ANCHORAGE - In a final act of corporate kindness, Pets.com tosseda lifeline to Alaska dog mushers faced with the harsh choice ofkilling their dogs or watching them starve. The San Francisco-based online retailer, which pulled the plug Nov. 7 after failing tofind a financial …
Today's teachers and parents who help with homework or instruct children at home can take advantage of new and rapid advances in technology, including Web sites with resources for lesson planning.
DISCOVERYSCHOOL.COM (www.school.discovery.com) is a free online destination for teachers, parents and students. According to Kimberly Smith, director of Digital Products and Services, using this site for lesson planning is a unique experience. "DiscoverySchool.com has a library of more than 400 video clips teachers can preview and use," Smith says. "With teaching tools and lesson plan tools, teachers can create their own lesson plans and save them on the site. In their lesson plan, they …
Newly released documents list Attorney General-nominee Eric Holder's past clients, including a major Swiss bank under U.S. investigation.
Holder's financial disclosure forms offer few surprises, though, and his work for Swiss bank UBS AG has been known. The bank is the subject of a Justice Department probe. Holder represented the firm in a separate discrimination case.
The government has already …
A federal judge Friday postponed today's Chicago Fire Departmentbattalion chief's exam so that about 35 black and Hispaniclieutenants can prepare for it.
Senior District Judge James B. Parsons told attorneys on bothsides of a class-action lawsuit that the exam must be rescheduledsometime in the next 60 days.
This will permit the minority lieutenants, all of whom passedthe captain's test but have not been …
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Anna Nicole Smith's 20-year-old son died from a lethal combination of methadone and two antidepressant drugs, a U.S.-based pathologist who conducted a private autopsy said Wednesday.
Toxicology tests showed Daniel Smith had methadone, Zoloft and Lexapro in his system when he died Sept. 10 in a hospital room in the Bahamas where his former Playboy playmate mother was recuperating from giving birth to a daughter, according to Cyril Wecht.
"The fact that we have these drugs and the levels of the drugs overwhelmingly and most logically point to this being a tragic, accidental, drug-related death," Wecht told The Associated Press from his home in the …
Jurors began deliberations Monday on the fate of seven men charged with conspiring to destroy Chicago's Sears Tower and blow up FBI offices in an attempt to start an anti-government insurrection.
The U.S. charges that 33-year-old Narseal Batiste led a homegrown terrorist cell hoping to get help from a man claiming to be an al-Qaida operative _ in reality an FBI informant.
"This is the fanatic, ladies and gentlemen, and the soldiers who follow his word," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Gregorie.
Batiste said he was only trying to cheat the informant out of money, and defense attorneys have said little evidence ties the six other …
Manager Lou Piniella said he wants to keep his top three starters -- Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Randy Wells -- on every-fifth-day schedules despite days off in each of the first two weeks of the season. All three are lined up for Milwaukee.
That means left-hander Tom Gorzelanny's season debut will get pushed to Sunday, and tonight's starter, Carlos Silva, will get at least a week between his first and second starts.
It also puts a …
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: PLACE AND CARE IN AN AGEING SOCIETY Christine Milligan (Editor) Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishers, 2009, 176 pp. (hardcover), $99.95
Christine Milligan was stimulated to research the field of care at home by experiences within her own family in England. How true it is that real life experience forces attention on major issues that otherwise are passed over as of vague concern only to society at large. Troubles in advanced age for both her in-laws revealed "support from the formal care services at that time can, at best, be described as disorganized and chaotic" (preface, p. ix).
Milligan has written a substantial, thorough analysis of the home …
The Dallas Mavericks fired coach Avery Johnson on Tuesday, a move that likely was the first of many in the offseason by the club.
Despite having the National Basketball Association's highest annual payroll, Dallas was eliminated in the first-round of the playoffs for the second straight season.
Johnson leaves Wednesday with an impressive resume after three-plus seasons, but Mavs owner Mark Cuban couldn't tolerate a bottom line of being 3-12 in the playoffs since leading the Miami Heat 2-0 in the 2006 NBA finals and losing the title.
The Mavericks followed that disappointment by being ousted by Golden State in the opening round last season in one …
THE COOLER (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)1/2
Bernie Lootz William H. Macy
Shelly Kaplow Alec Baldwin
Natalie Belisario Maria Bello
Mikey Shawn Hatosy
Larry Sokolov Ron Livingston
Buddy Stafford Paul Sorvino
Charlene Estella Warren
Johnny Capella Joey Fatone
Lions Gate Films presents a film directed by Wayne Kramer. Writtenby Frank Hannah and Kramer. Running time: 101 minutes. Rated R (forstrong sexuality, violence, language and some drug use). Openingtoday at Pipers Alley and Evanston Cine Arts.
Bernie Lootz's sad eyes scan the casino floor, and he shufflesinto action. A high roller is having a winning streak at …
Arthur Dixon Elementary School is teaching its students the appreciation of one's history by appreciating the arts. Joan D. Crisler, the school's principal established its Fine Arts program. Although Crisler was unavailable for comment, Sharon Dale, assistant principal and Annette Jackson the school's artist-in-residence spoke on the importance of the school's program.
According to Dale, the program which features African American art throughout the school was adopted to encourage students in being creative through aesthetics, but mostly to give them insight into the richness of African culture throughout the Diaspora. "It is so important that our young people know about …
A drug cartel leader who directed cocaine trafficking through Mexico City's international airport was arrested after a shootout in the capital, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Jesus "The King" Zambada was among 16 Sinaloa cartel members arrested Monday after a gunbattle with police in which an apparent grenade explosion destroyed a car, Attorney General Eduardo Medina said. Zambada's son, his nephew, two federal police officers and one state police officer were also among those arrested.
Zambada was identified as the brother of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, who allegedly heads the cartel along with one of Mexico's most wanted men, Joaquin …
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government's labor dispute with Boeing Co. is turning into a political headache for President Barack Obama, giving his Republican rivals a fresh opening to bash the administration's economic policies.
From congressional hearings to presidential debates, outraged Republicans are keeping up a steady drumbeat of criticism over the National Labor Relations Board's lawsuit against the aerospace giant.
Obama addressed the case for the first time on Wednesday, declining to criticize or openly support the actions of the independent federal agency. But he said "as a general proposition, companies need to have the freedom to relocate," though they must follow the law when doing so.
"What I think defies common sense would be a notion that we would be shutting down a plant or laying off workers because labor and management can't come to a sensible agreement," Obama said.
The NLRB alleges that Boeing retaliated against its unionized work force in Washington state by opening a new production line for its 787 airplane in South Carolina, a right-to-work state. The agency is not seeking to shut down the new plant, but wants a judge to order Boeing to return all 787 assembly work to Washington.
Boeing says it opened the South Carolina plant specifically to build 787 airplanes. It contends the lawsuit would effectively require the company to close the $750 million plant and lay off thousands of new workers there.
The case — which could drag on for years — has become an unwanted distraction for Obama as he tries to mend relations with the business community and contend with polls that show growing public disapproval over his handling of the economy.
It makes an easy target for Republicans, who call it a case of government overreaching at a time when the private sector is struggling to create new jobs. And it's a major story in South Carolina — a bellwether early primary state in the GOP presidential race. Candidates are lining up to impress voters and the state's Republican governor, tea party favorite Nikki Haley.
"Obama's NLRB has united the Republican Party and turned this government agency into a political piñata," said GOP consultant Scott Reed. "Boeing spent a billion dollars building a plant to create thousands of jobs and it looks like the NLRB stuck their nose in and tried to pull the rug out."
Business groups and their GOP allies say the government is interfering with the right of company managers to choose where and how to expand business operations. Boeing claims it opened the plant for a variety of economic reasons, but NLRB officials say Boeing executives made public comments showing the move was meant to punish union workers for a series of costly strikes.
For Haley, the case has been a litmus test for every GOP presidential candidate visiting the state. And they have not disappointed her.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, visiting New Hampshire on Monday, said Obama had appointed "union stooges into the NLRB and then they come up with decisions that are really quite extraordinary," like the Boeing lawsuit that he and others have said will drive companies to seek workers overseas.
GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich called for defunding the agency during a recent New Hampshire debate, saying the case could threaten the viability of the nation's 22 right-to-work states, where labor unions can't force employees to be members.
And during a tour of South Carolina last week, GOP presidential candidate Jon Huntsman called on Obama to step in and end the lawsuit to prevent it from scaring other businesses away from the state.
Haley says the only way to make things right "is for the president to tell the NLRB to back off. And until that happens, it is my job to be loud and annoying and in his face until he realizes that what they have done is wrong."
Even South Carolina's Democrats have piled on. Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr., a Democrat called the case "a very, very bad decision and a huge mistake that is not good policy for the country."
Obama, ordinarily a reliable supporter of organized labor, has carefully avoided taking a position on the case.
"My hope is that even as this thing is working its way through, everybody steps back for a second and says, 'Look, if jobs are being created here in the United States, let's make sure that we're encouraging that,' " Obama said Wednesday.
But the issue became more awkward for Obama when John Bryson, his pick to head the Commerce Department and a former Boeing board member, openly criticized the lawsuit during a Senate confirmation hearing last week.
"I think it's not the right judgment," Bryson said. He said Boeing officials thought they were "doing the right thing for the country" by keeping jobs in the U.S. and not moving them overseas.
Some Democrats and union officials have stepped up their defense of the NLRB, saying Republicans are misrepresenting the case against Boeing. Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, accused Republicans of peddling "misinformation," distorting the public perception of the case and unfairly attacking the agency.
Labor experts say if the allegations in the complaint are true, it would constitute a standard violation of federal labor laws, which prohibit a company from moving work to punish union workers for past strikes. The complaint lays out several public statements by Boeing executives saying they wanted to relocate new lines for the Dreamliner because of strike activity, including a 58-day work stoppage in 2008.
But such violations can be difficult to prove, especially if the company can show it had other valid motives for opening the new lines in South Carolina.
Perhaps the best scenario for Obama would be for the case to be settled, an outcome that many labor experts expect.
Connie Kelliher, a spokeswoman for the machinists union that sought the complaint, said the union saw nothing in Obama's remarks on Wednesday that deviate from his previous position that the case should run its course in the courts.
"We want to thank President Obama for reminding corporations of the importance of having positive labor relations, which is what the machinists union strives for," she said.
___
Associated Press writers Bruce Smith in Charleston, S.C., and Kathy McCormack in Salem, N.H., contributed to this report.
.
I'd swear I live where all the God's creatures live in peace andfree from harm. I'd swear I live where nary a speck of soot hasnever soiled the land. I'd swear I live where Earth Day lasts 365days a year.
But come Monday morning, America will be belching and litteringand polluting all over again. Come Monday morning we can start beingourselves again. Of course, we've never really stopped beingourselves - except during Earth Week, when we kid ourselves thatwe're not really ourselves, but dedicated, committedenvironmentalists. We're so easy.
Earth Day has become like Christmas when Americans put asidepetty jealousies as our hearts fill to the brim with love and caringfor our fellow man. We smile more. We even give generously to allthose bell-ringing Salvation Army troops.
Fortunately, Dec. 26 quickly arrives and we can get back tobeing ourselves, flicking obscene hand gestures toward each other,pushing panhandlers out of the way as we claw and scratch our way tothe top.
For 20 years now, the Earth Day machinery has attempted toawaken our consciousness to the many problems threatening theenvironment. And for 51 weeks a year, America basically flicks anobscene hand gesture toward the movement - until the 52nd weekarrives.
During this week, American car manufacturers announce plans forelectric cars to cut down on air pollution. Fast food companiessuddenly awaken to the idea that maybe those plastic cartoons theyput their high cholesterol hamburgers in take 300 years todisintegrate. The fishing industry announces it won't accept tunacaught in nets which also snag dolphins. And all the rest ofindustry from the oil companies, to the chemical companies, allattest to their passion for whales and eagles and of course thatever-popular resource: air.
Given all the commercials on TV praising the environment, onewould think that Ralph Nader was running all of corporate America,instead of Sammy Glick.
And we all fall for it. Because we want to fall for it. Wewant to think of America in terms of amber waves of grain and purplemountains majesty. We don't want to accept the notion that Americais really one big Gary, Ind., that the waves of grain are amberbecause they're covered with pesticides and that the purple haze overthe mountains is the result of auto emissions.
Of course the Earth Day movement hasn't been totally for naughtthese past 20 years. It has seen the elimination of at least oneugly scourge from the landscape. I speak of course of the dreadedEarth Shoe.
Back in 1970, when Earth Day first began, it also heralded thearrival of environmental fashion. The most gaudy example was theEarth Shoe, an awkward looking pair of footwear that lowered heelsand raised soles. They didn't last long and I suspect thousands ofpairs of Earth Shoes are now hard at work as an artifical reefsomewhere, protecting the environment.
One small step for the Shangri-La, one giant step for hautecouture.
Daniel Ruth is the Chicago Sun-Times' television critic.
Mennonite Church
British Columbia
Plans are underway for a service of celebration and covenanting for Mennonite Church B.C. congregations on Pentecost Sunday, May 27.
The joint worship service will take place at the MEI gymnasium in Abbotsford beginning at 10 a.m. Lorin Bergen, pastor of Living Hope Christian Fellowship in Surrey, will be the keynote speaker.
All MC B.C. congregations are invited to this special worship service, at which individual churches are invited to symbolically sign the new MC B.C. covenant approved at the annual delegate sessions in February. The covenant agreed upon involves local congregations' mutual relationship to-and commitment within-the MC B.C. body.
"At this conference-wide worship service we will celebrate our unity and commitment to work together as congregations of Mennonite Church B.C.," say the MC B.C. executive members. "It is the Leadership Board's hope that all MC B.C. congregations will close their doors [that Sunday] and encourage all of their membership to attend this event."
Following the service, everyone is invited to stay for a fellowship lunch on the MEU grounds.
The MC B.C. administrative office is arranging for bus transportation for those from areas outside Abbotsford. For more information, call the MC B.C. office at 604-850-6658 or e-mail admin@mcbc.ca.
[Author Affiliation]
Unless otherwise credited, the articles in TheChurches pages were written by: Leona Dueck Penner (MC Canada), Dave Rogalsky (Eastern Canada), Evelyn Rempel Petkau (Manitoba), Karin Fehderau (Saskatchewan), Donita Wiebe-Neufeld (Alberta), and Amy Dueckman (British Columbia). see page 2 for contact information.
European and U.S. stock markets rose Monday amid mounting hopes that third-quarter earnings results will provide more evidence the world economy is enjoying a solid recovery.
Strong profits from Royal Philips Electronics NV, published earlier Monday, helped fuel those hopes.
In Europe, Germany's DAX closed 71.35 points, or 1.3 percent, at 5,783.23 while France's CAC-40 was 46.19 points, or 1.2 percent, higher at 3,845.80
Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 of leading British shares rose to its highest level for over a year, closing up 48.30 points, or 1 percent, at 5,210.17 _ that's the first time it has closed above the 5,200 barrier since September last year.
"The next FTSE target traders are eyeing in the short term is the 5,350 high hit in September last year and the way sentiment is going it would not be a surprise to see that hit this week," said David Jones, chief market strategist at IG Index.
On Wall Street, stocks rose, though trading was relatively subdued as much of the country celebrates Columbus Day federal holiday. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 54.11 points, or 0.6 percent, 9,919.05 around midday New York time while the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 7.48 points, or 0.7 percent, to 1,078.97.
If the Dow closes above Friday's 9,864.94, then that would be the new highest level since October 6 last year.
Investor sentiment was buoyed Monday by the news that Philips, Europe's biggest consumer electronics company, made a net profit of ⁈llion ($256 million) in the third quarter _ three times last year's comparable figure _ and said it was seeing quarterly improvements in earnings and sales.
That stoked market hopes that businesses around the world have weathered the worst of the economic storm and are poised to take advantage of the global recovery. Philips shares rose around 6 percent.
Philips' better than expected results came as investor attention is firmly focused on the third-quarter results season. Most interest this week will be on major U.S. financial institutions such as Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JP Morgan Chase & Co.
"Although the gradual stabilization in the global economic outlook helped equity markets stage a robust upswing since the turnaround in late Q1, questions remain about the sustainability of the recovery and uncertainty in the market is still high," said Silvio Peruzzo, an analyst at Royal Bank of Scotland.
The financial sector, which led the market down at the outset of the crisis, generally outperformed other sectors, leading the market on the way up wwsince March's lows.
In particular, investors will be looking to see how much companies have been able to drive up earnings by generating revenues as opposed to cost-cutting measures.
"Strong corporate results for Q3 would contribute significantly to the process of market normalization, increasing risk tolerance further and supporting market confidence," said Peruzzo.
Earlier, before the optimism about upcoming earnings took root in Europe, Asian markets closed mostly lower.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed down 200.09 points, or 0.9 percent, at 21,299.35 and South Korea's Kospi dropped 0.4 percent to 1,639.81. Australia's benchmark index fell 0.3 percent, while China's Shanghai index slipped 0.6 percent at 2,894.48.
Japan's stock market was closed for a holiday.
Elsewhere, Singapore's index was up 0.9 percent after the government narrowed its forecast for economic contraction this year and said the economy grew for the second straight quarter in the July to September period.
Oil prices rose amid the mounting optimism. Benchmark crude for November delivery climbed $1.59 to $73.36 a barrel.
The dollar, which has been on the retreat over recent weeks, was steady at 89.72 yen while the euro rose 0.4 percent to $1.4788.
__
AP Business Writer Jeremiah Marquez in Hong Kong contributed to this report.
Books
The Art of the American Musical: Conversations with the Creators. Edited by Jackson R. Bryer and Richard A. Davison. Includes an interview with George C. Wolfe. Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2005; 308 pp, ($23.95).
Hirschfeld's Harlem by Al Hirschfeld with commentary on the portraits by Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, Carmen de Lavallade, Cicely Tyson, George C. Wolfe, Lena Horne, Geoffrey Holder, and Eartha Kitt, among others. 39 color plates; 90 signature black and white portraits. NY: Glenn Young Books, 2006 ($34.95).
Invitation to the Party by Donna Walker-Kuhne. A first-of-a-kind book by the nation's foremost expert on multi-cultural audience development, this work outlines proven methods of engaging diverse communities as participants in arts and culture. NY: Theatre Communications Group, Inc., 2005; 192 pp. ($16.95).
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City has introduced its home page on the Internet's World Wide Web. The new web site, located at
http://www.kc.frb.org, provides a variety of online materials and documents to meet the information needs of bankers, educators, research and governmental organizations, business professionals and the general public.
The service features regional economic information, Reserve bank information, publications, press releases, Federal Reserve Board statistical releases and a full range of facts and data from the bank's economic research, public affairs, financial services, bank supervision and community affairs departments. Other features will be added in the future.
Users who access the home page of the web site will see a U.S map highlighting the seven states of the Tenth Federal Reserve Districtwestern Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming and northern New Mexico.
From the home page, a click of the mouse takes users directly into the contents page and the main pages of the web site. These main pages provide a gateway to three types of information: general information about the bank and the Federal Reserve System, information from functional areas of the bank and special features. Some features are cross-referenced and can be accessed through more than one main page.
The web site also provides links to the other Federal Reserve banks and the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C.
The bank's web site can be accessed via an Internet service provider.There is no fee for the service-only for Internet connection charges that may apply. For technical information or assistance, call 800-333-1010, extension 2307.
WHITLAND A Clunderwen man jumped on top of a moving car inWhitland and smashed the back and front windows by kicking them andshattering glass over the driver, a court heard. Magistrates weretold Pounds 700 of criminal damage was caused to a Ford Escort cardriven by a friend of his girlfriend.
Page 2
Stocks appear headed for a higher opening on the first day of trading in the new year following the lead of overseas markets. Stock futures rose Monday.
Asian markets received a boost after new data showed China's manufacturing sector expanded at its fastest rate in 20 months in December. European markets also rose.
In the U.S., investors will receive key data throughout the week that could show the economic recovery is continuing, including a report on manufacturing Monday. Ongoing signs of a rebound helped the market surge during the final nine months of 2009 from its 12-year lows.
The Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index is expected to show modest growth in the sector last month. Economists polled by Thomson Reuters, on average, forecast the ISM's index for December will increase to 54 from 53.6 a month earlier.
The report is due out at 10 a.m. EST.
Ahead of the opening bell, Dow Jones industrial average futures rose 59, or 0.6 percent, to 10,424. Standard & Poor's 500 index futures rose 7.30, or 0.7 percent, to 1,118.00, while Nasdaq 100 index futures rose 20.50, or 1.1 percent, to 1,879.25.
On Friday, the Labor Department releases its monthly employment report. Considered the biggest economic report of the month, it will likely set the early tone for trading in 2010.
Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters are forecasting that 23,000 jobs were lost, a further signal that the job market is starting to stabilize. The government said employers cut just 11,000 jobs in November, far fewer than anticipated. That pushed the unemployment rate down to 10 percent.
Stocks closed out 2009 on a down note, with major indexes all falling around 1 percent in light, holiday-shortened trading on Thursday. The market was closed Friday for the New Year's holiday.
An upbeat reading on weekly jobless claims sparked concerns the government would have to cut stimulus measures in the coming months, such as low interest rates, to help avoid potential inflation. A much stronger than expected report Friday on monthly employment could stoke similar concerns.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Sunday he wouldn't rule out higher interest rates to stop new speculative investment bubbles from forming. However, he did say stronger regulation is the best way to avoid such bubbles that helped push the economy into recession.
Meanwhile, bond prices fell Monday. Bond prices, which are often used to price interest rates on consumer loans, often fall when investors worry about inflation, which eats into fixed returns on government-backed bonds.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, rose to 3.85 percent from 3.84 percent late Thursday. The yield on the three-month T-bill, considered one of the safest investments, rose to 0.07 percent from 0.05 percent.
The dollar fell against other major currencies, while gold prices rose.
Overseas, Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 1 percent. In afternoon trading, Britain's FTSE 100 gained 0.6 percent, Germany's DAX index rose 0.7 percent, and France's CAC-40 gained 1.1 percent.
NEW YORK Mary French Rockefeller, 86, who worked for years onbehalf of the YWCA and donated her family homestead for a nationalpark, has died.
She died Thursday of injuries from a fall.
At age 24, she married Laurence Rockefeller, son of John D.Rockefeller Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Laurence was thegrandson of John D. Rockefeller, founder of the Standard Oil Co.Mrs. Rockefeller spent years working for the Young Women'sChristian Association. Her interest was generated by her mother andmother-in-law. She joined the YWCA's national board in 1951 andserved until she became a member of its board of trustees in 1988.She and her husband donated Mrs. Rockefeller's family home andsurrounding property in Woodstock, Vt., for the creation of anational historical park, which is not yet complete.
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Kevin Kolb has arrived in Arizona as the new quarterback of a Cardinals team in desperate need of one, acknowledging the pressure he will be under to succeed but saying the situation simply "feels right."
"You just know when something feels right and this one feels right," he said, "all the way from flying in, driving through town, getting here to the facility, talking with everybody, meeting the players, it feels really good."
Kolb appeared at a news conference Friday after undergoing his physical.
Later, he traveled north to the team's training camp in Flagstaff for an evening team meeting. The Cardinals hold their first practice on Saturday but, because he signed a new contract, Kolb won't be able to work out with his new team until next Thursday.
The Cardinals sent cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2012 second-round draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Kolb in a deal reached on Wednesday. Kolb also has agreed to a five-year contract worth just under $64 million, with $21 million guaranteed.
Kolb traced his interest in playing for Arizona to the NFC championship game in the 2008 season, when he watched from the Eagles sidelines as the Cardinals won 32-25.
"I just kind of always marked this one down as one of my favorites," he said, "kept it in the back of my mind."
What impressed him?
"To be quite honest, first it was the stadium. I mean, the stadium was tremendous," Kolb said. "I was shocked by it. The city alone, just how clean and nice the city looked. Granted, I was coming from Philadelphia, but it was just a great city."
That line drew a big laugh from the packed news conference.
He went on to talk about the game itself, how the Cardinals answered every challenge.
Kolb was the Eagles' second-round draft pick in 2007 and won the starting job after Donovan McNabb's departure before the 2010 season. But after leaving the opener with a concussion, Kolb lost the job to Michael Vick. He comes to Arizona with just seven career starts, and he knows that he remains unproven. Now he must show that he is worth the high price the Cardinals paid for him.
"But there was a lot of pressure in every situation I've been thrown in so far," he said, "so it's nothing new for me. I look forward to the challenge. I look forward to answering a lot of critics and just playing my ball and settling in with this team and going and making a run."
Kolb came to Arizona earlier in the year and worked out with star receiver Larry Fitzgerald. It was, Kolb admits, an audition of sorts, a tryout he expects to go on for some time.
"But I think every day is going to feel like that, especially here for really the first year probably," Kolb said. "Week in and week out, it's going to be something different, every single day. But that's anywhere really, everywhere you go."
He is not pleased with the prospect of just watching practices for the first five days of camp.
"That's going to be a little difficult, watching the other guys practice and wanting to be out there in the heat of the battle," Kolb said. "That's how you earn respect. Forget the figures. Forget what we gave up, they gave up. You're ready to go in there and earn the respect on the field from your teammates."
He comes to a city still longing for the days of Kurt Warner. When Warner retired after leading Arizona to a second straight NFC West title in 2009, the drop-off at quarterback was a major reason the team fell to 5-11, the worst record in coach Ken Whisenhunt's four years with the Cardinals. The debacle set the stage for the franchise's willingness to give up so much to land Kolb.
"I've watched a lot of film on Kurt," Kolb said. "The things he does on the field are masterful in his mind. The mental game he has is unbelievable. That's something you can try to mimic. You'll never probably get there, but you can try to bring in more of that to your own game."
A football coach's son, Kolb said he has been a "gym rat" for as long as he can remember.
"Football has been a part of my life forever," he said.
Kolb was raised in north Texas, where he now owns a 2,500-acre ranch. Someone asked about stories that he went boar hunting with a knife, not a gun. The quarterback laughed.
"It's really not as dangerous as it sounds," he said, "but there is a kamikaze side, I guess, out there. I don't do it anymore. Once my hands started making me a little money, I stopped doing it."
Three friends rescued from the North Sea are making a donation tothe Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
They were plucked to safety by the Buckie lifeboat crew aftertheir rubber dinghy drifted out to sea off Cullen Bay.
Dawn Sutherland, 20, Chloe Aitken, 15, and Lauren Moir, 19, wereso grateful they plan to write a pounds100 cheque between them.
They are organising a sponsored walk from Buckie to Cullen Harbournext month in aid of the RNLI.
A helicopter worker from Dyce, Dawn said: "We've decided to givepounds100 to the RNLI.
"We want to thank the RNLI and the lifeboat team.
"I don't know what would have happened without them."
For more information call Heather McKenzie on (01542) 840484.
Charpentier, Jacques, French composer and organist; b. Paris, Oct. 18, 1933. He studied piano with Maria Cerati-Boutillier, then lived in Calcutta (1953–54), where he made a study of Indian music. He prepared a valuable thesis, Introduction à l'étude de la musique de Vlnde. Upon his return to Paris, he studied composition with Aubin and analysis with Messiaen at the Cons. In 1954 he was appointed organist at the church of St.-Benoit-dTssy. In 1966 he was named chief inspector of music of the French Ministry of Cultural Affairs, and in 1975 Inspector General of the Secretariat of State for Culture. In 1974 he was named official organist of the Church of St. Nicolas du Chardonnet in Paris. From 1979 to 1981 he was director of music, lyric art, and dance in the French Ministry of Culture. Several of his works are based on Hindu melorhythms.
DRAMATIC: La Femme et son ombre, ballet (1967); Béatrice de Planisoles, opera (Aix en Provence, July 23, 1971). orch.: Violin Concerto (1953); 7 syms.: No. 1, Symphonie breve, for Strings (1958), No. 2, Sinfonia sacra, for Strings (1965), No. 3, Shiva Nataraja (Shiva—the King of the Dance; 1968; Paris, March 2, 1969), No. 4, Brasil, in homage to Villa-Lobos (1973), No. 5, Et l'imaginaire se mit à danser (1977), No. 6 for Orch. and Organ (1979), and No. 7, Acropolis (1985); Ondes Martenot Concerto (1959); Alla francese, concertino for Ondes Martenot, Strings, and Percussion (1959–60); Octuple Concerto for 8 Winds and Strings (1963); Prélude pour la Genèse for Strings (1967); Récitatif for Violin and Orch. (1968); 10 concertos: No. 1 for Organ and Strings (1969), No. 2 for Guitar and Strings (1970), No. 3 for Harpsichord and Strings (1971), No. 4 for Piano and Strings (1971), No. 5 for Saxophone and Strings (1975), No. 6 for Oboe and Strings (1975), No. 7 for Trumpet and Strings (1975), No. 8 for Horn and Strings (1976), No. 9 for Cello and Strings (1976), and No. 10 for Clarinet and Strings (1983); Trumpet Concerto (1976). chamber: 2 string quartets (1955, 1956); Piano Quintet (1955); Ondes Martenot Quartet (1958); Suite karnatique for Ondes Martenot (1958); Prelude and Allegro for Bass Saxophone and Piano (1959); Lalita for Ondes Martenot and Percussion (1961); Pour Diane for Horn and Piano (1962); Pour Syrinx for Flute and Piano (1962); Mouvement for Flute, Cello, and Harp (1965); Gavambodi 2 for Saxophone and Piano (1966); Pour le Kama Soutra for Percussion Ensemble (1969); Pour une Apsara for 2 Harps (1970); Esquisses for Flute and Piano (1972); Tu dors mais mon coeur veille for Violin (1974); Et le jour vint... for 13 Instruments (1977); Vitrail pour un temps de guerre for Winds (1982). keyboard: piano:Toccata (1954); Études karnatiques (4 cycles, 1957-61). organ:Messe (1964); Répons (1968). vocal:4 Psaumes de Toukaram for Soprano and Orch. (1957); Tantum ergo for 4 Voices and Orch. (1962); La Croisade des pastoureaux, oratorio (1964); Musique pour un Zodiaque, oratorio (1971); La Genèse, oratorio (1973); Une Voix pour une autre for 2 Women's Voices, Flute, Clarinet, and Percussion (1974); Te Deum (1978); Prélude pour une nuit étoilée for Chorus and Orch. (1986); Le Miroir de Marie- Madeleine for Soprano, Women's Voices, and Orch. (1988).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire
A large cargo plane crashed at the end of a runway and split in two while trying to take off Sunday at Brussels airport, authorities said.
Four of the five crew members on board the Boeing 747 were slightly injured, said Francis Vermeiren, mayor of the nearby town of Zaventem. The mayor was coordinating rescue efforts after the crash.
"The plane is not on fire but it has split into two," he told VRT radio.
Firefighters were coating the wings of the plane with special fire retardant foam as a precaution because the plane was still full of jet fuel, the mayor said.
He said the plane was on a scheduled flight to Bahrain. It was not known what cargo the plane was carrying.
The plane came to a halt at the end of a runway, near houses and a cemetery.
Vermeiren said the pilot told rescue authorities he heard a large noise while trying to take off just after midday. It was not yet clear what caused the crash.
The plane is owned by Kalitta Air, a cargo carrier based in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Second season, familiar result. The Buffalo Sabres can stillscore and still win.
Chris Drury and Brian Campbell each scored two goals, helping thetop-seeded Sabres open the playoffs with an efficient 4-1 victoryover the visiting New York Islanders in their Eastern Conferenceseries Thursday night.
As they did in finishing the season with a league-leading 53 winsand 308 goals, the Sabres showed off their balanced offense.Campbell's game-opening goal was set up by fourth-line center TimConnolly, and Buffalo converted 2 of 6 power-play chances.
Better still, Buffalo was sound on defense, limiting theIslanders to 21 shots, including just one in the first period.
Arron Asham scored for New York, which clinched the East's eighthand final playoff berth by winning its last four games of theregular season.
Minor-league goaltender Wade Dubielewicz wasn't to blame inmaking his career playoff debut filling in for starter RickDiPietro, who's out after sustaining two concussions last month.Dubielewicz kept the Isles in the game by stopping 20 of the first22 shots and finished with 31 saves.
RED WINGS 4, FLAMES 1
Detroit put visiting Calgary on its heels with a crushing checkand two goals in the first eight minutes.
Valtteri Filppula and Nicklas Lidstrom scored in the firstperiod, and Mathieu Schneider knocked down Matthew Lombardi, helpingDetroit get started in its first-round playoff series.
The Red Wings led 4-0 by the middle of the second period -- onPavel Datsyuk's and Schneider's goals -- giving goaltender DominikHasek more than enough offense.
RANGERS 4, THRASHERS 3
Visiting New York scored the first two goals and never trailed inholding off Atlanta in its playoff opener.
The Thrashers, in their seventh season of existence, were playingtheir first postseason game. They desperately tried for a tying goalin the final minute with a power play but were denied.
With the victory, the Rangers won their first playoff game sincethe 1997 postseason.
DEVILS 5, LIGHTNING 3
Zach Parise scored his second goal on a give-and-go with JamieLangenbrunner early in the third period, leading host New Jerseyover Tampa Bay in an opening playoff game.
Scott Gomez set up power-play goals by Patrik Elias and BrianRafalski and the clinching goal by Brian Gionta with 1:22 to playfor New Jersey.
Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur, who set a single-season recordwith 48 wins, looked ordinary in making 23 saves in the gamedetermined by power plays and turnovers.
Israel's embassy in Ireland has reopened after army experts examined a suspicious powder-filled package and declared it a hoax.
The Israeli embassy in southeast Dublin has been repeatedly picketed since Israel launched its military offensive on the Gaza Strip last month, but this is the first time that someone has threatened diplomatic staff with a fake bomb. The Irish Defense Forces say Tuesday's package contained a powder and a written threat but provided no other details.
Sympathy for Palestinians traditionally runs high in Ireland. Last week a lawmaker from the Irish nationalist Sinn Fein party insulted the Israeli ambassador and Ireland's only Jewish lawmaker by comparing them to Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.
Last night I watched two women say goodnight to each other. Daughter, pleasant and middle-aged, was answering Mother's stream of questions as she eased out the door. Mother's inquiries focused on extended family plans and whether Daughter would be joining her, expressing concern that Daughter feel included.
[Graph Not Transcribed]
Daughter declined the invitation, offering, "I want to be with Ron."
"Well I just want to be sure you're okay," insisted Mother.
"I want to be with Ron," Daughter repeated, lifting her hand to stroke her mother's cheek and even gently run a finger down her nose. A touch as grace-filled and eloquent to me, Silent Witness, as Michelangelo's divinely outstretched finger reaching to enliven humanity. A tender moment that captures the best of family. Inclusion. Boundaries. Respect. Choices. Support. Affection.
Families aren't always such places of balance and satisfaction. But blessed are we when they are. And we have within our hands and hearts the ability, to some degree, to shape our families.
Therapists often use a mobile to describe family interactions. If one part of the model is touched, no matter how lightly, that movement affects every other part. Similarly, if a change occurs in a family-a job change, a death, a new life, a broken heart-that affects every other member.
As people of faith, can we draw on the resources of God's love and the Spirit's wisdom to strengthen our relationships? In your hand, you hold power to strengthen and grace your family.
Would you like something different in your family? Are you open to taking a risk? Think of the family relationship where you have the most conflict, or a moderate degree of stress or strain. Now imagine all the things which could improve the situation. Jot them down, no censoring.
After you've compiled as many ideas as possible, circle the ones which are in your control. After all, you are the one in charge of how you interact with family members. Perhaps, like me, you prefer to focus on how others can improve or contribute. This strategy focuses on what I can do, how I can create affirming family relations. The power of one.
Take a closer look at your list. Perhaps some of the ideas are too unwieldy or extreme (host a family reunion for 50) or too large (forgive the betrayal). Patience-with yourself and others-is beneficial. Hopefully there are one or two items that look quite possible. If you're drawing a blank, go to the well of another family member, a trusted friend or professional helper and tap them for suggestions.
As you implement your step, hold in your mind the image of two family members greeting each other with tenderness and physical touch, as described above. Take a deep breath, be of good courage and reach out. Your gesture will affect all around you.
The writer is a counsellor and author. She is also a part-time master of divinity student and a member of Charleswood Mennonite Church in Winnipeg.
It's test time! IGAP down, CASE, TAP on tap
March is IGAP month in Illinois. In every public school, students at various grade levels take Illinois Goals Assessment Program (IGAP) tests in reading, math, writing, science and social science. Next fall, the state will issue school report cards showing how well each school's students did. A history of especially low scores can land a school on the state's academic watch list.
In Chicago, the nationally normed Iowa Tests of Basic Skills and their high school counterpart, the Tests of Achievement and Proficiency, have taken on greater importance because they're used to decide which students must go to summer school and which ones get retained. They're also used to decide which schools will go on remediation or promotion and which will be reconstituted.
Even so, Chicago schools treat the IGAP very seriously, in part to avoid being caught in the switches again. Until fall 1996, the central administration had emphasized IGAP, and schools followed suit. Then, without warning, the administration used the ITBS and TAP tests for probation. Now schools figure they'd better pay attention to both.
Amundsen has combined its continuing focus on reading strategies with six weeks of intensive test preparation, using the state's IGAP coaching materials.
Principal Edward Klunk can't imagine putting more effort into one test than another. "What are they gonna say about your performance if TAP is high and IGAP is low?" he wonders. "You want your best performance on both, because they have to be consistent."
MAR 9 Snow blows over IGAP plans.
Today, the worst snowstorm of the season buries the Chicago Public Schools' plans to administer the state IGAP tests this week. While commuters are stuck on the roads, foot traffic in Amundsen's main hall is heavy but moving. Students are trudging in from the cold after long waits for trains and buses. Operations manager John Gill says it took some students two hours to get to school.
They won't stay long. Principal Edward Klunk stops a reporter in the hall during the period after division. "School's going to be dismissed after this period," he says. "IGAP's going to be rescheduled to next week."
Junior Henry Arroyo and his friend Drenan Mizhan are hanging out by the main office during their lunch period. When Klunk announces the IGAP postponement on the loudspeaker, Henry pretends to cry on Assistant Principal Sherwin Bulmash's shoulder. "I studied for nothing--now I'm brain damaged, that's it," he laments. He adds that he did study social studies over the weekend and is disappointed to lose the momentum.
According to today's attendance reports, 689 of the school's 1,647 students were absent. Klunk thinks that's not bad for a near-blizzard.
MAR 16 Staff development struggling, new tests troubling.
Amundsen continues to conduct the weekly staff development sessions it started while it was on probation. Increasingly, they're being led by teachers rather than administrators.
At today's 8th-period session, attended by about 20 teachers, science teacher Mark Vondrasek and English teacher Laura Jacobsson split the time. Vondrasek hands out a brief survey asking teachers for their level of expertise with various computer programs. Amundsen's technology committee is planning to hold computer classes for teachers outside the regular school day.
Then, Jacobsson leads a discussion of Bloom's taxonomy of knowledge, a hierarchy published in 1949 by University of Chicago Prof. Benjamin Bloom. She asks teachers to write two sets of questions reflecting different points in the hierarchy. One set is to deal with World War II; the second, with a short story by Kate Chopin. In both cases, teachers are to develop three questions: one to check knowledge (factual recall), one requiring a middle-level skill like analysis or synthesis (making an inference or a prediction) and one requiring evaluation (judging information based on a set of criteria).
During the 8th period session, the English teachers become engrossed in the exercise, but most teachers from other departments aren't paying attention. In 9th period, time runs out before a new group of teachers has an opportunity to discuss, as a group, the questions they wrote. In a debriefing session later, Jacobsson, a first-year teacher, says, "I didn't feel like I had the power or the authority to tell teachers I don't know to shut up."
"So you need a policeman," suggests Beverly Rawls of Northeastern Illinois University, a former external probation partner whom the school has retained. She would like to require every teacher to present at a staff development session, thinking that teachers might be more respectful of their colleagues if they too had to get up in front of a group.
Karen Boran, a reading consultant from National-Louis University, thinks the current uneasiness is inevitable when teachers are working to shape their own professional development. "What I'm seeing is a natural evolution," she says. "There's still an interest in a democratic process for staff development. The internal tension that's been going on in this building for the last two to three months is, they know what they're doing is not sufficient, but they don't now know where to go next."
In interviews, both Rawls and Principal Klunk agree that the push for staff development has lost some momentum. "Right now, there is a lot of dissension in the ranks about who is leading what," Rawls says. To her, staff development seems less focused this year and teachers seem less receptive and more disruptive. "Without Big Brother's stick [probation], it seems to be very difficult," she says.
Today's social studies department meeting focuses on the new, upcoming end-of-course exams the Reform Board is developing as part of its accountability plan. The exams now are being called CASE (Chicago Academic Standards Exams). Department chair Mary Ross has distributed copies of the pilot exam for World Studies, and teachers are drafting a letter outlining their concerns.
The exams come in two parts: a multiple-choice section and a "constructed response" section. In social studies, the latter means a few one-paragraph essays. The test, which is supposed to cover what students are supposed to learn in the second semester of World Studies, asks questions about events from 1877 to the present, concentrating on the 20th century.
"It makes the IGAP look wonderful," says Colleen Murray. "It doesn't reflect the state goals--Chicago Academic Standards, maybe."
Noting a chart of post-colonial leaders of third-world nations, teachers say the test presumes "in-depth" knowledge of third-world countries that a survey course cannot provide.
Other complaints include: The test does not reflect the curriculum currently being taught; teachers have not been trained to administer the test or to develop curriculum that relates to it; the test will require new and different textbooks.
Mary Ross's eyes light up at that suggestion. "That's why this isn't gonna work!" she cries. "They're not gonna pay for the textbooks it requires."
Some teachers express dismay that their students will have to take the test in June, even though it is unclear what, if any, consequences will be attached to it. Leonard Evans, the most receptive of the dozen teachers in the room, is unfazed. "Give them the test," he insists. "What the heck--it couldn't hurt anything."
Later, he says, "I would like to see something like this, but give it more time to be implemented. I really have no objection to it, but I know what the results would be if we gave it now."
From the discussion, it's clear that teachers teaching the same subject at the same grade level in the same school cover very different material. Evans teaches freshmen in the International Baccalaureate program a World Studies course that begins with prehistory and emphasizes understanding different cultures. Janet Fennerty teaches freshmen in the Global Village program environmental geography with a focus on the United States.
"We're just starting the World Studies stuff," she tells Evans.
"Your approach is different from mine," he acknowledges, mildly surprised himself by the difference.
MAR 17 IGAP, day one: A tale of two divisions.
At long last, it's IGAP time. Breakfast is scheduled at 8 for sophomores and juniors, who will take the tests for 2½ hours today, tomorrow and the next day. Freshmen and seniors are scheduled to arrive at the end of the testing period each day; those who show up early are steered to the library to wait.
At 7:55 a.m., Principal Klunk is opening first-floor classrooms. Behind him, a cart rolls down the hall, piled with boxes of doughnuts, graham crackers and orange juice. Students arrive in a steady stream, and their pace is unusually brisk.
Students will take the test in their divisions; their division teacher and another teacher assigned as a proctor will supervise. In Room 107, division teacher Gloria Henllan-Jones and proctor Jane Moy have already started feeding their students. Henllan-Jones also urges them to consider where they want to sit. "This is the writing section, so if anybody really wants to be isolated, there's a desk up here," she says, pointing to the front. One boy chooses a desk nestled by a file cabinet along the side of the room. The rest sit in rows as usual.
Over the loudspeaker, testing coordinator John Barnes asks teachers to take attendance. Then, Henllan-Jones reviews the terms students will encounter in the essay "prompts," or directions. "What is persuasive?" she asks.
"When you explain something," hazards a boy, giving the definition for expository writing.
"No, it's convincing," she replies. "When you're trying to convince someone of your point of view and you give your reasons for it."
"How long does the story have to be?" asks a girl named Alexis.
Henllan-Jones turns the question over to the class, asking, "Should you write five paragraphs?" When they say yes, she adds, "Yes, or more. As long as it takes."
At 8:19, Klunk takes over the public address system, giving a final pep talk. "This is the time that it's up to you," he says. "This is the time that no one can stand in your way except you yourself."
"This is making me nervous," mutters a girl by the door.
Klunk concludes by reminding everyone of the school's accomplishments last year and of his signature desire: to beat rival Mather High. "Paul Vallas told us Amundsen's the most improved high school in the city," he says. The school made a banner with that quote and the names of students whose TAP reading scores improved. "We need to keep that honor. We need to add many more names to our banner that's out in the hall. We're gonna move in front of Mather this year."
Although the posted schedule says the test begins at 8:25, Barnes will take 20 minutes to read the preliminary instructions over the public address system and ensure all students have had time to fill in the bubbles for their name, gender, ethnicity and so on. Later, a number of teachers complain to CATALYST that the resulting 45-minute wait was too long for their students. In 107, most students began filling in bubbles during Klunk's speech.
The first prompt is to write a persuasive essay making the case for or against permitting students to drive to school. Tierney Styles, like many of her classmates, pencils notes in the page provided for "pre-writing" and then writes her essay in ink. Methods vary: Styles's pre-writing is a brief, neat outline with traditional Roman numerals. But the girl in front of her has written a page-long rough draft and then a long afterthought in the margin; an arrow points where it belongs.
Both Moy and Henllan-Jones proctor actively, as advised, circling the room and looking for questions. Early on, they respond to a fair number of students--explaining the meaning of a word in the directions or reminding them to fill in the bubbles underneath their names--but never spend more than a few seconds with each. After about 10 minutes, Moy continues to circulate while Henllan-Jones watches the class intently, leaning against her desk. In another 10 minutes, Moy too will repair to the front of the room and do some reading.
Henllan-Jones heads for a filing cabinet, opens and closes it noiselessly and then talks very quietly with CATALYST. "A lot of them are taking both positions, or saying `I agree' or `I disagree' without stating what they agree or disagree with," she notes. She is worried that this will cost them points when the essay is graded, but knows it's too late to save them now. "A lot of them are falling down, and you can't tell them that. If you start explaining, you're blowing the test."
Tierney counts her paragraphs--she has four--before starting her fifth with the phrase "in conclusion."
At 9:04, Barnes comes on the loudspeaker to announce the halfway point. No one appears to have finished, though Tierney is looking over her paper. By 9:10, the first few students are done; they sit quietly, some shaking out their hands.
Now Henllan-Jones resumes cruising the aisles, checking to make sure students who are done have read over their work. All say yes. By the last five minutes, only two or three students are still working. The squeak of an eraser indicates someone is making corrections; otherwise the room and the hallway are silent.
At 9:25, Barnes calls time, papers are collected, and the students take a bathroom and snack break.
In Charles Richardson's division on the second floor, proctor Robert Kuzmanic walks the rows, distributing orange juice in plastic containers. "I feel like I'm working on an airplane," he jokes.
Test administration in this room is much more relaxed. At the end of the break, Richardson is still collecting prompts from the first essay. He distributes the second part of the essay exam well before the official OK comes over the public address system.
This time, students get to choose between two prompts: writing a narrative about a time they were nervous or writing an expository essay comparing two courses by describing their likes and dislikes about each.
Before starting the essay itself, students receive five minutes expressly to choose a topic. "Mr. Richardson, this is a narrative?" asks Carrie Hemphill. When he says yes, she asks how long it has to be. At least five paragraphs, he advises, but proceeds to give some confusing advice. At first he suggests, "give three reasons," then amends the advice to work with narrative, adding, "you can tell about three things that happen" within the narrative.
When the command to begin comes over the loudspeaker, two girls take a moment to wrap up their conversation before getting down to work. At first, Richardson watches from the front, but as time goes on, he becomes more engrossed in reading, looking up when students need a pencil sharpened or come to his desk with a question. Meanwhile, Kuzmanic grades papers from a student desk near the lab tables in the back of the classroom area.
Although there's no sign of students trying to copy from each other, there are quiet conversations going on. None of the seven or eight students CATALYST could observe chose to pre-write.
Carrie finishes her essay well within the first 20 minutes but tells a reporter later she wrote two pages. About 25 minutes into the test, about half the students appear to have finished. Three conversations break out in different areas of the room, still in low tones, but more audible than anything up to this point.
"Please try to refrain from talking until the test is over," Richardson says softly. The room quiets down except for three girls in the back corner of the room.
About five students appear to be writing or proofreading during the last 10 minutes of this session. Eventually Richardson gets up and shushes the students who are finished because the volume rises again. No one is writing when time is called.
Sophomore Cynthia Brandenberg says this essay was easier for her than the first one. She chose the expository essay.
Of the persuasive essay on driving to school, she says, "It was a hard subject for me to write about." Although the prompt suggested reasons to write an essay opposing driving to school, she didn't use them. "I was for students driving their cars to school. I could only think of like one thing to write about, and that was it."
MAR 18 IGAP day two: A larger perspective.
This morning, Assistant Principal Ken Hunter and three students are distributing two packs of highlighter pens for each division, starting on the first floor. Sophomores are taking the reading section today, and juniors are taking social science; both groups are allowed to use the highlighters on the test booklets as they read passages.
Yesterday's pre-test pep talk has been replaced by a musical selection. In the main office, testing coordinator Barnes plays a tape of a pop ballad entitled "The Power of a Dream" over the public address system.
Across the hall from Barnes, proctor Leonard Evans shepherds a latecomer into his classroom. "Come on man," he urges with a smile, "we singin' this song just for you."
In the cafeteria, limited-English-proficient students are taking the IMAGE test, which uses IGAP-style questions designed to measure their command of English. Proctor Genaro Cueva reads the test instructions. As in the IGAP, each question can have up to three yes answers, and students must blacken all five choices either yes or no. After finishing the instructions, he adlibs, "Do you understand how this works? I hope you do--we've been working on this."
Even native speakers of English take a while to catch on to the format. Later, a reporter meets proctor Laura Jacobsson in the hallway. "I have sophomore `demotes,' and it's clear they didn't go to class during IGAP prep," she says, mock-tearing her hair. "They're still asking me, `Do you mean we have to fill in the no's too?' Yeeesss!"
About 15 minutes into the actual testing, Klunk takes a walk around the entire building to see how things are going. At most rooms, he looks in, smiles or waves to the proctor and is on his way. A few teachers step out for brief conversations.
After peering in the window of Room 212, he taps very gently on the glass to get the proctor's attention. Klunk points to a student and says quietly, "He can't be finished yet." The proctor says she has spoken to the student, who says he is done.
Back in the hall, he says he thinks it's much too soon to be finished. But he adds with a chuckle, "If it's the only one I see, I won't be terribly upset." His walk-through turns up only one other early finisher.
Today's meeting of department chairs segues into an informal debriefing on the testing. Everyone agrees students seemed to take the test seriously, perhaps even more seriously than last year.
Attendance for yesterday's testing was 92 percent. A number of teachers comment that students worked hard on the tests. "None of the kids in my division wrote it off," says physical education chair Frank Heitler. "Only one didn't complete [the test], and he was trying. That's a good sign."
Jaime Alvarez proctored the IMAGE test and saw similar efforts. "They were writing two, three pages," he marvels. "Sure, they had a few little mistakes, but they wrote."
Klunk takes the opportunity to praise Amundsen's test preparation program. "That's just a sign that no matter how much we say the kids are tired from all the test preparation," it has paid off. "They don't have a problem with writing because they're writing so much," he observes. "Now they can sit right down and start an essay. That wasn't the case three and four years ago."
Teachers complain that students had to wait 45 minutes between breakfast and the start of testing. Klunk acknowledges their concern, but reminds them that the delay was designed to provide a cushion for stragglers. "Maybe we could shorten it a little next year," he says.
Guidance chair Sondra Few says the strategy got results. "I'm not a great estimator, but between 8 and 8:30, I would say upward of maybe 100 kids came in," she notes. "I think that helped our attendance--I know it did."
Maureen Kelleher is a Chicago writer.
Celebrate, it's National Library Week
Join the Circle of Knowledge at your library: celebrate NationalLibrary Week at the Waverly Free Library, April 13-19
It's National Library Week, a time to celebrate the contributionsof libraries, librarians and library workers in schools, campusesand communities nationwide - and the perfect time to discover howyou can join the circle of knowledge at your library.
First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is now observedeach April, sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) andlibraries across the country.
To celebrate National Library Week, the Waverly Library will besponsoring a contest for all ages. "How Many Books?" April 13-30,visitors to the library can guess how many books the Waverly FreeLibrary owns. The person coming closest to the actual number willwin a 2008 Edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.
Everyday, libraries of every size in cities, towns, schools,universities, and businesses help transform their communities. Atthe Waverly Free Library, people come together for communitymeetings, lectures and programs, to do computer research, to lookfor a job, and even to find help with income tax preparation throughAARP volunteers.
Access to the Waverly Library gives one access not only to theWaverly library's resources, but to resources in all libraries inthe Finger Lakes library system by utilizing inter-library loan.Patrons also have access to the internet, to Playaway recordedbooks, downloadable books, books on tape, DVDs and videos.
For more information, visit the Waverly Free Library at 18Elizabeth St., call 607-565-9341 or see the library's Web site atwww.flls.org under Member Libraries.
Bradford County Job Fair on tap
The third annual Bradford County Job Fair will be held Tuesday,May 6, in the Towanda Jr./Sr. High School gym. The Job Fair is opento area high school students from 9-11 a.m. and to the generalpublic from noon - 3:30 p.m. The Bradford County Job Fair issponsored by Bradford County Action Inc., Central Bradford CountyChamber of Commerce, Bradford/Sullivan Counties Transition Council,PA CareerLink Bradford County, OSRAM and the Towanda Area SchoolDistrict.
Job fairs are an excellent combination of two informal job searchmethods: direct employer contacts and networking with people. At jobfairs, jobseekers and employers have the opportunity to meet face-to-face and learn about each other. Jobseekers learn about thevariety of positions and employment opportunities available in acareer field and may obtain referrals for job leads, interviewexperience, and, the ultimate goal, employment. Employers have theopportunity to inform the public about their employment needs andexpand their applicant pool. Students also have the opportunity toask employers for suggestions about classes that would benefit themin obtaining employment.
Last year's Bradford County Job Fair attracted over 40 regionalemployers, post-secondary educational/training facilities, andservice agencies. A partial list of this year's exhibitors includesCamco Manufacturing, Ashton Health Care, Masco (Mills Pride),Cargill/Excel, Citizens & Northern Bank, Futures Community SupportServices, KOST Tire, Mansfield University Police Academy, BaranInstitute of Technology, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, andNorthern Tier Career Center LPN program.
Information will also be available on financial assistance forpost-secondary education and training.
Book signing planned at Spalding Library
The Spalding Memorial Library is sponsoring a book signing from1:30-3 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, at the library. The library islocated at 724 South Main Street, Athens.
"Mama Don't" is a story about a typical mischievous little boywho always manages to get into trouble. All this misbehaving driveshis mother crazy. She's constantly telling him, "You're a pain in myneck," but he just doesn't understand what she's talking about,until one day.
Come to the library and discover what happens. The book iswritten by Laurie K. Merrick of Athens and illustrated by MargaritaEremeyev and published by Publish America of Frederick, MD. Copiesof the book will be available the day of the signing.
Merrick is the mother of two and is employed by Guthrie Clinic asa Medical Office Assistant. She enjoys spending time with herfamily, grandchildren and her horses.
For more information, contact the library at 570-888-7117. Theprogram is free and open to the public.
North Orwell TOPS reports losses
TOPS, Take Off Pounds Sensibly Chapter 1215, met at North OrwellUnion Church on Tuesday April 8. There were 11 people weighing inwith a loss of 27.75 pounds! The Tops best loser was Carolyn N. with8.25 pounds.
A member reports:
Second place was Prudy W. with 2.25 pounds and in third place wasMarian L with a loss of 2.08. Please note Marian L. was in Floridafor 6 weeks and lost a total of 12.50 pounds. You see if you areTOPS member and you travel you can attend other chapters with atravel voucher. A big congratulations to Marian and we are glad tohave her back. A big thanks to Deb B. for doing her job as co-leader. The Best Kops loser was Ruth M with 1.25 pounds.
Prudy W. and Marian L. won the fruit baskets.
Lois Y. won the 50/50.
Our TOPS Queen was Carolyn N. and she unwrapped the layer on thebox and read a helpful hint to the group.
Winners from the Menu drawing for free dues for a week went toPat B., Ruth M. and Phyllis K.
The lesson was about PASTA. Pasta can be healthy or unhealthy,depending on its ingredients, the portion size and how it's served.If it's made with white flour, like most pasta, and smothered incream sauce, it's unhealthy. If it's whole grain al dente (firm)pasta with a tomato sauce, it's healthy. When buying pasta read thelabel and make sure it's 100 percent whole grain. Cook it al dente,serve it with vegetables and tomato sauce and enjoy the pasta pathto better health.
The motivation for the week is KEEP A MENU!
We have started a new game called the Green Light. It will be for10 weeks. When you lose you get a green square, if you stay the sameyou get a yellow square and when you gain you receive a red square.Come and find out how to be a winner!
We invite other to join our group. The meetings are held at theNorth Orwell Union Church on Tuesdays. Weigh in is from 5-6 p.m. Themeeting starts at 6 p.m.
Contact Leader Marian Lacey at (570) 395-4103 or Ruth Moore at(570) 247-7197 if you are interested in visiting or joining thisgroup.
Area Agency on Aging seeks volunteers
Area Agency on Aging invites interested community members tojoins its team of volunteers to support the wide range of volunteeropportunities in the Bradford-Sullivan County areas.
The tasks of volunteers are varied and range from FriendlyVisitors, Senior Center Volunteers, Home Delivered Meal Drivers,Volunteer Ombudsman, Foster Grandparents and Apprise volunteers.
Our Local Volunteer Ombudsman program requires special trainingto prepare our volunteers to visit with residents located in nursinghomes, personal care homes and Dom Care homes. This training isprovided hands on through the local Area on Aging office located inTowanda.
The Foster Grandparent program works with children at risk inmany facilities in our two county areas. Some examples are: HeadStart Centers, Elementary Classrooms, Day Care Centers,Instructional Support and Youth Detention Centers. FosterGrandparents must be 60 years old or older and meet incomerequirements. Foster Grandparents receive a tax-free stipend to workwith children at risk.
Friendly visitors brighten the day of a lonely senior by visitingthem once a week. Knowing someone cares can mean the world to alonely home bound senior.
Home Delivered Meal drivers deliver a hot, nutritious meal tohomebound neighbors. Along with the meal, the driver provides adaily safety check. The senior can depend on seeing a friendly faceon a daily basis. Mileage is reimbursed.
Apprise volunteers are trained through the local Area Agency onAging to provide answers to insurance forms, Medicare and medicalbilling questions.
The Area Agency on Aging has nine Senior Centers located in theBradford-Sullivan county areas. These centers need volunteers topackage meals for home-bound seniors. Volunteers help serve a noonmeal for seniors who attend the center for special programs andcompanionship.
We are looking to expand our volunteer program as our need toreach out to older people continues to grow. Please take thisopportunity to call the local Area Agency on Aging at 800-982-4346and ask to speak with our staff Volunteer Coordinator.
If you can help, we can use your services. VOLUNTEERS ARE ALWAYSNEEDED!
Celebrate, it's National Library Week... [Derived headline]Celebrate, it's National Library Week
Join the Circle of Knowledge at your library: celebrate NationalLibrary Week at the Waverly Free Library, April 13-19
It's National Library Week, a time to celebrate the contributionsof libraries, librarians and library workers in schools, campusesand communities nationwide - and the perfect time to discover howyou can join the circle of knowledge at your library.
First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is now observedeach April, sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) andlibraries across the country.
To celebrate National Library Week, the Waverly Library will besponsoring a contest for all ages. "How Many Books?" April 13-30,visitors to the library can guess how many books the Waverly FreeLibrary owns. The person coming closest to the actual number willwin a 2008 Edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.
Everyday, libraries of every size in cities, towns, schools,universities, and businesses help transform their communities. Atthe Waverly Free Library, people come together for communitymeetings, lectures and programs, to do computer research, to lookfor a job, and even to find help with income tax preparation throughAARP volunteers.
Access to the Waverly Library gives one access not only to theWaverly library's resources, but to resources in all libraries inthe Finger Lakes library system by utilizing inter-library loan.Patrons also have access to the internet, to Playaway recordedbooks, downloadable books, books on tape, DVDs and videos.
For more information, visit the Waverly Free Library at 18Elizabeth St., call 607-565-9341 or see the library's Web site atwww.flls.org under Member Libraries.
Bradford County Job Fair on tap
The third annual Bradford County Job Fair will be held Tuesday,May 6, in the Towanda Jr./Sr. High School gym. The Job Fair is opento area high school students from 9-11 a.m. and to the generalpublic from noon - 3:30 p.m. The Bradford County Job Fair issponsored by Bradford County Action Inc., Central Bradford CountyChamber of Commerce, Bradford/Sullivan Counties Transition Council,PA CareerLink Bradford County, OSRAM and the Towanda Area SchoolDistrict.
Job fairs are an excellent combination of two informal job searchmethods: direct employer contacts and networking with people. At jobfairs, jobseekers and employers have the opportunity to meet face-to-face and learn about each other. Jobseekers learn about thevariety of positions and employment opportunities available in acareer field and may obtain referrals for job leads, interviewexperience, and, the ultimate goal, employment. Employers have theopportunity to inform the public about their employment needs andexpand their applicant pool. Students also have the opportunity toask employers for suggestions about classes that would benefit themin obtaining employment.
Last year's Bradford County Job Fair attracted over 40 regionalemployers, post-secondary educational/training facilities, andservice agencies. A partial list of this year's exhibitors includesCamco Manufacturing, Ashton Health Care, Masco (Mills Pride),Cargill/Excel, Citizens & Northern Bank, Futures Community SupportServices, KOST Tire, Mansfield University Police Academy, BaranInstitute of Technology, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, andNorthern Tier Career Center LPN program.
Information will also be available on financial assistance forpost-secondary education and training.
Book signing planned at Spalding Library
The Spalding Memorial Library is sponsoring a book signing from1:30-3 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, at the library. The library islocated at 724 South Main Street, Athens.
"Mama Don't" is a story about a typical mischievous little boywho always manages to get into trouble. All this misbehaving driveshis mother crazy. She's constantly telling him, "You're a pain in myneck," but he just doesn't understand what she's talking about,until one day.
Come to the library and discover what happens. The book iswritten by Laurie K. Merrick of Athens and illustrated by MargaritaEremeyev and published by Publish America of Frederick, MD. Copiesof the book will be available the day of the signing.
Merrick is the mother of two and is employed by Guthrie Clinic asa Medical Office Assistant. She enjoys spending time with herfamily, grandchildren and her horses.
For more information, contact the library at 570-888-7117. Theprogram is free and open to the public.
North Orwell TOPS reports losses
TOPS, Take Off Pounds Sensibly Chapter 1215, met at North OrwellUnion Church on Tuesday April 8. There were 11 people weighing inwith a loss of 27.75 pounds! The Tops best loser was Carolyn N. with8.25 pounds.
A member reports:
Second place was Prudy W. with 2.25 pounds and in third place wasMarian L with a loss of 2.08. Please note Marian L. was in Floridafor 6 weeks and lost a total of 12.50 pounds. You see if you areTOPS member and you travel you can attend other chapters with atravel voucher. A big congratulations to Marian and we are glad tohave her back. A big thanks to Deb B. for doing her job as co-leader. The Best Kops loser was Ruth M with 1.25 pounds.
Prudy W. and Marian L. won the fruit baskets.
Lois Y. won the 50/50.
Our TOPS Queen was Carolyn N. and she unwrapped the layer on thebox and read a helpful hint to the group.
Winners from the Menu drawing for free dues for a week went toPat B., Ruth M. and Phyllis K.
The lesson was about PASTA. Pasta can be healthy or unhealthy,depending on its ingredients, the portion size and how it's served.If it's made with white flour, like most pasta, and smothered incream sauce, it's unhealthy. If it's whole grain al dente (firm)pasta with a tomato sauce, it's healthy. When buying pasta read thelabel and make sure it's 100 percent whole grain. Cook it al dente,serve it with vegetables and tomato sauce and enjoy the pasta pathto better health.
The motivation for the week is KEEP A MENU!
We have started a new game called the Green Light. It will be for10 weeks. When you lose you get a green square, if you stay the sameyou get a yellow square and when you gain you receive a red square.Come and find out how to be a winner!
We invite other to join our group. The meetings are held at theNorth Orwell Union Church on Tuesdays. Weigh in is from 5-6 p.m. Themeeting starts at 6 p.m.
Contact Leader Marian Lacey at (570) 395-4103 or Ruth Moore at(570) 247-7197 if you are interested in visiting or joining thisgroup.
Area Agency on Aging seeks volunteers
Area Agency on Aging invites interested community members tojoins its team of volunteers to support the wide range of volunteeropportunities in the Bradford-Sullivan County areas.
The tasks of volunteers are varied and range from FriendlyVisitors, Senior Center Volunteers, Home Delivered Meal Drivers,Volunteer Ombudsman, Foster Grandparents and Apprise volunteers.
Our Local Volunteer Ombudsman program requires special trainingto prepare our volunteers to visit with residents located in nursinghomes, personal care homes and Dom Care homes. This training isprovided hands on through the local Area on Aging office located inTowanda.
The Foster Grandparent program works with children at risk inmany facilities in our two county areas. Some examples are: HeadStart Centers, Elementary Classrooms, Day Care Centers,Instructional Support and Youth Detention Centers. FosterGrandparents must be 60 years old or older and meet incomerequirements. Foster Grandparents receive a tax-free stipend to workwith children at risk.
Friendly visitors brighten the day of a lonely senior by visitingthem once a week. Knowing someone cares can mean the world to alonely home bound senior.
Home Delivered Meal drivers deliver a hot, nutritious meal tohomebound neighbors. Along with the meal, the driver provides adaily safety check. The senior can depend on seeing a friendly faceon a daily basis. Mileage is reimbursed.
Apprise volunteers are trained through the local Area Agency onAging to provide answers to insurance forms, Medicare and medicalbilling questions.
The Area Agency on Aging has nine Senior Centers located in theBradford-Sullivan county areas. These centers need volunteers topackage meals for home-bound seniors. Volunteers help serve a noonmeal for seniors who attend the center for special programs andcompanionship.
We are looking to expand our volunteer program as our need toreach out to older people continues to grow. Please take thisopportunity to call the local Area Agency on Aging at 800-982-4346and ask to speak with our staff Volunteer Coordinator.
If you can help, we can use your services. VOLUNTEERS ARE ALWAYSNEEDED!
Why wasn't immigration an issue in the recent election campaign, Lawrence Martin asked rather peevishly in his Globe & Mail column a few weeks before the campaign ended.
Perhaps he answered his own question. Martin spent much of his column citing the former executive director of the Canadian Immigration Service, James Bissett, who, in the Ottawa Citizen, recently predicted the usual doom and gloom that some associate with "ethnic" immigration.
For some reason Martin felt it necessary to give Bissett a pass on a possible charge of racism, because his son married a black woman and his daughter married a Cuban. But in any case, here is Bissett himself: "Either our political leaders do not know that Canada is facing an immigration crisis or they care more about gaining a few more so-called ethnic voters than they do about telling the truth about immigration."
He is, to be sure, somewhat more guarded on this matter than some. But the message is the same, however encoded it might be: Immigration is being encouraged for crassly political reasons - to secure the existing "ethnic" vote, and to import some more Xs for political parties at election time. This is the end of Canada as we know it: nothing less than a crisis is looming.
Bissett cites loads of studies that purportedly prove this or that, but he provides no details or citations. The occasional straw man wanders into the room as well: "Our politicians justify their desire for more immigrants by raising the spectre of an aging population and tell us immigration is the only answer to this dilemma, and yet there is not a shred of truth to this argument. Immigration does not provide the answer to population aging and there is a multiplicity of studies done in Canada and elsewhere that proves this."
No one I am aware of argues that immigration is "the only answer" to the problem of the aging population. Indeed, immigration levels would have to rise astronomically if this were the case. But immigration is one offset among many, and shouldn't be so misleadingly dismissed in an all-ornothing manner.
Immigrants, he goes on, also lay waste to the environment: "We have already experienced the impact mass migration has had on the health, education, traffic, social services and crime rates of our three major urban centres. It may be that cutting the immigration flow in half would do more than any gas tax to help reduce our environmental pollution."
And then we have what has become an almost obligatory reference in some quarters to a paper that Fraser Institute economist Herbert Grubel wrote in 2005: "[A] study published this year [sic] by professor Herbert Grubel of Simon Fraser University revealed that the 2.5 million immigrants who came to Canada between 1990 and 2002 received $18.3 billion more in government services and benefits in 2002 than they paid in taxes. As Prof. Grubel points out, this amount is more than the federal government spent on health care and twice what was spent on defence in the fiscal year of 2000/2001. Isn't it time our party leaders were made aware of this study?"
Grubel's article, "Immigration and the Welfare State in Canada: Growing Conflicts, Constructive Solutions," is worth ploughing through. Not all of it is nonsense, although he has a rather evident ideological axe to grind, bemoaning multiculturalism, high minimum wages, over-regulation, social insurance, and other Great Satans. Moreover, he makes too-easy comparisons between Canada and the U.S., citing American authorities on welfare dependency and then hedging with this kind of language: "It may well be that the more pervasive social welfare programs and an educational system financed differently in Canada will prevent the development of the conditions found by Borjas and Sueyoshi, but since there is no empirical evidence, this outcome is merely a possibility."
He does raise the credential issue, however, which has been rightly critiqued from all quarters: "The economic problems faced by recent immigrants with high levels of education have given rise to the stereotype of taxi drivers in Canada who are foreign-trained science graduates, PhDs, engineers, and lawyers. This stereotype is not far off the mark. Recently, the Consul General for India in Vancouver told me that the inability to find jobs commensurate with their formal education is one of the main complaints immigrants from India have voiced with him. Promises allegedly made by Canadian officials issuing immigrant visas to the highly educated simply are not being kept."
But the $18.3 billion dollar figure, the one that the antiimmigrant folks are waving around like a banner these days, does seem a very odd measure of the alleged "failure" of liberal immigration policies.
Briefly stated, that amount is the difference between the costs of social services for immigrants and the taxes they pay - a 2002 snapshot of the net annual transfers to the cohort of immigrants who arrived between 1990-2002. The implication here, of course, is that immigrants are a net drain on society, a huge community of communities on the public dole.
But is this the case? Presumably, despite the higher unemployment rate among recent immigrants (12.7% as opposed to 7.4% of native-born Canadians), working immigrants build wealth in the community by participating in the labour force, by creating jobs of their own, and in the role of consumers, through the multiplier effect of their spending. And this doesn't include the intangibles: cultural contributions, new ideas, and the countless acts of ordinary citizenship that immigrants offer.
What's more, although Grubel notes a slowing in the progress of immigrants towards wage parity with native-born Canadians, he doesn't mention their children. Indeed, whether immigrant children or children born here to immigrants, the new kids do well in school, well in college, and well afterwards.
A newly-released study by Miles Corak of the Institute for Research on Public Policy provides some valuable and timely information about secondgeneration Canadians - the children of immigrants, or what he refers to as the "immigrant baby bonus."
These children have more education than their counterparts, the children of Canadian-born parents. About one-third of them have at least 16 years of education, while more than 20% of men and almost onequarter of the women have at least one university degree. At the other end, 16% of second-generation Canadian men and 14% of the women have less than 12 years of education - compared to 30% of those whose parents were native-born Canadians.
In the labour market, these remarkable children of immigrants do no worse, and sometimes better, than the children of Canadian-born parents. Average annual incomes tend to be higher for both foreign-born and secondgeneration males, and significantly higher for women. Second-generation Canadians are no more likely than their counterparts to receive income assistance.
Surprisingly, perhaps, immigrants with low education are more likely to have highly-educated children than Canadian-born parents. Those children outperform the children of native-born Canadians in both mathematics and reading.
This is not to say that all is sweetness and light, however, and there are indeed serious problems to be tackled. Since 1991, the overall economic prospects of immigrants have declined, and recent arrivals have seen no improvement since 2001. Corak suggests that the sheer numbers of new immigrants in this context might indeed raise public policy issues. Nevertheless, 42% of immigrants arriving in the period 1995-2000 held university degrees, and close to 55% of new immigrants are now admitted under the economic class.
What Corak calls a "tremendous variation" in soci- oeconomic out- comes among the various immigrant communities, however, needs to be addressed. When immigrants have above-aver- age education but below-average earnings, for ex- ample, this tends to be replicated in the next gen- eration. We simply do not have enough information at present to understand these variations.
But when we look at the over-all success of second-generation Can- adians, we can see how misleading Grubel's $18.3 billion figure really is. What it indicates is not the feeding of a chronic dependency, which is what those who quote it invariably maintain, but a rolling investment that pays considerable dividends over time. Not only is the labour of immigrants and their participation in the economy as consumers left out of this figure, not to mention the positive externalities that immigrants contrib- ute, but also the long-term benefits: the gradual rise in their own wage levels (if currently slowing) - an indi- cator of their integration into society and the economy - and the even- tual productivity of their children. Given the ease, however, with which antipathy to the Other can be whipped up by so-called "experts" - former immigration officials and the Fraser Institute - and the journalists and ideologues who boil their anti-immigrant message down for popular consumption, it is just as well, perhaps, that we didn't have an immigration debate during the campaign. We avoided the inevitable ugliness that continues to plague it - from crude h�rouxvillisme to more sophisticated attempts by commentators such as Martin Loney and Martin Collacott to drive home the same kind of message.
While this sort of thing is relatively marginalized in federal politics, since even the Con- servative party welcomes more immigration, it does tend to erupt when immigration is publicly brought up, as last year's Bouchard-Taylor hearings in Que- bec on reasonable accommodation demonstrated. The challenge for those who see room for a serious public debate on immigration, a bona fide socioeconomic one shorn of ethnocentric and sometimes racist overtones, is to find ways of setting the terms of such a debate and keeping it on track.
We do need to address the differing success patterns of various groups, and their access to the wider society, its economy and its public institutions (including an examination of issues such as discrimination and foreign credentials). We might profitably review current immigration guidelines and regulations, and even the vexed question of official multiculturalism. These and other related questions, however, require much prudence, thought and deliberation. And, as we just have seen, those qualities rarely come to the fore during an election campaign.
[Sidebar]
'Working immigrants build wealth in the community by participating in the labour force, by creating jobs of their own, and in the role of consumers through the multiplier effect of their spending."
[Sidebar]
'Given the ease with which antipathy to immigrants can be whipped up, it is just as well that we didn't have a debate on this issue during the recent election campaign. But a review of current immigration guidelines and regulations - and of multiculturism itself - is clearly needed."
[Author Affiliation]
(John Baglow is an Ottawa writer and consultant on public and social policy.)
