR:
increased penalties and custodial sentences for those found to have profited from the organisation and control of prostitution;
abolition of the defence of 'strict liability' in relation to child prostitution and victims of trafficking;
effective exit programmes to facilitate women leaving prostitution;
end practice of accommodating survivors of trafficking in Direct Provision. Develop purpose-built, gender-specific, safe accommodation for survivors of trafficking;
an immediate overhaul of existing immigration legislation, including the establishment of a unified asylum and protection procedure in which human rights are prioritised.
ANTI-TRAFFICKING CAMPAIGN ARCHIVE
TURN OFF THE RED LIGHT (TORL)
Doras was a core member of the national Turn Off the Red Light (TORL) campaign. TORL aims to tackle the demand for prostitution and thereby reduce sex trafficking into Ireland. We successfully advocated for the introduction of legislation criminalising the purchase of sex, which came into force by way of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 in March 2017.
FAIR WORK STANDARDS
As part of our anti-trafficking work, Doras Luimní implemented a campaign aimed at raising awareness of workplace rights with a view to preventing labour exploitation and identifying potential victims of trafficking for the purpose of forced labour and exploitation.
Information on the campaign can be found here: Fair Work Standards.
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Had the most fun at Dance Limerick Doras Ceili Afro Dabke dance class this evening. It's evenings like this that makes me love living in Limerick City. Dancing and mixing with people living here from all over the world. We have such a special city 💃
These dance classes are completely free, open to everyone (I have two left feet and was able to keep up), and take place every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 7 to 9 pm at St. John's Square ...
Central Buildings, 51a O'Connell Street, Limerick.
Company number: 335696 | Charity number: CHY 14956
Phone : 061 310 328
Email : info@doras.org


Based on the life and experiences of Australia's most iconic bushranger, Ned explores Ned Kelly's turbulent life and the events which led to his demise.
Set in rural Victoria in the late 1800s, it charts Ned Kelly's transformation from local hero to a cold-blooded criminal. When his mother, Ellen Kelly, is unjustly convicted of attempting to murder a policeman, Ned, his brother Dan, and their two friends Joe Byrne and Steve Hart flee into the bush to avoid their own arrests by the corrupt police force. They are soon outlawed and vilified as the feared 'Kelly Gang', and are to be caught at any cost – dead or alive. But swearing that their "orders must be obeyed", the gang takes their final, and ultimately fatal, stand against the police.
Josh McElroy is Ned Kelly, with Jodie Harris as the Kelly family matriarch, Ellen. Marcus Rivera embodies early Australian law and order through his portrayal of Superintendent Hare.