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Students often refer to the International Baccalaureate (IB) program as the ultimate Faustian bargain–you'll undergo one of the most academically enriching experiences that the modern education system has to offer…in exchange for surrendering any hope of fostering a balanced social lifestyle. In reality, of course, were the horror stories of these academic sweatshops true, IBO (International Baccalaureate Organization) would soon cease to exist. As with most educational institutions, receiving the IB diploma is contingent on the development of effective study and time management skills, the ability to recognize one's strengths and weaknesses, and an extended effort to build a network of peers, parents, and teachers that students can utilize in times of need. As a successful IB graduate, I can offer the following five pieces of advice to students who are about to embark on the IB journey:

First, invest a significant amount of time to developing an effective time management system. The issue is rarely that IB students have an exorbitant amount of short-term homework due the next day–largely, it's that there is a wide variety of long-term projects that can all be due on the same day but that are also assigned several days, sometimes even weeks, in advance. The Extended Essay, which students begin writing in the summer of their senior year, for example, is only a challenging project to the extent that you have to develop a clear long-term strategy to help you refine a research question, perform the necessary research, and finally produce a 4,000 word essay. If you begin your research a week before the entire rough draft is due, of course you'll end up feeling overwhelmed. Should you choose to work for an hour a day for several weeks of your summer, there is little stopping you from receiving a top mark. Moral of the story: procrastinators either achieve top marks but struggle the most or, in most cases, are the students who fall behind, struggle, and still don't fully maximize their potential.

Second, take advantage of the resources that the IB community makes available. If you're struggling with a class, for example, you can purchase a subject guide, either from IB directly or a company that specializes in publishing textbooks tailored to the IB curriculum, such as Pearson Baccalaureate. Some schools have guidance counselors who specifically focus on IB students, so be sure to pay a visit to the guidance office once in a while. Finally, when it comes time to take the IB exams, you can actually purchase past IB exams (along with answers) from the IBO. In fact, there are even a few websites that provide these exams for free, though there is some question of copyright infringement if you choose to download the exams without paying.

Third, establish a supportive social network. My 11th grade calculus teacher told me that every single one of his students in the class had the phone number and email of every other student. To that end, work to develop social skills from day one of your IB career! It is impossible, I repeat, impossible to go through IB alone without having a mental breakdown at one point or another. Hold study groups before a test, join your school message boards to interact with students in your class, etc. The key point here is that everybody struggles at one point or another–having the opportunity to talk to someone who is in the exact same situation as you may make the entire episode much more bearable.

Fourth, be both strategic and honest with yourself in choosing your classes. Colleges often emphasize that they want their applicants to take the most demanding curriculum that their high school offers–by being enrolled in the IB program, regardless of what actual IB classes you take and at what level (higher or standard), you've already proven that you can handle college level coursework. What's more, if you're a passionate about psychology but you're applying to schools such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) or California Institute of Technology (CalTech), don't feel as though you have to give up the study of Bruner's theory of development for photonics and vectors. A successful IB graduate is a well-rounded thinker who can easily synthesize inter-disciplinary information. More and more schools, in fact, even those whose primary focus is the quantitative sciences, emphasize that they want their future engineers to be able to integrate information from a variety of different fields.

That being said, however, becoming well-rounded sometimes means taking a class which may not sound intuitively appealing–whether it's IB Art, IB Philosophy, or IB Business. Who knows, you may even find a new niche. Thomas Friedman, a popular foreign affairs columnist for The New York Times, for example, offers the following piece of advice: Ask your friends who their favorite teachers are. Then take those classes–regardless of the actual subject. Chances are, ten years down the road you'll remember little from the course, but having an inspirational teacher role model can leave a lasting positive influence.

Finally, remember that IB is generally reciprocal in nature–that is, you get what you put into it. From my own experience with my classmates, I know that it is possible to pass (that is, fulfill the necessary requirements and receive 24 points on the IB exams) and still party weekend after weekend for four years. At the same time, however, I had multiple classmates who put hours upon hours into studying and who are now at some of the most prestigious colleges in the world, with bright futures virtually guaranteed. In the end, as the pre-Socratic Greek philosopher Protagoras wrote, “man is the measure of all things.”

We were so proud, our son, a bit young, stood and took the oath of office to be a soldier. He was swearing in as a private in the Army and we could not have been more proud. The officer saluted crisply and then handed the contract over for him to sign. After signing he received his first pay in the military, three dollars.

What, that's nothing. That couldn't even buy lunch. But back in 1872 it was quite a sum for a young man of eleven. Wait a minute he's eleven how can he join the Army? He stood on a piece of paper with the numbers 17 on it and said to the officer when asked about his age, “I'm over 17!”

We had a good laugh at this and the whole scene played out for our amusement. The Fort Abercrombie officers were showing us how a young man would be inducted into the military when the fort was a growing concern, back in the 1860's and 1870's.

The Fort was an important part of settling the country and a safe haven for people on their way west whether by wagon or steam boat on the Red River. Today the county road that runs right through the site of the actual fort is a testament to the changing times.

The fort is about forty miles south of Fargo Moorhead and ten miles north of Wahpeton. Wahpeton is about two hundred miles west of Minneapolis.

The fort was erected in it's current location in 1959 after threats of flooding from it's first location along the Red River. In the beginning the fort was simply buildings that were protected by guard towers on the four corners. You can still see the buildings footings as you walk around the broad area of grass. A few of the buildings have been reconstructed and the one guard house is an original from the fort. The few buildings that have been rebuilt are to show just what those volunteer soldiers were facing when attacked by Sioux warriors in the Dakota Conflict of 1862.

After the battle that lasted six weeks, with the soldiers and people staying in the fort defending it without walls or a stockade fence, the fort was rebuilt with a palisade wall surrounding it. The fort was later abandoned in 1877 and its troops moved or disbanded.

The fort had been an important haven at the crossroads of the major transportation of the area. The Red River saw boats and even steamers up and down it for trading and the wagon trains would cross the ford at the old site of the fort on their way west.

There are re-enactors who work at the fort to share the knowledge and history of the important site of the conquering of the west. They love to share their knowledge of the past and show things like candle and soap making, how they washed the uniforms of the soldiers and how the soldiers fought off the invaders using the small cannon.

One of the officers after inducting our youngest as a soldier took us out to one of the corners of the fort with it's partially built palisade wall and showed us how they would fire the cannon that sits there. Over looking the Red River and the fields between the Red and the fort he ran use through the drill of cannon firing. We practiced loading and he showed just how hard it was to accomplish, working as a team was the most important part of the whole drill.

We got to see were the escape tunnel had been from the fort to the Red River that was used as a means to get water during the siege and a way that some escaped just before and during the fighting. The whole experience was a fun time and the re-enactors sure knew their stuff. The Fort Abercrombie site was a great stop on our day trip to the Wahpeton area and a last stop as we headed home.

We went first to the Chahinkapa Zoo and the Prairie Rose Carousel. The zoo is a nice surprise to find in a medium sized town. They have a good variety of animals and one of the favorites of the many people that were there was the Tamarins and Lemurs.

The zoo has the Rodger Ehnstrom Nature Center were classes are conducted and there are exhibits like the spider monkey and a few others. My younger son liked the rocks that are in several display cases in the center with some for sale. My older one liked the large snakes that are there. We even caught them feeding the monkeys at the center.

Then we moved on into the zoo, where the rest of the animals are and spent the morning. There are over 150 animals at the zoo and they are all in very nicely kept exhibits. The cage with the Tamarins are close to the entrance and they are so fun to watch, especially when they get fed.

You can visit here for more information about the Chahinkapa Zoo and other sites for the Wahpeton area:http://www.wahpetonpark.com/zoo.htm

We enjoyed the morning at the zoo and then stopped in at the Prairie Rose Carousel and Prairie Rose Church to see that. The carousel is a restored working carousel that was made in 1926. All the parts and machinery are original and the horses have all been restored to their original beauty. The carousel has a unique calliope that plays as the ride is running, and all the horses were named by the people or corporations that sponsored and donated to have them restored.

The Prairie Rose Chapel is a restored church that is available for rental of smaller weddings and spiritual events.

For more information on the carousel and chapel go here:http://www.wahpetonpark.com/zoo.htm

We had lunch and then moved down the road to the Fort Abercrombie site and toured there. We had a very good time and learned a lot about the history and such of the fort and we always enjoy trips to zoos.

There are other thing to do in the area but those are the major attractions to find out more about the area you can go here for tourist information:http://www.wahpetonpark.com/

There are also a few sites that you can get to from that one to find out about lodging and such in the area. Whether you want a quick day trip that is close to the Fargo Moorhead area or a weekend visit, the Wahpeton area is a great place to visit.

We are quickly approaching another season for Oprah and it seems like the same line up as last year. Unfortunately Oprah has done so many spectacular things in the past that there really does not seem like there is anything left for her to do. Well at least nothing spectacular. The lineup really seems to be the same as it has been for the last two years. Although I am sure that for the 2007 season Oprah definitely has a few tricks up her sleeve. 

Or at least we hope she does. It seems that the end of last season seemed to slow down a bit. A lot of people expected, her to possibly retire this season, but I don’t think that she is done yet. One thing I will point out is that if you are interested in getting tickets for her studio audience for this upcoming season you can pretty much forget about it. Tickets for her audience are gone about a year an advance. I guess all you can do is wait to see if she does some kind of live special in your town. 

The one thing about Oprah is that credit must be given to Oprah for having one of the longest and most successful shows on television. She has also paved the way for African American women into the world of talk show stardom. It just seems that she has covered all the topics there is to cover. She has done the biggest give always that you could possibly imagine. One thing that I do love about Oprah is that everyone has the opportunity to voice their opinions. 

Whether it is on her talk show or in her magazine. But some are thinking that maybe the fact that she is one of the richest women in the world has gone to her head. She has stated to the media on numerous occasions that she is the same person she has always been. But if you have noticed that last season seemed to cater a little more to her celebrity friends then to those really in need. Of course she had an occasional show for those in need, but not as many as the public has really come accustomed too. It could possibly be that we the audience have gotten so used to her giving stuff away that we may have come to expect it. 

If you would like to try and be on the Oprah show then you can visit her website at www2.Oprah.com. Then click on the link that says be on the show. You will then see an entire list of things that they are working on for their upcoming shows. This is updated often so make sure that you take the time to check it on a regular basis. So is it really going to be the same old Oprah for 2007 or is it going to be a brand new show? I guess since Oprah is not giving us any hints we will just have to wait and see.

Colds and Coryza—2010

Coryza, which is a cold in the head or acute nasal congestion, is a malady for which no known prevention or cure exists, despite hundreds of years of medical and apothecary effort to discover the cure for the common cold.

However, something can be done about cold symptoms, for there exists an overabundance of OTC cold remedies. These products have been studied extensively, such as the efficacy of pseudoephedrine in coryza. In Australia, 48 adults with acute coryza received a single oral dose of 60 mg of pseudoephedrine or matching placebo.

Nasal airway resistance (NAR) was measured before and after dosing, along with nasal airway congestion. After treatment with pseudoephedrine, NAR was reduced significantly (P=0.005, CI 0.073, 0.383). There was no change in symptoms. Thus, in this study, pseudoephedrine had a moderate effect in decreasing objective measures of nasal congestion in acute coryza.

Another medicament in the arsenal against cold symptoms is zinc. Rhinovirus is the virus most often called the cause of the common cold. They attach to the nasal lining by the intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Zinc ion (Zn++) has affinity for ICAM-1 receptor sites and may exert an anti-rhino viral effect by competing with the virus for the attachment site.

Early trials of zinc use in cold sufferers showed inconsistent results. Three trials with similar study designs have shown that zinc effectively and significantly, but two randomized placebo-controlled trial did not show any benefit for zinc in symptom reduction or reduced days to clearing. The studies all use subjective responses written down on rating sheets, and the placebo effect may have been neutralized by the difficulty in masking zinc's nasty taste.

Nasal gels containing zinc are not effective. The bottom line is revealed in post-marketing results, where cost/benefit impact drives OTC consumption of these products. The studies showing impact in cold sufferers show a reduction in “duration of the cold symptoms” and not improvement in symptom intensity.

Concerning etiology of colds, rhinovirus types (over 100) cause 80 percent of “head colds” in the winter months. In adults, onset of symptoms is aided by resting, staying warm (higher body temperature impairs virus replication and attachment to the nasal lining), drinking plenty of fluids, including vitamin C-containing juices, drinks, and fruit. Aches—headache, body, often respond to Tylenol or Advil. Following these measures, you should be well in seven days, if you don't follow them, you'll be well in a week.

References

Latte, J, et.al. A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial of pseudoephedrine in coryza. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2004; 31(7):429-32

Hulisz, D. Efficacy of Zinc Against Common Cold Viruses: An Overview. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2004;44(5) http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/491043

Darrell Hulisz, PharmD, Associate Professor of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University. Disclosure: Dr. Hulisz has received either research support, consulting, and/or speaking honoraria from the following pharmaceutical companies in the past 48 months: AstraZeneca, Aventis, Improvita, Matrixx, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, and Wyeth.

With issue #60, released in August, Garth Ennis has concluded his run as writer for the Punisher Max comic. Max, being Marvel's line of comics that carries a parental advisory warning, allowed for a brutal and realistic view of The Punisher that had never been seen before.

Ennis, who may be best known for his worker on the comic series Preacher, had worked with the character of Frank Castle for a couple of years prior to the start of the Max series, but it was here, with an unchecked amount of writing freedom, that Ennis truly developed the psychologically scarred, highly trained, and often extremely violent Castle. Ennis's work may indeed be the best that has ever been done on the character and it is difficult to see his stellar run come to an end. Because of this I am offering a recap of the the multiple story arcs Ennis has produced over the past five years in the Punisher Max comic. Each of these arcs can be found in trade paperback form, making each a fantastic stand alone tale of The Punisher.

In The Beginning
In the appropriately titled first story arc Ennis re-tells the Punisher's origin – his wife and two children were caught in a mob cross-fire leading him on a personal crusade to punish all criminals – before placing Frank in the middle of a government organization hoping to use him as an operative and the Cesare crime family. The former have enlisted Frank's one-time partner, Microchip, to help them bring in the vigilante, while the latter have brought in three twisted and extremely violent hit-men from Boston to help stop the Punisher's rampant slaughtering of their crime family. Ennis quickly shows just why he has such a great handle on the Punisher, he combines Frank Castle's military background, political intrigue, and clandestine operations with doses of extreme and often creative violence. Seeing The Punisher attack a mob family at a funeral for relatives he has recently killed or witnessing a psychopathic mob member impaled on a wrought iron fence may not be for the faint of heart, but make for fantastic Tarantino-like moments.

Kitchen Irish
Ennis's second story arc pits Castle against the Irish mob in New York City. A number of rival factions led by a crazed Rastafarian, a former IRA bomb expert with most of his face missing, and sadistic mob wife, and a pair of slick criminal twins are all after the money and territory left behind by a former Irish boss. The Punisher, his old British war buddy, Yorkie, who now works for MI-6, and young-man he's promised to help find his father's killer team up to strike at each group and figure out why they are tearing up New York City. Meanwhile a former torture expert is forced to cut up one of the Irish figure-heads when his grandson is kidnapped. Of course this makes for more blood-bathed Ennis, but also for an emotionally charged sub-plot.

Mother Russia
In this third story arc, The Punisher goes international. Nick Fury asks The Punisher to join a highly-trained US military operative on a mission to retrieve a biological weapon from Russia. The Punisher agrees, but things aren't quite that simple. Frank soon learns that the “weapon” is a man-made disease that the creator has placed in his own daughter in order to keep her alive. While The Punisher and the US soldier are attempting to rescue the girl from a missile silo the US also launches a highly covert plan to fake a terrorist attack on Russia, thereby forcing them to lash out at the Middle East. It is a complex tale of political intrigue and military maneuvering that sees the Punisher pushed to his limits as he merely seeks to protect the life of the Russian girl and the world on the brink of nuclear war. The story arc also ends with what may be one of the best escape plans ever formulated.

Up is Down and Black is White
How do you get to The Punisher? That is the question asked in this story arc by mafia boss Nicky Cavella. The Punisher destroyed his organization in the past and now Cavella has formulated a sick plan for revenge by defiling the remains of Frank Castle's family. In response we see The Punisher go on his most brutal rampage ever stating that he will not stop until his family has been returned to the earth. Meanwhile Agent O'Brien, one of the operatives who attempted to capture The Punisher back in the first story arc, escapes from prison and helps in Frank's war against Cavella and we are exposed to Nicky Cavella's past, a disturbing combination of murder and incest that made him the twisted man he is today.

The Slavers
The Slavers revolves around The Punisher's attempt to shutdown a cross-continental slave trade that sells young women from Eastern Europe to high-priced brothels in the New York area, while the NYPD launches a war against the Punisher after corrupt members of the force feel the sting of the Punisher's work against their connections in the criminal underworld. The Slavers of one of the more emotional Punisher tales as it shows that brutal and family-destroying nature of the international slave trade and how it impacts women on a personal level. It also manages to give insight into a corrupt police force and the two cops that hope to stand up against it. Still, this is a Garth Ennis story, and The Punisher's choice of torture tactics close towards the end of the arc are downright grotesque, yet effective.

Barracuda
When The Punisher rescues a man from drug dealers he accidentally learns of a major financial scam. Here Ennis basically re-tells the story of Enron and we get The Punisher's first attack on white-collar crime. What complicates matters greatly is that once the corporation learns of The Punisher's involvement they higher Barracuda, a massive monster of a man, and a highly skilled killer to go after The Punisher. It is in Barracuda that Frank finally finds a formidable foe, making for some of harshest and intense fight scenes ever scene in The Punisher. Once again Ennis manages to combine intrigue, this time in the form of financial scandal and an attempted business takeover, with brutal violence and extreme justice.

Man of Stone
The Punisher's actions in Russia come back haunt him in Man of Stone. When Frank learns that a hardcore Russian general he disgraced with his mission in Russia has set out to see him murdered he decides to take the fight to him instead. This means that The Punisher is off to the war-torn Afghanistan where he teams up with O'Brien and Yorkie, who are both in the country for other reasons, once again. Meanwhile, General Zakharov, who is now operating outside of the military that developed him into a cold-blooded killer, has enlisted the help of Rawlins, the former CIA operative who designed the fake terrorist attack on Russia way back in the Mother Russia storyline. Backstabbing and psychological warfare ensues as The Punisher and O'Brien willing walk into a trap set by Zakharov.

Widowmaker
The Punisher has killed hundreds of men over the course of his career, so what happens to all of the wives and girlfriend's left behind? In Widowmaker, five mafia and gang widows plot to do what all the men in their lives have failed to do: kill The Punisher. After studying Frank Castle they determine to use one of their own as bait by having her pose as an innocent that has been kidnapped. Things may have worked out for the women, but little do they know that someone they have permanently damaged is already hunting them. It is a complex game of cat and mouse and cat that sees Frank finding a kindred spirit in a woman who's life was torn about by the mob. Meanwhile, we once again gain insight in the corrupt police force as one good cop is continually punished for his unorthodox, yet beneficial tactics.

Long Cold Dark
When Barracuda returns the only thing he has on his mind is revenge. First, he sets up a mob meeting merely to lure The Punisher into a booby trapped building. Then he goes even farther in order to finally to get to The Punisher. After killing one of Frank's only “friends” Yorkie, Barracuda learns that The Punisher may indeed have another child, a child Barracuda kidnaps and uses as a bargaining chip in a long and disturbing plot for revenge.

Valley Forge, Valley Forge
In Ennis's final story arc The Punisher feels the repercussions of his actions in Russia yet again. This time the generals that engineered the fake terrorist attack, as well as the plan to use the Russian girl (dead or alive) as a new weapon are seeking to take down The Punisher before he reveals to the public just how corrupt and manipulative they are. In order to do this the generals order a group of special forces soldiers to capture The Punisher knowing that Frank Castle would not kill members of the military. Meanwhile excerpts from a book about Frank Castle's time in Viet Nam and the devastating battle that he was the sole survivor of are interwoven throughout the story providing some insight into just how damaged Frank Castle's mind really is. The story is detailed and full of plot-twists, providing a proper send off from the talented Garth Ennis.

The Low Glycemic Index (GI) Diet has gained a lot of popularity in recent times, mainly due to NutriSystem. The diet is not only known to be very effective, but many people find it very easy to follow. Unlike most fad diets, you will find yourself eating the foods that you enjoy while you are on the Low GI Diet. If you have thought about going on the Low GI Diet, then you are probably wondering what foods you can and cannot eat. Here are some places where you will be able to find free Low GI Diet recipes.

1#: The Low GI Diet Guide

The first place that you will want to check out is the Low GI Diet Guide, which can be found at http://www.the-gi-diet.org/recipes/. Here, you will find recipes to some recipes such as bean and beef burgers, lemon and parsley chicken and grilled dill salmon with olive sauce. Looking for Low GI desserts? You will also find recipes for Low GI chocolate mousse with raspberries, no bake pineapple and berry cheesecake and lemon sponge cake.

2#: The Glycemic Gourmet

Another website that you will want to check out if you are looking for Low GI Diets is the Glycemic Gourmet, which can be found at http://www.glycemicgourmet.com/. Here, you will find Low GI recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, desserts, soups and side dishes. Some of the different Low GI recipes that can be found at the Glycemic Gourmet include raspberry yogurt muffins, oatmeal pancakes, beef chili, chicken fried rice, lemon salmon and chocolate crunchy ice cream.

3#: Taste.com.au

Finally, you will want to check out the collection of Low GI Diet recipes that Taste.com.au has to offer at http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/collections/low+gi. This website has a wide variety of Low GI Diet recipes to choose from and is an especially great site to check out if you love trying out new dishes. Some of the different recipes which can be found at this website include pork tikka masala, veggie burgers, avocado dip with corn chips, chicken ravioli with creamy tomato sauce, lasagna and so much more.

Additional Information About the Low GI Diet

If you are interested in learning more about the Low GI Diet and what foods are good choices for you to eat, be sure to visit http://www.glycemicindex.com/. All that you need to do to learn about a specific food is go to the database and type in the food that you are interested in learning more about. It is definitely a must-visit website for anyone who is serious about the Low GI Diet.

These are just some of the websites that you may want to check out if you are trying to follow the Low GI Diet. You are bound to find enough recipes at these websites to eat delicious meals for a long time. However, do keep in mind that there are also some great cookbooks that you can check out for Low GI Diet recipes. All that you need to do is look for them.

Three news stories involving three very public figures (Governor Mark Sanford, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson) may in fact be linked in a web of deceit, murder, and intrigue.

Governor Mark Sanford's Mysterious Disappearance
On June 24, Governor Mark Sanford returned from his supposed backpacking trip where he was “doing something exotic” only to announce that he was…well…doing just that. Mark Sanford held a press conference in which he explained his year-long affair with an Argentinean woman, letting Republicans worldwide know that he had let everyone down, including his family.

Farrah Fawcett's Bout With Cancer
This morning, June 25, it was announced that Charlie's original Angel, Farrah Fawcett, had lost her battle with cancer. A tragedy to be sure, Farrah Fawcett's death captured the media's attention for a short time.

Michael Jackson's Arrested Heart
This afternoon, it was announced that Michael Jackson died from some sort of trauma involving cardiac arrest. This third and final news story dominated the day's news, and became the first and foremost topic of conversation for millions.

Is it a coincidence that Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Mark Sanford capture the media all within such a short span? I think NOT!

The Michael Jackson-Farrah Fawcett-Mark Sanford Connection
Wake up people. There is only one explanation for what's going on right now. Clearly, nobody likes to have negative limelight on them, especially a politician like Mark Sanford. I think what has really happened here is shockingly obvious: Governor Mark Sanford has killed pop culture legends Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson.

The Events Leading Up to Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett's Deaths
Let's go over the details. Governor Mark Sanford wasn't acting what most would consider “normal” during his little press conference. Of course, he was nervous and embarrassed…but there was something going on in his eyes besides those tears…something…crazy.

And did anyone notice that his wife wasn't there to stand by him? What governor holds a press conference about an affair, and doesn't have their wife to stand by with them?!?! This is maddening. SOMETHING was brewing…and Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson paid the price for his publicized failures.

Mark Sanford's Plan
My guess is that Governor Mark Sanford wanted to start oUT small. He knew that the late night circuits would run the jokes, he knew that the celebrity gossip sites and shows wouldn't get enough of him…so he decided to take matters into his own hands. He would have to create a diversion to get the media off of him. Farrah Fawcett would have to do.

It would make sense. Everyone knew of her battle with cancer, via her documentary that aired about a month ago. Farrah Fawcett was already dying, and would be the solution.

Farrah Fawcett and Mark Sanford
So it happened. Farrah Fawcett took the fall for Mark Sanford. And everyone took the bait. But he was still in the headlines! Throughout the news today, Mark Sanford was mentioned at least 17 times over several major networks. Sanford would have to do something big…something bold…he would have to take out the King of Pop: Michael Jackson.

And so Michael Jackson would be Mark Sanford's next victim. My guess is that he poisoned the smooth criminal Michael Jackson. Why else would a healthy king at the upper-to-mid downslope of his game have a random deathly cardiovascular issue? MARK SANFORD!!!!!

Michael Jackson's Death Dominates the News
And if you have been watching the news…you know that THIS diversion worked quite well. I don't know if Mark Sanford acted alone in perpetrating Michael Jackson's death. He could have received some help from former Illinois governor Rob Blagojevich who recently attracted some negative attention, or perhaps he recruited Christian Bale. I mean that guy's ripped. He could take care of any celebrity assassination. Or maybe even former New York governor Elliot Spitzer was a part of the job. Spitzer could certainly empathize with Sanford's zipper trouble, and could share his burning vendetta against the media…

Of course…any intelligent person knows this is not the case. But does anyone else find it more than a bit irritating how long the media obsesses over whatever negative thing is going on in the world? I mean come on…really?

Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett Will Continue to Be News
My guess is that information about Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett will stay in the top headlines for months to come, which is ridiculous. They deserve better.

I feel for the families of these individuals as they have to sit and deal with the press, the interviews, the questions, the bombardments. And they have no control over this. It's just the way the media works. Give them a bone, and they'll chew the crap out of it until the next juicy, fresh bone is thrown their way. The fact that you are reading this proves this to be true.

The Deaths of Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Mark Sanford
At the end of the day, Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett are dead, as well as Mark Sanford's career. Yeah, it's a sad day. But when the day is over, it's over. Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson were talented people…but they're people, not gods. Let's shed a tear, and move on…shall we?

Of course…this is just wishful thinking. The news media will continue to obsess over these events until something juicier comes their way. Oh well. Such is life.

By the way, I hear Winnie the Pooh is planning a sex change…

DISCLAIMER:
For those who don't understand satire, these conjectures are specifically for the purpose of pointing out that the media makes TOO MUCH of the lives of celebrities. Enjoy what they give us, care when they pass, and move on with life.

In WHY JOHNNY CAN'T ADD: The Failure of the New Math, Morris Kline quotes Hermann Weyl, one of the great mathematicians of our time, and a man who worked in many branches of mathematics and mathematical physics, who said in 1951, “.. It seems an irony of creation that man's mind knows how to handle things better, the farther removed they are from the center of his existence. ”

Moving the theme of this note away from the center of my existence, I ask, “What should I do to help a plant develop to be the best plant it can be?

Embedded in its DNA, a plant has everything to be all-it-can-be; always ready to do what its programming commands. One can't make it better, but one can help to product its best.

How?

• Prepare and water its soil; it will absorb the optimal diet.
• Position it for correct solar exposure; it will grow robustly.
• Feed it nutrients; it will maximize its output.
• Keep it free from weeds; it will not be distracted from its maximum output.

If the plant is healthy, this regiment assures maximum output.

Translating this insight back into the center of my existence and readdressing the original topic; we get, three aids to develop your child's talent:

• Love your child and teach him to love himself.
• Provide many diverse and enriching experiences.
• Teach him to be disciplined and focused.

Love your child and teach him how to love himself: Everyone desires to be loved and to be wanted. But children crave love and they need it to develop into strong individuals. Devote uninterrupted time to him, it makes him feels important, wanted and good about himself. He will translate your undivided attention into, ” I am worthy.” Encouraging him to do something when this connection is strong, it will go a long way.

Teach your child to love himself; by teaching him to think highly of his abilities. Discourage the language, “I can't do Task A.” Instead encourage, “At this time, I am not prepared to do Task A.” Make clear this statement is the prelude to doing whatever it takes to position himself to successfully do Task A”.

If your child learns to love himself, he will treat himself with dignity; cultivate the strength to resist bad advice; and resist other's suggestion of deviant behavior.

Provide many diverse and enriching experiences: They are the stages on which the little ones learn to master their roles to be participants in the world; it is there, confidence and self-esteem develop.

Here are some enriching experiences from “the book of life” that help develop the young ones:

• Talk to him; it develops his sense of self-strength.
• Ask him questions; it develops his self-expression.
• Take him to different domains; libraries, art galleries, sports outings, relatives in the countryside, tours of factories, and foreign and local places.
• Engage him in various activities: music lessons, lessons he enjoys, friendly conversations with adults in social settings at your home, physical activities associated with school and church, use of safe technology, etc. These experiences provide him with opportunities and training to learn this world.

Teach him to be disciplined and focused: Children love to imitate their parents. On a daily basis, do the same thing in the presence of the little one; it sets the stage for him to imitate your actions when you do it. If your demeanor is focused during these actions, likewise he will project a focused demeanor.

The benefits of these developmental aids are invaluable. They bear their best fruits when all work together. Each, reinforcing the development of the others; builds a strong, confident, determined, and focused individual.

Have you raised his talent level? I don't think so. But you have raised his ability to product the best his talent can offer.

Ease of Use, Performance: 23/25, Look & Feel: 23/25,
Features 23/25, How much I enjoy 22/25

Total: 91/100

The Zogis 8400 GS Graphics Card is the budget offering of the DirectX 10 line of graphics cards from Zogis bringing you the best DirectX 10 graphics at an affordable price. The Zogis GS TC 512 MB PCI Express card brings you the benefits of DirectX 10 with its better textures and lighting rendering as well as better imaging and graphics for Windows Vista.

The DirectX 10 program from Microsoft has been out for a several months now and the line of graphics card for this newer 3D imaging and graphics program is about complete with the budget, medium and high end cards now available. The Zogis 8400 GS 512 MB brings you the affordable price with better than average graphics using a higher memory than other graphics cards in the same price range.

The Zogis 8400 GS 512 MB comes with the graphics card, a quick install guide, an S-Video cable and drivers on a CD. As always I would highly recommend you search the Nvidia website for the most current graphics card drivers available.

Here are the features from the Zogis website for the Zogis 8400 GS TC 512 MB PCI-E card:

NVIDIA® unified architecture with GigaThread technology
Full Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0 support
16x full-screen anti-aliasing
True 128-bit floating point high dynamic-range (HDR) lighting
NVIDIA Quantum Effects physics processing technology
One single-link DVI output supports one 1920×1200 resolution display
NVIDIA PureVideo HD technology1
HDCP Capable
PCI Express support
OpenGL 2.1 support
NVIDIA ForceWare Unified Driver Architecture (UDA)
Built for Microsoft Windows Vista

In a nut shell the Zogis 8400 GS 512 MB graphics card is a great way to get the DirectX 10 graphics and Vista imaging at an affordable price but with some fantastic features. The high definition graphics not only of the DirectX 10 are there but the additional Blu-Ray and HD DVD playability are also available from this graphics card. The card supports the Blu-Ray and HD DVD output protection management of HDCP for some fantastic playback of high definition movies on HDCP compatible monitors.

Installation of the Zogis 8400 went extremely well with the easy to use Nvidia drivers and the cards smaller size. The card has one VGA connection, one DVI connection and an s-Video connection on the rear to connect your monitors or television. You can also connect a television to the S video out connection but this port is not for high definition video.

Installing the drivers went smoothly as they are actually easier than installing the ATI drivers and testing the card using both synthetic benchmarks and actually gaming frame rates went very well. I received the expected results and found very comparable frame rates for this series and cards memory compared to other companies.

The benchmark testing went well and I did get to start using the newest benchmark program from Futuremark called Vantage to test out this card. The Vantage program is the next offering from Futuremark in benchmark testing your computer with even better and more understandable test categories for real world testing of your whole computer and what the computer can actually do in areas you can understand.

I also tested the Zogis 8400 using several current games to show frame rates while gaming in a real world situation on my system. My computer has the following components:

Elitegroup Computer Systems KA3 MVP ver. 1 motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ CPU
4gb RAM 2x1gb Crucial Ballistix Tracer, 2x1gb US Modular Cold Fusion
Western Digital 7200 rpm SATA HDD
Apevia Iceberg 680 Watt PSU
Windows Vista Home Premium

All the games are at their current versions and the graphics and visual settings were all at their highest for the best possible graphics quality. I will also include the benchmark program 3DMark 06 to show those scores for the older benchmark program.

3DMark06

1024×768 Screen Resolution
No Antialiasing Trilinear Anisotropic Filtering
3D Mark Score 1726
SM 2.0 630
HDR/SM3.0 601
CPU 2212

1280×1024 Screen Resolution
No Antialiasing Trilinear Anisotropic Filtering
3D Mark Score 1354
SM 2.0 513
HDR/SM3.0 443
CPU 2212

1024×768 Screen Resolution
4x Antialiasing 8x Anisotropic Filtering
3D Mark Score 1044
SM 2.0 393
HDR/SM3.0 338
CPU 2232

1280×1024 Screen Resolution
4x Antialiasing 8x Anisotropic Filtering
3D Mark Score 757
SM 2.0 295
HDR/SM3.0 230
CPU 2217

The Futuremark Vantage scores here are in seven categories with a total score, to understand how both these benchmark scores and their results work you can visit the Futuremark website for more information. I will include scores for another video card, the PowerColor ATI HD 2600 XT to compare the scores and show that this card is not far behind on the scores for the benchmark testing. The ATI HD 2600 XT is the medium range card in the DirectX 10 group of ATI graphics cards and is also a very good graphics card for DirectX 10 and Windows Vista.

The Futuremark Vantage program uses only one screen size for its testing and has the categories in understandable wording so you can pretty much figure out what each area is just from the words. The areas test each type of performance using comparable results for each test, the testing is using things that we would normally use and not some synthetic test that is useless in the real world. For instance one test stage renders individual and sets of images and videos just like an image editor and movie editor would to see how well your system handles these types of operations.

In the near future as more individuals and reviewers use the Futuremark Vantage program you will see results and be able to compare them to other cards and systems. Check back here and at other sites that review computers and components for more results from Futuremark Vantage as well as the Futuremark website at Futuremark.com.

Zogis 8400 GS 512 MB
Futuremark Vantage
1024×768 Screen Resolution
No Antialiasing Trilinear Anisotropic Filtering
PC Mark Score 3168
Memories 1993
TV + Movies 2293
Gaming 2190
Music 3366
Communications 2881
Productivity 3333
Hard Disc Drive 2757

Zogis 8400 GS 512 MB
Futuremark Vantage
1024×768 Screen Resolution
4x Antialiasing 8x Anisotropic Filtering
PC Mark Score 3136
Memories 1981
TV + Movies 2270
Gaming 2193
Music 3312
Communications 2895
Productivity 3238
Hard Disc Drive 2791

I also tested the PowerColor ATI HD 2600 XT and received these results to compare the less expensive Zogis card to.

PowerColor HD 2600 XT
Futuremark Vantage
1024×768 Screen Resolution
No Antialiasing Trilinear Anisotropic Filtering
PC Mark Score 3390
Memories 2650
TV + Movies 2525
Gaming 3248
Music 3351
Communications 2895
Productivity 3407
Hard Disc Drive 2761

PowerColor HD 2600 XT
Futuremark Vantage
1024×768 Screen Resolution
4x Antialiasing 8x Anisotropic Filtering
PC Mark Score 3415
Memories 2596
TV + Movies 2506
Gaming 2929
Music 3479
Communications 2940
Productivity 3314
Hard Disc Drive 2786

As you can see when comparing the results from the Zogis 8400 and the PowerColor 2600 the Zogis card does not fair as well but it is not far behind the more expensive card. The test results are from the third test of three that I ran and saw similar results for all three tests, I just don't bother to average the results.

I also ran several gaming frame rate tests with current and some slightly older video games. I use in game performance tests in Company of Heroes and Prey that run automatically and give the results in average frame rates. I use the FRAPS program to record my frame rates while playing the games Battlefield 2142 and Bioshock to receive the frame rates during several minutes of game play for a decent average.

Company of Heroes is a great strategy World War II game played in a god view that has fantastic scenery and very good action with lots of graphics eye candy. The game includes plenty of weapons firing and explosions that are very well rendered by the Zogis 8400 GS. The lower frame rates are not too bad and the game is playable at these rates but you would probably want to turn down the settings to get very good action and better frame rates for this and other games.

Company of Heroes

1024×768 Screen Resolution
No Antialiasing 18.2 Average Frames per Second
4x Antialiasing 14.2 Average Frames per Second

1280×1024 Screen Resolution
No Antialiasing 13.3 Average Frames per Second
4x Antialiasing 9.8 Average Frames per Second

Prey is a newer first person shooter game from 2K Games featuring plenty of aliens and science fiction themes with some interesting features. In the game you are spending much of your time in an alien vessel with artificial gravity and the aliens did not think much of always having the floor for the same areas at your feet. This means that some areas of the game will have walkways and areas on the walls of large rooms so you have enemies on walls and even ceilings for action coming from all sides.

This introduces more action and graphics in the same spaces of other games so would introduce more graphical challenges as well. The frame rates are very good here for the Zogis card and just like the Company of Heroes game setting the quality of the game to medium settings would improve frame rates but the game is still playable for the most part at maximum settings except in larger fire fights.

Prey

1024×768 Screen Resolution
No Antialiasing No Anisotropic Filtering
28.1 Average Frames per Second
4x Antialiasing 8x Anisotropic Filtering
15.3 Average Frames per Second

1280×1024 Screen Resolution
No Antialiasing No Anisotropic Filtering
18.6 Average Frames per Second
4x Antialiasing 8x Anisotropic Filtering
10.3 Average Frames per Second

Battlefield 2142 is still my favorite video game and one I play often when I get the chance. It has some great multiplayer action but I test the frame rates on the single player Cerbere Landing map with maximum quality settings using FRAPS to record the frame rates during play. I found the game pretty hard to play at the maximum quality settings and could easily play the game without any stuttering on medium quality settings.

Battlefield 2142

1024×768 Screen Resolution
No Antialiasing 25.7 Average Frames per Second
4x Antialiasing 13.1 Average Frames per Second

1280×1024 Screen Resolution
No Antialiasing 23.4 Average Frames per Second
4x Antialiasing 10.3 Average Frames per Second

Bioshock is a great first person shooter in an underwater city that uses plenty of the newest rendering and lighting effects of DirectX 10. The game has all kinds of image and graphical challenges for your system and uses plenty of your computers processor as well as graphics card performance. The game is just not enjoyable at maximum quality settings with the Zogis 8400 GS but is great at medium settings with plenty of playable action and fun.

Bioshock
1024×768 Screen Resolution 12.2 Average Frames per Second
1280×1024 Screen Resolution 8.2 Average Frames per Second

All the games were playable for the most part at maximum quality settings but many times would become less enjoyable or downright hard to play when facing numerous opponents on screen. The more things on screen the more the card had to keep up with and this is after all the budget offering of the 8 series cards. The Zogis 8400 did pretty well keeping up with the action for the most part but did not do so well at the highewst quality settings.

Turning down the settings in all the games did much better for frame rates without losing so much of the great graphics quality and enjoyable gameplay. The card does very well rendering things like textures and effects like explosions even at the lower quality settings.

The DirectX 10 quality of better images, better lighting and effects as well as better draw and quality of images at distances was handled very well with the Zogis 8400. The distance objects and scenery looks very much better using DirectX 10 and the card does a very good job of picking up the detail and textures of those distant objects and background scenery.

One game that I also tried out with the Zogis 8400 and was very impressed with is Medal of Honor: Airborne. The game uses some unique background effects by adding things like smoking buildings and fires in the distance that would be part of your scenery and background images. This was very well handled by the Zogis graphics card and the textures and quality of other effects was also staggering when you compare the cost to the cards quality output.

The card does equally well with movies and other imaging such as the inherent graphics of Windows Vista. Viewing movies and television on your PC will be a treat and the Zogis graphics card does very well with regular and high definition television. Movies are great using the S-Video but are so much better with the higher definition of the DVI or VGA connection and I did get to check out the higher definition quality on an HDTV using the Zogis 8400 and a Vizio HDTV.

Overall I really enjoyed reviewing the Zogis 8400 GS and would highly recommend this card as a very good budget PCI-E DirectX 10 card. The Zogis graphics card performs very well and has some very good features with its high definition DVD and Blu-Ray playback capabilities as well as the better DirectX 10 graphics.

The country of Japan is located along the Pacific coast of Asia. Although it's comprised of many islands, the main ones, which are also called Japan's “Home Islands”, are Hokkaido, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Honshu.

Since Japan is positioned in a volcanic zone on the Pacific Ring of Fire, it's not unusual for its residents to feel frequent ground tremors. In fact, a fifth of the major earthquakes- those that register at least a 6 on the Richter Scale- that happen in the world, occur in Japan. This country sometimes gets a “one-two” punch when a major earthquake happens. Because, tsunamis, which are destructive sea waves, sometimes follow an earthquake.

This hilly Far Eastern country has an area of 377,835 square kilometers. It's about the size of Germany and Switzerland put together. If you want to visit the highest peak in Japan, you'll need to climb up Mount Fuji. It's 3,776 meters high. Or, if you want to explore the lowest depths of this country, the Hachinohe Mine is 130 meters below sea level.

Japan was once known for its powerful Samurai fighters. These warriors were masters in the field of martial arts. Because of their superior fighting abilities, the Samurai once controlled Japan. Today, however, the Samurai sector no longer exists in this country.

The residents of Japan have their own list of holidays that they celebrate. Some of these include the Coming Age of Day on the second Monday in January; the National Foundation Day on February 11; Greenery Day on April 29, Children's Day on May 5, Respect for the Aged Day on the third Monday in September, and The
Emperor's Birthday on December 23.

Celebrations are a public affair in this Far Eastern country. Whenever a wedding is held, for example, the bride and groom can skip sending invitations because everyone in the village attends the happy event.

It's likewise with funerals. The women of the entire village provide the food, and the residents join together to mourn the passing of the deceased. But don't cry, blow your nose, or show any type of emotion at these affairs. In fact, you'll be offensive if you perform any of these acts anywhere in public while you're in Japan. Take a tip from the staid Japanese around you. Keep a straight face, and don't show affection, and you'll be minding your manners.

If you attend a Japanese wedding or other event, be sure you don't walk into any home or other building with your shoes on! Remove your shoes at the door so you don't offend your host. While eating a meal in Japan, you'll need to remember to slurp your soup. If you don't, your host will think you don't like what has been served.

And when you handle your chopsticks, never stick them into a bowl of food so they are standing upright. If you do, you'll again offend your host. It's an ancient Japanese custom to stick a pair of chopsticks into a bowl of rice. This is their way of offering food to the deceased. 

The Japanese people are known for their remarkable longevity. There are an estimated 20,000 Japanese who are one hundred years or older living in the Far Eastern country today. Their longevity is attributed to a diet that's low in calories and free from artery-clogging cholesterol.

Nearly a fifth of the Japanese population are at least sixty-five years old. When a man reaches his sixtieth birthday in Japan, he is seen as beginning his twilight years on this earth. To honor the event, the man is honored at a ceremony. He alone is clothed with a red kimono. The red color shows that the honored man no longer has adult responsibilities.