| Interview: Katrin Windsor
Katrin Windsor is president and founder of the 3-year-old International Business Club of Colorado, which provides "a vibrant forum for peer-to-peer learning on international business," according to the Boulder-based group's website. (Post / John Prieto) .
Conventional Wisdom Regarding Oil Origins May Be Wrong
In 1956, while studying petroleum engineering at Princeton University, I read a statement by Vladimir Porfir'yev, a prominent Russian geologist, who said, “The overwhelming preponderance of geological evidence compels the conclusion that crude oil and natural gas have no intrinsic connection with biological matter originating near the surface of the Earth. They are primordial materials which have been erupted from great depth." My recognition of the near total vagueness of all I had studied regarding the origin of oil up to that moment made Porfir'yev's statement appear completely logical to me. In the intervening years I read a great deal of material written by the late Thomas Gold of Cornell University, who espoused the very same scientific position on the origin of oil, which has been largely ignored by the U.S.
Experts: Schools' language offerings too narrow
When Roger Schindler began his teaching career at Central High in Grand Rapids 36 years ago, students had the option of learning Latin, Spanish, French, Russian, Swahili or Schindler's specialty, German. Today, Central, just like Lowell, Comstock Park, Kelloggsville and many other high schools, offers only two. "We teach French and Spanish. All the other languages have died over the years," said Schindler, director of foreign languages for Grand Rapids Public Schools. He taught his last German class about seven years ago. French and Spanish, which have been taught in high schools for generations, continue to dominate high school language departments. Despite the fact that Mandarin Chinese is becoming a vital language in the global marketplace, only one area school -- Rockford High -- teaches it.
Guitar lessons are hugely popular and easier then ever
Its just over a year since the cinema release of the Johnny Cash bio-pic Walk the Line and interest in playing guitar has never been higher, according to Kevin McNicholas, tutor with the Guitar Made Easy programme. People of all ages are dusting down those guitars that have been gathering dust for years, and finally learning how to play. Young music fans are discovering that country music is every bit as cool as rock or blues, and older fans are finding that their favourite songs from the sixties and seventies are becoming hip all over again, Kevin says. The April term of Guitar Made Easy classes runs for 12 weeks in venues in Oranmore (starting Monday April 2), Galway (Tuesday April 3), Tuam (Wednesday April 4) and Castlebar (Thursday April 5). To cater for the demand, extra classes are running in each of the four venues.
Lend a hand: Read to children, or snap some photos
Volunteer Central Minnesota is a service of United Way that connects people with local volunteer opportunities. For more information, call United Way of Central Minnesota at 252-0227 or visit www.unitedwayhelps.org. Success By 6 Daily Reader: United Way created this one-time volunteer opportunity in partnership with other services that work with young children every day. The program encourages a love of reading in children and helps prepare children for kindergarten by reading to them at an early age. Volunteer opportunities are from 10-10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Volunteers must be comfortable interacting and reading with preschool age children. Sign up for one day or more, or have your organization adopt a week of daily reader.
MLS Weekend Review: More Goals, Lower Crowds
USSoccerPlayers (April 23, 2007) -- Goals per game are creeping up thanks to a weekend with no scoreless ties, and in which only one game out of the five played yielded less than three goals. The average was over three per game, nudging the overall season's average up to exactly 2.5 per game. With neither the L.A. Galaxy nor D.C. United at home this week, and with no international doubleheaders to give a deceptive boost to a normally low five-figure home gate, crowds were down this weekend, with the five games attracting just below 70,000 fans. This brought the season's average gate down to 15,761, just 260 ahead of last season's average. FC Dallas came out tops with a sellout crowd of 20,500 for its home opener against the Colorado Rapids. Goals Per Game: 3.2 (16 in five games)
Season average: 2.5 (45 in 18 games)
Previous averages: 2006 -- 2.62; 2005 -- 2.87; 2004 -- 2.61 Average crowd: 13,848 (69,241 at five games)
Last week: 16,827 (2006 average: 15,504)
Season crowd average so far: 15,761 RESULTS:
FC Dallas 3 (Nunez 2, Oduro), Colorado Rapids 1 (Kirovski)
New York 1 (Altidore), Houston Dynamo 0
Chivas USA 4 (Galindo 2, Razov, Taylor), Real Salt Lake 0
Chicago Fire 2 (Barrett, Rolfe PK), Kansas City Wizards 1 (Marinelli PK)
Columbus Crew 2 (Grabavoy, Kamara), New England 2 (Dorman, Twellman) HAIL THE ENTERTAINERS There were some good games, exciting performances, and some real quality goals across the five fixtures.
The Greene Room: Wright far from wrong
This is for anyone who over the next several days will criticize Julian Wright's decision, which Monday afternoon he said is to forego two years of eligibility and enter this June's NBA Draft, where he will likely be a lottery selection and begin life in the real world. Wright, KU's very own highlight waiting to happen over the past two seasons, was in a very favorable position at the season's end. Whether he stayed for his junior season and graduated next May, or threw his name into the potential lottery hat, he couldn't go wrong. If he stayed, he was a model of what college athletics are supposed to be. If he went, he was simply striking while his stock was as high as it could possibly go. But we all know that some people around here can be irrational come times and decisions like these.
Making English Work / From China to Japan, via English
Learning good English pronunciation does not require native-speaking teachers, according to Yiping Cheng, 32, research manager of the Trade Marketing Group of the Online Service Group at Microsoft Co., in Tokyo. "In Shanghai's primary schools, English is treated equally with Chinese language and arithmetic. I studied English at least a few hours a week," Yiping said, explaining that all teachers of English in Shanghai schools were Chinese. "Students learn basic English pronunciation of the alphabet and simple words at primary school." Although they don't study grammar at primary school, they get English pronunciation lessons from teachers who specialize in the language. Students learn English grammar from middle school onward, just like in Japan. Yiping, who says she preferred sports to studying during her primary school days, became interested in learning English thanks to an inspirational teacher at middle school.
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