Comprehensive Educational Platform

15 Online Resources to Learn English as a Second Language

August 13th, 2010

Learning English can be fun and exciting when the pressure from a traditional classroom setting is eliminated. Today’s way to learn to speak, read and write in English is to take part in an online English course to build vocabulary and sentence structure at your own pace. Many of the online English schools are free or offered at a minimal cost, saving big bucks from studying at a community college or help center. Find the English program that meets and exceeds your goals and put yourself on the fast track to speaking the queen’s English.

1. The Linguist.

This English learner approach is available for PC use, downloading the Podcast and offers a friendly forum on the blog to interact with teachers and students. Work on your English pronunciation with the online tools and materials, and when your are ready, join in online for live English conversation with your peers.

2. Ego 4 U

Some English learners like to have some fun at the same time and will appreciate the Ego 4U’s unique approach to language learning. Lesso

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Tags: English, Learn English

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Christopher Davidson on Blackberry Censorship in the UAE

August 10th, 2010

Christopher Davidson, whose book Dubai: The Vulnerability of Success was just reviewed in the New York Review of Books, recently contributed to the Index on Censorship on the UAE’s recent decision to ban Blackberry use.

Davidson argues that the UAE’s decision is motivated by mounting political opposition in the country. In recent months hundreds of Blackberry chain messages have been sent in the country criticizing ministers and other government officials associated with sexual and financial scandals. Users have also used Blackberries to organize public protests.

The recent ban is not the first time that the UAE has tried to curb Blackberry use. In the days immediately following the Iranian election, the government-owned telecom company Etisalat encouraged users to download a “performance enhancement.” After users complained of malfunctioning after downloading the patch, it was revealed that it was spyware that the government used to monitor transmissions on Blackberry.

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Tags: Christopher Davidson, Uae

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Calif. high schools will have new standards for metal bats

August 9th, 2010

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The aluminum bats used by California’s high school baseball teams will have to meet new safety standards starting in January.

The changes announced Wednesday came after a 16-year-old pitcher from Marin County suffered a major head injury when he was hit in the head last March by a line drive off a metal bat.

Democratic Assemblyman Jared Huffman says he will withdraw his proposed two-year moratorium on non-wooden bats for high school baseball teams.

His bill, AB7, sought to ban both aluminum and composite bats until new safety standards were adopted.

The group that governs high school baseball says the composite bats that some high school teams use will also have to meet new national standards that were announced in July.

Tags: Bats

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State board approves BEST grants

August 9th, 2010

The State Board of Education Wednesday approved $252.1 million in school construction projects and ruled against the Adams 12 Five Star Schools in a dispute with the Prospect Ridge Academy charter school.

The board’s actions were just two of several key decisions and discussions that came during its daylong meeting. The board heard a discouraging report about future state funding of schools, was briefed about a new Department of Education initiative on educator effectiveness and approved the first innovation schools application from a district other than the Denver Public Schools.

BEST grants

The board unanimously approved without change the latest recommendations of the Capital Construction Assistance Board, which supervises the Build Excellent Schools Today program. T

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Tags: Board, State Board

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MSPU San Antonio Boot Camp at CompTIA Breakaway Day 1 Recap

August 8th, 2010

What a great first day to kick off our San Antonio Boot Camp at CompTIA Breakaway! Our streaming sessions were a big hit, with attendees joining us virtually from all over the world! We are streaming recordings of each day during all 4 days of Boot Camp at: http://www.mspu.us/livebootcamp between 8am and 12pm CST on August 9th-12th!

Download the Agenda at: http://www.mspu.us/signup/boot-camps/default.aspx/#agenda  This Boot Camp has been tailored to cover specific areas in 8 areas of IT solution provider and managed services practice improvement: 1. Leadership2. Financial acumen3. Organizational structure4. Talent management5. Marketing6. Sales7. Service delivery 8. Vendor relationships We started the day off with opening comments followed by the Keynote Presentation from our Platinum Sponsor and host at Breakaway 2010 – CompTIA, highlighting the benefits of membership in the IT Industry’s member-driven trade association. Are you a CompTIA member? Join today at www.comptia.org.

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Tags: Antonio Boot Camp, Boot Camp, Comptia Breakaway, Day

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Akron schools to get animal shelter back

August 8th, 2010

Akron schools soon will add a vacant dog pound to their inventory of buildings.

The district is reclaiming the property, about an acre, that it once owned at 460 E. North St.

In the mid-1950s, the school board gave Summit County the property and a building for a dog pound with the provision that if it ever ceased to be a pound, the district would get it back.

The county’s Division of Animal Control is moving to a new nearly $3 million animal shelter at 250 Opportunity Parkway in Akron. It is expected to open at the end of August.

The school board voted Monday night to accept the transfer.

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Tags: Akron Schools, Schools

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