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How do you sell a secret?
How do you promote a product or service when parts of it are still under wraps?
The role of the press office and marketer is to pitch news and information to interested parties, to either raise brand awareness, or create a call to action. So what do you do when you can't refer to a product or service directly, or even what it might do?
Saying the unsayable
Ideally, no press release or copy goes out publicly until absolutely everything is 100% clear, complete and transparent. That's because journalists are naturally quite a questioning bunch, who are guaranteed to ask the difficult questions – the ones you were hoping wouldn't come up. Sometimes, though, there are legitimate liable or legal restrictions that present themselves, even though we may be ready to start inviting interest.
This is especially true in the health sciences and supplementation industries. Let's say, for example, that we have a company who have developed a brand new supplement to combat the visible signs of ageing. They are 75% of the way there, but they're a start-up and are in need of some investment and support from the local community. They don't want to make any health claims which may later turn out to be erroneous, nor do they want to give away information which may benefit their competitors. What on Earth does their article or release look like?
Web presence can be an issue for these companies, too. If you can't make direct references, it becomes harder to optimise SEO, and taking advantage of tools like Google AdWords becomes a major challenge. This is a problem also faced by legitimate drug companies, who face blocks because to a robot search engine, what they're selling is illegal or immoral.
In this case, reputation becomes incredibly important. Being able to rely on the testimonials of others could be our next best shot at staying on top of the rankings. Tagging photos with relevant information or the benefits of products can help, as can being suggestive about the problem in question.
Boy, it sure is hot out here!
Have you ever strategically complained about how hot it is, just as you're passing an ice-cream stand?
With releases like the ones in our example, we can ask for support and donations all we want, but rather than address the specifics, at this stage, we might spend more time hinting at the problem we're trying to solve.
A good story appeals to our emotions. It fills a hole and addresses a need. In this case, we would appeal to the opinion that most people would like to delay the visible signs of ageing, and would gladly contribute to achieving this. What we end up with, is a story which does its job of creating a call-to-action in the form of investment and support, but that also stimulates discussion and debate, something which is great for brand awareness.
So how do we sell a secret? We start by telling a story. We hint at a problem and hint at a solution. Only then, if we gain the support and respect of our followers, can we reveal the secret, complete and transparent, as we always intended.
Graeme Keeton is a Cambridge-based marketer and copywriter and owner of Good Talk Health and Fitness Communications. Follow @GoodTalkComms on Twitter.
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If you would prefer to speak with us, skip the form. Call or text Cameron Mosier, our chief communicator!
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Top tips for your daily skin care routine for dry skin
Top tips for your daily skin care routine for dry skin
Many people have dry skin. Dry skin is described not having the suitable amount of water in the epidermis layer of the skin. Dry skin equally affects both males and females with older individuals being more prone to the condition.
Dry skin requires special care, which is why daily skin care routine for dry skin is important. Practicing a daily skin care habit is an effective way to acquire and maintain a healthy skin. However, this kind of lifestyle can make it quite difficult today for people to achieve a radiant skin free of various diseases. A variety of factors is responsible for this.
Dry skin mostly affects the face, abdomen, hands, arms, lower leg, soles, and ankles. Mild dry skin may be temporary and may last for a few days to a couple of weeks. Severe dry skin may be a long-lasting skin condition. With this, you should have an effective skincare routine for dry skin.
Causes of dry skin
Dry skin may be caused by external and internal factors. Many people have dry skin due to external factors such as low humidity and cold temperatures. Most people have dry skin during the winter months.
While taking a shower increases water in the skin, the evaporation of water that occurs afterwards may result in drying of the skin. If you feel your skin tightening after a shower, chances are too much natural oil has been removed from your skin causing it to be dry.
Washing your hands with soap removes some of the natural oil from the skin. The more you use soap especially the harsh ones, the more oil gets out of your skin resulting in dry skin.
Dry skin due to internal factors may include genetics, age, family history, health and medical conditions such as atopic dermatitis (inflammation of dermatitis resulting in the red, swollen, itchy and cracked skin).
Some medications may cause dry skin. Dry skin is a common side effect of drugs taken for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, acne, and allergies. People with thyroid problems are also prone to having dry skin. Nevertheless, a skincare routine for dry skin can help in alleviating dryness, if it cannot totally be zeroed out.
Symptoms of dry skin
Itching is the number one symptom of having dry skin. If you have dry skin, your skin will have red, dry and rough patches and they are always itchy. In severe cases, there may be fissures and cracks in the skin.
Itching often worsens dry skin because of what is commonly called as the itch-scratch cycle. Your skin is itchy. You scratch it. The more it becomes itchy.
Other symptoms of dry skin include tightening of the skin after bathing, showering or swimming, rough looking and feeling skin, skin peeling, scaling or flaking and fine to deep cracks. Sometimes, deep cracks may even bleed.
Skin care routine for dry sensitive skin
Dry skin looks dull and lifeless if you do not handle it properly. While maintaining a skin care routine for dry skin, it is important to be careful in the products you use. Otherwise, these products could bring more damage to your skin. Follow the tips given below for the best skin care routine for dry sensitive skin:• Cleanse - When it comes to dry skin, cleansing once every day is enough to get rid of the accumulated dirt. A dry, sensitive skin cleanser can clean the skin without causing irritation and stripping off the moisture. Use a creamy cleanser that is Soap-free and fragrance-free if your skin is dry and sensitive. Use it before going to bed, wash your face with the cleanser thoroughly as part of your daily routine. Make sure you rinse it with cool water.
• Moisturise - Use a moisturiser on your face at least thrice a day to keep the skin hydrated and to avoid tightness and roughness of the facial skin. Look for beauty essential oils that contain coconut, avocado, sunflower, olive, almond, or jasmine, as they all give a moisturising effect to the skin. This daily skin care routine helps keep your complexion look healthy and young. Moisturiser your skin the proper way can maintain your skin's water content by as much as 30%. Skin that is well-moisturiser is more elastic, suppler, softer and resilient to oxidation and therefore healthier. Most dermatologists say that moisturiser the proper way helps relieve the symptoms of dry skin.
• Facial Mask - Applying a facial mask is also another great additional benefit to your routine, in which it helps rejuvenate the skin and makes it smooth. Prepare a facial mask by mixing a teaspoon of honey, one ripe mashed banana, a tablespoon of yogurt, and one ripe mashed avocado. Apply this particular paste on your face. Allow it to dry before washing it off with cool water.
• Exfoliate - Exfoliating as a part of your skincare routine for dry skin gets rid of all the dead skin to allow your skin to absorb the moisturisers properly. Exfoliate only once or at the most twice weekly especially with your face. Aside from being harsh on the skin, they are also a breeding ground for bacteria and germs. A clean and soft washcloth is much better. The method for exfoliating your dry, sensitive skin includes using a slightly abrasive cleaner like a loofah or sponge. You may also use an exfoliating product that is suitable for your skin! However always remember to use natural products! Always to try and remember to use a gentle cleanser when doing your exfoliation for your skin care routine. Also, do not exfoliate your sensitive skin more than twice a week, as you don't want to wash away natural & essential oils that your body produces!
OUR TOP TIPS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!• Maintaining your Natural Oils - Your body produces natural oil to prevent it from drying and for protection. Daily activities cause the skin to lose some of its natural oils. The way you shower or bathe has a lot to do with your skin losing some of its protectants. This can also affect the effectiveness of your skincare routine for dry skin.
• Only use soap with moisturiser. A mild soap for sensitive skin is also best.
• Always close the bathroom door when showering.
• Use warm water instead of hot water.
• Bathe or shower only for only a maximum of 10 minutes so as not to wash off to much oil in your skin.
• Gently pat dry your skin with a towel.
• Drying your skin - Always dry your skin carefully. After bathing or showering, gently pat dry your skin with a towel. If possible, incorporate air drying as part of your skincare routine for dry skin. Rubbing vigorously may not only irritate your skin, but it may also remove too much oil and moisture. If you have dry skin, it will make it worse. If you don't yet have that dry skin, you just may have it.
• Protecting your skin from the sun - It is a must to always protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun, more so when you have dry skin. The heat of the sun worsens your skin & dries it out. Too much exposure to the sun, unprotected, can place you at risk of developing skin cancer.
We Always recommend our reef friendly SPF 30+ SunClear!
• Dry Winters - During cold temperature, moisture is precipitated out of the air. The air will then seep out as much moisture as it can from your skin. This can cause your skin to be dry. If you already have dry skin, it can make it worse. Continue to apply moisturising creams to maintain moisture in your skin!
• Humidity is good! - With hot weather, your skin glands sweat to try and cool you down. This will be make your skin feel supple & soft! Just remember to drink lots of water, vitamins A, E and omega 3,6 & 9 fatty acids!
As you are establishing your own daily skin care routine for dry skin, it is also essential to prevent this by helping your body along the way. Below are some basic solutions:
• The first step to take is to consume the right amount of water that is required daily. Most studies suggest 2-3L per day! Incorporating this dry skin care routine with a high intake of fruit and vegetable juices will do wonders for your skin!
• Use only natural skin care products for your skin care routine and avoid using harsh cosmetics and beauty products. We may be biased, but natural is simply the best!
• It is advised to use mineral water to cleanse your face and body. Water tends to dry out the skin further, and may also irritate the skin. We help many people with eczema, psoriasis & dermatitis and one of the most common irritants of their skin is a steamy hot shower!
• Eat lots of fish, flax seeds, and other foods that contain vitamin E to achieve healthy-looking skin. We developed our Mega Oil for this exact reason! You have to treat the skin internally and externally!
If your skin is exceptionally dry, use a day face cream and a night face cream every day. It helps your skin to stay hydrated all the time!
• Use lukewarm water in washing your face as a way to prevent cracks and dryness on the skin.
• Increase the level of humidity in your home to avoid experiencing dry skin. We suggest a a humidifier for this particular purpose.
• Avoid using strong facial scrubs and toners. These kinds of products can just aggravate your skin even more. Some of the chemicals in these products actually do more harm than good!
The skin is considered the largest organ of the body. In fact, it is your first line of defence against certain illnesses and infections. It goes without saying that it is important to follow a daily skin routine. The tips above can help you prevent skin dryness and maintain a healthy, soft, and glowing skin.


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Hydrate, Soothe & Protect with UVA/UVB
Ultra Repair Pure Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer SPF 40
Hurry, there are only a few left!
Formulated with soothing hydrators and high-level, broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection that is safe for sensitive skin. This hydrating and nourishing formulation has a rich, velvety texture and helps keep skin protected, hydrated and soothed wherever your day takes you.
Product details
Skin types
- Balanced
- Dry
- Oily
- Combination
Solutions ForDryness
Free FromAlcohol, Artificial Colorants, Artificial Fragrance, Lanolin, Mineral Oil, Parabens, Petrolatum, Phthalates, Propylene Glycol, Sulfates, Talc, Formaldehydes, Oxybenzone, Coal Tar, Hydroquinone, Triclocarbon, Ethanol, Ethyl Alcohol, Denatured Alcohol, Methanol, N-Butyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Alcohol, SD Alcohol
Need To KnowAllergy-Tested, Gluten-Free, Non-Comedogenic, Nut-Free, Suitable for Sensitive Skin, Vegan
Key ingredients
Titanium Dioxide & Zinc Oxide
Sun blocking minerals that provide powerful broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection.
Collodal Oatmeal
Helps calm and soothe dry or distressed skin.
Shea Butter
An emollient rich in vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, helps moisturize and protect the skin barrier.
FAB Antioxidant Booster
Helps stave off environmental aggressors with Licorice Root, Feverfew and White Tea extracts.
How To Use
- Begin by warming a dime-sized amount of product between your hands, then apply to the face and/or body 15 minutes before sun exposure.
- Reapply after 40 minutes of swimming or sweating.
- Reapply immediately after towel drying.
- Reapply at least every two hours.
- Can be used on the face and body.
You May Also like
Ultra Repair Hydra-Firm Sleeping Cream
Overnight Facial Cream That Moisturizes For Smoother & Firmer-Looking Skin


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If you are reading this, you're probably planning on or are already sharing a living space with someone. Although great, ensure you know your obligations as a co-tenant before making any final decisions!
Of course, sharing your home can be an enriching experience. On top of splitting your housing costs, you have someone with whom to share your everyday life events. Although there are many benefits to living with someone else, it is essential to know your obligations as a roommate first.
After you've given a signature and moved in, and are now living with multiple people, you need to learn what differentiates their status as a co-tenant and an occupant. Educaloi establishes a clear difference between both to help you stay aware of yours and their status.
As an example to help you out, here are two people sharing your apartment:
What distinguishes both people is the engagement that was taken. While Lory in only temporarily occupying the couch and might give some money for hosting her, but she hasn't taken any engagement with the landlord. This makes her an occupant in the apartment. On the other hand, Steve has signed the lease which obliges him by law to pay his share of the rent. This makes him a co-tenant. Steve and yourself are be obliged to pay for the lease, where Lory is not.
Co-signing a lease allows for splitting the monthly bills, but what happens if someone doesn't pay his or her part? Is the landlord allowed to ask you to pay for your roommate's part of the rent?
The answer isn't all that simple. The landlord can either:
There are two types of responsibilities for the monthly rent payment, shared or solidary.
This is the type of payment responsibility that is applied by default to a lease. In this instance, each tenant must pay their part of the rent.
This type of obligation applies in the following cases:
In the instance of a solidary responsibility, one of the tenants may be required to pay the rent in full if a roommate does not pay their part.
In order to avoid any problems, the Régie du Logement recommends that roommates enter into a written apartment sharing agreement, where they will specify the terms of payment and the ownership of the belongings inside the apartment.
Are you ready to move in with someone? Akelius Montréal offers numerous recently renovated apartments that you'll fall in love with. Visit our site and contact us for more information today!


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- Members
- Dentists
- Employers
- Brokers
A Superior Network
SDC's network offers more than half a million access points throughout the United States! As one of the largest networks in the country, you are guaranteed to find a dentist or specialist in your area.
Can't find your dentist? Submit our online dentist referral form, invite them to join SDC or contact us at (800) 762-3159 to refer your dentist for SDC network recruitment.
Would you like to join SDC's Superior Network? Joining is as easy as completing a few simple forms. Access the Department of Insurance Provider Application and our plan agreements, here.Join SDC's Network
Find a Participating Dentist
To locate a participating dentist or specialist in your neighborhood, simply enter your search criteria above.
Superior Vision Plan Members: Please visit the Find a Provider page at https://www.superiorvision.com/member/locate_provider to search for a participating vision provider.


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AGB Training for learner success
AGB Training (AGB) is committed to providing all students with the opportunity they need to succeed in their learning program. AGB aim to provide support for all learners from application to completion and may include: Read More
- Undertaking a Pre-Training Review to ensure that you enrol in the course that is right for you and identifying any support you may need to succeed in that course.
- Ensuring your existing learning and skills are reviewed prior to enrolment and any opportunities for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or Credit Transfer (CT) are identified so that you don't spend time studying things you already know and can complete your course more quickly;
- Providing blended courses that combine scheduled workshop and classes led by expert vocational teachers with high-quality flexible online learning resources that allow you to study in your own time and access your trainer when you need them.
- Combining technical skills and work related skills which will help you to be job-ready if you are entering the workforce or to help you to develop new skills if you are already employed.
- Monitoring your progress throughout your course to keep you on track and provide additional support when you most need it.
- Providing ongoing literacy, numeracy and digital support and skills development services throughout your course which may include:
- Online learning resources to help you develop the underpinning literacy, numeracy, learning and digital skills in your course (Cert II to Cert IV courses);
- Team-Teaching where a second specialist trainer actively supports your class/group to complete course requirements
- Targeted workshops delivered by specialist support trainers throughout the duration of your course that focuses on the literacy, numeracy, learning and digital skills you need to succeed
- Intensive individual learning support provided by a specialist trainer through one-on-one support sessions.
AGB Training provides a variety of training courses for local and international students
We are a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) based in Geelong and Melbourne providing a variety of courses to suit the needs of individuals and organisations in a range of industries. We cater to Local and International Students with courses spanning Business Management, Community Services, Civil Construction Design and much more.
Whether you want to enter the workforce for the first time, go for a promotion or provide upskilling opportunities for your staff and organisation, AGB Training (AGB) has the courses you need for the skills you want. From Forklift through to Truck Licence Courses, and Logistics Courses, from certificates through to advanced diplomas, we've got you covered.
The mission
To provide high-quality training courses with the flexibility to focus on the needs and desired outcomes of the client, whilst adhering to all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) governance as listed:
- National VET Regulator (NVR)
- Education Standards for Overseas Students (ESOS).
Our role is to encourage employment growth by providing and encouraging a culture of lifelong learning and skills development. In today's competitive employment market, training is vital to ensure you have the skills required to be hired and work safely. A well-trained workforce is beneficial not only for our Greater Geelong region, but also the Australian economy and workforce.
We place great emphasis on attracting and rewarding the most competent training consultants. AGB is committed to ensuring a safe and productive work environment for our trainers, trainees and others who we associate with.
Please contact one of our centres for enquiries about how AGB can help you or your organisation.


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"Flying", the app that brings elegance back to air travel
I have come across a new app for fliers, Flying, that looks absolutely promising.
At first sight its design and ease of use are really amazing, you can really feel this team really "breathes design"! and what's more...the more I learn about it, the more excited I am to use it on a real trip...read the interview until the end and you will see why...!
What follows is the interview I conducted with Andrew Spitz of Flying's founding team:
Q: Andrew, please, tell me: whatis Flying?
Andrew: Flying is an iPhone app for all your air travel. It is useful, insightful and social. Being on a flight used to be an amazing experience; sadly today it has become an impersonal commodity. Our goal is to make the act of flying feel special again and, along the way, to bring some of the elegance and panache back.
We want Flying to be:
Useful – You can keep track of all your flights and receive useful information such as the departure time, terminal and gate number, your airtime, and more.
Insightful – Revisit past flights and view insights about your travel patterns with beautiful visualizations. How amazing is it to get stamps in your passport when you travel? Whether you have crossed the equator or taken your 100th flight, you will receive stamps in Flying!
Social – Follow your friends' flights, share your flight details online, and compete to see who's flown the most. You can share your flight details to anyone on Facebook, Twitter, email or anywhere using the web view.
Q: Who is the team behind the project? how it started?
A: What connects us as a team is a sense of nostalgia for the way flying used to be. Katie Kindinger, Markus Schmeiduch and Andrew Spitz while at The Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design created a concept iPhone app for logging flights.
Panos Meyer, now the managing director, saw the video online and contacted the trio to turn this concept into a product. With Sebastian Schuster, part of the initial concept and now doing the iOS development and Johannes Lerch doing the backend development we're a team of six.
Since December 2012, we've been at full throttle to get Flying into people's hands and into the skies. We're working on Flying from six different cities Hamburg, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Vienna, Chicago, and Palo Alto.
Q: If I am a traveler, why should I be using it?
A: We are airline independent, which means we can really care for our user's best interest without the pressure of pleasing the airline industry. This gives us the flexibility to not only adapt quickly to needs but also create a trust with our users that we're really looking out for what's best for them.
Flying brings together all the important elements of air travel to create something that feels right, works well and mostly importantly, is useful. We want Flying to be a trusted travel partner. We put considerable thought and effort into the overall user-experience, not only in the design but also by in using the best possible data sources that passengers can reliably trust.
Q: What is your business model?
A: This is all very dependent on what our users want! We don't see them as consumers, but as a co-creators. Together, we are continuously evolving Flying and we're listening very carefully to what their needs are :-)
We're looking at various ways we could monetize, but our main concern is that whatever we do, it must genuinely better the experience for our users. We will not sell data to airlines! For the immediate future, we want to create more data visualizations like the Distance to the Moon in the 'Lounge', which will be sold as in-app purchases.
Also, the more users we have, the more interesting things we can do within the app as we can start creating valuable relationships between users, airlines and generally have more intelligent use of data to create appropriate content for our users.
On the long run, we could start looking at "advised booking" where instead of just offering the cheapest option as many services do, we offer something that is suited to the traveller's habits. For example, a user may want to upgrade to business class if it's only an extra 200$. Or maybe offer them a ticket that gives them more miles on their frequent flyer program.
Q: At what stage are you now?
A: We have just launched in public beta. This means that we are ready to have people come on board, but it's important to keep in mind that we may still have some bugs and user-experience issues that will crop up. So please give us feedback!
As more and more people use the service, we will be able to know what should we focus our attention on. We have started with what we think is the essence of Flying, once we have our first user base, we will be able to see what features are the most important for us to focus on and develop.
That said, we have plenty of amazing features in the pipeline! For example, we want to get Tripit sync so you don't have to add flights manually anymore.
Q: Thank you very much, Andrew, and all the best with the project!
By the way, there is another aspect of this startup that I also found very interesting and unique, and, once more, you can see the founder's taste for design: they love blurring the line between the digital and the physical.
As Andrew told me: "Flying used to be a very tactile and physical experience, where every touchpoint had a certain quality and 'weight' to it".
True, think, for example, those paper boarding passes that are becoming scarcer by the day...I even know some people that collected the small stripe that fliers used to keep, so they could keep their flight history literally in a drawer...
So, Flying is integrating, or replicating, these tangible aspects wherever possible, for example making real passport-like stamps that were scanned into the app.
To see what I mean you just need to check this video out where the process of making the "passport stamps" users are going to get for their travel milestones is shown. As an avid stamp collector myself, I can't wait to get them!
They have also created some prototypes of physical goods that will be based off people's flights. To see what this means, you can check the following video of loci 3D printed sculptures that let you have a "tangible" representation of your flight history.


text: With temperatures rising and piles of snow and ice melting, the park turned into a magically muddy, puddle filled playground! The kids slid and squished their feet deep into thick mud, then laughed as they tried to pull each other out. Puddles became meeting places for splashing, running, and observation - "When our bodies jump in, the water jumps out!" noted one child. Upon discovering a huge pond sized puddle, the kids began a game of 'sink or float,' throwing in ice, snow, leaves, rocks and sticks to see if they disappeared to the bottom or floated on top! With big shovels and buckets, the kids dug deep in the mud, filling buckets to carry with 'strong muscles' and flip over to make mud castles!


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Pakistani Christian Hero Commander Mervyn Middlecoat
Wing Commander Mervyn Middlecoat Shaheed: Born aboard a train near the city of Ludhiana travelling from Delhi to Lahore, Mervyn was a man who made valour and bravery his destiny. Mervyn took part in the war of 1965 as a Flight Commander and was deployed in the Masroor Base, in Karachi. Mervyn shot down two aircrafts of the Indian Airforce Force when the Indian army attacked Karachi and this earned him the title of "Defender of Karachi". Mervyn Middlecoat also fought against the Israeli Airforce flying Jordanian aircrafts during the Six Day War with Israel.
When the war of 1971 broke out, he was part of a daring mission to destroy a well fortified Indian Airbase, However his aircraft was struck by a missile during the attempt, and Middlecoat ejected into the Shark infested waters of the Arabian Sea just moments before his plane was struck. His remains were not found and he was declared "missing in action".
King of Jordan in his letter to the wife of Mervyn Middlecoat on the news of his martyrdom wrote: "Sister, the passing away of the Shaheed is not only the loss of you and Pakistan, but also mine. It is my wish that when he is buried, his body will be wrapped up in Pakistan's flag, but the flag of my country Jordan must be placed below his head."


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Dear Friends for Life:
The problem of loneliness among the elderly is a growing problem around the world. In Britain and the United States, roughly one in three people older than 65 live alone. In the United States, half of those older than 85 live alone. In Japan where I work, the number of elderly people aged 65 or older accounts for 26.7 percent of the 127.11 million total population. China, India, Singapore, South Korea and other countries are facing similar problems.


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One of the headlights on my '02 Civic Type-S was really faded, yellow and scratched to hell. I was about to buy a new headlight assembly (at over £100) when @Chunkylover53 pointed out the 3M Headlight Restoration Kit. Here's the results of using it.
- Difficulty Level:
- Basic
Originally I posted this as an update to my garage project log, but I thought I'd expand on it more, and add it as a guide.
Note most of the text here has been taken from a PDF version of the instructions that came with the 3M kit.
Required -
Before shots -
- Portable / wired drill (I used a Maplin branded 18v cordless drill). Instructions that come with kit recommend a 1200 to 1600 RPM drill
- 3M Headlight Restoration Kit
- Lens Sealant, such as this
- (recommended) Gloves and / or coveralls and / or breathing mask, as the sanding throws up a lot of dust
The first thing to do is to give the headlight to be restored a good wash.
Next thing you need to do is tape up the edged of the headlights, or the body panels around the headlight to ensure you don't damage the paintwork. The kit comes with some tape for this purpose, and even with me using 2 to 3 layers of tape, there was still some left spare.
(Sorry that I didn't take pictures at each stage of the process, but it is pretty simple and well documented in the instructions which came with the kit.)
Once you have headlight / bodywork nicely taped up, mount the Disc Holder from the 3M kit into the drill and ensure it is as straight as possible (to ensure that the disc does not wobble when sanding).
Attach the gold P500 grit disc onto the disc holder, ensuring it is properly centered
Using medium to light pressure, begin sanding to remove the yellowing and surface defects from the lens. A slow and steady back and forth action will be most effective. When the disc is clogged or no longer sanding effectively, replace with a new P500 grit gold colored disc.
Important Sanding Tips:
- Hold the drill flat or at a very slight angle when sanding on the lens. This will help control the tool and allow for smooth and even sanding. Do not use excessive pressure down on the drill or headlight lens.
- Do not hold the drill in one place while sanding. This can cause the lens surface to heat up and smear, becoming difficult to remove. Control the drill by moving at a slow, steady, even speed at all times across the headlight lens.
- Do not move the drill at a fast, erratic speed on the headlight lens.
- If abrasive disc becomes clogged or is no longer removing material, change to a new disc. Wiping the abrasive disc and lens frequently with a paper towel will reduce clogging and extend the life of the disc.
Wipe off the lens and inspect to ensure all the yellowing and defects have been completely removed. If yellowing, defects, or portions of the surface coating still exist, continue sanding with P500 grit gold colored discs until they are completely removed
(I will admit I was worried when the headlight took on this colour, but the instructions said to expect it (this is after using roughest sanding pad)
Important: The lens should have a white, evenly sanded surface that appears to look "frosted." If any portion of the lens looks clear or glossy, continue sanding before moving to the next step. Extra sanding on this step will make the next step easier and improve the final clarity of the headlight lens.
Remove the P500 gold colored disc. Attach and center a P800 grit abrasive disc to the disc pad holder.
Using medium to light pressure, begin sanding to reduce the sand scratches from a P500 to a P800 grit scratch. When the disc is clogged or no longer sanding effectively, replace with a new P800 grit white colored disc. Make several passes over the entire lens to be sure the P500 grit scratches from the previous step are reduced to P800 grit scratches.
Wipe the lens, notice the scratches are finer. If any coarse scratches are visible, continue sanding that area with the P800 grit white colored disc until the coarse scratches are reduced. Extra sanding on this step will make the next step easier and improve the final clarity of the headlight lens.
Remove the P800 grit white colored disc. Attach and center a P3000 Foam Disc to the disc holder pad.
Using a spray bottle, apply enough water to dampen the gray P3000 foam disc and the lens surface before sanding. The foam abrasive disc can be used flat against the lens. Using medium to light pressure, begin sanding to reduce the P800 grit scratches to gray P3000 grit scratches. Important - Add a mist of water to the surface if it becomes dry while sanding.
On many lenses, a white residue or slurry will build up on the lens indicating you are reducing the sand scratches. Continue with 4-6 passes over the lens after you start seeing the white residue or slurry on the lens surface. If the lens does not produce a white slurry, make 10-12 passes on the lens. Extra sanding on this step will make the next step easier and improve the final clarity of the headlight lens. Avoid sharp edges or alignment pins on the lens to extend the life of the discs as this one disc will be used for any additional lenses.
Wipe the lens, you will notice the scratches are much finer and the lens appears somewhat clear. If any coarse scratches are visible, mist the area with water and continue sanding with the P3000 disc.
Remove the P3000 foam disc. Attach and center the orange foam compounding pad to the disc pad holder.
Dispense a 0.75 inch (about the size of a thumbnail) sized amount of the Rubbing Compound to the orange foam compounding pad. Before turning the drill on, smear the polish with the orange foam pad around the lens. This will reduce spatter. Too much Rubbing Compound will result in excessive splatter and added clean up. Do not run the foam pad dry.
Holding the pad flat on the lens, polish the lens until the cloudy haze is gone and the clarity is significantly improved. If additional clarity is needed or desired, add another 0.75 inch (about the size of a thumbnail) size amount of the Rubbing Compound and continue buffing.
If sanding scratches are still visible on the lens, repeat the steps above from the point of using the P3000 foam disc.
Remove the masking tape and wipe the lens using a clean microfiber detailing cloth
Wash any residual spatter from the vehicle using car wash soap and a soft, clean cloth.
For best results, don't hurry any of the steps above. For my headlight, it took me just over an hour to complete, but for a headlight in a worse state, it would take longer. Also, if you are happy at each stage that you have completed that sage, do not worry if you have spare discs from that stage - the kit supplies enough discs for each stage to cater for headlight in a variety of conditions. I had spare discs, and I thought my lights were bad to start off with.
Expect the process to take at least an hour.
When done, wait for 24 hours (try and ensure the headlight stays dry) and then wash and dry it again, and seal it using a lens sealant, or else within a couple of months, it will be faded again, as the sanding process actually removed the previous sealant that was on the headlight lens.
Final result on my headlight is shown below. An hour of my time and the small cost of the 3M Kit and sealant is much better than over £100 for a new headlight assembly
Headlight Scratch, Fade and Yellow Tint Removal
Civic 01-05


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Today's dish
'Grey's Anatomy' actors clash
LOS ANGELES - Doctor doctor, give us the news. But ABC is staying mum about the reported on-set scuffle between the actors portraying Dr. McDreamy and Dr. Burke on TV's top-rated "Grey's Anatomy."
An argument between Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey got physical and led to a temporary pause in production, the New York Daily News reported in its Wednesday editions.
The actors shared a heated exchange Monday about cast members delaying a scene when Washington, 43, grabbed Dempsey, 40, by the throat and shoved him, according to the newspaper.
Representatives for the actors said the two have made amends.
Ryan will help Farrah
LOS ANGELES - Farrah Fawcett has enlisted the help of her ex, Ryan O'Neal, as she prepares to undergo treatment for anal cancer, O'Neal told People magazine.
He accompanied Fawcett, 59, to a chemotherapy treatment Monday, the magazine reported in its Oct. 23 issue.
"She's so strong," he says. "I love her. I love her all over again."
This isn't the first time Fawcett and O'Neal, who ended their 17-year relationship in 1997, have reunited to fight a medical battle. Fawcett helped care for the 65-year-old actor in 2001 when he was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia.


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Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The Accidental Balanophage: Acorn Cookies
For the acorn flour I used bur oak acorns we collected locally and kept fridged (most of them I plan to plan and grow next spring). I cracked the acorns and extracted the nut fruit last night. Yes, it took a while. This is Minnesota and "bur oak acorns" means 1) tiny nut, 2) thick shell, 3) not a lot of nut meat. It would be a different story with the Titleist size acorns down South.
At this point most environmentalists/urban homesteaders would lie and say that the process of cracking the acorns is "meditative" or "contemplative." Both are euphemisms for "mind-numbingly dull." But I got it done.
This morning I ground the nut meat to the approximate consistency of corn meal. I spread it on a cookie sheet and put it in a warm oven to dry - about 1 hour or so. It was by no means bone dry in that time, but more importantly: I was hungry! I used a coffee grinder to further grind the meal to a fine flour.
Here's the recipe:
1/2 cup butter (always a good start)
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almod extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup acorn flour
1-1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
Melt the butter, combine with syrup (at this point I discovered that melted butter + syrup = yummy. Who knew?) Add the rest of the wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients separately. Add dry to wet, mix.
The dough was looking a little wet & sticky at that point (possibly because I didn't get the acorn flour completely dry) so I ad-libbed another tablespoon of flour.
350 degree oven for 15 minutes. (A trademark feature of a Chris Siems recipe is telling you the pre-heat info in the last line.)
After a suitable level of shock was expressed that, "Papa actually baked something without burning down the kitchen," the verdict was unanimous: Awesome. Loved by one and all - Alice, Katrina & Ethan. The shock was genuine. I once mistakenly used baking soda instead of baking powder to make pancakes (Katrina's birthday pancakes no less). They had that metallic flavor that is highly prized by... no one I can possibly imagine.
Excuse me - I need to go grab another cookie.
The Accidental Balanophage: Tools of the trade
I took advantage of a nice evening yesterday to sit outside and crack some acorns in anticipation of doing some baking. (Those of you who know me therefore know the absurdity of that last sentence - you can stop laughing now; I'm serious enough about the importance of RE-learning how to eat acorns that I'm willing to undergo the torture of spending time in the kitchen to show how easy, good and healthy it is!). Here are my tools of the trade. The rustier the better, that's my motto. I found that the needle nosed pliers didn't work. By the time it cracked the hull it damaged the nut fruit. The standard pliers was better. In the end I reverted to the most time-tested acorn-cracking tool of them all: my teeth.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Oaks: 400+ species or one species with 400 varieties? Part 1
Frequent hybridisation among oaks has consequences for oak populations around the world; most notably, hybridization has produced large populations of hybrids with copious amounts of introgression, and the evolution of new species.[4] Frequent hybridisation and high levels of introgression have caused different species in the same populations to share up to 50% of their genetic information.[5] The high rates of hybridisation and introgression, produces genetic data that often does not differentiate between two clearly morphologically distinct species, but instead differentiates populations.[6] Numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain how oak species are able to remain morphologically and ecologically distinct with such high levels of gene flow, but the problem is still largely a mystery to botanists.
The Fagaceae, or oak family, is a very slowly evolving clade compared to other angiosperms,[7][8] and the hybridisation patterns in Quercus pose a great challenge to the concept of a species. A species is often defined as a group of "actually or potentially interbreeding populations which are reproductively isolated from other such groups."[9] By this definition, many species of Quercus would be lumped together according to their geographic and ecological habitat, despite clear distinctions in morphology and, to a large extent, genetic data. Thus, although it may be difficult to place a definition on a species within a genus like Quercus, it is trivial and uninformative to apply the biological species concept to all forms of life.
The natural tendency of oaks to hybridize (and the ease with which artificial hybridization can be achieved) is probably - no, is without question - the most underexploited area of plant improvement in the world. If oaks had received 1/1,000,000th the attention from plant breeders that corn and wheat have received we'd have oak trees capable of growing 6ft per year and producing acorns in year 3. And I'm not joking.
I came across this cool story in an old article. H. Ness of the Texas Experiment Station (a man who loved his given name so much that he always went by the initial H; I'm guessing Herman) wrote an article for the Journal of Heredity in 1927 entitled "Possibilities of Hybrid Oaks: Further Observations on Hybrid Oaks at College Station, Texas." Ness wrote that the Texas A&M campus in Brazos Cty TX was situated in an area with very little forest species diversity. post oak (Q. minor), black-jack oak (Q. marilandica) and water oak (Q. nigra) in the river bottoms. (Of course in northern Minnesota that level of oak diversity looks positively rainforest-like!)
In 1891 a few live oak (Q. virginiana) trees were planted on campus. More live oaks were subsequently planted on campus, all of them descendents of the first ones. Many of these young trees were planted at great distances from the nearest live oaks, and in places where wind direction and obstructions from buildings etc, "greatly reduce the chances of any pollen reaching them from the trees of the first planting." Live oak trees produce female flowers at about 5 years of age, but do not product male flowers until several years later.
According to my old friend "Herman" Ness: "Yet, the female flowers on these young trees, apparently beyond the reach of pollen from their own species, fail but rarely to produce an ample crop of well developed acorns." So... only female flowers, no live oak pollen. How then are the female flowers fertilized? Well, let's just say that the offspring look suspiciously like post oaks (insert your own "mail man" joke here). More accurately, the offspring display a range - a continuum - of characteristics from (nearly) pure live oak to (nearly) pure post oak, and everything in between.
Hybrid oaks - the offspring of these natural of artifical inter "species" fertilization - often exhibit faster growth and earlier maturity than either of the parent species.
Oaks definitely challenge our conception of species. It's more of a continuum with millons of variations and tremendous genetic elasticity. And within that elasticity lies the potential to feed the world. This will be the focus of future "Oaks: One Species?" posts.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Oak Abuse, Part 5: Technology Is Amazing
Steve Kunde was a pioneer in the area of oak wilt prevention and eradication. He was also, and I'll never forget this, an early supporter of a little non-profit organization called Lasting Woodlands that I started as an urban forestry student back in 1988. A few years ago Kunde Company was acquired by S&S Tree Specialists, but remained essentially intact. I saw Steve about 18 months ago and he was really happy about the arrangement, which allows him to focus on the forestry side of things while the larger S&S organization can handle more of the business matters.
Glen Olson is a highly experienced forester with Kunde Consultants. Rather than driving 45 minutes south to Northfield to visit the site in person he brilliantly saved time & gas... and visited the site via satellite. Glen called say he was looking at my neighbor's home via an aerial image on Google Maps. He could see the line of oaks, and the location of the various walkways, sidewalks and driveways that I have always worried would make trenching to sever root grafts difficult if not impossible. He could tell from the imagery which trees were oaks and which were not. Amazing.
The bad news: Trenching is impossible.
The good news: The adjacent trees can be injected with fungicide to prevent infection. This will need to be done now and again in 2 years. The fungicide is called Propiconazole.
I was happy to provide some "ground truth" (as we say in the remote imaging game) by taking diameter measurements of the trees so that Glen could complete his quote quickly.
The 2 threatened oaks immediately to the north of the infected tree are 28 and 27 inches in diameter. The 2 oaks to the south are even bigger - 29 and 31 inches.
But of course the tree that died was the biggest of the group: 35.5 inches in diameter - 111.5 inches in circumference!
It's been a weird summer... arriving home from work in May 22 to learn that some hacks had pruned my neighbor's red oak trees smack dab in the middle of the danger zone for oak wilt spread... watching those trees all summer, first hoping against hope that they'd be all right, and then hoping against hope that the die back I was seeing was caused by something else, something less deadly... getting the diagnosis of oak wilt... then reconnecting with a great company like Kunde Consultants to do things right and protect the surrounding trees.
Every time I get discouraged that there are guys out there calling themselves tree care professionals who are wantonly (or accidentally through ignorance, which is just as bad) harming trees, I remember that there are people like Steve Kunde and Glen Olson out there who are committed to doing things right. And, who now have technology available to them that allows them to "visit" a site 35 miles away in a matter of minutes so they can do their important work even more efficiently and effectively.
Tree Care Plug
While Cannon River Tree Care doesn't have the equipment required to take on this project, I came away really, really impressed with John's knowledge and integrity. Like me he was appalled that a so-called tree care company would prune those gorgeous red oaks in May, and was sick about the consequences.
If you live in the Northfield / Rice County, MN area I highly recommend Cannon River Tree Care. We're lucky to have such a high-quality tree care company here in the area.
Oak Abuse, Part 4
Now comes the task of protecting the adjacent trees from the fungus. Now that one tree got infected via the inefficient means of a picnic beetle carrying fungal spores from a diseased tree to the May 22 pruning wounds made on this tree, oak wilt now becomes a much deadlier threat, spreading at an approximate rate of 30 feet per year through the roots from one tree to the next.
Oak wilt transmission overland via the picnic beetle is a question of "if." Transmission via the root systems is a matter of "when." Oak trees form root grafts with nearby oaks of the same species - northern red oak to northern red oak, bur oak to bur oak, etc. Whether this is an example of aboreal socialism which allows a stand of oaks to share water and nutrient resources, or is a Darwinian means by which stronger oaks draw upon the resources of weaker ones, I don't know.
What I do know is it makes a great highway by which systemic fungal infections can travel from one oak tree to the next... and the next... and the next.
But we have been hard at work getting the right people involved in preventing the spread of the fungus to adjacent trees, and these experts have more tools at their disposal than they did 20 years ago when I was first learning about and giving talks about oak wilt.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Oak Abuse, Part 3
Well, it has happened, my fears are (nearly) confirmed. Remember, a soon-to-be named south Twin Cities metro tree "care" company pruned my neighbor's gorgeous red oak trees on May 22 - smack dab in the middle of oak wilt season. When they remained healthy throughout June and part of July, I was hopeful that we had dodged a bullet and that the trees had escaped infection. No such luck. Since showing the first signs of flagging & die back in July, the tree collapsed rapidly in August. Samples have been sent to the Plant Disease Clinic at the University of Minnesota for culture & diagnosis. Results are expected in 1-2 weeks, but the technician was convinced that it is indeed oak wilt, and a tree inspector from a Mpls suburb who was dropping off samples believes it is oak wilt.
So, in all likelihood, these guys killed my neighbor's tree. Actually, trees - since this red oak is part of a row of huge red oaks that spans 5 different front yards. Sidewalks, driveways, the street and buried electrical/cable/phone lines will make it very difficult to effectively trench to severe the root grafts between the trees and prevent the spread of the fungus from this diseased tree to its cohorts.
So we have the cost of removal and the cost of trenching to try to save the remaining trees. We'll be having a "chat" with this particular tree "care" company very soon. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Acorns du Jour
Monday, August 24, 2009
The Accidental Balanophage: It Begins
Balanophage is a term coined by restoration ecologist Dr. David Bainbridge meaning, literally, "acorn eater."
It is a term that could solve 99.3% of the world's problems (the exception being the Twins' starting pitching situation).
After gathering, cracking (or, more accurately, bribing my son to crack) and leeching (about 24 hours in water, changing the water every 4 hours or so, to leech out the tannins) bur oak acorns I have put them to use two ways. Yesterday, to the horror of my family, I sprinkled some crushed acorns into my blueberry pancake batter. Until my daughter demonstrated that it was possible, I never realized that the word "nasty" could have 4 syllables. They were delicious, and way more filling than regular pancakes. This morning I sprinkled some in my oatmeal. Just add the 1/4 cup of brown sugar (compressed with the approximate force of a auto crusher) I always need to make oatmeal edible and it was delicious... and kept me full, happy and productive all morning.
Another trip to the woods tonight to gather tomorrow's feast!
Precocious Little Tree
(Click on images to enlarge)
We're always told that if you plant an oak you can expect to wait 15 to 20 years before it begins to produce acorns. Somehow this little tree didn't get the memo!
On Friday I visited Knecht's Nursery here in Northfield, MN. Owner Leif Knecht showed me some young - very young, as in perhaps 2-3 years since grafting - hybrid oaks that are already bearing acorns! These trees are white oak / English oak crosses (Q. alba x robur). Notice the diameter of the trunk as compared to the size of the acorns and the diameter of the 5/8" bamboo support stake. Whenever somone mentions oaks as a potential human food or forage crop farmed on a commerical scale, the 15 to 20 year time lag is always mentioned - sometimes by the proponents of the idea themselves who reluctantly mention the time lag probably in an effort to prove that they are not complete head-in-the-clouds nut-jobs (luckily I have not such reservations!) - as a reason why the idea is not practical.
To which I say: Oh, really? True, the half dozen acorns on each of these trees hardly constitute a commerical crop, but given their early maturity and the fast growth we know oaks are capable of, is there any question that these trees will be pumping out significant volumes of acorns within a few years??
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Myth of the Slow Growing Oak
(Click on image to enlarge)
Barely 2 months after planting English oak (Q. robur) acorns - not seedlings, but acorns - in 1 gallon pots and protecting with 30 inch tree tubes... after the 3rd coldest year in Minnesota history... they are now just 2 inches away from emerging from 30 inch tubes.
Guarantee they will be 5ft to 6ft tall by the end of next summer. So much for slow growing!
Monday, August 10, 2009
How To Kill An Oak Tree: Construction Damage
This gorgeous bur oak is located just south of my town of Northfield, MN on the future site of a brand new KFC. (Memo to city planners: We need a new KFC like we need a hole in the head. What we need is some good PIZZA. But I digress...)
Click on the image to enlarge. A token effort has been made not to disturb the soil under the tree, but as you can see the heavy equipment has been driving and grading well inside the drip line, and cement culverts are busily compacting the soil.
Obviously somone thought about protecting this tree. How much better it would have been if they had put up a perimeter fence 10 feet outside the drip line. How much better it would have been if they had consulted a qualified arborist to draft a simple tree preservation plan.
Because we know how this story ends. The new KFC will be built, and the tree will look fine. For a while. Then next year or the year after it will start showing signs of stress or die back. Then, 3 to 5 years from now the tree will be dead and someone will spend hundreds - or thousands - of dollars removing it (certainly a helluva lot more than it would have cost to have an arborist draft a protection plan). An no one will make the connection between the damage that happened during construction - the soil compaction, the re-grading - with the tree's death a few year later.
Oak Abuse Update
I noticed some flagging about 3/4 of the way up the tree. Today I took this photo today from the middle of the street looking up (click to enlarge). I hope it's nothing but the die back sometimes common to mature oaks. I hope it's not the early warning signs of oak wilt. Red oaks usually succumb very quickly - within a matter of months or even weeks - while white oaks sometimes can survive longer before the fungus finally plugs all of the vascular tissue.
Please remember if a tree care "professional" ever offers to prune your oaks in April, May or June - don't let him anywhere near your trees, oaks or otherwise. He has no idea what he's doing.
Meanwhile, I'll keep crossing my fingers for this tree - especially because it's part of a row of at least eight mature red oaks that...
1. Have interlocking, grafted root systems that will spread oak will from tree to tree
2. Are too close together, and have too many impediments such as sidewalks, driveways and street in the way to allow for successful trenching with a vibratory plow to prevent the spread of the fungus from an infected tree to its neighbors.
Oak Gall du jour
Oaks play host to more creatures than nearly any other tree genus. Galls are made by wasps as a home and food source for larvae. They rarely harm the host oak, and a single mature oak is, by midsummer, host to several different types of gall wasp, each producing its own distinctive gall.
Inside each is a labyrinth of safety and all the food the wasp larva(e) needs.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Amazing Jays
So how many of those acorns does the jay find? About 1 in 4. That's a pretty amazing feat of memory on the part of the jay. They are highly skilled at using landmarks to find their caches. But it's an even better deal for the oaks! That means that 3 out of every 4 acorns buried by jays are not found, and while a significant portion of those will be found and eaten by various animals or succumb to infection or rot a much larger portion will germinate and grow (at least until the deer browse them).
What's more, jays make better oak planters than most humans. They don't plant acorns in the deep shade of the woods (where they would never thrive), because they'd also be very difficult to find again. They plant them along forest edges where the jays have landmarks to find them, and the new oaks get full sun but also get some shelter from the wind. They don't plant in compacted or wet soils, because they would be difficult to bury properly. In short, they plant oaks in exactly the places where they have the best chance to thrive.
William Bryant Logan says, "the fact is that the jays are the world's great cultivators of oak and a principal tool in the oak's spread and dominance."
Co-evolution is pretty cool.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Balanoculture 2
Now I know I definitely want to become a "balanoculturist" when I grow up!
Interestingly, David concluded that oak uplands in California, whose indiginous balanocultures thrived in great numbers, could support villages of one thousand people. Enough acorns could be harvested in 3 weeks to last 2 or 3 years.
This dovetails with William Bryant Logan's statement that "balanocultures were among the most stable and affluent cultures the human world has ever known." It was only as people moved down into the plains from the oak uplands of Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America and began cultivating grains that we actually had to start working hard for our food!
Plant an oak before you marry
"In Germany and Switzerland, a law survived into the Middle Ages that required a young man contemplating matrimony to plant two young oak trees prior to the nuptials. By the time the couple's children were ready to marry, there would be two more fruit-bearing trees to help sustain them. But since the time from the planting to an oak's first fruiting is between fifteen and thirty years, the cultivation of oaks as a fruit tree has never been practicable."
What a cool law! It's cool that many of our traditions, like planting a tree to commemorate a marriage or the birth of the child, have their roots in both basic human need (planting trees as a future food source) and ancient law.
Here's where I would take issue with Mr. Logan: I don't believe that you have to wait 15 years to begin producing acorns. If 1/1,000,000,000th of the effort that went into breeding crops like corn and soybeans, or even tree crops like apples and almonds, had been spent on selecting and selectively breeding early and annual producing oak trees I believe we could have oaks that would reliably produce acorns at 5 years of age.
I also believe that with better planting and establishment methods we can dramatically compress the time from planting to the first significant acorn crop.
Friday, July 24, 2009
How To Kill An Oak Tree
So, as a public service to those who are trying to kill oak trees but only doing a half-hearted job of it, here is a list of fool-proof ways to do away with the offending trees:
1. Prune an oak in April, May and June so as to make it susceptible to oak wilt. This isn't guaranteed to kill the tree - in many ways oak wilt is not a very efficient pathogen - but you get bonus points because if the tree does become infected it will likely infect neighboring oaks through interconnecting root systems.
2. Compact the soil in the root zone (which extends out past the longest branches) with heavy equipment (like your car). This reduces water infiltrations and squeezes the air spaces out of the soil, suffocating the roots.
3. Pile additional soil or fill over the root zone. Don't worry, it doesn't take much. In fact, it takes less fill than you think to prevent oak roots from getting the air and water they need.
4. Sever root systems (the closer to the tree - and therefore the higher the % of the root system lost - the better, but remember the root system extends out past the branches so you can trench pretty far from the tree and still do great harm).
And remember, kids: A combo platter of the above is even more effective. But be patient. You might have to wait months or even years to see the results of your handiwork. Oaks are tough old things. Don't worry, sooner or later your efforts will pay off with dead trees.
You're welcome.
Balanophages: acorn eaters.
And if you come from European stock, chances are your acenstors were. Balanophages, that is.
From this awesome book by William Bryant Logan (about which much, much more to come...).
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Oak Abuse - Pruning in Oak Wilt Season
That's why it was so disheartening to return home from work one evening to find that a "professional" tree care company had just pruned my elderly neighbor's gorgeous mature red oak trees... on May 22 (oh yeah, and charged her a king's ransom to do it).
I called the owner of the company and asked if he knew about the risks of oak wilt. He proudly stated he's been pruning oaks during April, May and June for nearly 20 years and "hasn't lost a tree yet." Right. He was completely unapologetic, completely arrogant. Another example of chain saw + pick up truck = tree care company.
With so few oaks being planted, and so many being lost to construction damage & natural/accidental oak wilt, we sure as hell don't need so-called tree care experts doing the fungus' work for it.
Oaks Grow Fast - J. Russell Smith
"The oak tree should sue poets for damages. Poets have used the oak tree as the symbol for slowness - sturdy and strong, yes, but so slow, so slow! The reiterations of poetry may be responsible for the fact that most people think of this tree as impossibly slow when one suggests it as the basis of an agricultural crop. On the contrary the facts about the oak are quite otherwise. I am sure no poet ever grew a grove of the faster growing varieties, for he would have put speed into his oak poetry.
Stereotypes about oaks being slow growing trees have kept people from planting them as often as the should, and nurseries from growing them as much as they should.
It's time to change all that.


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7 Comments
Kim Kardashian Is Back To Her Super Long Locks! Which Way Do YOU Like Her Hair Best?
Well that was super short lived! Kim K was so excited to debut her shorter hair, but she's already back to her super long locks. What gives?
It wasn't too long ago that Kim Kardashian had us siting on the edge of our seats when she tweeted that she cut her hair, but now it seems that the reality TV queen has had a change of heart yet again!Though Kim's shorter hair wasn't that big of a shock it was still a big move considering all of the Kardashians are known for their gorgeous long hair. So we were a little surprised to see Kim already back to her signature long do.
I am happy to see Kim back to her long locks, are YOU?
Get More Kardashian!
- Kim Kardashian Shuts Down Vera Wang For A Private Fitting With Her Family
- Kim Kardashian Is Shedding For The Wedding — She Wants To Be A Size 2!
- Was Kim Kardashian Engaged To Reggie Bush? They Had A Wedding Registry!


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I feel that way most of the time about all of it—not just the environment, but wars, and health care for people who can't afford it, and folks being unable to get along with one another without all the meanness and anger.
I'm looking for my manual for graceful living. I think I set it down somewhere over here...
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Joy is a Kind of Courage
I feel that way most of the time about all of it—not just the environment, but wars, and health care for people who can't afford it, and folks being unable to get along with one another without all the meanness and anger.
14 comments:
I know the Marvin Gaye version, but I haven't heard of Eleanor McEvoy before either! We must hope, amid our despair for the planet and your replacing your lawn is one of the small steps which give hope. It makes me so angry here, where the climate is dry (we're still waiting for the autumn rainfall), that municpalities and private gardens have lawns - so wasteful. I realy like the Gide quote.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 7, 2009 at 12:23 PM
If that particular song can bring up sorrow in you another can elicit joy.ReplyDelete
Well. A beautiful read, and I agree with your view completely. You helping save the world one lawn at a time reminds me of The Starfish Story. My sophomore year, my sociology professor's last lecture to us was this. He told us that while we may think that our one little deed might seem small and insignificant, it matters to that "one starfish" we saved. Definitely one of the more influential lectures I've received in my undergraduate career.ReplyDelete
I enjoy what you have added to this lesson (or at least, this is what I took from it) -- the importance of smiling while doing so... the importance of seeking and embracing joy in addition to change. Anyone can say that they've suffered through many great battles while struggling to make a difference, but how many can say that they've kept up their good spirit in the process? It's just important.
And, on another note, (although I feel like I've told you this in a billion different ways lately) you should know that like the starfish and your lawn, your struggles,attempts,etc. to influence your students - though one student at a time may seem insignificant - make a huge difference in the world as well. In my opinion, at least. While the effects of your influences are not as clearly defined as "helping cure our environment," or "helping starfish survive," they exist. And who knows? They might even intertwine with the ones listed above. I just thought I would remind you. Again, I appreciate it, and I appreciate you maintaining your good spirit in the process.
I love that quote!! Joy is a moral obligation... I love it!ReplyDelete
- The AntOctober 7, 2009 at 8:59 PM
This was the best thing I have read today and the idea that joy is a moral obligation is refreshing. I went searching for the Marvin Gaye song and listened much more intentionally. Thank you.ReplyDelete
Susan, An excellent essay...I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. My mantra of late has been this~~Don't let what you can't do stop you from doing what you can do. Thank you for the Gide quote; it will be perfect on the wall in my office. A good reminder. gailReplyDelete
A lovely and thoughtful post. All we really can do is to keep plugging away in our own way. Remember that a whole thing is always made up of many small parts and I for one keep plodding along.ReplyDelete
1. I never water the lawn..it get rainwater or goes without.
2.The lawn such as it is is all native grasses
3.We own a managed forest where our goal is propagation of native species with a focus on wildlife habitat.
It is only 86 acres but every little bit helps.
What a thoughtful piece :)ReplyDelete
It's the sorrow which makes the joy well, so joyful. If we didn't have both, then life would be too bland.
Now I'm going off-topic - you asked what Jacket potatoes are. They're potatoes baked in their own skins. Yum. I've amended my post so thanks for asking :)
Hope you're having a great weekend!
Hey Susan, trust you to put the dark and the light together for shading, contrast, and richness that mirrors life. I am curious to know the story of you and music, will look forward to it if you choose to tell it someday. As someone who considers it as important as my blood, I am curious about how other relate (or don't) to it. Have you read "This is Your Brain on Music"? I thought it was a pretty good read. I know you will share many a joyful moment on your wine patio flagstones, as well as discussing serious stuff and figuring out how to do what you can to keep up the good fight on behalf of our planet and its precious creatures. Skol!ReplyDelete
Lovely quote, but I can't force myself to be joyful, moral obligationor not. I am a poet. We aea melancholic lot--and if we weren't, well, we could suffer nobly for our art. Right? Hmph. I need chocolate. And wine.ReplyDelete
What a wonderful post.ReplyDelete
The 'scientific me' cringes when I think of where we are as a planet - how we're debating 'combating' climate change when really, most of what it would involve is the right thing to do even if rising seas weren't lapping at our doorsteps (more literally for some than others...). And healthcare! Don't get me on that one. When one looks at the history of healthcare (and work-supported healthcare) - there was little reason for it to evolve that way. And how could we deny decent care to someone that is ill? Why are we so stubborn, so self-involved, so selfish, so short-sighted?
But I'm totally with you. If there was no hopefulness, then what's the point? If there's power in an individual, which history has shown us - then there MUST be quiet or hidden or subtle power in these small individual acts of respect one pays to a tiny piece of land. We just need it to become viral...
So yeah - I like the thought that joy is a moral obligation. Plus, I've always loved Marvin Gaye.
(Now what's this not 'getting' music thing?? Really? I'm quite curious about this one!)
I read your entry with much feeling. It is so sad to live without hope, and I know it's trite in these days to say it, but my hope is in the Lord. While I hope in him, I also try to do my little part to make this wonder filled Earth a better place for all of us. You continue to educate, and I will too. We'll also continue to love the humans around us, those we agree with, and those we don't. Love the song. Thank you.~~DeeReplyDelete
What a truly thought provoking post. I am not sure if I know what joy is, except that it is music that brings me closest to something more than the ordinary, to a special place within myself. I agree with Benjamin,I don't think I can be 'obliged' into joy and I feel you are right in saying that joy requires courage. As I say, thought provoking. Thank you.ReplyDelete


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With cybercriminals always on the attack, it can be difficult keeping our critical data and online accounts safe. Hackers worldwide have been stealing and selling billions of usernames and passwords for years. That's why it's extremely important to stay vigilant and follow security guidelines.
In an effort to keep accounts secure, people have been creating hard-to-remember passwords, using upper and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters for years. Now, the person who came up with those guidelines said that we're doing it all wrong.
Are your account passwords weak?
We're talking about someone that you've probably never heard of. His name is Bill Burr and he used to work for the U.S. government.
He is considered to be a password guru and created the "bible" on passwords in 2003. Burr is responsible for coming up with those crazy password-creating rules as well as suggesting to change your passwords often, at least every three months.
He said his original advice was wrong. He told The Wall Street Journal that he regrets his original advice because passwords created with those guidelines are often easier to hack.
Instead of having improved security, Burr's guidelines could make it weaker. Users would end up using the same password over and over again after 90 days, simply changing one number at the end. Sometimes they would even write their passwords down on paper so they could remember them, leaving them exposed to anyone in the area.
How to create stronger passwords
Burr explained that there's an easier and better way to make your passwords virtually unguessable. Instead of using a combination of symbols, letters and numbers, he is recommending that your passwords be a long phrase, one that only you will find easy to remember.
We've actually given you this advice before. In fact, here's one of our articles telling you about a "passphrase" generator that will create them for you if you can't think of any on your own.
"Passphrases" are actually better at keeping you secure than Burr's original guidelines. They should contain at least four words. Something like, "I love pizza with a thin gluten free crust." Or, "I'll never forget my first red bicycle."
One researcher discovered that it would take over 500 years to crack the password "correcthorsebatterystaple." It would only take a hacker 3 days to crack the password "Tr0ub4dor&3," which was created using the old rules.
Clearly, it's time to start using passphrases. When you create one, NEVER share it with anyone! Oh - and change it only when it's been compromised. Follow this procedure and you will be as safe from hackers as possible.
More stories you can't miss:
One mistake people make using public Wi-Fi that lets everyone see their files
Common security risks every smartphone user should know about
Turn this Windows service OFF right now! It leaves you vulnerable to attacks


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Lobby M-Th 9-4 F 9-5:30
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Premier Bank Texas proudly serves the banking needs of our customers with a full range of financial services. We are firmly rooted in the community & are excited about the opportunity to be your bank.
Located on the corner of Vine and Main Street near the Chamber Office and across from the Grapevine Convention Center and Public Library
Diamond Sponsors
Classic Chevrolet / The Thompson Group
Platinum Sponsors
Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Grapevine
Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center
Gold Sponsors
Sewell Cadillac and BMW of Grapevine
Silver Sponsors
The Courtyard/TownePlace Suites by Marriott
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southlake
Wells Fargo Bank – Grapevine Main


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It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of longtime Peralta employee Sheryl Queen.
Sheryl, a Curriculum and Systems Technology Analyst in Educational Services who worked at Peralta since 1981, became ill while attending a meeting today at the District Office. She was rushed to Highland Hospital where she passed away a short time later.
Our thoughts are with her family at this difficult time.
José M. Ortiz, Ed.D.
Peralta Community College District
Filed under: Announcements. Tagged: Sheryl Queen


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So, a few months back I turned 30. Yup, I've been on this planet for three decades — I can feel my love of Wether's Originals and porch-sitting increase by the day. I also, like many guys my age, still regularly play video games. A few grey hairs aren't going to bust me and Mario apart dammit!
Here's the thing though, and I think my fellow senior citizens can back me up on this one — once you start nearing the big three-oh, gaming starts to feel less satisfying than it once did. Yeah, studies have shown the average gamer is actually around 32, but for the most part gaming is still a hobby designed for teenagers. Don't get me wrong, I'll always be a gamer, but the following are some of the reasons I'll probably never enjoy games as much as I did when I was 16…
There's Not Enough Time
For years I had a real size obsession when it came to games — the longer a game promised it was on the back of the box the more excited I got. Hearing a game took less than 20-hours to beat was enough to immediately turn me off. Now, unless I have somebody paying me to finish a game quickly, a 20-hour game can take me weeks or even months to complete.
Taking that long to get through a game often really deadens its impact. You forget what you were doing last time you played, you're always trying to re-familiarize yourself with the controls, and there's no sense of momentum — you hit a hard spot and sometimes you end up stuck there for weeks. It would be like if you tried to watch an episode of Mad Men in 1-minute increments over the span of two months.
For maximum impact I think, ideally, you should try to beat most games in around 5-10 play sessions, but when you rarely have the opportunity to sit down for longer than an hour to play, that RPG is going to take you more like 40-50 sessions. I can only imagine how bad it will get once I actually become a for-real adult with kids and a house and all that stuff.
I Have Too Much Damn Money
Every new video game used to be something special. I remember carrying a 15-pound sack of change to K-Mart to buy Phantasy Star IV, the first game I ever bought entirely with my own money. Unsurprisingly Phantasy Star IV is still one of my top three favorite games of all time.
Now that I'm a grown-up person, 50 dollars is nothing. I spent 50 dollars on dinners I eat in 20-minutes all the time. The thrill of buying a game is gone. Instead of buying a game and playing the hell out of it until I've memorized every pixel, I have half-a-dozen games sitting around in a state of semi-completion. Worst of all, my mind has been permanently warped by the days when new games were so rare and special. My pile of half-finished games weighs on me — I spend more time feeling guilty about not giving them the attention they deserve than I do actually, you know, playing them.
Nobody Makes the Stuff I Like Anymore
My formative gaming years were during the late 80s and early 90s, so of course I love platformers, JRPGs, graphic adventure games and other stuff that was popular back then. Sadly those genres aren't doing so hot these days.


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April Food Porn(with some from May :P)Pictures of what I ate during April with some from the month of May.:)
|My fave cherry soda & nougat!
|Super soft mochi from Sakae Sushi
|Mama's ikan belah belakang--love eating it with rice.
|Made tomyam campur!
|Cucur udang jagung..so good!
|Love Ben & Jerry's
|Nasi briyani at cousin's wedding
|Desserts from the dessert table at the wedding:
|How I eat my cheeseburger:fries on it
|Horlicks crunchy mcflurry..so good!
|Me & the boyf tasted Domino's new crust..so good!
|Barbeque food from my boyfriend dad's birthday
|Breakfast..love fresh coconut.
|From pasar tani sect 13 shah alam every sunday:popiah s.ali& roast chicken
|A&W--coney dog,onion rings&rootbeer float
|Goreng pisang(banana fritters)
|Baked cheesecake brownies
|Takeout Homst food!
|Baked chocolate souffle with the boyfriend & his lil sis.
|Simple lunch:mushroom soup with garlic bread & mangoes for dessert
|Barbeque prawns from the birthday of my boyfriend's dad
|Homemade chocolate chip cookies by me!


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COME CELEBRATE THE WORLDWIDE LAUNCH OF CARRY ON, the new novel from No. 1 New York Times bestselling author, Rainbow Rowell.
Rainbow will sit down with The Magicians-author Lev Grossman to talk about her take on magic words, chosen one stories, and the power of scones. Q&A and signing to follow. Books sold on premises.
THIS IS A REAL (TEA) PARTY with Simon-Snow themed treats and favors. BREAK OUT YOUR VERY BEST CARDIGAN.


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Back-end, Front-end, Software engineering
Old projects (maybe even 6 months or less) often come without test suites,
are tightly coupled with an outdated version of a framework (if not: has lots of boilerplate code),
and are written without consistency in code style.
When working on such a project, it's tempting to start moving brackets around,
replacing old syntax style with newer language version syntax,
and renaming variables/classes/functions. Especially when you're refactoring or adding a feature.
With this blog post I wanted to share some tips and pitfalls on code style changes in legacy projects.
First of all: fixing code style isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Code style makes code more readable, less personal, and more uniform.
As long as there is some kind of agreement that you will be working on this project for at least the next few months,
your future self and colleagues might benefit from a better code style.
You might be tempted to use an automated tool to reformat an entire file, or even your entire code base.
Here's why that's not a good idea:
It is a good idea to setup a CS fixer for newly created files though.
You can gradually build up a namespace full of new
classes that adhere to a certain code style standard and have it backed by an automated tool.
While refactoring you can slim down existing classes and functions and inject new, well tested dependencies.
That way you can slowly move away from the legacy code that's still badly formatted.
If you do want to reformat an entire directory of code, despite my advise,
make sure to have as few branches and open pull requests as possible. Ideally: no pull request and only one branch.
Then do a single commit where you only reformat the code, nothing else. Push it, and done!
Happy CS fixing!


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Direct sow 1/4" deep after danger of frost, or sow indoors for transplant 6 weeks before last frost. Thin/ transplant to 12". Plants prefer full sun. Deadhead to prolong bloom and limit self-seeding.
Seed Saving
Collect seeds from seed heads that are fully dry. Shell by hand, winnow or screen to clean. some cross-pollination may occur, isolate from varieties of the same species by 1/4 mile.


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Login/Create Account
Check Out the new Remax App
Ask Me Anything
Thanks for stopping by. I'm Chad Campbell and I've been a licensed Realtor since 2003. I have been a Hilliard resident for 30 years, and specialize in the Hillard, Galloway, and Grove City markets. I have sold over 20 million in sales volume through the years all over central Ohio. That means a lot of families listed or hired me to help them through the real-estate process. So with that said if your looking to list or find a home I have the experience and company backing to help you obtain all your real estate needs. Looking forward to helping you out!


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Well I can honestly say I am pleasantly surprised… After a few years of stale MMOs including F2P re-releases I decided to give Vanguard another shot. It has been a long time since I have truly enjoyed an MMO, a lot of them out there try really hard to succeed but for some reason do not grasp my attention nor my imagination. This is simply not the case with Vanguard. I realize it is an old game, and there are a few negatives to the game that I have already noticed but I think it has some redeeming qualities for those with a bit of patience. I have been playing only for a bit (level 13) but I am going to try to sum up my experience in a short pros and cons (equal amounts to be fair) list for anyone considering giving it a shot (although everyone should now that it's free!)
· Sense of nostalgia, while not something that seems like a good thing, in this case it is. Remnants of EQ days are surely to hit that comfort feeling for our longer playing MMO-aholics.
· Deep systems, crafting is amazingly complex and nothing like most click to create systems and diplomacy is one of the more unique minigames I have played in a game in a while and is an interesting take on faction relationship building.
· Combat is surprisingly difficult depending on what it is you are trying to do (negative for this incoming later).
· Community is great, most of the players are extremely helpful so far with the exception of a few.
· Outdated graphics, not really a con in my opinion but I know that is a turn off to some amongst us.
· Game engine is a little rough around the edges and produces some odd moments including clipping and constant minor frame issues (not really too noticeable after playing for a bit).
· Combat feels a little slow/sluggish, maybe because it is based off older styles of combat in MMOs but it just lacks a certain oomph to it.
· Small player base in the starting areas, although this is changing every day with the F2P bringing players in.
All in all (TL;DR) the game is a great homage to older games, although feeling a bit archaic at times due to an older engine and graphics it may be exactly what some of you are looking for. I would especially recommend it for those who complain of newer MMOs being too simplistic or being too clone-like to their counterparts. Hope to see you in game, it deserves a second chance.
Playing:Vanguard, Firefall
Waiting for: TESO
I really have to object to outdated grahpics, if you mean to imply they do not look like cartoons then you are correct.
However although the models are not the best, they are still better than any other game and the level of detail and drawing inclduing artistic value has no equal. Now it might take a rig to run it, I am not saying that but outdated is a poor camparision concerning the graphics
Playing:Vanguard, Firefall
Waiting for: TESO
I agree with what you are saying but I think when you have a more realistic engine it may not look as new as say as GW2 or Tera but again thoese games are more cartoony so to speak, I did not mean to imply that the lower settings are less grahically oriented, I am not, what I am saying is the 3D control is for items drawn on a map, high perormance leaves out bushes and fences with overgrowth whereas the highest graphical settings includes these items, draw distanct txture map and spell density are all different controllable items, so for me high performance with everything else jacked looks more real and more pleasing than my computer trying to hiccup through 100 inoranate objcts all over the field I am crossing, but to each his own
IF you force AA or use an injector with vanguard you are in for an absolutely amazing visual treat.
without those though...game still looks pretty decent


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27th April 2012
29 Members Club, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow
Facebook Timeline for pages has arrived and as from the 30th March all Facebook Pages will be transferred to the new timeline layout. The changes are radical and will mean every page user has to adapt to the new layout and, the new functionality. In some cases, this will mean a fundamental change in the way people operate their pages and for some it may mean they are not able to do some of the things they have done with their page in the past.
The new timeline layout is very different and the new functionality offers many new opportunities for businesses and brands to engage with their communities. The New Media Breakfast will highlight the changes to the pages and explore the ways that you can take advantage of the new timeline layout and the new functionality.
fatBuzz has been busy over the past month changing the layouts for around 100 pages that we manage for clients; we will use some of these to demonstrate what you can do to engage and reach out to your community. We will show you live examples of what others are doing on their pages and provide some ideas to help you promote your page and grow your community.
We will look at the following:
- Branding
- Tabs and iFrame Pages
- Using the timeline
- New functionality
- Liking, Commenting, Sharing and Tagging
- Photos and Video
- Syndicating content to your page
- Insights
- Advertising
We will take a fresh look at the impact and potential impact of Facebook on SEO. These are not specifically as a result of the new Timeline layout but we will take the opportunity to update you about the changes and how to maximise the SEO value of your Facebook activity.
We are also keen to answer any questions you may have about the new Facebook Pages or, Facebook in general so, please feel free to send us any questions in advance to email@example.com or post them as a comment on the blog or on the New Media Breakfast Facebook page.
The Facebook Timeline breakfast will be presented by Gordon White, Managing Director, fatBuzz Ltd and Tim Barlow, Managing Director of Attacat.
Venue: 29 Member's Club, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow
Date: Friday 27th April 2012
Time: 7.30am for 8am
Cost: £10 +VAT
No.29 Members Go Free – If you are a 29 Member you can attend the breakfast free of charge. Please email firstname.lastname@example.com with you membership number and he will add you to the attendance list.
We hope you can make it along to this event. If so, I look forward to seeing you on the day.
If you have found this post interesting please share it with your online community using either the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. Thank You.


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With a continued focus on growing its footprint and brands, Wyndham Hotel Group strengthens its development team with the addition of Chip Ohlsson as executive vice president and chief development officer, North America. A seasoned hospitality veteran, Ohlsson brings to Wyndham a deep knowledge of hotel financing, portfolio management, and well-established industry relationships.
"This is more than a welcome, it's a homecoming for Chip, who began his hospitality career with us selling Howard Johnson and was part of the Wyndham family for more than 10 years in various roles," said Bob Loewen, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Wyndham Hotel Group. "Our team has driven tremendous growth for our brands, and Chip's return ensures we continue building momentum across North America."
Ohlsson rejoins Wyndham Hotel Group as the company renews its focus on building and reinvigorating its portfolio of 15 brands. In his new role, Ohlsson will drive the development strategy for iconic brands including Days Inn and Super 8 across North America with a focus on proactively identifying and building strategic partnerships to position Wyndham Hotel Group in new markets and to optimize its presence in existing markets. He will also be responsible for strengthening and expanding relationships with owners and key ownership groups including real estate investment trusts, developers and financial institutions with hospitality portfolios. Additionally, Ohlsson will focus on strengthening and evolving the Hotel Group's development team.
A 22 year veteran of the hospitality industry, Ohlsson most recently served as vice president of North American development at Starwood Hotels & Resorts where he was responsible for the development and pipeline expansion for the company's renowned hotel brands. Prior to this, he held several leadership positions across the industry including senior vice president, vice president and franchise sales director with Cendant/Wyndham Hotel Group. During this time he oversaw sales, business development and financial management initiatives and was consistently a top sales producer, earning accolades including Vice President of the Year among several other notable awards. Earlier in his career, Ohlsson held development positions with Travel Right Tours, Merrill Lynch, California Closet Company and AT&T. Chip earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from William Paterson University.
About Wyndham Hotel Group
Wyndham Hotel Group is the world's largest hotel company based on number of hotels and is one of three hospitality business units of Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN). As both a leading hotel brand franchisor and hotel management services provider, the company's global portfolio consists of approximately 7,700 properties and over 668,500 rooms in 71 countries under the following brands: Dolce Hotels and Resorts® (acquired February 2015), Wyndham Grand® Hotels and Resorts, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®, Wyndham Garden® Hotels, TRYP by Wyndham®, Wingate by Wyndham®, Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham®, Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham®, Ramada®, Baymont Inn & Suites®, Days Inn®, Super 8®, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge® and Knights Inn®. Wyndham Rewards, the company's guest loyalty program, offers more than 40 million members the opportunity to earn and redeem points at thousands of hotels across the world. For more information visitwww.wyndhamworldwide.com.
Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.