The rate of spectrum disorders, syndromes and disabilities is rising. There have been no ‘concrete’ links to any specific agent that can be pinpointed as a cause. It is very hard to locate schools that have the ability to treat children with special needs. Deaf children have special needs. It is amazing that underneath all of the high tech devices and innovative technology sign language is the easiest language to learn for children! Sign language can be taught to children even before than begin to ’speak’. Fine motor skills in the mouth and tongue develop later than hand and arm motor function. Therefore, sign language is much easier to ’speak’ for babies than English, or any other ’spoken language’.

Northern California has a myriad of programs and organizations that are dedicated to help children with disabilities. The California School for the Deaf is located in Fremont, Ca. This school is dedicated to bridging the achievement gap for deaf kids. Sign language is new ‘fad’ for hearing and deaf babies. But far beyond sign language classes the school teaches children to think for themselves.

It is important to keep in mind the family as a whole and not just the supportive actors. The wonderful landscape of Fremont also offers many kid friendly activities . Forests, parks, aquariums and local play groups provide a great opportunity to bond with your child and connect with supportive peers. Stay local or venture out into the neighboring communities and national parks. It is easy to find a place to sleep in one of the local hotels in Fremont.

All in all, it is important that the quality of life for all children remain at a certain standard, with or without disabilities. The School for deaf in Northern California is dedicated to making sure that children can reach that standard on their own. Empowering communities, families and clients alike.

Fremont Hears is a post from: The Map Seeker

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In a modern democratic society, the power that is given to the bodies who govern are given, mandated politically, to the them by the people of their country, state, county or city.  That power, under the philosophy of democracy is to be used to benefit the people of the society as a whole, and is not to be used for the benefit or personal gain of the individual who holds the title.  It this power is misused in this fashion, that is called political corruption.  This form of corruption is directly contradictory and inherently incompatible with the very definition of democracy.

Unfortunately, corruption is found in every sector of the world, the social sector, the business and financial sectors and even in the democratic political sectors.  The challenge is that the temptations that take a hold of those in power become too great and can cause some to act in unethical and undemocratic ways.  And while new systems of checks and balances and new mechanisms of control are in place to place obstacles in the plans of those committing the corruption actions, the corruption still remains.  Where is corruption happening throughout the world nowadays?

According to a report that comes out each year, the Corruptions Perceptions Index has found evidence that the countries of Scandinavia come out with the least of instances of political corruption, while the lowest ranking governments are to be found in the South East Asian country of Myanmar and the Sub-Saharan regions of Africa, the most corrupt of those being  Somalia. These are not the most corruption in the country of Africa, but in the entire world.

The goal of the Index is not to point fingers or to brand any one region in anyway, their goal is just simply to raise the awareness of the people of the world to what is happening in these places.  For there have been recent cases in France, Japan, the United States and Germany as well.  It points to the fact however, that a leader who is going to practice with a corrupt mind and heart will be as corrupt as the people they govern allow them to be.  The checks and balances in some countries are just better organized and carried than in the countries such as certain regions of Africa.

Political Corruption in the World Today is a post from: The Map Seeker

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Everyday driving habits affect the life of the tires on one’s car.  Speeding is a habit of many drivers on the road, and the friction that is created causes the temperatures of the tires to soar.  Aside from the act of speeding being dangerous in and of itself, this creates an even more dangerous situation, as the durability of the tires will decrease, and the tire will simply wear out sooner.  Any fast maneuver, such as the taking of turns quickly, to stepping on the gas or screeching to a halt also causes unnecessary wear, and although there are many discount tires available on the market as well as chrome rims, replacing tires and rims can become a costly expense that is easily avoided.

One should also take care in avoiding obstructions in the roadways, or the potholes in the road.  Should one buy a used car, there is an easy way to find out how old the tires of that car are.  This is a number that is printed on the side of the tire, this is a Department of Transportation requirement in the United States.  The number begins with D-O-T and may have up twelve more letters and numbers following.  It is the numbers at the beginning and the end of the list of characters that are important in revealing the ages of the tire.

The first two numbers or letters will reveal the tire manufacturer.  Before 2000, the final three digits revealed the week, and the year in which the tire was produced.  So if the last three numbers are 348, the tire was made in the thirty fourth week of 1998.  Any  Toyo tire that was produced beginning in January of 2000, will have four digits in that end code.  So like wise, if the code is 2703, the tire was produced in the twenty seventh week in the year 2003.    This is a very helpful bit of information when one does not know the original age of the tires on a newly purchased vehicle.

The Care of Tires is a post from: The Map Seeker

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Denmark is the leader in the world of wind turbine generated energy.  When one travels outside the city of Copenhagen, one will feel the power of the wind that blows throughout the country on a regular basis.  This is important as wind farms are only able to harness the energy necessary, if the wind flow is consistent and strong.  One can feel this as they drive their car along the coast, wind that is so forceful it can sometimes threaten to blow the car around a bit.  This wind is just one of the aspects in the success of the wind farms in the country.

One of the top manufacturing companies in the world is located in the smaller town of Lem.  These incredible turbines are built in factories that are the size of hangars that house aircraft.  Each of the blades that is welded and polished by hand, weighs just about fifteen thousand pounds.  The company believes that the success of a turbine lies in the each of the blades.  Another of the aspects that has Denmark at the fore front, is the fact that the general public as well as the government set out with the goal to that it would be the world leader in the alternative source of energy of the turbines.

This journey began in 1979, when a program was offered that gave subsidies and guaranteed loans to the businesses that were producing the turbines.  Thirty percent of the costs was paid for by the city of Copenhagen.  The government also created mandates for the utility companies, that they would offer this form of energy at lower prices.  This served to guarantee an opening customer base right at the get go, and investors could breathe easy.  These designs were on the cutting edge of the industry at the time, and now forty years later, the country still remains on the cutting edge of the use of alternative methods of creating energy.

Denmark’s Wind Turbines is a post from: The Map Seeker

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Thio Keng Poon was in court this past Tuesday on charges that he was committing fraud by not provided the court with relevant documents concerning his business dealings. Thio founded and continued to run the family business in Singapore, Malaysia Dairy Industries.  He had been the chairmen and managing director of the company when in 2007, he was discovered to have claimed the expense of an airline ticket, twice for the same trip.  He is fighting his dismissal from the company he founded, however it is family that has brought charges against him.  The lawyer representing the family of Mr. Thio, has questioned him in court, on charges similar to the previous stated charge, stating that there is evidence that he has been padding his expenses for quite sometime, repeatedly being reimbursed for nights in the best hotels in Singapore as well as numerous airline tickets and restaurant charges.  When questioned about the charges, Thio stated that he had been traveling with a female friend, and rather than keeping and submitting the receipts from various activities, he estimated the cost to equal that of the airline ticket.  It is his claim, that he was actually under-estimating the cost by just resubmitting the ticket, saying that it was far under the cost of the hotel rooms.  He was told by the court that he must produce the receipts and invoices, but he claims first–he cannot find them, and secondly that he had already requested that his lawyer present the court with those invoices as evidence.  The lawyers for the family contend that he is selectively finding various invoices that reflect the involvement of two people, and submitting those as evidence in his defense.  They claim that they were taken from numerous trips and not the one in question.

Thio has been known for his entrepreneurial character over the years.  His was driven from the beginning to create and develop health conscious products.  It is his philosophy and has become the companies philosophy as well, providing dairy products to most of Southeast Asia for many years, almost twenty.  Malaysian Milk has had many years of consumer loyalty, and is the leading provider of many products garnering mass appeal.  Quality production and aggressive marketing has secured the company financial security and great market shares.  The manufacturing plant is in Petaling Jaya , and the innovations over the years include yogurt drinks, fruit drinks, organic jellies, and milk.  The business has been well known and supported for years throughout Asia, and Mr. Thio is now, just desperately trying to hold on to the company that he created.

Family Controversy for Malaysia Dairy Industries is a post from: The Map Seeker

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Dubai is one of the seven United Arab Emirates. The Dubai Municipality is usually referred to as Dubai City and is what most people picture when they hear or see the name “Dubai.”  The city itself is a rapidly expanding urban center. It is located on the Persian Gulf, providing plenty of sand and surf. The rest of the city is surrounded by a different kind of sand: rolling desert white sand dunes.

One of the main features of the city is Dubai Creek, which cuts through the city on a northeast-southwest line. One of the more popular tourist activities in Dubai is to take a creek tour to see the historical ships and buildings in Old Dubai. The west and east sides of the city are connected by the Al Shingdagha Tunnel and several bridges, including the Floating Bridge.

Deira is a locality that comprises the eastern part of Dubai city. Just south of Deira is the Dubai International Airport. Another important section of the city is the Jumeirah coastal belt. Most of the city’s expansion is in this area. Look here to find a sprawling luxury hotel Dubai, a myriad of entertainment and recreation venues, and international commercial and financial centers such as Businss Bay.

As a desert city, Dubai is usually hot and dry, though at times it can be humid. It only receives about six inches of rain in a year, with most of that occurring in the early months of the year, January through March. Humidity is higher during the winter and sometimes heavy rainstorms will dump huge amounts of precipation in a short period of time.  However, with a lowest recorded temperature of 45° F (7° C), the warmth of the area is quite attractive to sunlovers from all over the world. Most will want to avoid the extreme summer heat when temperature exceed 104° F (40° C), but the ample ocean breezes make the beaches bearable most of the year.

Dubai has a hot and, at times, humid climate (drier during extreme heat) with many months recording temperatures of over 40 °C (104 °F). The highest recorded temperature in Dubai is 47.3 °C (117.1 °F), and the lowest recorded temperature is 7 °C (45 °F). Rainfall is generally light, with a mean of about 150 millimetres (6 in) per year; precipitation is usually centered around the months of January, February and March. However, heavy rain is not uncommon in Dubai during the winter months and January 2008 saw a record of 120mm (or 5″) of rain falling in just 24 hours, [34] The mean humidity in Dubai is approximately 60% and is higher during the cooler winter months.

Exploring Dubai is a post from: The Map Seeker

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Dubai is one of the seven United Arab Emirates. Located on the Persian Gulf, Dubai City is a magnet for tourists seeking the ideal of a desert island with the practicalities of a modern city.  Dubai is surrounded by desert and is home to numerous historic landmarks and architectural relics of bygone eras. However, it is the beaches that have made this Gulf city one of the most popular destinations in the Middle East.

Visitors will have no trouble locating a Dubai beach resort. They are scattered along the coastline and more are being constructed on the three artificial islands (the largest in the world).  The resorts feature restaurants, spas, golf courses, shops, and entertainment venues.  Many have their own secluded beaches.

The beaches themselves are stunning, with the deep blue of the Persian Gulf offsetting the golden sands. Sunbathing and swimming are certainly popular activities. As are surfing, sailing, and deep sea fishing. Divers can explore the beautiful reefs off the shores or investigate numerous ship wrecks in the area.  The more adventurous can take a seaplane or helicopter tour to get a birds-eye view of the seascape.

At night, the beach areas offer a variety of entertainment venues. Live music, concerts, film, and theater are all available. Restaurants around the beachs offer not only local Middle Eastern fare, but cuisines from all over the world, especially Indian, Chinese, and Mediterrarean dishes.

Dubai has it all. From balloon rides to romantic sunset cruises, from high speed boating to snoozing on the beach, from camel rides to dune bashing in a 4×4 vehicle.  And all within breath-taking view of the Gulf.

Dubai Beaches is a post from: The Map Seeker

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The first week in March brings many festivals and activities to the city of Barcelona.  A new movie opens starring actor Benicio del Toro.  This is latest biographical film surrounding the life of Che Guevara.  The street fair, Tibidabo, opens and offers fun for the whole family.  The newest addition being a thrilling roller coaster.  There are many exhibits opening around the city including a Sorolla retrospective at the MNAC, an historical exhibit at Museum that illustrates the effects of immigration and urban planning, and a photographic exhibit at CCCB.  This show, titled Bamako, hi-lights over 200 photographs taken by 16 photographers from Africa.  There are many cultural activities this week for those looking to get out of the house or out of the rooms of their 5 star Barcelona hotels, however, for those looking for a bit more adventure,  one event stands out, the Barcelona Marathon.

On March 1, 2009 more than 10,000 people will run on a course designed not only to test the physical strength and endurance of the runners, it is designed as a cultural and visually stimulating experience as well.  This is one of the annual events in Barcelona and draws many who are participating and many who are spectators cheering on the athletes.
The marathon began just over forty years ago.  And while it is a 42.195 km run, there are the options for those wishing to participate but who have not the endurance for a full marathon.  Many will participate in either the 5k or the 10k race.  The city of Barcelona is steeped with history, cultural and architectural and this tour means to take runners past it all.  Many buildings here were designed by Antoni Gaudi, a Barcelona native, and as the runners run they will be going by some of his most famous designs.  Runners will also pass some of the famous sculptures and public art works.  The run starts and finishes at the harbour, which offers a bit of relief of the sea breeze at the end of such a tour.  And although the course has its tough moments, as far as hills and inclines, the visual aspect and the cultural history offers those running the inspiration and the drive to continue on their personal quest.  Where but in Barcelona, would such an event be so beautiful and rich in culture, this is a must-do for any marathon runner.

The Barcelona Marathon is a post from: The Map Seeker

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The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) has announced the lineup for next month’s gala.  The 33rd Annual festival will kick off on March 22nd with screenings of “Shinjuku Incident” starring Jackie Chan and directed by Derek Yee. The other opening night film will be “Night and Fog,” directed by Ann Hui

The festival will close on April 13th with “24 City” starring Joan Chen and directed by Jia Zhangke.  Other films with gala premieres during HKIFF include Oliver Stone’s “W,” “Monsters vs. Aliens” by Dreamworks Animation, and “Ashes of Time Redux,” by Wong Kar Wai.  “The Yellow Handerkief” starring William Hurt and Maria Bello and directed by Udayan Prasad, Dane Lam’s “The Sniper,” and “I’ve Loved You So Long” starring Kristin Scott Thomas will also get the red carpet treatment.

The festival will feature works from 55 countries, including Germany’s Oscar-nominated “The Baader Meinhof Complex” and the “Chandni Chowk to China” which is a joint US/India production.  Other films of note include the Bill Maher documentary “Religulous” and “J.C.V.D” starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. In all, over 250 films will be screened in 11 different venues around Hong Kong. Stars and attendees are expected to fill the best hotels in Hong Kong throughout the three week event.

The Hong Kong Flm and Television Market runs concurrently with the Film Festival.  FILMART is scheduled for March 23 – 26.

Hong Kong International Film Festival Announces 2009 Lineup is a post from: The Map Seeker

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It’s easy to take the things we use in our everyday life for granted. Maps are one of those things we use over and over again, but rarely take note of just how useful or influential they really are. Let’s take a look at how maps have helped, influenced, and made our lives more interesting today.

Mexico Drug War Interactive Map

Kidnappings, death threats, police deaths – drug-related crime and violence related to the Mexico illegal drug industry has been heating up. According to the University of San Diego Trans-Border Institute, there have been about 7,337 deaths related to the drug war in Mexico from January 1, 2007 to December 18, 2008. To visually represent the violence hotspots, the L.A. Times created an interactive map of Mexico that reveals how many deaths occurred in each city. The map also links the reader to stories that the paper covered about the incidents that took place in the city. Although the map’s focus is starkly serious, it’s a fascinating example of traditional mapping techniques coming together with modern technology.

Mapping the Early Life of President Obama

With the first ever Hawaiian-born president in office, Hawaii has seen a small surge of interest in the places where President Obama lived, worked and played in his youth. Hawaiian businesses have even started “Obama Tours” for people interested in a guided look at the area. For those who would like to explore the Hawaiian landscape on their own, there is now an “Obama’s Oahu” map. Thus far, the map has been popular, but it’s uncertain for how long the “Obama” buzz will last on the islands.

Controversial Roadway Map Images Upgraded to Higher Resolutions

In a previous post, we talked about the controversy over the Google Maps “street view”. Critics of the service say the images violate personal privacy, even though the pictures are taken on public streets. This week the Tampa Tribune reported that another company, Blue Dasher Technologies, has started taking higher resolution images of the Tampa Bay area. They are snapping up more pictures of each area than Google previously did to create “cinema-quality scenes of roadscapes.” The article also mentioned that Google will be returning to the streets to re-take the pictures at a higher-resolution in the near future.

Maps In The News is a post from: The Map Seeker

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