DAResler's Blog

1000 digits of pi

2012-02-13T21:48:00.001-05:00

The mathematical constant pi is the ratio of any circle's circumference to its diameter.

Pi is an irrational number and its decimal representation never ends and never repeats.

The first 1000 digits of pi are as follows:

3.14159 26535 89793 23846 26433 83279 50288 41971 69399 37510 58209 74944 59230 78164 06286 20899 86280 34825 34211 70679 82148 08651 32823 06647 09384 46095 50582 23172 53594 08128 48111 74502 84102 70193 85211 05559 64462 29489 54930 38196 44288 10975 66593 34461 28475 64823 37867 83165 27120 19091 45648 56692 34603 48610 45432 66482 13393 60726 02491 41273 72458 70066 06315 58817 48815 20920 96282 92540 91715 36436 78925 90360 01133 05305 48820 46652 13841 46951 94151 16094 33057 27036 57595 91953 09218 61173 81932 61179 31051 18548 07446 23799 62749 56735 18857 52724 89122 79381 83011 94912 98336 73362 44065 66430 86021 39494 63952 24737 19070 21798 60943 70277 05392 17176 29317 67523 84674 81846 76694 05132 00056 81271 45263 56082 77857 71342 75778 96091 73637 17872 14684 40901 22495 34301 46549 58537 10507 92279 68925 89235 42019 95611 21290 21960 86403 44181 59813 62977 47713 09960 51870 72113 49999 99837 29780 49951 05973 17328 16096 31859 50244 59455 34690 83026 42522 30825 33446 85035 26193 11881 71010 00313 78387 52886 58753 32083 81420 61717 76691 47303 59825 34904 28755 46873 11595 62863 88235 37875 93751 95778 18577 80532 17122 68066 13001 92787 66111 95909 21642 01989 ...

Jump Rope basics

2012-02-12T14:36:00.000-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Jump rope
O: K: To practice basic jump rope skills
1st: To develop cardiovascular fitness while jumping rope for fun
P: Teacher demonstration and explanation

Jump Rope

Proper jumping technique:
a. head erect
b. shoulders back
c. elbows close to side
d. wrist turns the rope (not arms)
e. knees slightly bent
f. land lightly on balls of feet
g. jump 2-3 inches off the floor

1. Stationary Rope

Use one long rope per three students. Lay the rope straight on the floor. Three students stand at each rope, evenly spaced facing in the same direction towards one end of the rope.

Practice the following jumps:
a. double bounce (bounce twice, then over)
b. single bounce (bounce once, then over)
c. hop, single count (hop once, then over)
d. straddle (straddle over the rope, then feet together next to rope)
e. skier (two feet together, jumping right and left over rope)
f. bell (two feet together, jumping forward and backwards over rope)
g. rocker (with one foot on each side, rock/jump back and forth on each foot)
h. X (two feet together, jump landing with feet crossing each other)
i. twister (two feet together, jump landing with feet/hips turned sideways, jump back over landing with feet/hips turned sideways the other way)
j. hopscotch (jump on one foot, landing on two, jump on two feet landing on one)
k. front to back (two feet together, jumping and landing 180 degrees around)
l. heel clicks (two feet together, jump, click heels together, land on other side)

2. Blue Bells

Two students swing rope as high as knees on both sides. Practice above skills again now with blue bells.

3. Full Turn

Practice above skills using individual jump ropes.

Jump Rope

2012-02-12T13:55:00.000-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: Physical Education
T: Jump rope
O: 2nd grade: To practice and improve jump rope skills
3rd grade: To develop cardiovascular fitness through fun jump rope games
4th grade: To provide practice opportunities for basic individual jump rope skills
5th grade: To motivate and challenge students with jump rope activities
P: Teacher explanation and demonstration

Jump Rope

Each student will have his/her own jump rope. Jump rope task cards will be on display around the gym. Each student will be given a jump rope challenge card to mark off tricks as they complete them.

Jump rope tasks taught will be: forward jump, forward right foot, forward left foot, backward jump, backward right foot, backward left foot, moving forward jump, moving sideways jump right, moving sideways jump left, moving backward jump, jog in place, hot peppers, consecutive jumps, double bounce, single bounce, straddle, skier, hop, rocker, “X”, backward, bell, wounded duck, sideward, side swing, twister, criss-cross arms, hopscotch, heel to heel, front to back, heel toe, heel clicks, double under and 360 degree turn.

Students will choose partners and try a variety of different task with a partner. Some of those will be: side by side, face to face, face to back, back to back, 360 degree and jumper, moving train, two ropes turned by partners.

Students will have a chance to do long rope tricks while two other students and/or the teacher will turn the long rope. Some of these will be: front entries, backdoor entries, turnaround, touch ground, jumping jacks, two people jump, school, bounce a basketball, use a hula hoop.

Overhead Throwing 2

2012-02-05T21:08:00.003-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Overhand Throwing #2
O: K: To continue practicing correct form while throwing for distance.
1st: While using correct form, practice throwing for accuracy. To practice catching.
P: Teacher demonstration and explanation.

1. Partner Throw

Using a soft ball, students will practice throwing and catching to a partner using correct form.

2. Throw for Distance

Students will be in about 12 lines with 2 students in each line. The student in front will have a bean bag. On the teacher’s signal, all students will use correct form and throw the bean bag as far as they can. Students will run out to get the bean bag and bring it back to their partner. The next students will throw when told.

3. Frogs on the Lily Pads

Students are divided into 6 lines with about 4 students per line. Each student will have a bean bag. Each line will have one hula hoop that is placed a suitable distance in front of them. The hula hoops are the lily pads. The bean bags are the frogs. One student at a time from each line does an overhand throw trying to land their frog on the lily pad. When the students in one of the lines get four frogs on their lily pad, they win. If the bean bag misses the lily pad, the student runs out and gets the bean bag and returns to the end of the line. If the bean bag lands on the lily pad, the teacher will give that student another bean bag and then that student returns to the end of the line.

Overhand Throwing

2012-01-31T21:12:00.000-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Overhand Throwing
O: K: To practice correct form while throwing overhand.
1st: To practice hitting objects while throwing overhand using correct form.
P: Teacher explanation and demonstration.

1. Overhand Throwing

You should step forward with the foot opposite of your throwing hand. The amount of force you use relates to the distance you throw. Hold the ball with your thumb, index finger, and middle finger. The ball should be by your ear when you start your throw. Keep your elbow as high as your shoulder, even during your unwind. As you throw, point your elbow toward your partner and then snap your elbow and wrist as you let go of the ball. Your arm should follow through across your body after you let go of the ball.

2. Bowling Pins and Yarn Balls

Each student will get one bowling pin and one yarn ball. The bowling pin is set near a wall. The students should go about 10 steps away from the bowling pin. From that spot they practice throwing and trying to knock the bowling pins over.

3. Frisbees and Bean Bags

Each student will get one Frisbee and one bean bag. Lean the Frisbee up against the wall. The students should go about 10 steps away from the Frisbee. From that spot they practice throwing and trying to knock over the Frisbee.

4. Clean up the Environment

Playing area: Grassy field, blacktop, or gymnasium
Players: Entire class
Equipment: One spongy Nerf ball for each student (20-32 balls that should be the same size of a baseball or softball)
Skill: Overhand throwing

Divide the class in half for two teams. The preset boundary should be about the size of a basketball court. I have played this in the field using cones to show the middle divider. I have also played this on an outdoor volleyball court using the net (at tennis height) to show the middle.

One team is on one side, the other team on the other side. Their side is their town or community. Each student has one ball. The balls are to represent trash or litter. No one wants trash in their town.

When a teacher says “go”, all students start throwing trash over the middle boundary. All throws should be overhand throwing. Any “trash” they find, they need to pick up and throw over the divider as fast a possible. They are only to throw one ball at a time.

When the teacher blows the whistle, everyone should freeze. No one should throw any more balls. Each team gets together in a circle and counts how many pieces of “trash” their team has. Whoever has the most loses. The losing team should do 15 jumping jacks. Then start over again.

Badminton

2012-01-30T06:43:00.002-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: Physical Education
T: Badminton
O: 2nd grade – To learn about badminton. To practice hand-eye coordination.
3rd grade – To introduce the students to the game of badminton. To learn the correct grip to hold a badminton racket. To practice the underhand serve.
4th grade – To introduce the game of badminton and to help students practice and improve hitting a small object with a long-handled implement.
5th grade – To introduce and practice the underhand and “flying pan” serve. To teach students how to do overhand, underhand and sidearm hits.
P: Teacher explanation and demonstration.

1) Students will be spread out around the outside of the gym floor. Students will practice the underhand serve by serving to a wall. Students will be each using a racket and birdie.

2) Students will practice the “flying pan” serve individually while spread out as above.

3) Students will be divided into partners. They should use one racket and one birdie between the two of them. One partner shall toss/throw the birdie to their partner so it will come to them below their waist. The other partner will hit the birdie using the underhand hit. Do that 5 times one direction and then have the partners trade racket and birdie.

4) Same as above, but now when the students make the toss/throw they should do it so the birdie goes over their partner’s head. The student hitting the birdie should now be using the overhand hit. Do that 5 times and then trade.

5) Using a serve, underhand and overhand hits, have partners try to keep the birdie going back and forth between them without it touching the floor.

Bean Bags

2012-01-23T21:17:00.002-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: Physical Education
T: Bean bags
O: Kindergarten – To practice hand-eye coordination. To practice timing and balance.
1st grade – To practice throwing and catching skills at different heights.
2nd grade – To exercise and have fun with bean bags while improving hand-eye coordination skills.
P: Teacher led demonstration and explanation.

Bean Bags

Each student has their own bean bag and are in their own self space.
1) With left hand behind their back, toss and catch with right hand only.
2) With right hand behind their back, toss and catch with left hand only.
3) Toss with right hand catch with left, toss with left and catch with right.
4) Make a rainbow by tossing with right hand up and over body and catching with left. And left to right.
5) Put one knee on the ground, toss and catch.
6) With both knees on the ground toss and catch.
7) Sit on you r bottoms, toss and catch.
8) Lie on your backs, toss and catch. (Which is easier to toss and catch, standing or lying? Standing—more range of motion.
9) Toss at a high level (standing) and catch it at a medium level (kneeling).
10) Toss at a medium level and catch at a high level.
11) Toss at a high level and catch at a low level (sitting).
12) Toss at a low level and catch at a high level.
13) Balance on one foot, toss and catch. Other foot.
14) Close one eye, toss and catch.
15) Close both eyes, toss and catch. Students should be tossing at an easy, low height.
16) Toss bean bag, turn around in a full circle and catch.
17) Toss bean bag, touch head and catch. Toss bean bag, touch head and shoulders and catch. Toss bean bag, touch head, shoulders and knees and catch. Toss bean bag, touch head, shoulders, knees and toes and catch.
18) Toss the bean bag from the front of your body and catch it behind you.
19) Toss the bean bag from the back of your body and catch it in front of you.
20) Toss the bean bag and catch it above your head. Catch it at your waist. Catch it right before it touches the ground.
21) Toss the bean bag and jump up and catch it above your head. (Relate this to rebounding a basketball.)
22) Toss it up and clap once and catch. Clap twice, three times. How many times can you clap before you catch the bean bag?
23) Toss your bean bag and catch it without making any noise. Talk to them about giving as they catch.
24) Place the bean bag between your ankles, jump up and catch the bean bag.
25) Place the bean bag on your head and tilt your head backward and catch the bean nag in your hands.
26) Place the bean bag on your head. Pretend you are sitting in a chair, tilt your head forward and catch the bean bag between your knees.
27) Each student gets a Frisbee and a bean bag. Lean the Frisbee against a wall, take 3 giant steps backward and try to throw the bean bag and knock the Frisbee over. Then take 6 giant steps back, etc.

Partner Activities

1) Toss and catch one bean bag back and forth with a partner.
2) Toss and catch where both of you have a bean bag and you toss them at the same time.
3) One partner holds the bean bag higher than their partner’s head. The other partner holds their hand open with their palms facing each other. The partner drops the bean bag and you have to time it correctly and slap your hands together and catch the bean bag.
4) One Step – You will have two lines, students will be side by side. In the one line will be one partner, in the other line will be their partner facing them, across from them. You can play this game with the partners having one bean bag between the two of them or two bean bags between the two of them. When the teacher says “toss”, everyone tosses the bean bags. If they catch one (or two if they are playing with two) then they step back one step. Teacher will say “toss” and everyone will toss. If you miss, you go back to the start lines. If they both catch their bean bags then they step back.

Relay Races (Make 4-6 lines with 5 to 8 in a line.)

1) Place the bean bag on your head and walk or run to the half court line of a basketball court and turn around and walk or run back. If the bean bag falls off your head, you must stop, put the bean bag back on your head, get your hands away, and start your movement again. When you get back the next student in line goes.
2) Place the bean bag on your elbow. Do not bend your arm and hold on to the bean bag. It lays on your elbow.
3) Place the bean bag on your shoulder.
4) Place the bean bag between your knees.
5) Place the bean bag on the top of your shoe in the toe area.
6) Place the bean bag on your knee. You will need to hop.
7) Hot Potato – Run down to the end of the basketball court and back. Every time the bean bag touches you, you have to toss it again. The students may do high, long tosses or short, low tosses. Either one is okay.

Whole Class Activity

1) Freeze Tag – The bean bag should be on a certain body part (head, shoulder, elbow, etc.). The person or persons who are “it” can pick their bean bags up when they fall, but if anyone else’s bean bag falls, they are frozen until someone comes and picks it up for them.. Or if the person who is “it” tags them, they are frozen until someone unfreezes them. The person who is “it” can not tag someone without the bean bag being on their head, etc.

Best Deal Magazines

2012-01-22T21:26:00.003-05:00

Best Deal Magazines - $4.69 Magazine Subscriptions

This is an awesome offer for bargain hunters. Best Deal Magazines offers 100+ magazines for just $4.69 for each 1 year subscription. Order for yourself, family, friends and business associates. All you pay is $4.69 for each 1 year subscription. Order as many as you like - the total potential savings is approximately $1,000. This offer is valid on new, gift and renewal subscriptions. In addition, unlike many other magazine websites, Best Deal Magazines does NOT automatically renew you at a higher rate after your subscription term is finished. To clear up any potential confusion, make sure you choose from the "$4.69 Subscriptions" category. In addition to the great $4.69 offer, Best Deal Magazines also offers 900+ magazine subscriptions at savings up to 95% off the cover price. Check it out at BEST DEAL MAGAZINES

Ice Storm

2012-01-21T08:34:00.007-05:00

We had freezing rain most of the night. Here is an early morning view from the front step looking towards the driveway. The icy pine trees are illuminated by the street light.

The pool pump and lines are covered in ice...

As is the picnic table...

And the pool slide...

The last picture is looking up the fence line into the woods.

Gmail Team :: Information needed.....

2012-01-17T20:43:00.004-05:00

Back on December 28th, I received an obvious spam email from the "Gmail Team." I marked it as spam and, since then, have seen several variants appear in my Spam folder.

Today I received another that was not marked as spam...

From: Gmail Team infocustomerservice.retrieve@gmail.com
To: account@google.com
Bcc: {my email address}

Subject: Information needed.....

Due to the congestion of all users of Google Mail, the server encountered some errors.
In an effort to protect your privacy and keep your information secure.
Kindly complete the fields below to avoid Denial of service.

Full Name* :
Date of Birth* :
e-mail account*:
Current Password* :

Thank you for your cooperation,

©2012 Google Mail ®.

Once again, I have reported the email as a phishing attack.

GetResponse Email Marketing

2012-01-17T06:20:00.003-05:00

GetResponse 2500

GetResponse is an easy-to-use email marketing platform designed to increase email marketing ROI faster than any other medium for small businesses and Enterprise customers. GetResponse offers an intuitive newsletter editor (including 300+ newsletter templates), drag-and-drop sign-up form builder (500+ form templates), email analytics, unlimited follow-up messages, online surveys, advanced segmentation, social media integration and Five-Star customer service and training. GetResponse is the first SOHO/SMB email marketing solution to offer email-to-speech capabilities, video email marketing with 1 GB storage and iPhone ® application. Launched in 1999, GetResponse has grown to over 160,000 active users from 180 countries, delivering 10 billion permission-based emails per year.

Shaping Up

2012-01-14T20:45:00.003-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Shaping Up
O: K: To teach movement vocabulary associated with health-related fitness.
1st: To strengthen various muscles by doing body movements.
2nd: To improve cardiovascular efficiency by repeated body movements. To improve overall fitness.
P: Teacher explanation and demonstration.

Shaping Up

Form a rectangle, square, triangle, and circle using cones. Utilize the length and width of the gym. Use directional polyspots from one cone to the next if needed.

Place one locomotor movement card on each cone.

Students will be assigned to one of the geometric shapes. They will travel from one cone to the next performing the locomotor movement on the cone until they get to the next cone. Then they will change the locomotor movement to what is on the next card.

The students are to do each geometric shape three times and then rest.

When all students are ready, they will be assigned to a new geometric shape and start performing new locomotor movements.

Gymnastics / Mats #1

2012-01-08T11:02:00.001-05:00

Physcial Education Lesson Plan

S: Physical Education
T: Gymnastics/Mats #1
O: Kindergarten – To help students try unusual movements with their bodies. To feel comfortable as they practice weight change, rhythm and timing as they move down the mats.
1st grade – To introduce gymnastics in a non-threatening way to help students become more flexible. To improve rhythm.
2nd grade – To help students improve their coordination and body control as they transfer weight from hands to feet, etc.
P: Teacher explanation and demonstration.

I start out with Animal Movements or Body Movements. I place two mats end to end and have three different waiting lines. I have them to do the skill down the mats and then stand up and walk off the mats back to the end of the line.

1) Puppy Dog Run – Students place hands and feet on the floor, bending knees and elbows and move down the mats in a happy puppy fashion.

2) Bear Walk – Bend forward with hands and feet on the mats. Bend knees as little as possible. Move forward slowly by moving the hand and foot on the same side together. (If they start with their right hand then their right foot should move at the same time.)

3) Rabbit Jump – Crouch down and place hands and feet on the mats. Move forward by moving both hands out in front and then bringing both feet up to the hands. It is a hands, feet movement. When the hands go, the feet don’t and when the feet go, the hands don’t.

4) Lame Dog Walk – Walk on both hands but only one foot. The other foot should be held up as injured. This is a hopping type of movement.

5) Crab Walk – Squat down with your back to the mats and reach back with both hands on the floor. Your bottom should not be touching the mats. Move backward using hands and feet.

6) Seal Walk – Laying straight and flat on your front side, using your arms, push your chest up off the mat. You then move forward, using only your arms. You will be pulling/dragging your legs.

7) Inchworm Crawl – Get into a push-up position. Without moving your hands, you inch by inch walk your feet as close to your hands as you can. Your legs should be kept completely straight. When your leg muscles start to fell stretched as far as they can go, then you do not move your feet, but now you move your hands forward until you are in a push-up position again. Keep hands planted and move feet, keep feet planted and move hands. This is a very slow process when done correctly.

8) Frog Jump – Unlike the Rabbit Jump where the hands and feet moved at different times, this jump is done where the hands and feet move and jump at the same time. Students should spring/jump down the mat.

9) Cricket Walk – Squat down with knees spread apart. Arms should go in between the legs and wrap around the outside of your ankles. Hands should be held on your ankles while you walk. Students need to bend at the knees and waist. Their bottoms should be down low.

10) Log Roll – Students should lie straight across the beginning of the mat. Their bodies should be completely straight. Their arms should be straight above their heads. Their legs should be straight and kept tight together. They roll, like a log, down the mat, trying to stay straight.

11) Egg Roll – The students should be sideways to the mat. They should squat into a tight ball, wrapping their arms around their knees. They are to roll sideways down the mat. They will look like wobbly eggs.

12) Siamese Twin Walk – Stand back to back with a partner. They should hook their elbows. With one partner leading on the way down the mat and the other partner leading on the way back, they should try to walk together.

13) Wheelbarrow – Students need to be with a partner. One student will be holding their weight on their hands while the other student is holding their partners ankles. The student with their hands on the mat should have their legs straight. The front student walks on the hands while the other student follows holding their legs. Then they need to switch positions.

Chiller replacement - 11

2012-01-07T17:55:00.009-05:00

On Thursday, the dry cooler was set into place on the lower roof:

Also, the old condensors were removed from the upper roof and replaced by the new condensor units:

Yesterday the chiller was moved from the entrance to the mechanical room to it's final location:

With the chiller in place, the temporary platform/ramp was removed and the door replaced:

Chiller replacement - 10

2012-01-05T21:13:00.005-05:00

The first slideshow is for the crane setup. The crane was rented from Capital City Group in Columbus. It was a Link-Belt HTC-8690 -- a 90-ton hydraulic truck crane with a 140 foot main boom.

The second slideshow is for the crane lifts. The order of events:

Raising the two I-beams for the base of the dry cooler

Raising the dry cooler to the lower roof

Raising the new chiller and slidding it into the mechanical room

Lowering the two old air-cooled condensors

Raising the two new air-cooled condensors

Chiller replacement - 9

2012-01-04T21:37:00.011-05:00

The tie-in of the new permanent lines for the temporary chiller was completed last week.

The old chillers, compressors, and piping have been removed. The concrete pad for the new chiller has been extended. The area is ready for the new equipment.

The parts piles have grown and include the signage for tomorrow's street closing due to the planned arrival of a crane and the new equipment.

A platform has been built through where the door from the penthouse to the lower roof used to be. The new chiller will be brought in through that opening.

Wind damage to roof

2012-01-04T21:37:00.005-05:00

This past weekend, the Athens area was subject to high winds. On walking in to work this morning, I noticed that part of the new roof trim was loose and bent up slightly...

Chiller replacement - 8

2012-01-03T20:49:00.004-05:00

Last week the temporary chiller was moved slightly, hooked up, and made operational. Here is a view from the building looking down into the alley:

The office ceiling through which the permanent pipes for the temporary chiller pass is shown next. The gray pipes can no longer be seen as they have been wrapped in a white-coated insulation.

Water leak at work

2012-01-03T20:48:00.004-05:00

On returning from the New Year's holiday weekend, we found that there had been another water leak at work. A pump in the penthouse was leaking and water found its way through cracks in the concrete decking into the offices below. Three offices and a conference room all had water damage.

The worst hit of the three offices had one ceiling tile fall out from being saturated:

Unfortunately there was a computer below it...

Bad Home Water Pressure Regulator

2012-01-03T20:45:00.005-05:00

This morning I woke to the sound of running water. No one else was up so I was concerned about the source of the water.

Given the below freezing temperatures early this morning, my first thought was that a pipe had burst. I quickly got dressed and went outside to check the outdoor faucets thinking that I might have left a hose attached. But everything was OK outdoors - other than being extremely cold.

Searching indoors, I found a toilet that was not shutting off. I tried jiggling the lever with no luck. I then removed the lid from the tank and jiggled the float again with no luck. I decided to turn off the water to the toilet and deal with the problem later.

A short time later, I heard more running water. This time the noise was coming from the laundry room on the lower floor. Water was all over the floor and hot water was coming out of the pressure relief valve on the water heater. I tried jiggling the relief valve with no luck. I then manually opened the valve fully and closed it. The valve still leaked. With that failed attempt, I shut off the water to the hot water tank, called a plumber, and started cleaning up the water on the floor.

As my wife was leaving for work she commented that she thought the cold water pressure was higher than normal. I then found my water pressure gauge and screwed it on to the utility sink in the laundry room. I opened the cold water faucet and the gauge pegged at a pressure exceeding 100 psi!

Things were starting to make a little more sense. My thought now was that the toilet and hot water tank were probably OK and that the water pressure regulator had failed.

I called Sunday Creek Valley Water District to see if they were experiencing any pressure problems. The lady that answered the phone told me that they were having higher than normal pressure in the main lines and they were investigating.

By then the plumber arrived. He agreed that my pressure regulator had likely failed. He left briefly to get a new pressure regulator and then returned.

In fairly short order, he had removed the old pressure regulator and had installed the new one shown here:

With the new pressure regulator installed, the water pressure was 52 psi. Now this evening, I checked again and the pressure has dropped to 46 psi:

I'm guessing that the water company has reduced the pressure in the main water line - maybe even lower than normal.

Battleship

2012-01-02T09:18:00.001-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Battleship
O: K – To practice aiming and throwing
1st Grade – To practice teamwork
2nd Grade – To improve throwing and catching skills
P: Teacher explains and demonstrates the activity; divides the class into 4 or 5 teams.

Students are divided into 4 teams (5 teams for larger classes). Each team is assigned a red gym mat (the ship). All members except one from each team stands on the mat. One member from each team gets onto a scooter (a dingy or lifeboat). The teammate on the scooter retrieves nerfballs and throws them to their teammates to use as ammunition to fire at other ships.

Each team is trying to protect their bowling pins from being knocked over by using their hands to deflect the balls while at the same time trying to throw nerfballs to knock other teams’ bowling pins over.

When only one team is left with any pins standing, that team is the winner.

A different student is assigned the scooter, pins are reset, and the game is played again.

Countdown to the New Year

2011-12-31T08:52:00.011-05:00

Happy New Year's Eve!

As we count down the minutes to the new year, I found this time widget from the Time and Frequency Divsion of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST):

The original HTML did not work. I had to make a few small changes to get it to work in this blog.

Gmail Team :: New Account...

2011-12-28T11:26:00.005-05:00

I received an interesting email to my Gmail account earlier today. I would have thought that Gmail's spam filters would have caught it because it is clearly a phishing attempt...

From: Gmail Team infodata.customerservices@gmail.com
To: accounts@google.com
BCC: {my email address}

Subject: New Account...

Due to the congestion of all users of Google Mail, the server encountered some errors.
In an effort to protect your privacy and keep your information secure.
Kindly complete the fields below to avoid Denial of service.

Name* :
Date of Birth* :
Google e-mail Address*:
Current Passw* :

Your's

©2011 Google Mail ® for information.

I have reported the email as a phishing attack.

Flex Seal

2011-12-26T19:33:00.007-05:00

The Problem

I have a joint where my concrete pool deck meets a concrete slab that is over part of my cellar. This joint is at the low point for both the pool deck and the slab. The deck and slab are basically level along the 24-foot length of this joint and it holds some water that does not flow easily to one end or the other. Water will leak through this joint and a couple of perpendicular cracks in the slab and slowly flood my cellar.

Another aspect of the joint is the vertical movement in the winter. As the slab is above the cellar, it does not move. But the concrete pool deck is on the ground and will move up and down with the winter freeze-thaw cycles.

Failed Attempts

About once a year I would clean the joint and the cracks. Then I would rub a water-proof caulk into the joint and cracks. That would work for about a year and then I would have to do it again.

I most recently tried a thick concrete epoxy-based paint along the joint and cracks. Apparently there is too much movement and I had new leaks in fairly short order.

Flex Seal

While watching TV the other day, I saw a commercial for Flex Seal. The product looked like just what I was looking for. I went to the website that was advertised: GetFlexSeal.com

The information on the website basically matched what I saw on the TV. Again, Flex Seal looked like what I needed.

But then I did a few Google searches and found some surprizes.

I found many bad reviews about the total cost and the checkout system. The bottom line is that you pay shipping and handling on the first can and the free can. The buy-one-get-one-free offer will cost you $19.95 + $9.95 + $9.95 for a total of $39.85. But that assumes you do not get confused during the ordering process and order more cans than you want or order other products along the way.

Then there were the reviews on the product itself. Most were not good. As of this posting date, the Better Business Bureau of the Southland (i.e., Southern California) has given this company an F rating.

The following video is from WGHP-TV (MyFox 8)...

A good place for seeing many comments is the Flex Seal product review on Amazon.com. I have found some possible alternatives for stopping my leak after going through those comments. Once the weather warms up and I give them a try, I will add a new post with the results. But for now, I will not be ordering Flex Seal...

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T08:11:00.009-05:00

Traditions...

Opening presents with the family

Eating lots of good food

Playing games on the Wii

Watching "A Christmas Story"
... "You'll shoot your eye out, kid"

Our tree before and after decorating...

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T21:47:00.002-05:00

It is Christmas Eve and time to light the Yule Log...

Need some snow to help get in the Christmas mood? Using Firefox or Chrome, go to Google, and search for "let it snow".

Merry Christmas!

See you later, Alligator

2011-12-23T16:59:00.002-05:00

How many ways can you think of to say goodbye...

See you later, Alligator
Not too soon, Big Baboon
Can't stay, Blue Jay
Chow chow, Brown Cow
Not now, Brown Cow
Take a bow, Brown Cow
Gotta go, Buffalo
Time to go, Buffalo
Bye bye, Butterfly
Adieu, Cockatoo
After a while, Crocodile
In a while, Crocodile
Out the door, Dinosaur
Give me a hug, Doodle Bug
In a shake, Garter Snake
Stay well, Gazelle
Blow a kiss, Goldfish
Adios, Hippos
Hit the road, Hoppy Toad
Manana, Iguana
Better swish, Jellyfish
Give a kiss, Jellyfish
Maybe two, Kangaroo
Toodle-loo, Kangaroo
So long, King Kong
Give a hug, Ladybug
In a blizzard, Little Lizard
To your house, Little Mouse
Chop chop, Lollipop
Just a word, Mocking Bird
To the bus, Octopus
Be sweet, Parakeet
'Till then, Penguin
Take care, Polar Bear
In a line, Porcupine
See you soon, Raccoon
Don't meander, Salamander
Gotta run, Skeleton
In an hour, Sunflower
Time to scoot, Warty Newt
Good luck, Yellow Duck

Chiller replacement - 7

2011-12-22T21:21:00.004-05:00

The 60-ton temporary chiller arrived today. It was quite an ordeal to get it unloaded from the delivery truck and placed on the back of the crane truck.

The crane truck was then turned around so that the temporary chiller could be placed near where it will be hooked up next week. By early afternoon the temporary chiller was at its final resting spot for today.

The six 5-ton portable coolers also arrived today but at the same time the temporary chiller was being unloaded. As a result, the portable coolers had to be unloaded on a nearby side street.

300,000 miles - 1996 Subaru Impreza

2011-12-21T21:12:00.004-05:00

We have a 1996 Subaru Impreza that we bought used several years ago.

Today we passed the 300,000 mile mark!

We make sure to keep up with the regular maintenance such as changing the oil. Many thanks to The Subtle Bug in The Plains, Ohio, for their excellent service.

Chiller replacement - 6

2011-12-20T21:25:00.008-05:00

The testing of the new pipes has revealed leaks in several of the joints. Several of the 90-degree elbows had to be cut out due to pin-hole leaks.

There were failures in joints both inside and outside as can be seen by the extra unions in the lines after sections were cut out and replaced.

The conduit has been extended up the outside of the wall, into the stair well, and up into the penthouse.

Finally, the ends of the new pipes are seen close to where the tie-ins will be with the existing lines.

$15 Christmas trees

2011-12-19T21:41:00.002-05:00

In today's newspaper, The Messenger, Athens, Ohio, I found the following ad:

TOM AND AMY'S
TREES
$5 per foot
SPECIAL
Any tree - 7 ft or over
$15. Take 50W, right on
Radford Rd, left on
Baker Rd., aproximately
3 miles.
740-698-5333

So if I wanted a 6-foot tree, it would cost $30. Or I could get it half-price by buying a 7-foot tree for $15 and cutting off the bottom!

The misspelling of "approximately" is in the original ad.

Chiller replacement - 5

2011-12-17T12:00:00.003-05:00

This past Thursday, the main part of the permanent pipes for the temporary chiller were completed. Work on the conduit for the electrical connection was still to be completed...

Testing of the new pipes began as can be seen in the following picture which shows the end caps and pressure gauges:

Top Five Ways to Customize Your Car for Less

2011-12-16T21:23:00.001-05:00

Want to customize your car without breaking the bank? Of course, everyone would love to buy new wheels, drop in a bumping stereo and customize from top to bottom, but not everyone is able to put thousands of dollars into their car.

Whether you want to stylize your car with top-notch customizations or money-saving add-ons, JC Whitney has the parts you need. Below are the top 5 ways to add a little of your own flare for less.

1. Wheel Covers or Simulators

Sure, a pair of sweet alloy wheels makes every car look good. But if you can't afford them or you’re saving up for those slick rims, look into wheel covers or simulators. JC Whitney has a huge selection to choose from, at a fraction of the cost of new wheels.

2. Graphics & Decals

Can't afford a new custom paint job? You're not alone, and there's a lower cost solution out there for those who would like to add a little personality to their vehicle. At JC Whitney, you'll find a great selection of graphics and decals, from window art to racing stripes.

3. Hood Ornaments & Emblems

Replace your hood ornament or add emblems for a low-cost customization option. From fish to elephants, flying eagles to goddesses, find a hood ornament that suits your own unique style.

4. Seat Covers

Do your old seats look battered or stained? Make them look new with seat covers from JC Whitney. Even if you have a new car, you can protect your seats and add some custom flavor to the interior of your vehicle.

5. Custom Floor Mats

Need an interior enhancement? New floor mats can make old cars look like new on the inside, and you can protect the carpeting of new cars while adding great style at a fraction of the cost of dealer-bought floor mats.

Find customization options and everything else automotive at JC Whitney - Click Here!

The Fuhrer on TCAP in the bunker

2011-12-16T07:11:00.005-05:00

Here is funny video from SchoolTube.com titled "The Fuhrer on TCAP in the bunker." Teachers, principals, and administrators will more than likely see some similarities with their own school. A great spoof on what happens when the test results arrive...

...so much for Jeans Day - no jeans for you!

Can Bad Credit be Deleted?

2011-12-15T21:49:00.003-05:00

Yes, it can. Despite the fervent proclamations of bureaucrats and credit bureaus everywhere, a simple fact remains: negative credit listings are deleted from peoples' credit reports by the thousands each and every day.

A few years ago, an attorney from Lexington Law. visited with a regulatory agency for a casual conversation with two agents. The Agency's office, as a matter of course, believed the credit bureaus' claim that bad credit couldn't be deleted. The visiting Lexington attorney asked, "How many negative listings would you have to see deleted from consumer credit reports before you would believe that bad credit can be deleted: ten? fifty? a hundred? one thousand?" The agents responded with only blank stares.

"How about 50,000 deleted listings, would that convince you?" continued the Lexington attorney. From his briefcase he pulled a stack of papers six inches high.

"In these pages, we have listed the permanent deletion of over 50,000. listings from our clients' files in the last two years alone," he explained. The agents pulled the stack across the conference table and began to pick through the pages, taking in the massive list.

"But have you deleted any bankruptcies?" shot back one of the agents, "we know that bankruptcies can't be deleted." The Lexington attorney leaned across the table and ran his finger down the first page.

"There's one deleted bankruptcy... and, there's another,... and another,... and another. Should I go on?" asked the Lexington attorney.

The agents sat back in their chairs. "You know," began the junior agent, "I have this one listing on my credit report that simply must belong to somebody else..."

How is credit repair possible?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) allows a consumer to challenge the information on his credit report on the basis of "completeness and accuracy." When a consumer files a dispute, the credit bureaus must contact the source of the credit information (the creditor) and confirm that the information is accurate, verifiable, and not obsolete. In some circumstances, the credit bureau is required to go beyond a simple verification of the creditor's own computer record. If, within 30 days, the credit bureau has not received verification from the creditor, then the credit bureau must promptly delete the credit listing. Learn More.

Access Your PC from Anywhere

2011-12-14T20:47:00.002-05:00

Access Your PC from Anywhere - Free 30-day Trial

GoToMyPC allows you to securely access and use your office computer from any Web browser anytime, anywhere. Free Trial.

Click here.

* TELEWORKERS: Work on your office computer from home, easily and securely, with just an Internet connection.

* TRAVELERS: Access and use your computer and files from hotels, airports, Internet cafes - anywhere with Web access.

* AFTER-HOURS ACCESS: Access and use your office desktop, email and other corporate resources after hours from any location connected to the Internet.

Never be without a forgotten file again and see why GoToMyPC is changing the way people work remotely. Try it Free!

PC Users: Download the Free Trial Now - Click the following link and
setup in only 2 minutes.

Chiller replacement - 4

2011-12-13T21:43:00.006-05:00

The permanent pipes for the temporary chiller have been put through the outside wall, ...

...through the ceiling of a third floor office, ...

...up into the penthouse, ...

...and close to the existing pipes where they will tie in...

Incident Response

2011-12-13T21:34:00.002-05:00

Part of the team has gathered around a small screen and the conference phone while working with a vendor...

After working nearly all day, most of the laptops required additional power...

Flights, Hotels, Cars, and Vacation Packages

2011-12-13T06:24:00.001-05:00

How to Start a Freelance Career

2011-12-12T21:04:00.001-05:00

How to Start a Freelance Career

Work at Home and Earn an Excellent Income

Imagine being able to work from your own home, doing a job you love, and getting paid handsomely for doing it. Wouldn't that be great?

Well, the good news is that this is not just a fantasy. It is a prospect that is well within your reach. Today, millions of people worldwide have established highly-successful careers as freelance professionals. Writers, designers, programmers and many other home-based consultants have discovered that freelancing offers the perfect combination of freedom, creativity, flexibility and profitability.

So do you need years of experience and fantastic qualifications to join these lucky people? Not at all. You just need a skill that you can offer to potential clients, and the willingness to learn how to run a home-based business.

Of course, the biggest challenge for new freelancers is finding enough work to justify giving up a day job. How can you be sure that you will keep yourself busy with lucrative work? This used to be a concern, but thanks to the advent of the Internet, things are now much easier.

Now there are a number of job sites dedicated to helping freelancers find work and stay busy. Go Freelance, for example, brings you hundreds of fresh freelance jobs like these:

Write for Discussion Boards: $1200 per week, plus bonus

A writer is needed for an ongoing writing project. You will need to write copy to stimulate others into joining the discussion board. The writer needs to actively encourage regular and meaningful debate on the relevant discussion board, with some moderating of the content. You must have solid writing skills and good ideas.

Administer a Web Business from Home: $4000 per month

A successful e-commerce venture is seeking a part-time virtual assistant to act as a home-based office manager. You will deal with email correspondence, update site content and deal with general admin issues. You should have your own computer and Internet access.

Transcribe Author's Notes: $80 per hour, flexible working

A publishing company is seeking a freelance with an eye for detail to transcribe authors' notes and recordings for a range of ongoing projects. You must have a good grasp of English, be able to edit content into readable form, and be able to submit work from home by email.

You can sign up for a trial subscription for just $7.00, and get instant access to all the projects in the jobs database. So if you would like to get started on the road to freelance success right now, click here to sign up today.

Dog House

2011-12-11T12:25:00.001-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Dog House
O: K – To learn a new game. To exercise and strengthen heart and lung muscle.
1st – To practice team strategies. To practice dodging skills.
2nd – To practice running and dodging for fun and fitness.
P: Teacher will divide the class, explain, and demonstrate.

Dog House

Students will be divided into four equal teams and given four different colors of scrimmage shirts.

One hula hoop will be put in each of the four corners of the gym. The hula hoop is that team’s dog house.

Teacher will call out one of the colors: Red dogs, Blue dogs, Green dogs, Yellow dogs.

That team is the tagging team. They are to tag and escort the "dog" they caught back to the dog house. The game will go for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. After that time, we count and see how many dogs were caught by that team. All dogs go back to their own dog house and get ready for the next color to be called.

Each team will get equal turns.

When students/dogs are being chased, they cannot go back to their dog house to be safe.

503-457-1274 "HOME SECURITY G"

2011-12-09T15:31:00.005-05:00

I continue to get calls from home security telemarketers. The number 503-457-1274 shows up in my caller ID as "HOME SECURITY G".

I have had 5 calls in the last four days...
- 12/6 1:31 PM
- 12/7 11:53 AM
- 12/7 7:19 PM
- 12/8 2:30 PM
- 12/9 11:42 AM

And this is inspite of the fact that my home phone number is registered with the National Do Not Call Registry.

Chiller replacement - 3

2011-12-08T20:00:00.004-05:00

The two permanent pipes for the temporary chiller have been started. They are 6-inch, schedule-80 pipes...

Chiller replacement - 2

2011-12-07T19:03:00.011-05:00

There are now warning signs on the back door to the building since there is construction along the outside wall of the building:

There are three holes that have been drilled through the outside wall - two for cooling lines (upper left) and one for an electrical conduit (upper right):

This is the hole for the conduit looking from the stairwell to the outside:

Some of the permanent lines for the temporary chiller are now in place in the penthouse:

Welding for some of the other piping in the penthouse has started:

Chiller replacement

2011-12-05T23:07:00.010-05:00

The chiller replacement project has begun. Two large holes were core drilled today. Here are two views from a 3rd floor office looking upward:

Here are the same two holes from the 4th floor (penthouse) side:

The next two pictures show the equipment used to drill the holes:

This picture shows the equipment to be replaced:

The last two pictures for today show some of the parts and other equipment in the penthouse:

Accident - Rear-end collision

2011-12-05T23:06:00.007-05:00

On driving home this evening, I was rear-ended on Columbus Road between the gas station and US 33. A line of 4 or 5 cars in front of me had slowed down as the lead car was turning to the left. A pickup truck behind me slammed into my van as I was slowing down.

As you can see from the picture, it was after dark and raining.

The pickup truck had very little damage.

The following pictures were taken later in the evening in my garage. One side affect of the accident is that I can not open the back of the van...

Who wore it better?

2011-12-05T22:39:00.003-05:00

The sisters at DeepFriedUnicorn have come up with an interesting concept. They start with a funny picture and then attempt to recreate it. They then basically ask which is better - the original or the remake. An example is shown below:

Visit their blog DeepFriedUnicorn to see their latest creations...

Ball Handling Skills / Basketball

2011-12-04T21:35:00.001-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Ball Handling Skills / Basketball
O: K: To practice and improve bouncing and catching a ball.
1st: To practice and improve ball handling skills.
P: Teacher explanation and demonstration.

Students will each have their own playground ball or small basketball.

• Can you raise the ball a full arm’s length overhead, drop the ball, and count how many times you can run around the ball before it stops bouncing?
• Can you throw the ball into the air and catch it before it hits the ground? Did you have to move to catch it? Why? (Discuss the importance of throwing the ball straight up. What happens when you throw it up forward? backward? sideways?)
• Can you throw the ball straight up into the air and catch it without moving your feet?
• Now that you are getting better at throwing the ball straight into the air, how many times can you clap your hands before catching the ball?
• This time, can you throw the ball into the air and let it bounce one time before you catch it? Did you have to move your feet to catch it? Why?
• Listen very carefully to this next challenge. Can you throw the ball into the air, and then when it lands and bounces in front of you, spin all the way around and catch it? (Stress watching the ball hit the floor before the child spins around.)
• From a standing position with the feet spread, how large an area can you cover while rolling the ball around the outside of your feet? (Stress transferring weight from one leg to another in order to make a wider circle.)
• From your standing position with feet spread, can you make a “figure 8” while rolling the ball around and between your spread feet?
• Can you bounce the ball against the wall and catch it on the first bounce? (Stress starting off close to the wall and moving back as the students become more skilled.)
• Can you bounce the ball off the wall and catch it before it hits the floor?
• Can you keep the ball bouncing while using two hands?
• Now, can you keep the ball bouncing while using one hand? (Discuss the mechanics of dribbling – using fingertips, pushing the ball rather than hitting it, using the wrist, etc.)
• Can you bounce the ball with the other hand?
• Can you keep the ball bouncing while alternating your hands?
• Can you walk around the ball while dribbling with your right hand? How about the left hand?

Basketball 3

2011-12-04T20:53:00.003-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Basketball #3
O: 2nd Grade – To continue practicing basketball skills.
3rd Grade – To teach students the correct basketball shooting form and give them time to practice.
4th Grade – To practice different shots that you would use in basketball.
5th Grade – To review dribbling skills while playing a keep away game. To practice and try to improve shooting skills.
P: Teacher led demonstration and explanation of activities.

Shooting

One hand set shot – Your dominant hand is the one that holds the ball. The other hand should be on the side, only for balancing. The ball is on your fingers of your shooting hand. It should not be resting in the palm of your hand. Your wrist should be flexed; your arm, elbow, and shoulder should make an “L”. As you push the ball, your shoulder and elbow raise as your elbow extends and at the end, your wrist extends with the ball rolling off your fingertips. The ball should start at shoulder height.

A: Hot Shot
• Three teams – one at each basket.
• They are competing against each other to see how many can get the most poly spots.
• One student will go to a poly spot and shoot. If that student makes their shot they will pick up their poly spot and return it to their team and get back in line. If they miss they will just return to their line.
• This will go on until one team gets all their poly spots or until I blow the whistle.

B: Lay-Ups – 8 students at each basket. 2 lines with 4 in each line at each basket. One line should start at the right of the foul line looking at the basket. (They are the shooters) The other line should be at the left of the foul line looking at the basket. (They are the rebounders) With lay-ups you need to teach them that on the right side (which is really the only side I work at this young age) their right hand extends up toward the basket at the same time their right knee is being lifted up. They should push off with their left leg. Just that skill alone may need to be practiced under the basket before going into lay-ups. A lay-up is a shot taken on a drive for the basket while still on the move. You do not stop and then shoot. Your momentum carries through the shot. At this age a lot of students will stop their dribble and their movement and then shoot. If they need to do that it is okay.

C: Keep-Away – 8 to 10 students do not have a basketball, everyone else does. Those without a basketball go and try to take one from someone else. If a student gets their basketball taken away then they should go and try to take someone who has one. When the teacher blows the whistle whoever doesn’t have a ball has to do 15 jumping jacks. The preset boundary should be the size of two basketball courts. There should be no fouls while taking the ball away. Remind them of body control and safety.

Basketball 2

2011-12-04T20:44:00.002-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Basketball #2
O: 2nd Grade – To continue practicing basketball skills.
3rd Grade – To teach and have students practice different passes.
4th Grade – To give students the opportunity to learn and practice passing skills while doing different activities.
5th Grade – To practice passing skills. To use passing and dribbling skills together for different games and activities.
P: Teacher will explain and demonstrate skills and activities. Divide class as needed.

A. Passing – students will need a partner. There should be two lines, one student in one line and their partner in the other line. Partners should be across from each other looking at each other.

Partners will be passing back and forth to each other.

1. Chest pass – both hands are on the ball, one on each side. The pass starts around your chest and is pushed to your partner’s chest. You step forward with one foot. When your hands release the ball the back of your hands should be turned into each other. (Palms out, thumbs down)

2. Bounce pass – The ball starts at your waist/belly area and goes to your partner’s waist/belly area. The ball is pushed forward and down and should hit the floor about 2/3 away from the passer. You can’t start with the ball above your head and you can’t just bounce it down. It has to be forward and down.

B. Passing and Sliding – 6 lines, first two work together, second two, and last two.

The first person in each line will be sliding sideways down the basketball court. As they slide they need to be passing the ball back and forth between their “partner”. Do it once using the chest pass and once using the bounce pass. The first two should do it down and back and then the next two would go.

C. Dribble, Jump Stop, Pivot Pass – 6 lines again

So often children at this age, once they stop their dribble they will travel while trying to find someone to pass to. Now would be a good time to explain traveling to them. This drill works on them stopping and picking one foot to be a pivot foot and turning.

The first student in each line dribbles a short distance (maybe to the foul line), stops with both feet planted, then they choose either foot to stay planted while they pick up the other one and turn to look back at their line. They then pass to the next student in line. They go to the end of the line while the next student dribbles out.

D. Dribble, Stop, Pivot, Pass to Partner

In a game situation do you stand and wait for the pass to come to you or do you go to get the pass? You must go to the pass or the other team may take it away.

The students should have partners. One ball for each set of partners. One student starts with the ball and dribbles anywhere within the preset boundaries. The partner is running around anywhere in the preset boundaries. When the whistle blows, the student with the ball should stop, pivot, and look for their partner. Their partner MUST be running to receive the pass. No passing should be made across the area. Do not make the pass until your partner is close enough for a good, safe pass. Students should be reminded of body control and safety. It is up to each one of them to be able to change direction or stop to avoid any accidents.

E. Dribble Knockout

Each student should have their own basketball. All students are to dribble anywhere in the gym trying to knock out the other players balls without losing their own. If their ball gets knocked away they should run, get it, and do 20 around the waist ball handling skills before returning to the game.

Basketball 1

2011-12-04T20:30:00.002-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Basketball #1
O: 2nd Grade – To introduce basketball and practice different skills that go along with the sport.
3rd Grade – To have students practice ball control and dribbling skills.
4th Grade – To give students the opportunity to learn new dribbling and ball handling tricks.
5th Grade – To have students practice their dribbling skills while performing different activities and games.
P: Teacher led explanation and demonstration.

When handling a basketball you should use your fingertips and not the palm of your hand. These first activities are just to help the students become comfortable handling the ball.

A. Ball Handling

1. Tapping the ball back and forth between both hands.
a. Do that high above their head
b. At their waist area
c. Low by their feet

2. Passing the ball around their head, waist, knees (with legs together), one leg, other leg, figure eight, passing the ball from on hand to the other hand through their legs while they walk.

3. Holding the ball between their legs, down by their knees-one hand is in front of the body and the other hand is in back of the body. Switch hands without letting the ball touch the floor.

4. Holding the ball between the legs again except this time both hands are in back of the body without letting the ball touch the floor.

5. Pass the ball up and over your head from one hand to the other like a rainbow.

6. Try to spin the ball on your finger. Hold it in one hand and rotate your wrist quickly to get it to spin and then stick your pointer finger up for the ball to land on.

B. Dribble Handling – When dribble, again you use your fingertips. Your hand should be relaxed, wrist will flex up and down, elbow will flex up and down and your shoulder will be moving some too.

1. Dribble waist high, as low as possible. Now try the same thing with your other hand. (You must get comfortable using both hands.)

2. Start the ball on the floor not moving. Can you turn it into a dribble by only using one hand? The students may need to make a fist to give it one good hit and then start dribbling.

3. Dribble while you are on your knees, while sitting. When you are sitting, have your legs out straight in front of you and flat, try dribbling over your legs, now open your legs up and try dribbling outside of one leg, over that leg to the middle, over the next leg to the outside and then back again. Always try all drills using each hand.

4. Dribble behind your back.

5. Standing straddle, dribble around one leg, other leg, and figure eight.

C. Dribbling

1. 5 lines – 4 or 5 in each line
a. Dribble down and around the cone (or to the end of the basketball court)
b. Do the same thing except now use your weak hand, i.e., other hand.
c. This time dribble the ball from one hand to the other the entire way down. This might be a good time to talk to them about double dribbling. It is okay to dribble from hand to the other as long as you only use one hand at a time. You are not allowed to dribble using two hands together.
d. This time when you dribble use your strong hand and look up or to the side or the other. Do not look t the ball.

2. Same 5 lines again, but now set up at least four cones spread evenly apart for each line.

Dribble zigzag in and out the cones, down and back. If the cone is on the right side of your body then the ball should be in your left hand. If the cone is on the left side of your body then the ball should be dribbled with your right hand. Pretend the cones are defensive players (players from the other team who are trying to take the ball away). If the cone is on your left side and you are dribbling the ball in your left hand it would be very easy for someone to take it away from you. But if the cone is on your left side and you are dribbling with your right hand the person would have to reach across your body and probably foul you to take it away.

3. Dribble Freeze Tag

All students except for 2 will have a basketball. Students who have a basketball will be dribbling around the gym floor while the 2 students without a ball, who are “it”, will be trying to tag them. When tagged, students should stand with the basketball in their hand. Students who are dribbling can unfreeze frozen students.

Switch students who are “it” often.

College Basketball - 100 Greatest Programs

2011-12-04T10:58:00.006-05:00

100 Greatest College Basketball Programs of All Time

On Tuesday, January 25, 2005, the 100 greatest college basketball programs of all time were announced in a special issue of Street & Smith's magazine.

Street & Smith's magazine used 15 categories to determine the top 100, including NCAA and NIT appearances and wins, conference championships and tournament championships, graduation rates, all-time winning percentages, and NBA first-round draft picks.

1 University of Kentucky
2 University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
3 University of North Carolina
4 University of Kansas
5 Duke University
6 Indiana University
7 University of Louisville
8 Universtiy of Arkansas
9 Universtiy of Connecticut (UConn)
10 Universtiy of Cincinnati

11 University of Utah
12 Ohio State University
13 Oklahoma State University
14 University of Arizona
15 Syracuse University
16 University of Pennsylvania
17 North Carolina State University
18 St. John's University
19 Princeton University
20 Temple University

21 Georgetown University
22 Kansas State University
23 University of Texas
24 University of Oklahoma
25 Michigan State University
26 University of Michigan
27 University of Illinois
28 University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
29 University of San Francisco
30 Purdue University

31 Western Kentucky University
32 Villanova University
33 Marquette University
34 West Virginia University
35 University of Maryland
36 Brigham Young University (BYU)
37 University of Houston
38 University of Missouri
39 University of Notre Dame
40 University of Iowa

41 University of California, Berkeley
42 University of Wyoming
43 Saint Joseph's University
44 Stanford University
45 Creighton University
46 Wake Forest University
47 Miami University of Ohio
48 Xavier University
49 University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP, Texas Western)
50 Louisiana State University (LSU)

51 Weber State University
52 Murray State University
53 La Salle University
54 University of Alabama
55 University of Wisconsin
56 University of Virginia
57 DePaul University
58 Oregon State University
59 University of Tulsa
60 University of Pittsburgh

61 University of Memphis
62 North Carolina A&T (Agricultural and Technical) State University
63 Bradley University
64 Georgia Institute of Technology
65 University of Colorado
66 Dartmouth College
67 Texas Tech University
68 College of the Holy Cross
69 Pepperdine University
70 New Mexico State University

71 Southern Methodist University
72 Santa Clara University
73 Idaho State University
74 Boston College
75 Providence College
76 University of Southern California (USC)
77 University of Tennessee
78 University of Massachusetts
79 University of Dayton
80 Davidson College

81 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC)
82 Utah State University
83 Alcorn State University
84 Iowa State University
85 University of Washington
86 Ohio University
87 United States Naval Academy (Navy)
88 University of North Carolina at Charlotte
89 Gonzaga University
90 Valparaiso University

91 Seton Hall University
92 Arizona State University
93 Northeastern University
94 University of Oregon
95 University of Louisiana at Monroe (LA-Monroe)
96 University of Florida
97 Loyola University Chicago
98 University of New Mexico
99 Mississippi State University
100 Butler University

I orginally published this content at http://daresler.net/info/top/basketball-programs/ in December 2006. So what do you think? Have things changed much since then?

My office and condensation

2011-12-04T10:19:00.002-05:00

This past Friday, workers replaced 8 or so ceiling tiles in my office that had been damaged from previous water leaks. Most of the damage was from a leaking pipe above my office.

But one of the ceiling tiles had been damaged this past July due to condensation. The picture below shows what the space above the ceiling looks like now. The orange colors are rust from repeated condensation events:

Hi this is Tom with Home Protection ...

2011-12-01T18:32:00.007-05:00

And so the message on the answering machine was "Hi this is Tom with Home Protection, how are you today? This is Tom with Home Protection, how are you? Hello? Are you there?"

The call came from 740-205-1734 and my caller ID displayed "LANCASTER OH". This was at 5:25 pm.

A quick Google search revealed what I thought, this is an unscrupulous telemarketer.

I also discovered that this company was responsible for several missed calls over the past 24 hours...

4:49 pm - NEW A CO - 360-529-6133

2:00 pm - NEW CO - 425-390-8157

11:40 am - NEW A CO - 360-529-6133

6:14 pm, yesterday - NEW CO - 425-390-8157

We have been getting calls from those numbers several times a day for many days now.

I hope that whoever is behind this is put in jail!

Fun Stations

2011-11-30T19:32:00.000-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Fun Stations
O: K: To practice and improve hand-eye coordination
1st: To practice and improve a variety of sport skills
P: Teacher explanation and demonstration

#1) Hoppity Hops – Each student will have their own hopping ball with handle. They will practice body control, balance, and jumping skills.

#2) Stilts – Each student will have their own set of plastic cup stilts. They will practice walking forward, backward, and sideways on their stilts.

#3) Playground Balls – Each student will have their own ball. Students will practice dribbling their ball like a basketball. They may try to shoot it into the basket. They may pass it to each other or up against the wall.

#4) Paddles and Balloons – Each student will have their own foam paddle/racket and their own balloon. They are to practice hitting their balloon with the paddle. They should try to keep the balloon from touching the floor.

#5) Scoops and Beanbags – Each student will have their own scoop and beanbag. They should hold the scoop in their non-dominate hand (like a baseball or softball glove) leaving their dominant hand to toss or throw with. They should practice tossing and catching.

#6) Hula Hoops – Each student will have their own hula hoop. They should practice and try to improve the skills that the teacher has taught them earlier in the year with hula hoops.

Stations 3, 4, and 5 could be done as partners if the students would like.

Another water leak at work

2011-11-28T21:30:00.006-05:00

Another day of rain. Another day of water leaks at work.

Luckily my office is now dry. The ceiling tiles are supposed to be replaced soon.

However, an office down the hall from me was not so lucky...

That office had not had leaks in the recent past. The next two offices also had leaks today as well.

Turkey and Farmer Tag Game

2011-11-27T16:24:00.002-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Turkey and Farmer Tag Game
O: K – To teach students a new game. To exercise cardiovascular muscles.
1st – To run for exercise. To practice stopping, starting, and dodging skills.
2nd – To teach game strategies. To help student’s cardiovascular muscles build up endurance and get stronger.
P: Teacher explanation of the game. Demonstration when needed. Divide and organize students.

Four hula hoops are placed in the four corners of the gym. Ten bean bags are placed in each hula hoop. An empty container/tub (the food bowl) is placed in the center of the gym floor.

Four farmers are picked to guard the four hula hoops/feed with a foam pool noodle that has been cut into 2” x 24” pieces (very soft and safe).

The farmers are not allowed to step inside the hula hoops.

The farmer only wants the turkeys to eat at night because that will make them fatter. The turkeys are hungry now, so they are trying to steal food (bean bags) from the farmer’s feed barn. The farmer tries to hit (tag) the turkeys with the pool noodle. If a turkey gets tagged, they must go to the edge of the gym floor and do 10 “turkey” jacks (jumping jacks with wings). If they have a piece of food when they get tagged, they must return the food to the hula hoop and then go do their turkey jacks. If they can steal a piece of food and not get tagged, they should place it in the tub in the center of the gym.

Turkeys are only allowed to take one piece of food at a time.

After a turkey has stolen one piece of food from a farmer, they may not come back to that farmer again until they have stolen from the other three farmers also.

After a couple of minutes, I stop the game, pick 4 new farmers, replace the bean bags so there are 10 in each hula hoop, and start again.

Students love this game!

Stuck in the mud

2011-11-25T20:41:00.006-05:00

For yesterday's Thanksgiving dinner, we drove my mother-in-law around the back of the house. Or so we tried. Our four-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza got stuck in the wet grass/mud. This is what it looked like in the dark after four adults pushed the car out.

The ground was so wet that the ruts filled with water by this morning...

In the back left of the last photo is the location for our new storage building. We are still in the process of preparing the area. The pile of branches and wood is from several trees - mainly dead trees - that we had to remove.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T12:57:00.006-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Traditions...

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
National Dog Show
Family
Turkey Dinner and all the fixings

Highlights from today...

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: Scotty McCreery lip sync FAIL

National Dog Show: New dog breed - Xoloitzcuintli (phonetic pronunciation is show-low-eats-queen-tlee)

Family...

What should not be part of the traditions is shopping...

Water leak in my office due to pipe leak

2011-11-23T20:25:00.010-05:00

Just before entering my office this morning, I noticed a new wet spot on a ceiling tile in the hallway. Not a good sign of things to come...

Overnight, the water leak above my office got worse. Even though there were now six buckets to catch the water, parts of my desk were wet...

Further investigation today revealed that the source of the water was a pinhole leak in a pressurized steam return line. The water was intermittently spraying on the backside of the roof in the attic area making it look like it was originally a roof leak.

Water leak in my office after all-day rain

2011-11-23T07:32:00.005-05:00

Yesterday we had a lot of rain in the Athens, Ohio area. The rain started the previous evening, continued overnight, and then throughout the day.

On arriving at work, I heard the sounds of water dripping in the ceiling area not far from a previous leak. I figured it was from the roof due to the rain. By the end of the day, several ceiling tiles were wet and water was dripping into strategically placed buckets both on a shelf and on the floor.

Directly above my office is an enclosed attic area. It is hard to see in that area as there are no lights. Using flashlights to see around, we were able to find water dripping from the roof onto some duct work.

We then checked the outside of the roof and directly above where we saw the dripping there was a damaged section of roof that had been repaired with some sealant.

I am leaving for work and will see shortly how my office is today...

Dark Chocolate: Nestle vs. Hershey's

2011-11-21T21:57:00.005-05:00

I am a chocolate lover. No question about that.

There is no better snack then a handful of Hershey's Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate Chips. But they have to be cold. I try to keep a bag at the ready in the refigerator at all times.

Recently the local Walmart was sold out so I tried Nestle Toll House All Natural Dark Chocolate Morsels as a replacement.

So how do they compare?

Nutrition Facts for a 1 tbsp serving size:

- Hershey's: 70 calories (40 calories from fat)
- Nestle: 70 calories (45 calories from fat)

- Hershey's: 4.5 g total fat
- Nestle: 5 g total fat

- Both have 3 g saturated fat
- Both have 0 g trans fat

- Hershey's: 5 mg sodium
- Nestle: 0 mg sodium

- Hershey's: 9 g total carbohydrates
- Nestle: 8 g total carbohydrates

- Both have 1 g dietary fiber

- Hershey's: 8 g sugars
- Nestle: 6 g sugars

- Both have <1 g protein

Which chocolate do I think tastes better? No comparison. The Hershey's Special Dark wins easily!

Lucky / Unlucky Number and Ball Grab

2011-11-20T22:05:00.001-05:00

Physical Education Lesson Plan

S: PE
T: Lucky / Unlucky Number – Ball Grab
O: K: To have students practice different locomotion skills.
1st: To improve on reaction time, quickness, and agility.
P: Teacher explanation and demonstration.

Lucky / Unlucky Number

Six cones that are numbered 1 through 6 are placed in different corners/areas of the gym.

Students will be asked to skip, gallop, slide, etc. anywhere within the gym area. When the teacher says “Pick a number,” all students choose a numbered cone area and stays there. The teacher will roll a die and the students whom are staying at that number do not have to do an exercise that all other students do. For “Unlucky Number” it is reversed and if you are standing at the number rolled, you are the only students who have to do the exercise.

Ball Grab

Students will be divided into 4 teams. Each team’s students will be numbered off 1 through 6. Each team will stand on a different side of the gym.

Two balls are placed in the center of the gym.

The teacher will call off a number. The students with that number (one from each team) will run and try to grab a ball and run back to their team. The two students who did not get a ball will try to tag the students with the ball before they make it back to their team.

If a student with a ball gets tagged, they must give the ball back to the other student.

The student that makes it back to their line with a ball scores a point for their team.

The teacher will place the ball back in the middle and call another number. You could also use 4 balls and call 2 numbers.

Pipeline inspections

2011-11-19T22:11:00.007-05:00

Since the pipeline explosion on Wednesday, there have been numerous aircraft - mainly helicopters - flying above the pipeline right-a-way.

Today there was one airplane that flew back and forth multiple times. The plane's path was both along the pipeline and also perpendicular to the pipeline.

I was able to capture the following pictures during one of the flybys.

Later in the afternoon I saw a pickup truck with the El Paso Corporation logo visit my neighbor across the road.

Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion (part 2)

2011-11-17T21:37:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I reported on a pipeline rupture and subsequent explosion and fire that occurred a few miles away from where I live.

Several news sources have reported that the Morgan County Sheriff's Office announced this afternoon that it appears that the leak was the result of an over-pressurization or failure in the pipe or pipe weld. The explosion likely resulted from the ignition of the natural gas from a spark from debris, static electricity or nearby power transformers. The Division of State Fire Marshal and Morgan County Sheriff's Office investigation has concluded. There was no evidence of an accidental or intentional breach.

The explosion created a 30-foot-wide by 15-foot-deep crater. The blast was felt as far as 12 miles away. It was estimated that about 60 acres burned. Authorities were only able to get within about 1000 yards during the peak of the fires. Flames reported shot 200 to 300 feet in the air.

Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion

2011-11-16T17:44:00.011-05:00

This morning there was a natural gas pipeline explosion about 6 miles to the north, northeast of where I live. The explosion and resulting fires occurred around 8:30 am. The location was just across the Athens County line in Homer Township, Morgan County, Ohio.

I was not home at the time as I was already at work in Athens. I first learned of the explosion at 9:34 am through an emergency notification service called Nixle. The service is really nice and if you haven't heard of it, I recommend that you take a look at their website to see if they have coverage in your area.

The incident was originally reported to have occurred near Robinson and Hooper Ridge Roads. Various news reports now say the explosion was near 9436 and 9500 Taylor Road. Several buildings were destroyed and one woman was taken to an area hospital.

The natural gas pipeline is owned by Tennessee Gas Pipeline. I have seen conflicting news reports on the size of the line. For example, Reuters, reported it as a 25-inch high pressure gas line. The Athens News reported it as a 36-inch gas pipeline.

Of particular interest to me is that there is a natural gas pipeline across the road from my house near the ridge top - approximately 700 feet away. If you look at the "System Map" from Tennessee Gas Pipeline, it shows what looks like one pipeline coming up through Southeast Ohio.

Topographic maps such as what is available from trails.com show several pipelines running through this part of the state. The one closest to me appears to be the one that ruptured today if you follow it northward into Morgan County.

The National Pipeline Mapping System has a public map viewer. By selecting Ohio and then Athens County, I can see that there are four Tennessee Gas pipelines within about 1 mile to the west of my house - actually two on the ridge top within 700 feet.

Those two pipelines (the two on the right) travel along together using mostly the same path into Morgan County. But there are places where they split apart briefly such as where they cross my road (Mill Creek Road).

Once in Morgan County, the pipelines split apart again for a brief while.

Based on an aerial photo of today's explosion site, it appears that it is the west branch of those two pipelines that ruptured.

It will be interesting if we ever hear what caused the leak and explosion.

Update: Thursday, November 17: The Athens Messenger reports that this was a 36-inch, carbon steel pipeline that was constructed in Southeast Ohio in 1963.

More water leaks at work

2011-11-15T21:46:00.009-05:00

Not too far from my office is a kitchen / eating area. A small leak has appeared on one of the ceiling tiles. Water could also be heard dripping on the light fixture. This is below the 4th-floor penthouse.

It rained overnight and throughout the day. Two water leaks could be heard above the ceiling in an office down the hall from my office. One of the leaks is shown here.

The next picture shows the daytime "fix"...

The nighttime "fix" was a little more elaborate...

My thoughts are that the leaks are coming from this area of the roof. Note the black and green stains where the water tends to puddle.

Water leak in my office

2011-11-14T20:56:00.007-05:00

On returning to work after the extended weekend (i.e., last Friday, Veterans Day, was a holiday), I found that water had leaked into my office. The ceiling tile along the wall to an adjoining office was stained and still damp.

I then checked the adjoining office and found one ceiling tile so wet that it was bowed downward in the center.

It had not rained over the weekend. When I left work for the day, the source of the water was still unknown.

Update: Tuesday, November 15: The source of the water is believed to have been from a clogged overflow pipe for an air handler in the penthouse above the offices.

The micro sign µ

2011-11-14T06:11:00.002-05:00

I had a need to put a micro sign, i.e., µ, into a web page. I found this site to be useful.

For both the title and the paragraph entry above, I typed "& m i c r o ;" but without the spaces.

I'm back...

2011-11-13T19:49:00.003-05:00

After a 5-year absence, I've decided to update my blog. Nothing profound with this update. Not sure exactly how I will use this or how often. But I'm back...

Conquering the Da Vinci Code (Day 24)

2006-05-09T22:49:00.000-04:00

The final day of phase 1 is almost here. So far we've seen 23 of the 24 challenges for Google's Da Vinci Code Quest.

So how has your experience been? Have the puzzles been too easy, too hard, or just right?

I've been surprized at how easy the puzzles have been. Will the trend continue for the final puzzle?

For additional commentary including help for the first 23 challenges, see my website on the Google's Da Vinci Code Quest.

Conquering the Da Vinci Code (Day 19+)

2006-05-05T07:15:00.000-04:00

We are into the home stretch. Only 6 more challenges to go for this first phase. And still the challenges are not too much more difficult than they were at the beginning. I wonder what Day 19 will bring for The Da Vinci Code Quest on Google?

As before, I've updated my website with all of your comments and suggestions. Please keep them coming!

Good luck on the remaining challenges...

(And no, I'm not stupid. I definitely won't be posting the results of the last challenge until after the final deadline. I fully expect, actually hope, it to be more difficult than the rest. I'd rather not see the top 10,000 be determined solely by luck or chance.)

Conquering the Da Vinci Code (Day 14)

2006-04-30T13:06:00.000-04:00

Day 14 is here for The Da Vinci Code Quest on Google. So far the challenges don't seem to be too much more difficult. What do you think?

I've updated my website with all of your comments and suggestions. Please keep them coming!

Good luck on today's challenge...

Conquering the Da Vinci Code Quest (up to day 11)

2006-04-27T21:28:00.000-04:00

Well, we are almost halfway through the 24 day challenge and the puzzles don't really seem to be getting much harder. I wonder how much longer that will last.

For more information, see The Da Vinci Code Quest on Google. For additional commentary including hints and answers, see my pages on Google's Da Vinci Code Quest.

I'd like to thank all of you who have responded either via the blog entries or direct email. I'm working on getting the additional information listed.

Conquering the Da Vinci Code Quest (up to day 8)

2006-04-24T23:34:00.000-04:00

We have now seen eight of the twenty four puzzles for The Da Vinci Code Quest on Google. None have been overly difficult up to this point. I originally thought that starting with day 7 that the puzzles would be harder. They are a little bit more difficult but not much.

For more information on the challenges / puzzles / questions / answers, see my pages on Google's Da Vinci Code Quest.

I'm curious as to whether people are seeing different questions for days 7 and 8. If you have time, let us know what your questions have been.

Conquering the Da Vinci Code Quest (up to day 5)

2006-04-21T23:00:00.000-04:00

We are now on day 5 of The Da Vinci Code Quest on Google. So far the challenges have been pretty easy and I expect the same for tomorrow's challenge.

I think it will be interesting to see how much more difficult the six challenges become after that. My guess is that they won't be too much harder because Google won't be ready yet to lose the majority of those trying to solve the puzzles.

For more information on the first 5 challenges, see my page on Google's Da Vinci Code Quest. Note that answers are given, so don't peak if you want to solve the challenges on your own!

My First Post

2006-04-21T07:33:00.000-04:00

I just created my Blogger account. Was very easy to do. And this is my first post. Not much to it, but at least it is a start! More later...