Should your child go for music lessons?

I had a very interesting experience at Mandeville today. Our annual ABRSM violin exams are about a month away, and this is the month where there are all sorts of “technique” or “masterclass” sessions for the students to attend.

Detour: I personally feel that the technique classes are not really necessary (they cost extra and are mandatory for all exam-takers) and what was taught in this group lesson should have been covered by students’ respective teachers in the first place. But oh well, I’ve gotten used to the high cost of going to a music school and it doesn’t mean I’ll put up with it forever.

What was interesting tonight was when some of the kids played the A:3 piece from the Grade 4 syllabus – Foulis’ Allegro ma non troppo: 3rd movt from Sonata No. 5 in A they played it rather lifelessly and a bit out of tune.

Now this was a piece I veered away from, because one look at it with its many trills and other ornaments, playing it during an exam was asking for trouble. The kids played it  with little interest, and the teacher asked them: “Do you like this piece?”.

The kids looked glum and shook their heads, and the teacher tried to console them by saying: “Perhaps your teacher thinks that the piece is good for you. But if you don’t like the piece, it’s very obvious from the way you play it!”

This scenario presents the crux of the problem with music lessons for kids. A lot of parents always wring their hands in despair – Should I send my children to music school? Should they take exams every year? What if I can’t keep up with other parents who have children graduating from Grade 8 piano when they’re only 12?

You can probably guess my position on this – stop trying to keep up with the Joneses.

I’ve been blessed with the unique perspective of being a parent who has to go through all these motions that the kids do, because I signed up for violin lessons as an adult.

Often I sympathize with my classmates (all below 12) because most of the kids don’t want to be in the class, and some of the stuff they have to learn is really not easy, even for adults. I envy the kids who are naturally musical and have perfect pitch, but these are rare occurrences. Most kids really find music class to be a chore, even if they don’t say it out loud.

Here’s some things we parents all need to think about before we put our kids in any music class.

1. Why take music lessons?

If you ask a parent this and ask him/her to think hard about it, they may not be able to come up with an answer they fully understand.

The common answers are probably “So my son can play music!” “So they can pick up a useful skill!” “So they might know if one day they can be a professional musician!”

The answers are all valid, but really, what is the value of a musical education? First and foremost, I believe it is for a person to appreciate music, more than just to play it well. One can always appreciate music by listening to it, but I think there comes a point where you want to be able to engage with the music as well, and that’s when the education begins. For me, it was wanting to engage, and also fueled by my desire to learn a new skill/hobby.

Most kids are forced into music classes without even knowing why, and some end up hating the instruments that they are imposed with. If a child loathes going for classes, then all is lost.

You might say, “But kids hate going to school too! So it’s the same thing when they go for music class. They’ll appreciate it later”.

Now general education is mandatory, and in SG, it’s actually against the law to stop your kids from going to school. Yet to compare music lessons to going to primary school is comparing apples and oranges. Everyone needs to learn their ABCs and Math to survive in the world, but music is not mandatory.

Music, like art, is rooted in appreciation first and foremost. Most people know that they might not be great artists or musicians, but at least they can enjoy great pieces.

Now if you know you can’t be an F1 driver, would you keep telling yourself that you should work towards it? It’s the same with music – many parents believe that their kids can become great, successful people in life if they happened to go for music classes, but appreciation does not necessarily lead to any other tangible result save for a happy spirit.

It’ll be awesome if all schools had music appreciation classes (in ACJS, we did) but you know the SG education system – if it can’t be tested, let’s not bother with it.

2. Why take music exams?

The most remarkable thing about going to a music school is how everything seems to be centred around taking exams. For example, for the past five months, I’ve been playing little apart from my three ABRSM exam pieces and scales/arpeggios.

It’s not a bad thing you know.

I’ve been taking lessons for nearly a decade (with a 3-year break in between to look after Isabel when she was born), and this G4 exam is only my second. I realized that I had to take the exam in order to benchmark my skill level, rather than playing “for leisure” all the time.

Doing the latter meant that I had little discipline to get certain techniques right, or even learn my scales. I wasn’t progressing at the rate that I was satisfied with.

The upcoming practical exam also encouraged me to take up a crash course in music theory, because I didn’t understand what my teacher was referring to when it came to dominant sevens, minor relative scales or clashing chords. The music theory classes are painful (so much homework!), but I truly appreciate them.

Yet so many parents make their children take exams because they think it’s the be all and end all of music education. For goodness sake, wake up your idea lah, if your kids have so many exams at school, why stress them further with annual music exams?

The most important thing is for kids to progress in music at their own pace, and as agreed with their music teacher. Music exams are a form of benchmarking current skill and experience levels, NOT simply a process that everyone has to go through at a fixed time schedule.

You’re not a lesser person if you haven’t gone for Grade XX by age YY you know!

3. What instrument to learn first?

Without hesitation, I’d tell you that kids should learn the piano first. Till today, I only know the violin and I’ve suffered for it – a lot of music theory is best taught using the piano. And I often have trouble reading the bass clef because the violin only needs the treble clef!

Scales are also easier to learn on the piano. If your piano is properly tuned, hitting the right keys always produces the right tones. On a violin, I wouldn’t know better because it’s all about the right finger position. So as a beginner, I could play a scale out of tune and not even know it until someone points it out.

Furthermore, in higher music education, violin students are required to know how to play the piano. At least that’s what my teacher had to go through.

4. Who’s teaching the class?

Parents always fret over this – is the teacher good or lousy?

I think it’s near impossible to tell unless the parent happens to be a musician in the first place. It’s not just about how nice or patient the teacher is – the ability to impart the right set of skills is paramount.

For example, my first violin teacher was really quite inadequate. He was exam-focused, and never ensured that I got my fundamentals of tone and fingering right. Till today, under my current teacher, I’m still fixing a lot of bad playing habits that were not corrected under the previous teacher and were allowed to become entrenched in my overall technique.

Goy often points out that there are many kids who don’t bend their fingers right when playing the piano, and that results in poor tone especially on high-end pianos. Again, it’s due to poor teaching techniques. But how can other parents possibly tell?

This is where I really have no proper advice to dish out. I’m fortunate to have married a wife with a music diploma, and to be also going through the same music education process myself. We can probably tell a lousy music teacher from a mile away.

What should really ring your alarm bells though, is when a teacher is not interested in helping your child improve his fundamentals, but simply doing enough to pass the exam.

Some teachers lack passion, and are in it only for the salary, and this is common across any sort of education. Your challenge as a parent is whether you’re able to detect these sort of teachers early on.

5. Is my child talented?

Let’s face it, a normal kid with 1000 hours of practice could never best a musical genius with less playing time. Practice makes perfect but everyone has different aptitude and skills.

If your kid tries his best and still doesn’t do well in music, just move on and find out where his talent really lies. I personally believe everyone is talented in at least one thing – it’s just a matter of whether they’re given the opportunity to discover, and then develop it. Forcing them to continue music when their bandwidth or skill limits have been busted is not only unhelpful, it generates genuine resentment in the child.

That said, I really wish I was a musical genius instead of some adult with hands that are not long enough to play with ease Open-mouthed smile.

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EGU Blogs

Why I think the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary is super important

This was originally posted here.

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The early evolution of birds – more complicated than trying to untangle your headphones..

Birds are a phenomenal story of evolutionary success. As modern-day dinosaur descendants, they occupy almost all environments and ecosystems around the globe, and are truly animals that capture our imaginations. However, how did they become so diverse, both in number and form? This is something only the fossil record can divine for us.

Birds first appear in the Middle to Late Jurassic of China and latest Jurassic of Europe (hello, Archaeopteryx), around 160-150 million years ago. Their first radiation, in terms of increasing species numbers, appears to have occurred in the Early Cretaceous of China, based on the fossil graveyards of the 125 million year old Jehol Biota. However, it has been argued that the timing of this radiation is strongly influenced by ‘the Lagersttäten effect’ – that is, periods of exceptional preservation in the fossil record. For the early evolution of birds, this is complicated by the fact that the earliest Cretaceous (around 145 to 125 million years ago) fossil record of birds is known from only rare and fragmentary material.

One of the earliest known birds, Archaeopteryx, from the infamous Solnhofen beds of Bavaria, Germany. (source)

At some time around then, however, it is though that birds underwent a phase of rapid diversification of body forms, particularly geared towards increasingly small body sizes. This has important implications for the evolution of flight, but that’s another story.

A possible trigger for this diversification might have been with an extinction event at the end of the Jurassic, 145 million years ago, which saw the decimation of smaller-sized pterosaurs (their non-dinosaurian, winged cousins), particularly those known as rhamphorhynchids. Ecologically speaking, this would have opened up ‘ecospace’, for other animals to radiate into and occupy. Animals, such as birds.

What you would expect to see if this is the case, is increasing diversity of birds, which we do see, as well as increasing diversity of their body forms, their morphology, and ecological variants.

Were pterosaurs duking it out against birds for millions of years? (source)

However, is this what we the fossils record for us? A recent study has shown that, despite the high diversity represented by the Jehol Biota, we actually see constrained levels of morphological diversity – known as disparity.

Much of the Jehol bird fauna seems to have been comprised of ground foragers, which is curious as they would all have been flight capable. Interestingly, this seems to be at odds with the local pterosaur fauna. These chaps were still owning the skies, and diversifying into an increasingly bizarre suite of forms.

Could it be, perhaps, that there was a sort of ‘fight for the skies’ happening at this time? Perhaps while both pterosaurs and birds radiating, they were competing to constrain the extent to which the others could evolve, and restricted them to particular ecologies. This hypothesis is certainly appealing, and tells of a sort of ‘fight for the skies’ in the early origin of birds.

Understanding why this was happening, and which roles birds were most successful in, is important for understanding their survival through the end-Cretaceous mass extinction and the demise of non-avian dinosaurs, as well as their rise to fame in modern times.

Mitchell, J. S. and Makovicky, P. J. (2014) Low ecological disparity in Early Cretaceous birds, Proceedings of the Royal Society, Series B: Biological Sciences, 281, 20140608. (link)

IPC4 Day 1 – Using the past to inform the present

Welcome to the fourth International Palaeontology Congress! 900 palaeontologists have piled into the land of steak, sun, and malbec in Mendoza, Argentina, for the biggest palaeontology conference that draws from all parts of the field.

What I want to do with these posts is just provide snapshot summaries of the talks I’ve been at to provide a window into the conference and the amazing diversity of research being conducted by a global team of awesome researchers. It’s not all just dinosaurs you know! Results will not be discussed in any detail for obvious reasons.

The first symposium I attended was on the “Coevolution of the Earth and life: the role of the physical environment in species’ evolution.”

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Last dinosaur of its kind found in the land that time forgot

In terms of iconic dinosaurs, the gargantuan sauropods are certainly up there. Along with the mostly meat eating-theropods, and herbivorous and often armoured ornithischians, they form one of the three major groups, or clades, of dinosaurs, and were the biggest animals to ever walk this Earth.

The end of the Jurassic period, some 145 million years ago, was a pretty important time for sauropods. Their diversity was already in decline through some of the latter part of the Jurassic, but it seems that they were hit pretty badly at the Jurassic/Cretaceous (J/K) boundary, in an extinction event that may have been quite severe among land and marine-dwelling animals.

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Mona Belling

We will take care of your feet.

An Achilles Tendon Rupture How Do I Know I Have Got One?

Achilles Tendonitis The Achilles tendon runs from the calf muscles at the back of the lower leg and inserts at the back of the heel. A torn achilles can be a partial rupture or a total rupture. A total rupture is more common in men affecting them 10 times more than women. Injury typically occurs 30 to 40 minutes into a period of exercise rather than at the start of a session and nearly always happens from a sudden explosive movement or bending the foot upwards. Many patients are able to continue to function following an achilles rupture due to other muscles compensating although the injured leg will be significantly weaker. There are four key tests which can help diagnose a ruptured achilles tendon.

As with any muscle or tendon in the body, the Achilles tendon can be torn if there is a high force or stress on it. This can happen with activities which involve a forceful push off with the foot, for example, in football, running, basketball, diving, and tennis. The push off movement uses a strong contraction of the calf muscles which can stress the Achilles tendon too much. The Achilles tendon can also be damaged by injuries such as falls, if the foot is suddenly forced into an upward-pointing position, this movement stretches the tendon. Another possible injury is a deep cut at the back of the ankle, which might go into the tendon. Sometimes the Achilles tendon is weak, making it more prone to rupture. Factors that weaken the Achilles tendon are corticosteroid medication (such as prednisolone), mainly if it is used as long-term treatment rather than a short course. Corticosteroid injection near the Achilles tendon. Certain rare medical conditions, such as Cushing?s syndrome, where the body makes too much of its own corticosteroid hormones. Increasing age. Tendonitis (inflammation) of the Achilles tendon. Other medical conditions which can make the tendon more prone to rupture, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, gout and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) - lupus. Certain antibiotic medicines may slightly increase the risk of having an Achilles tendon rupture. These are the quinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin. The risk of having an Achilles tendon rupture with these antibiotics is actually very low, and mainly applies if you are also taking corticosteroid medication or are over the age of about 60.

Non Surgical Treatment

Surgical Treatment
The goal of surgery is to realign the two ends of the ruptured tendon to allow healing. There are multiple techniques to accomplish this goal that will vary from surgeon to surgeon. Recovery from this injury is usually very successful with return to full function in approximately 6 months. Post operatively casting is required with the use of crutches or other means to remain non-weightbearing for 4-8 weeks. This is followed by a course of physical therapy. Partial rupture may or may not require surgical intervention depending on the extent of injury but cast immobilization is a common requirement.

Achilles tendon rupture can be prevented by avoiding chronic injury to the Achilles tendon (i.e. tendonitis), as well as being careful to warm up and stretch properly before physical activity. Additionally, be sure to use properly fitting equipment (e.g. running shoes) and correct training techniques to avoid this problem!


Chlemoutsi medieval Castle

Local monuments

Chlemoutsi Castle is located in the village of the municipality of Kyllinis

Olympia Archaeological Site

Archaeological Areas

Byzantine Monastery Fragkavillas

Monasteries - temples

Dedicated in the name of Our Lady is one of the most famous monuments of Christian architecture in Ilia.

Museum of Ancient Elis

Project of architect Anastasios Birre , the Museum of Ancient Elis constructed during the period 2002-2004 in the SE edge of the ancient city on the slopes of the Acropolis hill , in an area where previous diaskopiseis subsoil had shown that there were no antiquit

Ancient Elis

Archaeological Areas

Old Museum

MUSEUM OF THE HISTORY OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES OF ANTIQUITY The exceedingly beatyful classical revival building that commands the little hill NW of the Sanctuary of Zeus

Museum of the Modern Olympic Games

This small museum off of the main street in Olympia city, hosts a bunch of artifacts from the modern Olympics, including the silk-lined box in which they transported Pierre

Archaeological Museum of Olympia

The Archaeological Museum of Olympia, one of the most important museums in Greece, presents the long history of the most celebrated sanctuary of antiquity, the sanctuary of Zeus, father of both gods and men, where the Olympic games were born.

Discover Ilia


Digestion Problems? Here’s Food For Thought…

Is your gut unhappy? Whether you’re suffering from the runs, constipation or painful cramps, a trip to the doctor is always recommended, especially if you’ve been suffering with a reoccurring problem or simply been suffering for a lengthy amount of time. Sadly not all digestive problems are easy to diagnose, however you may be able to restore order to your gut by making a few simple changes to your lifestyle. Here’s some helpful tips and tricks to digest and get your bowel movement back to normal.

Try medication

There are plenty of over-the-counter meds worth trying including IBS probiotics and laxatives. Some may have side effects so it’s always worth reading the label first. By buying online you may also be able to read consumer reviews to judge the medication’s effectiveness. Various herbal remedies such as ginger root, fennel and many herbal teas are proven to be good for the bowel.

Limit fat and up your fibre intake

Fatty foods take more work to digest and can make many digestive problems worse. Take a break from such foods, especially ones including processed fats. A high fibre diet made up of vegetables, whole grains and fruits can be good for both constipation and diarrheal symptoms. Generally it’s also good to avoid trigger foods such as dairy, spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine too.

Stay hydrated

Drinking lots of water will help to flush out any bacteria that could be causing an infection as well as breaking down any hard stools if you have constipation (as well as stopping your body from becoming dehydrated if you have diarrhoea). It’s very difficult to drink too much water – we should all be drinking 8 glasses on average a day. For digestive problems, it’s beneficial to drink even more than this.

Exercise regularly

Staying active also keeps foods moving through your digestive system, which is useful if you’ve got constipation. Exercise also has the dual effect of creating antibodies and boosting your immune system, helping to fight off any infections or pains. On top of this, you can help maintain a healthy weight through regular exercise, which is also good for your digestive system.

Stress is also bad for your digestive system. When stressed, our body goes into a survival mode that traces back to when we were cavemen. Energy and neuro signals are sent to important parts of our body used for fight or flight (e.g. the legs for running, the lungs for breathing) and taken away from parts of the body that aren’t deemed important at that time (e.g. the digestive system). This causes our gut to go into disarray, producing too much stomach acid and not producing enough digestive enzymes. Taking the time to de-stress could be the solution to your gut problems, or at the very least calm any ongoing disorder such as IBS or a food intolerance. Various forms of relaxation therapy and herbal remedies can stop you from getting as stressed.

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LONG HILL TWP. Discussion over an architectural style for a proposed bank building continued at the meeting of the township Planning Board at Town Hall Tuesday, Jan. 23. Commerce Bank, which seeks to put a bank office on the vacant lot at the southwest corner of Valley Road and Plainfield Road in the Stirling section of the township, has proposed a modern style with flat aluminum roof, aluminum siding and glass windows covering much of the wall area.

The bank, which would be built on 1.64 acres, with a 39.9 percent lot coverage and a 3,669-square-foot building, would be in the same architectural style as many Commerce Bank branches.

However, township zoning ordinances state a traditional style is required, and Commerce Bank officials have said that requirement is an undue hardship.

Planning Expert: Zoning Ordinance Wording Unclear

Peter Steck, a planning expert, testified that he believed the ordinance could not legally prohibit a building to either Federal, Victorian, Colonial or Georgian styles, and that a "modern" building would be allowed.

Specifically, the ordinance, (c) under 152.1, "General Guidelines," states:

"The selection of building design elements, for example in the use of materials, fenestration, color, texture, and other design considerations should ensure that such treatment is generally consistent with traditional and vernacular architectural styles. For the purposes of this subsection 'traditional architectural styles' shall include the Colonial, Federal, Georgian, Victoria and similar styls, and appropriate combinations or alterations of these styles."

Steck said due to the ordinance's wording, he could not come up with the same re commendations as another planner due to the technical difference between "shall " and "should."

Yet when asked if there was a difference between the permitted styles and modern, Steck said the modern style was not traditional.

As part of Commerce Bank's defense, representative Jim Knox asked Larry Fast, alay witness who has studied architectural history, what would have happened if England had banned Victorian architecture in 1850. Fast said that in the city of Bath, Victorian "gingerbread" buildings were not permitted and it tied together the community's appearance.

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Paper or plastic? How do you like to read?

Posted by Kris (with a "K") In an age were digital is becoming king, do you ever wonder what this means for your reading experience. I'm sure you've thought about this and have your own opinions, already.

Do you prefer the smell of an old book? The weight of it in your hands?

Or the dim light from a screen, from which you can tweet or search the text within?

Whatever suits your fancy, this much is clear: What it means to read has changed dramatically, and this change will only continue for the time being.

Here's a link to an article that explores this changing landscape we once called reading.

And here's a few lines that really stood out to me:

The book in your hand or on your coffee table is a public statement about who you are. Ereaders are, therefore, useful in getting over concerns with image and providing a kind of licence for us to follow our curiosity and interests more.

With other issues, it isn’t obvious whether the drawbacks are inherent or not. For instance, Campbell explains how we create “cognitive maps” of what we’re reading, which include visual memories of whether certain passages were top of a left-hand page, for example, and kinaesthetic information based on heft and bulk, which tells us how much we have left to read. That helps explain why Benedetto has found that “scrolling impairs the spatial memory”, making it more difficult to find your way around a text. However, as Campbell, says, we’ve learnt how to create cognitive maps unconsciously, through years of reading, and it could be that people raised on ereaders simply won’t rely on the same cues and will instead use searchable keywords and toolbar data to navigate around. This might actually be more efficient.

And just for fun...


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see pituitary glandpituitary gland,
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A small rounded endocrine gland which lies in the sella turcica of the sphenoid bone and is attached to the floor of the third ventricle of the brain in all craniate vertebrates. Also known as pituitary gland.

pituitary gland

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the master endocrine gland, attached by a stalk to the base of the brain. Its two lobes (see adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis) secrete hormones affecting skeletal growth, development of the sex glands, and the functioning of the other endocrine glands Also called hypophysis hypophysis cerebri


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It has been a long time since I posted here! But do you know what’ll motivate someone to get back on the horse? A book on how incredibly beneficial it is for a fiction writer to have some–any–social media presence.

Create Your Writer Platform: The Key to Building an Audience, Selling More Books, and Finding Success as an Author is essentially a book about why and how an author should establish a social media presence. There are a few nods to in-person platforms, but hey. What’s the chance you have speaking gigs compared to the chance that you have a reasonably well-read Twitter? Most of the book is geared toward non-fiction writers–who apparently need a platform to publish–but there’s a lot in here for writers of fiction, too.

The main thrust is that, no matter what you write, publishers care about how many people you can reach. Right now. Immediately. If you publish a book, who are you going to tell? “Ten or twenty friends and family” is not a great answer. But if you can say “I’ll tell the one thousand people who read my blog,” you’ll get a lot more attention. And even if fiction authors don’t need that reach to get published, it will definitely impress agents and publishers.

The book explains what a platform is, why you need one, and then walks you through the basics of setting up Facebook, blogs, a personal website, Twitter, and newsletters. It explains how people who find success on these sites socialize–they provide useful things for other people, they give, give, give, and they reach out and interact with everyone. It talks about finding your niche, making a plan, and continuing to do it little by little by little until, someday, your tiny little blog with 10 visitors picks up steam.

Finally, it ends with case studies from authors who successfully established themselves online. The vast majority of the case studies are from non-fiction and memoir authors, but there are a few fiction authors, too.

All in all, it’s an amazing book. Fiction authors might not need to read it, but–just like having a platform in the first place–it definitely doesn’t hurt.


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Deathscapes 4

(Syllabus for CBTL version)

As Benjamin Franklin noted, nothing is certain in this world but death and taxes.  The primary goal of this course is to explore the social, cultural, and biological nature of human death and dying.  Examples of topics that will be cover include: mortuary rituals and funerary behavior, the cultural construction of death, the effects of death on the social fabric, morning and bereavement, hospice and end-of-life issues, and medical and ethical issues relating to death.  Throughout the course, students will examine the fascinating variety of social and cultural responses to the biological fact of death.  In doing so, they will be exposed to the Anthropological and Sociological literature that seeks to explain or interpret that tremendous variety.  The course will be cross-cultural, holistic, and bio-cultural in its outlook and will require students to make conceptual connections between theoretical literature and empirical observations.

Quant Banner 5

This course is structured to provide students with the analytic background necessary to conduct and evaluate quantitative research in Anthropology. The major foci of the class will be on; unit construction and data collection protocols, the statistical tools necessary to conduct analysis of data sets; the design of scientifically valid research projects, and the graphical display of quantitative data. Examples from all four fields of anthropology will be presented in order to provide a broad empirical perspective.  Additionally, this course will cover issues relating to research design, sampling, and ethics.

In this course, students will receive hands-on training in the collection, use, analysis, and display of quantitative data.  Student will be required to complete assignments with numerous example datasets.  In some cases, students will be required to work problems the old-fashioned way; that is, with paper and pencil.  However, students will also be instructed in the various computer software packages currently available for data manipulation (including popular database, spreadsheet, and statistical programs).  Students will learn to use the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software system for computations involving larger datasets, simple univariate and bivariate comparisons, parametric and non-parametric techniques, more complex multivariate approaches, hypothesis testing, regression and correlation, diversity statistics, resampling and Monte Carlo modeling, and appropriate graphical displays of quantitative data.

Arch Strat Banner 2

This course provides a review of the history of modern archaeological thought and practices. In doing so, it provides a background in the theoretical, methodological, and technical developments within the field. Each historical period within the discipline is examined and theoretical paradigms are placed within their social and historical context. Theoretical frameworks to be discussed will include; early 20th century culture-history, the development of scientific archaeology, Symbolic and Structural approaches, Marxism, Gendered and Indigenous archaeologies, Evolutionary approaches, and the development of contemporary Cultural Resource Management. In doing so, the course will examine how the goals and strategies of archaeological research have changed through time.

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ANT 3513: Principles of Physical Anthropology

This course examines the intellectual scope and methods of Physical Anthropology. In doing so it surveys the major fields of the discipline including evolutionary theory, genetics, primate biology and behavior, human biological diversity and evolution, bioarchaeology and forensic analysis. The key objective of the class is to provide students with an understanding of Physical Anthropology’s place within and contributions to the study of humankind. A key component of this course involves student participation in laboratory exercises and activities that provide hands on experience with the materials and methods of Physical Anthropology.

ANT 2000: Introduction to Anthropology

This course is an introduction to the discipline of Anthropology. Anthropologists explore and try to understand humanity in all its biological and cultural diversity. To do that, anthropologists study people and their societies both in the present and from the past. They study other animals that can inform us about ourselves and how we may have lived in the past. They also study language and how humans use their capacity for symbolic speech to communicate with each other. Anthropologists examine all of these aspects of humankind from both scientific and humanistic perspectives. The goal of Anthropological research is a deep and rich understanding of who we are as humans, how we have changed, and why we are as we are.

ANT 3740: Introduction to Forensic Sciences

This course is designed to introduce students to those scientific principles, techniques, methods, and technology that are regularly used to solve crimes or aid law enforcement agencies. The course will cover the latest in sophisticated evidence collection and analysis, including fingerprinting, ballistics, trace evidence, serology, DNA fingerprinting, toxicology, and forensic anthropology. The course will also explore methods of crime scene processing, autopsies and manner-of-death determination, processes of corpse decomposition, rules of evidence, and the concept of “chain of custody”. Throughout the course, students will engage in a variety of projects in which they will apply the techniques and methods that they learn to collect and interpret evidence. Students will also engage in the creation and processing of a simulated crime scene. The focus and purpose of these projects and simulated crime scene will be to engage students in active, participatory application of scientific techniques and concepts in the solving of crimes. When not engaged in forensic science, students will attend lectures, hear guest speakers, and go on field trips that will expose them to forensic sciences as they are currently practiced.

ANT 3933: Seminar in Anthropology

This course will prepare anthropology students for advanced coursework in the anthropological discipline. The course provides an opportunity for students to reflect upon the nature of anthropological inquiry and the variety of data anthropologists use to aid that inquiry. Students will develop an understanding of the multitude of methodologies and techniques employed by anthropologists and how anthropological theories and models articulate with research questions. They will also be exposed to examples of applications of anthropology to concrete social problems. The course will help anthropology majors/minors develop those skills and dispositions necessary to succeed as anthropology students and to begin planning their future careers.

ANT 4241: Anthropology of Religion

This course is designed to provide an overview of the Anthropological approach to religion, ritual, myths, and symbolic behavior. We will begin by examining the nature and structure of religious systems and their associated ritual or ceremonial forms. This will be followed by a study of the historical development of theoretical frameworks utilized within Anthropology to understand religion (generally) and ritual (specifically). These frameworks will be briefly contrasted to Sociological and Psychological approaches. Finally, we will discuss in detail a number of current or ethnohistorically documented religious structures, ritual specialists, and ceremonies. These concrete examples will allow us to explore the assumptions, insights, and blind spots of the various frameworks utilized by Anthropologists.

ANT 2100: Introduction to Archaeology

This course provides a background in how Archaeologists examine human societies from the past. In doing so, we will discuss the concepts, tools, and techniques used within the field of Archaeology. Topics covered will include how Archaeological sites are located and excavated, field and laboratory analysis of artifacts and other materials, how sites and artifacts are dated, and how all this information is put together to arrive at descriptions and explanations of the past. We will also discuss a variety of archaeological sites and excavations that provide real-world examples of archaeology in action.


Of Two Worlds

Diplomats or Wanderers

Half-elves have no lands o f their own, though they are welcome in human cities and somewhat less welcome in elven forests. In large cities in regions where elves and humans interact often, half-elves are sometimes numerous enough to form small communities of their own. They enjoy the company of other half-elves, the only people who truly understand what it is to live between these two worlds. In most parts of the world, though, half-elves are uncommon enough that one might live for years without meeting another. Some half-elves prefer to avoid company altogether, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast, throw themselves into the thick of society, putting their charisma and social skills to great use in diplomatic roles or as swindlers.

Half-Elf Names

Half-elves use either human or elven naming conventions. As if to emphasize that they don’t really fit in to either society, half-elves raised among humans are often given elven names, and those raised among elves often take human names.

Half-Elf Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charm ed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish, and one extra language of your choice.

Realms of Thorin danielctalley danielctalley


Employ Your Self!

Latvia. A land still shrouded in a veil of mystery. It is a quite unknown, and often overlooked baltic country, with typical problems of a post-socialist transition into a capitalist economic system. They show mostly as poverty and unemployment/change of the market. Moreover, because of then russophilic politics, the people there are also pestered by a divide between the local Latvian and Russian populations. In spite of the problems, the country is going through a cultural rebirth. More and more people are more and more openly expressing and creating their ideas, more and more people are creating their own business opportunities, more and more people are uncovering their own lives’ power, and love.

As such, it is no big surprise that the youth exchange ‘Employ YourSelf’, that we participated in in Latvia as the Slovenian group, touched the topics of personal developement, developement and realisation of personal ideas, and creating your own business/employment.

The exchange was happening between 6. and 14. 8. 2017 on two locations. We spent most of our time at a wonderful guest house in the village Suntaži and at the of the exchange we visited the capital Riga for a couple of days. The participants came from six European countries; Latvia, Lithuania, Greece, Italy, Poland and Slovenia. The project was organised and carried out largely by a young Latvian creator Rihards Aninš, because of his own interest in the addressed topics. His supporting organisation was ‘Baltic Regional Fund’, and the Slovenian partner of the project was ‘Zavod Bob’.

In the Slovenian team, we took part in the exchange with a clear goal; to use the offered space for creating the foundation for our project – mind, body and soul therapy centre. Purpose? The realisation of our dreams.

Even though we experienced some inconveniences (long journey, broken foot,…), for us the exchange was mostly a positive experience. During the workshops we have clearly outlined who we are, what is important to us, what are our skills, what we wish to share, what to learn and experience. We were learning how to develop our own brand and got to know some basics about the use of Facebook for marketing purposes. We worked with the business model – canvas and our presented our project from different perspectives to the group.

In Riga we visited the alternative cultural centre, which resembles Ljubljana’s ‘Metelkova’. There we had a presentation of the centre, how it started out, and how is it currently operating. We also got to know the youth centre BamBus, where we finished the official part of the project with YouthPasses.

On top of that, we were also hanging out with each other and having fun. In the countryside we were next to a small lake, and could use kayaks. There were also a football and basketball fields. Some of us spent our free time for our own activites; energy therapies, massages, acro yoga, writing,…

At the exchange, we managed to ground our project, and give it a name – ‘The Original Intention’. Maybe even more importantly, we managed to establish some intercultural ties, friendships and cooperation. We are very glad to have experienced this, and would like to sincerely thank everyone involved in the implementation of the project!

Latvija. Dežela, ki je še vedno zavita v tančico skrivnosti. Precej nepoznana in dostikrat spregledana baltska država, kjer se ukvarjajo s tipičnimi težavami post-socialističnega prehoda v kapitalistični gospodarski sistem. To sta predvsem revščina in brezposelnost/sprememba trga. Poleg tega pa jih zaradi rusoljubne politike pesti še razdvoj med latvijskim in ruskim lokalnim prebivalstvom. Kljub temu pa se tudi tam dogaja kulturni preporod. Vse več ljudi čedalje bolj odkrito izraža in ustvarja svoje ideje, vse več ljudi ustvarja svoje poslovne priložnosti, vse več ljudi odkriva svojo življensko moč in ljubezen.

V pričo temu tudi ni čudno, da se je mladinska izmenjava ‘Employ YourSelf’, ki smo se je v Latviji udeležili tudi s slovensko skupino, dotaknila tematik osebnega razvoja, razvoja in uresničevanja lastnih idej ter izgradnji svojega posla/zaposlitve.

Izmenjava je potekala od 6. 8. do 14. 8. 2017 na dveh lokacijah. Večino časa smo preživeli na čudoviti počitniški domačiji v vasi Suntaži, ob koncu izmenjave pa smo za nekaj dni obiskali tudi njihovo prestolnico Rigo. Udeleženci smo bili iz šestih evropskih držav; Latvije, Litve, Grčije, Italije, Poljske in Slovenije. Projekt je organiziral mlad latvijski ustvarjalec Rihards Aninš, zaradi lastnega zanimanja za obravnavane teme. Na pomoč mu je priskočila organizacija ‘Baltic Regional Fund’, slovenski partner projekta pa je Zavod Bob.

Na izmenjavo smo v slovenski skupini odšli z jasno zstavljenim ciljem; da ponujeni prostor uporabimo za izgradnjo temeljev našega projekta – center za terapijo telesa, uma in duše. Namen? Uresničitev naših sanj!

Določenim nevšečnostim navkljub (dolgo potovanje, zlom noge,…), je bila izmenjava za nas predvsem pozitivna izkušnja. Na delavnicah smo jasno začrtali kdo smo, kaj nam je pomembno, kaj je naša sposobnost, kaj želimo deliti ter kaj se naučiti in kaj izkusiti. Učili smo se izdelave lastne znamke (brand) in izvedeli nekaj osnov o uporabi Facebook-a za namene oglaševanja. Delali smo s poslovnim modelom – kanvas in svoj projekt večkrat predstavili skupini – z različnih vidikov.

V Rigi smo obiskali alternativno kulturno središče, ki spominja na ljubljansko Metelkovo, kjer so nam predstavili sam nastanek prostora in kako trenutno deluje. Spoznali smo tudi mladinski center BamBus, kjer smo z YouthPass-i tudi zaključili uradni del projekta.

Poleg tega nam tudi ni manjkalo zabave in druženja. Na podeželju smo imeli na voljo manjše jezero, kajake, nogometno in košarkarsko igrišče,… Nekaj pa nas je prosti čas izkoristilo tudi za izvajanje naših dejavnosti; energetske terapije, masaže, akro joga, pisanje,…

Na izmenjavi nam je uspelo prizemljiti naš projekt in mu nadeti ime – ‘The Original Intention’. Mogoče še pomembneje kot to, nam je uspelo vpostaviti medkulturne stike, prijateljstva in sodelovanje. Zelo smo veseli te izkušnje in se iskreno zahvaljujemo vsem vpletenim v delovanje tega projekta!

you travelers dear!

from far, and from near!

Welcome to heaven
and welcome to hell!

Stay for a while
then go, and be well!

Like our body, each one of our ideas and wishes has to go through
the process of creation, before it emerges as a new business, book, movie, song, etc.

An artist, a creator, eager to share his work must start somewhere. Almost always those beginnings are humble, and pale in comparison with that person’s (later) fully realised creative potential.

Like a child
that grows and evolves until he/she grows up, we evolve and develop our ideas.
When we develop an idea to the point, where we can start realizing it,
we start searching for ways to realize and perfect our visions
in the world around us.

The same as a child in our wide world, our vision can die or get corrupted,
if we don’t take proper care of it or don’t put enough effort into getting it through.

Those beginnings are often hard, painful, and full of uncertainties. They also shape, and perfect the person into the beautiful masterpiece they are meant to be.

This blog is just one of such stories in life.

With the help of this blog
I would like to share,
and experience my being

With everyone wandering
through this site
either by mistake
or on purpose

Lepa Gesta – What is it?

Lepa gesta inspiring creators in Punkt!
Lepa gesta inspiring creators in Punkt, Trbovlje!

Welcome to a dream. Welcome to my dream. Welcome to the community of creators who care, love, and act. Welcome to the community of creators gathered around the idea, and act of lepa gesta (goodwill gesture), and each other.

Together we are developing a project aimed at gently reshaping the ways we interact with each other, the ways we work together, and the ways in which we deal with issues. In short – we aim to create and shape our own community.

Many questions arise at this point. What? How? Why? Where? Who?

Each person has their own answers to these questions. Most of us just want our opinions to be heard and to be given a chance to matter. A lot of people even want to act and co-create with each other, just having the chance to express themselves creatively. And why not do this in a way we can all better our material well being, as well as share in great, new enlightening experiences, while shaping our community according to our measures.

We are facing a major challenge here. How can we include and engage everyone in the practical discussions about these questions? How can we connect these individual creators, and their personal interpretations of lepa gesta into a network of creators, working together, and effectively creating a new community around them? How can we spread the lepa gesta approach to life, and create an open, acceptive, and flexible community? Most of all, how can we first help ourselves, and then each other to make our dreams first a possibility, and then a reality?

The journey to discovery is often slow and painful, and in many cases also a necessity. We are moving into the territory largely unknown to modern man, since our traditions, upbringing, and education quite often instill in us the notion of needing to be an adjustable, fitting part for the giant machine that is society, because it changes for no man.

That is why we have decided to keep it simple. As simple as humanly possible. With community being our aim, that is also our starting point. In this initial development phase, we are reaching, and exploring local (and broader) communities that already exist around us and we are a part of. It is to spread the word, or the idea, to feel out the interests of the people already more actively involved in their communities, and to discuss and cooperate on issues affecting us all.

Truth be told, we are often unsure of the changes we will bring about together. It is nearly impossible to see through a wall, even if it is but an illusion. But we see that as no reason to stop, and since this project grows out of our mutual love of life, we can be certain that whatever the outcome, it will bring about something wonderful for everyone willing to open up to it.

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OECD inflation rises marginally

The annual inflation rate in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) area was 1.7% the year to September, up marginally from 1.6% in August.

Higher food and energy prices, which increased by 2.3% and 5.2% respectively in September, compared with 1.4% and 4.8% in August, were the main factors behind the rise in consumer prices.

Eurozone annual inflation rose from 1.6% in August to 1.8%, while inflation in Britain remained stable at 3.1%. In France inflation rose to 1.6% (up from 1.4%), while in Germany it increased from 1% to 1.3%. (article continues below)

Deflation continued in Japan for the 12th month in a row, while in America inflation stayed stable at 1.1%.


Learn More
1. Acetylcholine causes a rise of intracellular Ca2+ in perisynaptic Schwann cells (PSCs) of the frog neuromuscular junction. The signalling pathway was characterized using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator fluo-3 and fluorescence microscopy. 2. Nicotinic antagonists had no effect on Ca2+ responses evoked by ACh and no Ca2+ responses were evoked with the(More)
Hippocampal neurons exhibit a slow afterhyperpolarization following membrane depolarization; this is thought to reflect an underlying Ca2+-dependent K+ current. This current is potentiated by intermediate concentrations (0.1-1.0 mM) of exogenous Ca2+ buffer [Schwindt P. C. et al. (1992) Neuroscience 47, 571-578; Zhang L. et al. (1995) J. Neurophysiol. 74,(More)
Cerebral vasospasm is a transient, delayed constriction of cerebral arteries that occurs after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Smooth muscle cells show impaired relaxation after SAH, which may be caused by a defect in the ionic mechanisms regulating smooth muscle membrane potential and Ca(2+) permeability. We tested this hypothesis by examining changes in(More)
Electrophysiological and molecular characteristics of voltage-dependent calcium (Ca(2+)) channels were studied using whole-cell patch clamp, polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting in smooth muscle cells freshly isolated from dog basilar artery. Inward currents evoked by depolarizing steps from a holding potential of -50 or -90 mV in 10 mm barium(More)
Cerebral vasospasm is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). It is a sustained constriction of the cerebral arteries that can be reduced by endothelin (ET) receptor antagonists. Voltage-gated Ca(2+) channel antagonists such as nimodipine are relatively less effective. Endothelin-1 is not increased enough(More)
Background. Our understanding of the pathogenesis of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) has been limited by the lack of adequate animal models. In this study we evaluate the time course of angiographic, hemodynamic and histopathological changes in an arteriovenous fistula in rats as a potential model. Methods. An(More)
Delayed cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage is primarily due to sustained contraction of arterial smooth muscle cells. Its pathogenesis remains unclear. The degree of arterial constriction is regulated by membrane potential that in turn is determined predominately by K+ conductance (GK). Here, we identified the main voltage-gated K+ (Kv)(More)
Cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is because of smooth muscle contraction, although the mechanism of this contraction remains unresolved. Membrane potential controls the contractile state of arterial myocytes by gating voltage-sensitive calcium channels and is in turn primarily controlled by K(+) ion conductance through several classes(More)
Cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is due to contraction of smooth muscle cells in the cerebral arteries. The mechanism of this contraction, however, is not well understood. Smooth muscle contraction is regulated in part by membrane potential, which is determined by K+ conductance in smooth muscle. Voltage-gated (Kv) and(More)
OBJECTIVE Vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) may result from hemoglobin-mediated removal of nitric oxide (NO) from the arterial wall. We tested the ability of the long-acting, water-soluble, NO donor (Z)-1-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-N-(2-ammonioethyl)amino]diazen-1-1,2-diolate (DETA/NO), delivered via continuous intracisternal infusion, to prevent(More)


For Employers and Job Seekers alike, we have created this page to offer details on positions that we have filled over the past few months. This will give you an idea of the wide variety of searches we manage throughout Nova Scotia.

Front Desk Administrator

Type: Temporary
Location: Halifax
Job Number: ADS12919

Our client, an agency of the Province of Nova Scotia, is seeking an experienced Front Desk Administrator for their Halifax location. This is a contract opportunity for approximately 8 weeks. Some evening and weekend shifts are required.

As the successful candidate, you will work on the main Information Desk and will act as the first point of contact for visitors. Responsibilities will include answering all inquiries, providing general information, managing reception and other clerical duties as needed.

As the ideal candidate, you have previous experience in a similar role. With a professional phone manner and excellent customer service skills, you enjoy working in a client-focused environment. You have outstanding organizational skills, a keen eye for detail and exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. French knowledge would be considered an asset. Strong computer skills are required and flexibility to work evenings and weekends is necessary.


Spoiler warning!
Beyond this point are spoilers! Read at your own risk.

Tama is the village priestess of the Hidden Village, and the foster parent of Elise. She is one of the main guardians of the village, alongside Lord Ayron. She is also one of the oldest Hawk Elves alive.

Appearance and Personality Edit

Tama is incredibly formal in her appearance, wearing traditional conservative clothing and fine white and black dresses as part of her priestly duties. She has fine jewelry, and maintains a very proper stance and posture. She has white hair and dark silver eyes. She prefers to meditate, and can do so even when in conversation, almost second nature.

Tama is quiet, reserved, and strict, hardly ever bending her iron clad mindset. She is dutiful and loyal to her cause, and is very just. She however cannot take a joke, especially at her expense, and will react poorly to pranks. She and Nel do not get along for this reason, and is one of their sources of conflict. She understands why he acts the way he does, but only wishes he be more mature.

History Edit

One of the founding members of the Hidden Village, she and Lord Ayron have been around for thousands of years, standing watch over their fragile race. In the more recent age however, she has played guardian of Elise and has raised her since the girl's parents disappeared one day. She is incredibly strict and a bit too dedicated to her work, a habit that Elise unfortunately adopted. She protects the village with her magic and divine affinity.

Role in Far East Edit

On a typical day in the Hidden Village, Tama senses something amiss, and contacts Ayron. Informing him that fate has decreed their race's impending demise, the two are somber, finally agreeing to begin a plan in secret. They wonder however if 'they' are ready, to which Ayron responds that they will have to.

Upon the day of Selections, a monster outbreak occurs, causing Tama and Ayron to call the young initiates to the Temple. They explain the truth of the situation, dismissing notions of combating the enemy, that instead, the young are to flee the village, while everyone distracts the enemy. After this, Tama tells them that one final Selection will take place, and Tama tells Nel that he will finally see what is inside the tower.

Upon him receiving the Thunderedge, she banishes the young members of the village from its boundaries, leaving them in fate's hands.

On the third day, the enemy, Cale arrives, and begins a slaughter of the entire village. Tama is powerless to watch as even Alli is slain in battle against Haro Darien, failing to revive her. Haro and her father General Havoc make their way to the Temple, where a last stand occurs, resulting in the deaths of Tama and Ayron at Havoc's hands...

Far East- Fall of Lord Ayron and Tama04:26

Far East- Fall of Lord Ayron and Tama

The Final Battle

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Patient Care

When patients reach the last stages of the disease, Bait Ul Sukoon serves as a hospice, providing them palliative treatment with loving care and concern, making their last days as comfortable as possible.

Surgical Oncology

Any type of medical procedure has risks, and surgery is no exception. Risk depends partly on the type of surgery you are having and the surgeon’s experience with it. The length of the surgery and the type of anesthesia used are other important factors. Your overall health affects the process and outcome a great deal, too. What’s most important is that the expected benefits outweigh the possible risks.

Advances in surgical techniques and our understanding of how to prevent infections have made modern surgery safer and less likely to damage healthy tissues than it’s ever been. Still, there’s always some risk involved.

Bait-ul-Sukoon in collaboration with various highly reputed hospitals, arranges for the surgery of the patients, which is performed by the most experienced & skilled surgeons of the country. Almost all kind of surgeries are performed but the major both being constituted by Breast, Oral Faciomaxillary, GI & gynecological major surgeries & minor biopsies.


<font color=red>The Hanger

Event Calendar

2017 Events

ovember 1 - Monthly club meeting, 7:00 pm at the field.

December 6 - Annual December (Christmas meeting), 6:30 pm at the Danville United Methodist Church. Bring hats, scarves, mittens and gloves for the Angel Tree.

Directions - Take Hwy. 36 (Rockville Road) West 12 miles and just before entering Danville, turn left at the stop light like you are going to Kroger's, then take an immediate left on Twin Bridges Road (Shady Lane) and follow the road 3/4 mile. You will go past the Fire Station and wind around Twin Bridges recycling facility. The flying field is on the north side of the road just before the road curves to the south.


Environite Countertops

More than a beautiful countertop

Our visually striking countertop and solid-surface materials consume a high percentage of recycled glass and other recycled materials – both post-consumer and post-industrial. They are produced in an environmentally friendly manner which not only reduces waste, but substantially reduces the carbon footprint created by costly shipping of traditional products such as quartz, granite and marble.

Environite is a leading-edge product utilizing sustainable design and recycled materials to build greener homes – and greener jobs.

Why Choose Environite?

Environite™ countertop and solid-surface materials provide a green building option for homeowners throughout North America. Environite provides a contemporary, sustainable building product using recycled waste materials typically destined for the landfill. The Environite development philosophy focuses on unique eco-friendly building products that emphasize local sourcing, regional manufacturing and regional sales of a durable product that is not only ecologically friendly but can itself be recycled at the end of its long life cycle.[/one_half]

Question: Does Environite require a sealer?

Environite is a non-porous product that does not require sealing. More FAQ’S


add - full-screen editing calculator

       add [options] [file-specifications]

       Add is a fixed-point calculator that operates as a full-screen editor.

       Add  performs  fixed-point  computation.   It  is designed for use as a
       checkbook or expense-account balancing tool.

       Add maintains a running result for each operation.  You may  scroll  to
       any position in the expression list and modify the list.  Enter data by
       typing numbers (with optional decimal point), separated by operators.

       An output transcript may be saved and  reloaded  for  further  editing.
       Scripts  are  loaded  from  left  to right (with the "output" processed

       Command line options of add are:

       -h     Prints the list of options.

       -i interval
              Sets compounding interval for interest computation.

       -o script
              Specify file in which to save output transcript.

       -p num Sets precision (number of digits after the decimal place).

       The operators are all single-character:

       +      begins an addition

       -      begins a subtraction

       ~      negates the result

       *      begins a multiplication

       /      begins a division

       %      begins an interest computation (uses interval): rate=number.

       $      begins a sales-tax computation: rate=number.

       (      opening  parenthesis.   This  may  enclose  a  unary  '-',  more
              parentheses, or data (implicit unary '+').

       )      closing parenthesis, expects another operator, not data.

       =      flushes  out  the  current  number, forces re-computation of the
              running result.

       w      increases the width used for numbers  by  one  column  up  to  a
              platform-specific value.

       W      decreases  the  width  used for numbers by one column, down to a
              minimum of 6.

       A space flushes out the current number-input, and (by default) sets the
       next  operator  to  be the same as the current one.  You may repeat the
       last arithmetic operation of any type:

       a      repeats the last '+' (default 0).

       s      repeats the last '-' (default 0).

       n      repeats the last '~'.

       m      repeats the last '*' (default 1).

       d      repeats the last '/' (default 1).

       i      repeats the last '%' (default 4).

       t      repeats the last '$' (default 4).

       You may toggle the prefix operator of any number  by  typing  a  single

       A      toggles the operator to '+'.

       S      toggles the operator to '-'.

       N      toggles the operator to '~'.

       M      toggles the operator to '*'.

       D      toggles the operator to '/'.

       I      toggles the operator to '%'.

       T      toggles the operator to '$'.

       As you enter data, you may edit it.  A backspace deletes the last digit
       of the current number (if it is visible).  Use the arrow  keys  or  vi-
       style  'h'  and  'l'  to  move  left  and right within the line.  Other
       editing commands include

       u      undoes the last x/X command (restricted to restoring the current
              data only).

       x      deletes  the  current  data.   If  the data is null, deletes the
              following line.

       X      deletes the current data.  If the  data  is  null,  deletes  the
              preceding line and moves up.

       o      opens a new line after the current line.

       O      opens a new line before the current line.

       #      edit the associated comment.

       An  "open"  permits  you  to  insert  a  new operator and data into the
       expression list.  You may type an operator character (e.g.,  '+'),  and
       continue  with  the  new  data,  or an operator-repeat (e.g., 'A').  In
       either case, you may edit the new data, just as you would the old data.
       A  'u'  (or other toggle, such as 'o', 'O', or 'q') typed after an open
       will undo the open (and close it).

Scrolling/cursor movement:

       H      move to the top line on the screen.

       M      move to the middle line on the screen.

       L      move to the last line on the screen

       CTL/F  scroll forward one screen.

       CTL/B  scroll backward one screen.

       j      move forward one line.

       k      move backward one line.

       z<CR>  move the current line to the top of the screen.

       z.     move the current line to the middle of the screen.

       z-     move the current line to the bottom of the screen.

       Like vi, add allows you to jump to a particular line with a ":" command

       :$     jumps to the last entry

       :1     jumps to the first entry.

       Transcript files are formatted to permit line-oriented entries:
       <operator><value><blank><ignored><blank># comment

       The transcripts  saved  by  add  contain  the  running  result  in  the
       "ignored" part.  To exit without saving a transcript, type 'Q'.  A nor-
       mal exit, by typing 'q', saves the list of operators, data (and running
       result) in the specified file.

       You can read and write scripts without leaving add.

       :e file
              clears the current script and reads a script from the file.

       :f     shows the current script name.

       :r file
              reads a script at the current entry

       :w file
              writes a script to the specified file.

       Add runs in a portable UNIX(R) environment.

       Add  is  a  single binary module, with a help file add.hlp installed in
       the same directory.

       It would be nice to be able to change the precision within the program.
       In  particular,  the  interest and sales tax computations would be more
       useful if their precision was independent of the running total.

       Thomas E. Dickey

       wc (1), vi (1)


City of Joburg

Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo

Johannesburg Zoo

Hollard sponsors Baobabs for Ring Tail Lemurs at the Zoo

Hollard’s Corporate Social Investment has kindly paid for two large Baobab-shaped tree structures installed at the Madagascar section of the Johannesburg Zoo, where Hollard Volunteers also helped to clear the enclosure. The Ring-Tailed Lemurs are the lucky recipients of this innovative climbing structure that combines lemur welfare and conservation with play

The ring-tailed Lemur is the most iconic lemur species of Madagascar. They are easily identified by their distinctive black and white striped tail which gives them their name. In the wild, lemurs would be found in the mid canopy of the trees. To allow them to mimic this natural behaviour, their enclosure is designed with large Baobab structures with ropes connected to different areas. The lemurs use these ropes and branches to move around their enclosure, promoting exercise and demonstrating their natural climbing and jumping abilities when doing so.

Katherine Visser, the Primate Curator at the Johannesburg Zoo, expressed her appreciation to Hollard and the contractor that built the Baobab structures.

Hollard sponsors Baobabs for Ring Tail Lemurs at the Zoo


Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Chastity Belt! Good or Bad?

- This is a comical picture showing sexual education as a bad thing. George Bush is holding the key to this 'scared out of his mind' young boys' chastity belt. This is not how sex education should be pictured. It should be about teaching the kids all of the information about what really happens why they decide to have sex at a very young age.
- Sex Education is a big controversy in the world today. Parents are afraid of it because they thing that it's promoting their children to have sex. But in reality, teachers are just trying to help educate these children so they can hopefully make better choices. I believe that sex education should be considered as a course you have to complete in high school, or grade school, before you graduate.
- There are two different kinds of sex education: abstinence-only and abstinence-based. Abstinence-only, of course, just pretty much says "don't have sex until you're married." Abstinence-based educates them on alternative forms of birth control methods with a greater emphasis on abstinence as the method of choice.
- Most people view Sexual Education as a way to 'scare' the kids in to not having sex. Or they want to preach about abstinence, which isn't a bad thing, but isn't exactly right either. If you tell a kid not to do something, they are more willing to do it anyways. If you let this calss be a part of their curriculum and teach them about the affects of unprotected sex, then they will better understand.
- To summarize things up, i believe that if this course is allowed, it will be able to educate these children on the outcome of sexual intercourse. This class will teach them about the risks they bring on when engaging in this activity. It will also teach them how to properly use protection and not to have multiple partners.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Should Sex Education be allowed in the school sytstems?

Research Question: Should Sex Education be a “must” in schools? Should it be looked down upon because we are trying to teach the kids the cons to having sex at an early age? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

Summary: Sex Education has always been one of those touchy subjects that nobody wants to discuss. A lot of people view it different than others. Some view it as an “okay” to let the children have sex while their still young and others view it as kind of a “warning”. Kids are going to do what they want. You can preach to them all day NOT to do something but if they get bored and are uneducated on this subject, they’re going to end up doing it. I believe that if we have this as a class, starting in middle school, then kids will learn the bad side of things and maybe wait a little longer to experience it.

In this research paper, I hope to discover what the general audience feels about having this class added to the school systems. If maybe after they are explained more in depth how this could enable the children rather than disable them, if they would be more willing to let this happen. I also hope to discover the probabilities that this class has. Are more people willing to let this class be added to the school system or not? If so, why isn’t it?

Reflection: What I have found out so far is that many people are actually for this. The main concern now is whether or not they can find a teacher who will teach the facts of sexual education or just their beliefs. Also, many people are for this class. “Results of recent polls have estimated that less than 7% of the population does not believe that sexual education should be a requirement in schools. This is 93% who are in favor of this subject matter as a part of the regular curriculum.” (Pros 1)

Working Bibliography

“Pros and cons of sex education in school.” Essortment (2005): 2 March

2010 htt://www.essortment.com/family/sexeducationch_saqs.htm

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

How does this make you feel?

In this black-and-white picture, you can see an abundance of boys raising their hands. They are all raising their hands with a sense of excitement or pride. One older gentleman is standing in the middle as if he is teaching them or directing them on what to do. They are dressed in, what looks like, uniforms of some sort; maybe military. Their faces are lit up with joy.

Whenever I seen this picture, it hit me hard. Many different emotions started running through my head; fear, sadness, anger. These are young children who have been taught to hail a mass murderer. The eager facial expressions of the boys, coupled with the uniforms give an overall impression of war and hatred. Hitler knew that these young boys would be more naturally taught and molded then adult men, who are more stern about their beliefs. So he used these boys to create the “master race” (Fundamentalist 1)

In today’s society, you don’t see things like this going on. But that’s not to say that it won’t or can’t. I believe that if somebody wanted to pose as a father figure and try to rule the U.S., they could…very carefully of course. “Many boys looked forward to entering the military. They had been trained to think that real men prove themselves in war.” (Wagner 1). The boys in this picture were born while the war was going on. They were raised to hate the Jews; war was all around them. They had no other choice than to think the same way that their father’s and mother taught them to think. Today, it would take time to get the children to hate something if you just sprung it on them, rather than raising them in it.

After I took a deeper look in to the picture, little things start to pop out. The boys are all blonde and are wearing their hair a certain style. They all have the same uniform on. The way the picture was taken, it shows that there were a lot of boys here hailing their “Father”. Their arms all up in the air show how much pride they all have. But it’s almost like a unison pride. Like if they were all bonded together as one. The picture is really a bit eerie if you really study it.

My overall analysis of the picture is very terrifying. This picture has really impacted me. I hope that when you look at it, that you really take the time to analyze the photo. It has a lot to say. Hitler was a very, very powerful man and this picture just shows how he could impact these adolescents. “There were many other methods Hitler used to effectively gain and hold control over his youth.” (Fundamentalists 3). Thankfully, he never got a chance to use them!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Working Bibliography

-Ericsson, Kjersti, and Simonsen, Eva. Children of World War II: The Hidden Enemy Legacy. Berg Publishers, 2005. Web. 20 Jan, 2010.
-Trueman, Chris. "Children of World War Two." Online Posting. Web. 21 Jan 2010. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/children_and_world_war_two.htm
-Fundamentalist Baptist Church. "How Did Hitler Control His Youth." Online Posting. Web. 21 Jan 2010. http://hitlercontrol.com/
-Wagner, Christopher. Hitler Youth: Mind Set. Online Posting. Web. 26 Jan 2010. http://histclo.com/Youth/youth/org/nat/hitler/mind/hitler-mind.htm

Research Prospectus: the affect that WWII had on Hitler's Youth

Research Question: How did World War II affect Hitler’s Youth? What caused the children to be the perfect race? Were they hidden from the rest of the world? Did Adolf Hitler have a positive or negative affect on them? Did Hitler leave a lasting impression on the children as shown in their life styles by the present day?
World War II affected several different people, including the children. When studying Hitler’s reign, you will find a lot of information about what he accomplished and the control he had. The main focus I would like to cover is how World War II affected Hitler’s Youth, also known as the children who were of the “perfect race”.
Adolf Hitler was a powerful man with a lot to conquer. The children, during this time, were majorly affected in several different ways. They were ripped out of school and were told that they were no longer equals. The children under Hitler were the “perfect race” and they were also told that anybody who didn’t look like them or believed the same way as them were snakes.
In this research paper, I hope to discover more knowledge, in depth, about what went on behind closed doors. I want to learn if the children of that time still lead a “perfect race” life. If now they still think that they are better then anybody who isn’t like them. I would also like to find out how all of this affected their everyday life.
I didn’t have many problems researching my topic. There is an abundance of information on World War II and Hitler’s reign. This was a huge topic in History. I did have success in finding videos that contained interviews of middle aged men and women who were kids in that time. In the interviews they were asked what they thought about all of it and how it changed them. There was one specific interview that I remember with a woman and she said that she was brought up thinking that her father and grandfather were heroes. But later found out that they were mass murderers.
I have found a lot of information on this topic. I might have to do a little bit of “digging” if I want to find out more specific, in depth information. Some information that was very fascinating to learn about and some information that almost brought me to tears by just reading it. Then I watched a few of those interviews and here comes the water works. It was so sad what Hitler did and I hate him for what he did. But then you have to look at it in another perspective and realize how powerful he really was and what all he conquered. This man did amazing things, yes they were awful and horrible, but he accomplished them without any trouble.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

First Post

This is my first blog post.


CITES: important meeting for conservation, but what's it all about?

Within the conservation community, a lot of attention has been placed lately on the upcoming March meeting of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).  Specifically, CITES will hold it's sixteenth Conference of the Parties meeting (CoP16) on March 3-14 in Bangkok, Thailand.  The significance of this event is that this is where the member nations, of which there are 177, will meet to review the status of a wide range of animal and plant life to determine whether their status within the organization should be changed.

What catches the most attention from conservationists is the CITES Appendix listings (I, II & III) which determines what regulations or measures the member nations must abide by regarding a particular species.  Here is a breakdown of the three categories as outlined in the CITES website:
"Appendix I lists species that are the most endangered among CITES-listed animals and plants. They are threatened with extinction and CITES prohibits international trade in specimens of these species except when the purpose of the import is not commercial, for instance for scientific research. In these exceptional cases, trade may take place provided it is authorized by the granting of both an import permit and an export permit (or re-export certificate). The Convention does provide for a number of exemptions to this general prohibition.

Appendix III is a list of species included at the request of a Party that already regulates trade in the species and that needs the cooperation of other countries to prevent unsustainable or illegal exploitation. International trade in specimens of species listed in this Appendix is allowed only on presentation of the appropriate permits or certificates."

In the proposed agenda for CoP16, there is a long list of species being proposed to either be added to one of the appendices, changed from one appendix to another, or removed altogether, based on a determination of endangerment status.  There is a request from the United States to have the polar bear given Appendix I status and there are other refinements to the existing status of animals such as the white rhino and African elephant.

For shark and ray conservationists, CITES always offers the opportunity to get international cooperation in limiting or prohibiting trade in particular shark species.  For this upcoming meeting, the oceanic whitetip shark , three species of hammerhead shark, the porbeagle shark and the manta ray are all up for consideration in the Appendix II category.  All of these have been the target of commercial fishing for fins - or, in the case of the manta ray, for its gill rakers - and there has been a concerted effort by advocacy groups to make their positions known to CITES members through petition drives and their own planned presence at the March proceedings.

The challenge faced by conservationists with an organization like CITES is that it represents a wide range of interests.  Its very name makes reference to ongoing, albeit regulated, trade in endangered species and this opens the door for political and economic interests to have a say right along with those of a strictly biodiversity nature.  Case in point: at the last Conference of the Parties in 2010, many shark advocates were disappointed with the results when several shark species, such as the porbeagle, were dismissed for Appendix consideration due to what was described as lobbying and back room negotiations from nations with strong commercial shark fishing interests.

However, CITES exists as one of the more prominent means to garner international support for the protection of plants and animals.  With regards to sharks, while nations may declare safeguards and prohibitions within their own territorial waters, these animals do not know to confine their movements within those safe zones.  Long range migratory patterns put these animals at risk as they enter international waters.  Therefore, the international arena of diplomacy and closed door politics figures into the strategy of conservation groups worldwide, even though it can be a difficult and frustrating strategy to successfully execute.

While international cooperation is noteworthy and necessary, illegal trade activities pose a serious threat to many endangered species.  In fact, it can become a vicious cycle, for as a species becomes more endangered, its value in the illegal or black market increases which serves as an inducement for further exploitation.

At CoP16, there will be a meeting of the ICCWC (International Consortium for Combating Wildlife Crime).  The ICCWC will be discussing new proposals, including the need for a global system of enforcement.  Manpower and funding resources have always been a key issue regarding enforcement, but it is an issue that CITES wishes to address.

“Illegal trade in wildlife is escalating, is transnational, and is increasingly well-organized. Our collective response needs to be commensurate with the nature of the risk at both the political and operational levels," said John Scanlon, Secretary-General of CITES.

The conservation community will be watching CITES' CoP16 proceedings closely.  You can follow along and learn more at the CITES website or by staying in touch with your favorite conservation organization involved in international activities.


Niki Valentine is an award-winning writer who, under a pseudonym, has been published internationally to huge acclaim. When she isn't working on her next psychological horror novel, Niki teaches Creative and Professional Writing at Nottingham University. For more details about Niki, please visit http://nikivalentine.webeden.co.uk/

Emma was sitting on her bed. She had been there for an hour, since her mother left. She was paralysed. She knew that she should leave her room and try to meet some of the other students, start her new life, but she couldn’t make herself move. She kept staring across the landscaped gardens of the university and towards the building where she would be spending most of her time. The Conservatoire. Its name whispered through her head but the building stared back at her with the blank eyes of its windows and the black maw of its doors, and she felt like it might swallow her up, completely consume her, if she wasn’t careful.

The first time Emma had come here, for her interview, she had imagined the place as a jolly castle and university a bit like boarding school, except with bank accounts and much more freedom. Coming from a state school in Manchester, Emma’s idea of boarding school was a romantic one, story-book stuff about midnight feasts and hockey matches. Now she was here, she knew better. She felt the reality of being away from home, completely alone. She had never realised before how safe it had been, wrapped up in her family.

Now, as she looked at the Conservatoire, she couldn’t imagine how she had ever thought it friendly. It loomed on the top of a hillock, quite a distance from the halls of residence. The sky was dark with clouds, casting shadows over the building. It was more like a stately home than a castle, in fact, with two north towers and large picture windows. Above the main hall there was a silver-green dome, a smaller version of the one that loomed above St Paul’s Cathedral. An exact replica, she’d been told at interview. There was a staircase up to the main doorway. The stone was grey and aged and the whole effect was like the gothic churches she’d loved in Paris when she’d gone with her mum, a treat for doing so well in her A levels. That holiday seemed an age away now, as did school and her family life. Emma felt like she’d walked through a portal and into another world. In the books she’d read that started that way, there was evil in that other world. The Subtle Knife, the wicked queen with her Turkish delight; these things lurked in her imagination. But she didn’t believe in nonsense like that and had never bought these stories, preferring adult fiction instead. She wasn’t going to let them scare her now.

She thought about getting her clock out and checking the time, but she still couldn’t budge. She knew she needed to break the paralysis but she didn’t know how. Then there was a knock at the door. And it was as if it broke a spell, because Emma found she could move. She got up.

 Emma opened the door, and a girl stared in. She was tall and slim, with hair that was almost jet black and eyes that were powerfully blue. So blue they seemed to glow with ultraviolet. A sense of unease settled over her. Why was she letting herself get spooked? It wasn’t even her style.

‘Hello,’ said the girl, holding out a hand. She had a cutglass accent, the kind of voice Emma associated with villains in James Bond movies.

Emma looked at the hand for a moment as if she didn’t know what it was there for. Pulling herself together, she shook it, and smiled. ‘Hello,’ she said. ‘I’m Emma Russell.’

‘Yes.’ The girl’s eyes were sparkling. They looked mischievous, and Emma could imagine messing around in class with this girl, playing knock-a-door-run on the street like she used to with her cousin. ‘I know who you are. I saw you play in Birmingham.’

‘Oh.’ Emma was still unused to this reaction. ‘What’s your name?’ she asked. She felt suddenly very young asking this question, like a kid in primary school.

‘Can I come in?’ The girl didn’t wait for an answer, but flew past, rushing into the room and sitting on the bed. ‘Oh,’ she said, turning with a broad grin. Her face seemed to glow. ‘You haven’t unpacked yet.’

‘No.’ Emma laughed. She found this girl’s company infectious and wanted to confess everything, getting the sense that she’d understand. ‘I’ve been sitting feeling sorry for myself and staring across at the Conservatoire building.’

The girl smiled at her. ‘I had to get away.’ She leaned back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling, her eyes following the cornice work and the stains. ‘My sister was driving me crazy.’

‘I know what you mean. It was the same at home. It’s just me and my mum, see, and she can be a bit over the top. Overprotective. You know?’ Emma heard her own voice, the harsh nasal tones of the north, echoing around the room. For the first time in her life she heard how she must sound to other people and she didn’t like it.

The girl on the bed looked confused, as if Emma had missed her point altogether. Then there was a sound at the door. Emma turned. She hadn’t realised she’d left it open. For a moment, she thought she was seeing things. There was another girl in the doorway, the absolute image of the one on the bed. Emma looked from one to the other. Her head went dizzy trying to take them both in.

‘I was looking for you, Sophie,’ the girl at the door said.

 ‘I’ve been meeting Emma. You know, the prodigy. We saw her play in Birmingham.’

Emma winced at the word ‘prodigy’. She had always hated it. She found that people her age used it against her more often than as a compliment.
‘Yes, I remember,’ said the girl at the door. Her voice was flat and unenthusiastic. Emma got the distinct impression she was stuck in the middle of a row between the twins, something unpleasant.

‘This is my sister Matilde,’ Sophie told her, gesturing towards the door. She was hugging her legs and looked at home sitting on the bed, as if she owned the place. Emma would never have dared behave like that in someone else’s room. She wished she could be more like this strange, confident creature.

‘Come in,’ Emma told Matilde. She wasn’t sure she actually wanted company, not even these two bright, beautiful girls. Perhaps especially not girls like these. She felt out of her depth. But  Matilde smiled then and there was a real warmth in the smile. She walked over to the bed and sat near her sister but on the edge of the bed. Emma looked at her and she smiled again, and Emma realised she was looking for some reassurance that sitting on the bed was all right.

It was odd. Emma had read about twins and seen documentaries, knew all about how they were supposed to have divergent character traits despite the identical DNA, but it was still strange to see this, right in front of her. Whilst the appearance of the twins was dazzlingly similar, she immediately sensed the difference in their personalities. It was as marked as the difference in the way they sat on her bed. Whilst, judging by their accents, the twins’ background was about as different from hers as it was possible to be, she sensed that Matilde was somehow like her. If it hadn’t been for Sophie, they would probably both still be sitting on their own beds, staring out over campus. Emma caught Matilde’s eyes again and the two girls shared a smile of recognition.

‘I’m bored,’ Sophie said, stretching across the bed like a cat. ‘Let’s go out. For dinner or something.’

‘I need to be careful with my grant,’ Emma said, straight away. She was so programmed to think this way that it came out before she could stop it, before she could think about how that might sound to girls like these.

‘Grant?’ Sophie said, at once. She made the word sound ridiculous. ‘I thought that was something people got in the eighties.’ She let out a shot of laughter, and Emma flinched, knowing what was coming next. ‘Ah, you got a scholarship, though, of course you did, being such a vicious talent. I forgot about that!’ She sounded very pleased with herself for working it out.

‘We can pay,’ Matilde said, quietly, seriously. She was chewing on a nail, quite intent at biting something off it. She frowned and pulled away her hand. ‘In fact, I insist.’

‘I’m not sure,’ Emma said. She wanted desperately to go out with these girls and get to know them, but she was scared, and proud. She felt a kind of dizzy feeling just sitting with them, something she imagined was a little like falling in love. She felt danger.

‘Don’t be silly,’ Sophie said. ‘Of course we’ll pay.’ She stood up, and Matilde too, then Emma found that she was reaching for her bag. They both followed Sophie through the door and Emma locked it.

She turned towards the twins, two strangers now, in a strange hallway at a university in a city she knew nothing about. She was terrified, but she also felt she would follow Matilde anywhere. And she looked at Sophie, and knew that she was a girl who was used to getting her own way.

The girls had taken a taxi into the city centre which the twins had paid for. Sophie told the driver where to go with more confidence than Emma could ever imagine having about such things. Her instruction was very specific, a bistro on Henrietta Avenue, and Emma realised they knew the city already.
The bistro was the kind of place Emma had passed by in the posher parts of Manchester and Salford and had always wanted to go in, but they’d never been able to afford eating out. Only on holiday. It had those French doors all the way across its front that opened on to the pavement. There were no tables outside, but sitting near the window felt almost the same. The twins sailed in, clearly used to the luxury, but Emma hesitated at the door. Even though she wasn’t paying, she felt scared. She felt like going inside would change the world somehow, her world. It felt like a test.

Sophie didn’t even notice, rushing in and looking for a table, but Matilde turned. Emma knew it was Matilde because she was wearing the red top, but she thought she might have worked it out anyway, just by the fact that she was waiting for her. She came back and reached out a hand. ‘Come on,’ she said. ‘Papa knows the owner. It’s really good.’

This was enough to get Emma through the door. Sophie had picked a table and they all sat down. Emma looked around. The restaurant had high ceilings and there were even chandeliers. She stared up and they sparkled at her. She couldn’t believe there were chandeliers. It was like something out of a Jane Austen novel. She turned to the other two girls to find they were both staring at her. She felt self-conscious then, like the subject of a study or an animal in the zoo. She realised that she was as exotic a creature to the twins as each of them was to her.

‘You know the city well,’ she said, to break the silence.

Sophie smiled. ‘Our parents live nearby, in the countryside.’

Emma noticed another tone to her accent then, something she hadn’t heard before. A slight European twang.

‘Are you from France?’ she said. The question came like a breath out and she regretted it immediately. Sophie had just told her they were from around here.

‘Our parents are. I mean, we were born there, but we’ve lived here for as long as I can remember.’ It was Matilde speaking, and her soft voice felt like a rescue.

Sophie looked rather annoyed, as if she thought Matilde had spoken out of turn. As soon as Emma saw it, the expression disappeared, and she wondered if she’d imagined it after all. She realised she hadn’t looked at the menu yet, and tore her eyes away from the twins to do that. She had missed a meal, sitting on the bed in a daze earlier, and felt hollow inside she was so hungry. She couldn’t believe how stalled she had been. It seemed ridiculous now, in a plush seat in this posh bistro, with these beautiful, polished young women. She looked up at them and smiled. They had helped her remember what an opportunity she had. She remembered what her mum had said to her about wanting to go to university but her parents not supporting her and she was thankful again.

The menu was confusing and Emma didn’t understand half of the descriptions. She had no idea what carpaccio was and she could translate chèvre chaud but couldn’t imagine it really meant hot goat. She was too embarrassed to ask, so she played it safe with a bowl of pasta. Sophie fussed over the wine list for a while and eventually settled on a ‘passable’ Bordeaux, after tutting and complaining about the years they had listed of almost everything else. Emma knocked the candle over and, flustered, grabbed for it, just in time to stop the tablecloth lighting up. She spilled hot wax on her hands, though, which was painful, but she tried not to show that it hurt. She was certain that if she was herself around Sophie, even for a moment, she would end up regretting it. She couldn’t imagine Sophie having anything but contempt for this unsophisticated creature brought up on council estates by just her mum.

‘Who will your piano tutor be, Emma?’ It was Matilde who spoke. Even her voice was less harsh than Sophie’s somehow, lilting and kind.
‘Professor Wood,’ Emma said.

Matilde seemed to wince at the name and Sophie became all distracted, signalling to the waitress and asking about the whereabouts of the wine she’d ordered only minutes before. Then something changed and she looked straight at Emma. ‘He’s a friend of Papa’s,’ she said, pronouncing Papa the old-fashioned way with the stress on the second syllable. ‘We’ve known him for years.’

‘And you don’t like him?’ Emma heard her own voice, sounding panicked. She had warmed to Wood at her interview and he was one of the reasons she’d chosen this university. He had seemed honest, and fatherly.

Sophie made a strange sound, a strangled laugh that sounded bitter. ‘I wouldn’t exactly say that.’

‘You can be such a bitch sometimes, Soph,’ Matilde said, frowning.

Emma flushed a little and the atmosphere frosted over. She was confused. She got the distinct impression that Sophie was implying some romantic connection. She couldn’t mean that, surely?  Wood was so much older than Matilde, and he didn’t seem the type.

‘Tell us about how you taught yourself to play,’ Matilde said. ‘I love stories like that.’

Emma smiled awkwardly. She could tell by the tone of her voice that Matilde wasn’t making fun or laying a trap.

‘It was such a long time ago that I barely remember it. I just got a book from the library.’

‘Such a talent,’ Sophie said. It wasn’t as clear from Sophie’s voice if her intentions were honourable.

‘What’s Wood like then?’ Emma’s turn to change the subject.

‘He’s the best,’ Matilde said. ‘By far the best piano tutor you could have,’ she added quickly. Her cheeks had turned pink.

The waitress returned then with the Bordeaux. She looked flustered as she showed the label to Sophie, who nodded her assent and told the girl to pour it. Emma swilled hers around in the glass, the way she’d seen people do on the television. She took a sip. It tasted bitter and made her throat close up. Perhaps wine was an acquired taste.

‘Probably it needs to breathe,’ Sophie said.

Emma had no idea what that meant but she guessed it was something to do with mixing with the air. She placed her glass on the table carefully and looked at the twins, searching for signs to tell them apart. Now she looked, they were not so much identical as mirror images of each other. Mirror twins. She had read about that before. It was a subtle difference, though, as their faces were so symmetrical. The pair of them looked happy and perfect, but she imagined they must be hiding some dark secret.

Then she smiled at herself. How ridiculous. She had read too many Daphne Du Maurier novels. Real life wasn’t like that at all.

(C) Niki Valentine 2012

© Paul Kane 2003-2017. All rights reserved. Materials (including images) may not be reproduced without express permission from the author.