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It was in 2004 that Chris Anderson coined the phrase The Long Tail, which contrary to some people’s expectations has nothing to do with the dog’s anatomy. Actually, it is an entirely new economic model for the media and entertainment industries. In a nutshell, the Long Tail theory claims that infinite online ’shelf space’ and relatively easy access to potential users make it economically feasible to provide content for niche interest groups. This, in turn, should result in a growing demand for niche content. After reading Mr. Anderson’s book, I asked myself a question: Does this long tail theory work for ESL? Do we - English language teachers - get more varied resources satisfying the needs of niche learning groups?

As a teacher of English with over 20-year experience, who would like to provide his students with the most engaging learning materials, I am continually surfing the net for new resources that I can use in my lessons. Why am I looking for resources on the Internet instead of sticking to a coursebook? After all, don’t we have a great choice of coursebooks? Well, the problem is I really respect my students, - mostly adults - and I don’t find most coursebooks suitable because they are either boring, childish or outdated. Actually, most of them perfectly combine all these three characteristics. Although, we could find some good examples, such as Innovations series published by Thomson Heilne or Oxford’s English File series, the rest of what’s on offer in bookstores is rather disappointing for adult learners.

The past decade has seen a boom of online services for teachers of English; some of them are free, other charge users fees. Some of them give advice on different issues related to teaching foreign languages, other list job offers for teachers, and most of them, if not all, provide worksheets. However, the quality of what is available online varies a lot. A lot of them repeat the mistake of appealing to the lowest common denominator, have patronizing content, or have such horrible graphics that would put my students off learning instead of encouraging them in their efforts. Hence the idea for a website which would put a long tail theory to the test on the ESL ground. I wanted to create an online service where ESL teachers could find current, niche topics, controversial opinions, taboo subjects, and colloquial vocabulary. A few years of hard work and now I know that a long tail works for ESL - English-4U - ESL Lesson Plans is used by thousands of ESL teachers all over the world, it lists hundreds of worksheets on such niche subjects as: vanity sizing, shopping on Sundays, queuing, 2008 presidential elections in the USA. The topics are engaging because they do relate to students’ lives, they are current - these are the topics that your students probably discuss around the water cooler.

I hope that the long tail of ESL resources will grow longer and longer. I strongly believe that the Internet will dramatically change the way we teach and the resources we use. I think we need more materials for niche purposes: Learners are different, so are their interests, so should be the resources we use. The Internet could make it possible to adjust our teaching to individual needs of our learners.

Kansas City is thought to have more fountains than any city in the world except Rome, arguably the birthplace of the city fountain. At the last count, it was thought that there were over two hundred public fountains in Kansas City, with many more private fountains.

So what’s behind Kansas City’s love affair with water fountains?

Perhaps one of the reasons is that Kansas City owes its stature to water - it sits at the junction between the Missouri River and the Kansas River, and as a result was a trading and departure point for several of the great trading routes - the Santa Fe, Oregon and California trails.

Fountains of Life

Perhaps as well it is a fortuitous coincidence - a number of underground springs run underneath the centre of Kansas City, and in the early 1800s, the Humane Society of Kansas started to build fountains on top of these springs, taking advantage of the natural water pressure to provide fresh, clean drinking water for people and animals to quench their thirsts.

While these fountains were functional and provided an important public amenity, the fountains of Kansas City today are more decorative, and came a little later in the city’s development.

The Beautiful City

George Kessler had emigrated from Germany to America with his mother, as a child. He went on to become a leading city planner, and it was his plans for Kansas City’s boulevard system, created in the 1890s, that are said to have spurred further interest in fountains amongst the people of Kansas City.

In the years that followed, a number of notable fountains were built as part of new developments in the city, and it became customary to include a fountain in the design of any major new commercial development - a tradition that continues today.

We’ve selected some of the most noteworthy Kansas City fountains for a closer look, and to show just why Kansas City is known as the City of Fountains.

J. C. Nichols - Country Club Plaza

J. C. Nichols was a prominent Kansas City developer in the 1920s, and was responsible for many large buildings of the time, perhaps most notably the Country Club Plaza development, which was strongly influenced by European design, particularly that of Seville, Spain.

The Country Club Plaza is a large (55 acre) shopping and residential area in Kansas City, and was the first shopping center to be designed to include integrated parking facilities. Rather than the sprawling and ugly parking lots common with many of today’s developments, the Country Club Plaza included underground and rooftop parking, making for a pedestrian-friendly and attractive shopping environment.

Nichols used water fountains extensively in the planning of the plaza, and a walk around the area includes fountains depicting Bacchus, Neptune and Mermaids, as well as several others.

J. C. Nichols Memorial Fountain

J.C. Nichols played a significant role in the development of modern Kansas City, in particular through the creation of the Country Club Plaza, and this contribution is marked with the J. C. Nichols Memorial fountain.

This large fountain contains four figures on horseback, each representing a major river of the world - the Mississippi River, the Volga, the Seine and the Rhine. Water rises up to 30 feet from the centre of the fountain, and the Memorial Fountain is one of the most recognized symbols of Kansas City.

Crown Center Fountains

The Crown Center complex is a combined office, retail and entertainment complex that includes the headquarters of the Hallmark Cards company. Its fountains provide an astonishing and exciting display for visitors and residents alike, and through the use of heated pipe work are able to stay open throughout the year!

The fountain itself is remarkable - it has no basin and no visible pipe work or nozzles. It occupies an area of around 2000 square feet, and beneath the cobbled surface are concealed 49 water jets and colored lights. These combine to form a wonderful spectacle, and special programmed water displays are regularly staged.

Firefighters’ Fountain

The Firefighters’ fountain is located in Penn Valley Park, and is dedicated to the city’s firefighters, and to the memory of those who have given their lives in the course of duty.

The fountain has a large basin, with a statue of two firefighters in action rising from the middle of the basin. Instead of water issuing from the central statue, the edge of the basin houses a number of water jets which constantly stream water in an arc towards the center of the fountain.

Meyer Circle Fountain

Sometimes referred to as the Seahorse Fountain, the Meyer Circle fountain is one of the oldest in Kansas City. Located at the intersection of Ward Parkway and Meyer Boulevard, its centerpiece is a 17th century Venetian sculpture, bought by Kansas City developer J. C. Nichols in the 1920s.

The fountain has several tiers. The base is made up of three seahorses, all streaming water from their mouths. These creatures support the middle basin, from which a column rises, decorated with cherubs. You can browse many fountains for your own home or garden at http://www.garden-fountains.com.

This central column supports the topmost basin, which sports a child, playing with a dolphin as its centerpiece. Water flows from all three levels into a large ground level basin.

The fountain is sited in the middle of a traffic circle, and although it has been damaged by vandalism and traffic several times over the years, it has always been lovingly restored by the people of Kansas City, and is truly one of Kansas City’s most remarkable fountains.

When it comes to marriage, a woman never dreams of the worst case scenarios. The dream-like qualities of a “Happily Ever After” life keep all the negative outcomes pushed well back in her mind. However, divorce is becoming much more common as the years pass. It isn’t unusual for a woman to find herself 5 years, 10 years or even 15 years into a marriage, only to be faced with separation and, eventually, divorce.

Make no mistake about it…

Employers look for employees because they have a NEED. Don’t mistake that the interview is about you — it is really about their NEED. You need to sell yourself as the right person to satisfy that need by carefully formulating your interview answers.

Sure, you may have great experience, but WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM? Managers hire people in order to make their own job easier. How are you going to make the Hiring Manager’s job easier? How are you going to make the Hiring Manager look good in THEIR boss’s eyes?

You need to make your skills, experience, and education relevant to THEM and their needs, goals, and situation. After every statement you make to the Hiring Manager, you need to at least mentally add \” … and this will make your job easier because …\” or \” … and this will make you look good because …\” Imagine the Hiring Manager asking \”… so how would that benefit me and my needs?\” Make your answers and examples relevant to THEIR needs and communicate how hiring you will benefit THEM as well as the company.

If Managers hire based on their needs, then you are going to have to uncover and reveal their needs in order to come up with answers that will get your hired. Remember that every time a hiring manager asks you a question, YOU HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO ASK A QUESTION OF YOUR OWN. Questions are a great follow up to a winning answer.

Early on in the job interview you should use your own questions to uncover the hidden needs of the Hiring Manager so that you can tailor your interview answers and attitude to show that you understand their needs and that YOU are exactly the perfect person to solve those needs.

Each interviewer will have his or her own hidden needs depending on their roll. For example, a person in HR will want to be convinced that you understand the corporate culture, you will fit in with the company, you will get along with everyone, you will not show any disruptive behavioral or ethical problems, and that you will generally be easy to deal with. A person at the VP level will want to know that you are going to be an asset to his or her department and reflect well on him or her. The Hiring Manager will want to be assured that you will be dependable and that you are completely capable of doing what it takes to be successful at the position you are being interviewed for. Tailor your interview answers to \”spin\” towards what the interviewer wants to hear.

Remember that the Hiring Manager in particular will want to hire someone that:

1) they like, and are likable,

2) will make their job easier, and

3) will make them look good.

Each interviewer will also have their own set of hidden needs. Use the following question early on in the interview to uncover hidden needs so you can frame your answers to speak to those needs:

Vacation time may be several months away, and you may be starting to think about where and what might be the perfect vacation this year - the beach, golf resort, SCUBA diving, skiing, maybe just sight seeing? And you think about places you have been - and the problems you have had.

You cannot forget the time you went on vacation and discovered that the rooms that were really too small, or the room service was bad. There was also the time that the people in the next unit were loud and obnoxious, and the primary reason you had taken a vacation was to find peace and quiet. If only you could have the comforts of your home magically transported to your fantasy destination, then you could have had the perfect vacation.

Well, your dream arrangement is (almost) possible - you just have to look at vacation rental of a home, condo or cabin instead of hotels, motels and resorts. If you’ve never tried a vacation rental, there is a whole world of opportunities out there, just waiting for you to discover them.

Lots of people have vacation homes or condos that they use only part of the year. Many of these people rent out their places when they know they aren’t going to be there to use it themselves. The process is a little different than pulling up in front of a Best Western or Holiday Inn, but the principle is the same - you get to use a room or set of rooms where you are able to reside, for the length of your vacation.

Normally hotel, motel or resort rooms are relatively small. So things can get a bit tight, particularly if the kids are along, or if are there or two, three or four couples who have a routine of vacationing together. By renting a vacation home or condo you will get more space, some privacy, and you may be able to get luxury features you haven’t been able to install yet under your own roof. Another thing - you can find vacation rental units of practically all kinds, practically anywhere in the country - or, for that matter, in the world.

There are literally thousands of places available that are private homes, condos, cabins, etc., available for vacation rental. And, the facilities available in these rentals range from rustic to lavish, comfortable and spacious.

There are thousands of companies around the world acting as agents for owners. Many of these agents have listings in every state of the United States, plus Mexico and the Caribbean. They are really just booking agents, but they have information on a huge number of properties in a large number of locations. They have listings in Central America, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the South Pacific. Unless you had your heart set on a vacation in Antarctica, it doesn’t seem like there can be much of anywhere that you will not be able to find vacation rentals.

Most agents found online and offline have vacation rental homes in US destinations, and many also have access to international listings. On the Internet, you will be able to find listings provided by agents - and vacation rentals by owner. At most websites that cater to the vacation rental industry, listings will contain a full inventory of what a particular property has to offer the vacationer and most of those listings contain several photographs, including interior and exterior photos.

Many vacation home rentals can be found near the center of major tourist areas, such as Disney World in Florida, or near beaches - perhaps even on the beachfront - in many coastal states. Other vacation rental homes are located out in the boondocks, such as in the wooded and mountainous regions of Arkansas, Colorado or Tennessee.

For instance, there is the 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath, lakeside, log home at Presque Isle, Wisconsin, located on the shores of Presque Isle Lake, an hours’ drive south of Lake Superior. The property is a rustic wilderness stone and log cabin on top of a ridge, with sleeping space for up to 14 people. Overlooking the 1500-acre, crystal clear waters of Presque Isle Lake in the North Woods, this log cabin receives guest’s year-around. During the summer, many families enjoy the swimming off of the cabin’s lakeside dock, and anglers enjoy an ample supply of trophy Muskie, Walleye and Bass from the dock and by boat.

Let’s say you are thinking about taking the family to Breckenridge, Colorado for a week of skiing or snowboarding fun. A short search on the Internet will give you a sizable list of resorts or hotels to choose from. They have nice rooms, food service, probably a pool, and transit service to the slopes. But what is available in a vacation rental?

There are more than two-dozen vacation homes available in Breckenridge, Colorado. You can access descriptions and photographs of many of these homes. Facilities range from units that sleep 6 to exclusive townhouses that provide sleeping quarters for up to 22 people. Rates start at $70 per day to $20,000 per week. That would seem palatial to me. I wonder if the rates are negotiable?

Finding exactly the right-sized home, with the desired amenities, for the price you are willing to pay will take some searching. You should really take the time to decide what kind of a place you really want, the amenities, and how many people will be going with you, before you start going though lists. Of course, some people go to Breckenridge in the summer, rather than during the winter for the ski season, and rentals are available, even during the off-season.

With a vacation rental you get more space and special amenities compared with a conventional hotel, motel or resort. The cost per square foot is usually less, but the amount of space is usually more. You have more privacy, but you will probably have to do your own cooking and wash your own dishes. As with everything else, you have to decide how you want to spend you time and your money - what do you value and how much is it worth to you?

Picking and booking the right vacation home may require some time, but it is also time well spent with people you love. Compared to the hotel experience, a vacation home rental is an excellent option that you should consider for your next vacation. It might create that perfect memory you have been looking to achieve for your family.

Suppose, instead of Breckenridge and skiing, you are interested in a week at the beach, a weekend in the woods, or a week following your favorite NASCAR event. On January 20th, 2008, it is estimated that four million people will be in Washington D.C. for the inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama. Hotels were sold out weeks ago… but there are still plenty of vacation rentals in the greater D.C. metropolitan area, looking for renters. Some people are even renting their homes to visitors coming in for the inauguration and taking the opportunity to visit grandma, while someone else is renting their home.

When I was a child in the 1970’s, my grandmother heard that Amtrak was coming to an end in our part of the country. So, she arranged with my parents to take us kids on a train ride one last time, before the end of an era. Fortunately, we were able to ride the train twice before the service ended in the Great Plains of the United States.

On our first trip, we rode the train an hour-and-a-half to Oklahoma City. On our second trip, we traveled much further, riding all the way to Fort Worth Texas. And then the Amtrak service ended its run from Chicago, Illinois to San Antonio, Texas. That was in the early 1970’s, when I was about eight-years-old.

In the 1970’s, Congress decided that in the era of air travel that the citizenry of the United States would not ride the train anymore. But in 1999, Amtrak brought its service back to Oklahoma. Now, if we are willing to change trains in our route, we can catch a train out of Oklahoma City and reach nearly every area of the nation in less than a day.

Traveling With Young Children

Given the challenges of arriving two hours early at the airport, toting young children through security, and keeping children calm during a long flight, a train ride may be much more attractive for most parents. With my children, we will not even consider flying with the kids, but we have taken the train to San Antonio to visit family.

With comfortable seating, great views of the Oklahoma and Texas countryside, and a dining car available to us, the twelve-hour ride to San Antonio and back again even beat putting the kids in the car for the long trip.

Don’t get me wrong - if it were only my wife and myself, I would enjoy the long drive. But with three young children in tow, I would not consider making such a trip with the kids again. The last time we drove, we only had two kids, and that was very painful and frustrating, as the kids needed to get out and run about every hour. What is normally a 13-hour drive by car took two days and a hotel-overnight, when we took the kids with us for the trip.

Most Any Destination In The Country Is Served

When you visit the Amtrak.com website, you should click the tab at top labeled, \”Routes\”. Once on that page, you should click the link for the \”Interactive Route Atlas\”. Upon doing so, you will notice that Amtrak routes run through 47 of the 50 states in the United States. The only states not served by at least one stop are: Hawaii, Alaska and South Dakota.

No matter where you live or where you want to travel, you will find that the Amtrak service can get you pretty close to your intended destination. When we rode to San Antonio, we rented a car that helped us travel the last ten miles to our final destination.

The Amtrak website offers an interactive scheduling tool, to help you to find the right train to carry you to your target destination. It can also offer you an accurate tool to help you to determine the real costs of your journey.

Compared To Airfare

In the next couple months, I need to make a solo trip to Chicago, Illinois, so if I decide to Amtrak to Chicago, I can do a full round trip from Oklahoma City to Chicago for just about $263. The same trip will cost me anywhere from $271 to $490 by air, depending on which airline I get my tickets.

Cash-wise, Amtrak offers the better deal. Time-wise, I gain a little bit of time by using an airplane. The train ride will take 15 hours. The airplane ride will be five hours, but I need to buffer that by arriving at the airport at least two hours early, so my airplane commitment will be 7-8 hours.

If I were taking my kids with me to Chicago, Amtrak would be my only consideration. However, since my future travel plans are related to business, I might opt to fly, but I doubt it.

Fun For The Whole Family

Not only is a train ride less stressful than an airplane ride, on small children; it is also less stressful on parents who are tending to the children. But beyond the stress factor, a train ride can be fun for everyone in the family, since more than one of you will be able to see out the windows on the train.

I have to be honest. When I took my children on the Amtrak to San Antonio, not only did they have fun, but also I found the trip as exciting as I did when I was eight-years-old.

Mentoring is a relationship that is established with someone who is an expert in their field. The mentor is usually older and more experienced than the mentee. The mentor shares their experiences, and the lessons they have learned. But the relationship benefits both the mentor and the mentee. The mentor benefits from the opportunity to strengthen their leadership skills. The mentee receives career guidance and helpful career advice to prepare for the next level in their career.

Many companies have formal mentoring programs in place for matching new employees with those already established in their career. If you are choosing your own mentors here are five tips to ensure a successful relationship:

1. A good career mentor: