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Wine Stars
Whether it's owning a winery or partnering with well-known vintners, celebrities are getting into the wine business, perhaps because they realize that making wine is a catalyst for a pleasurable lifestyle. And to a greater or lesser degree, they are involved in all facets of winemaking, from blending to swirling to tasting to giving the thumbs up on production.
Real Sports Heroes Drink Wine
Jeff Gordon, one of NASCAR's top-ranked stars, grew up watching car races in the Bay Area. "When I was a kid going to races in Petaluma and Calistoga, we drove by beautiful vineyards wrapping around the hills and valleys," he says. "As I traveled abroad, I remembered those scenes and learned to appreciate fine wine."
In 2004, Gordon decided to step into the wine competition himself. He selected high-end producer August Briggs Wines, of Calistoga, to make his Jeff Gordon Collection wines. "I need the best technology and experts for my car—the same with my wine," he says. "Joe Briggs knows the science and does things in a first-class way."
After Gordon won the 2006 Nextel Cup at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, he toasted his success with his Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. "But I enjoy our Merlot at home with pizza, too," he adds.
As a wine producer, however, Gordon runs far behind the master, Mario Andretti, who celebrated the 10th year of his Napa-based Andretti Winery last June. After winning the Indianapolis 500 and taking 111 checkered flags in five decades, one might think that being a vintner is small grapes compared to his other interests. But "producing 40,000 cases of wine is a challenge," Andretti says. "Our Napa Reserve Selections make people smile, though, and this is my reward for being in the wine business."
In the football arena, Joe and Jennifer Montana entered the wine business as a practical matter. When the football Hall of Famer and his family moved to Sonoma County, people started asking for charity wine donations. The Montanas produced one such wine with Beringer Vineyards in St. Helena, and after the event asked Beringer winemaker Ed Sbragia if he'd be interested in producing more wines. Thus was born the Bordeaux blend sold under their combined names, Montagia. "Working with someone like Ed, one of the country's top winemakers, is something we are so proud of," says Jennifer Montana, who also hosts On the Vine, a show about Wine Country on the Oxygen cable television network. While both Joe and Sbragia enjoy the same brawny, tannic red wines, Jennifer prefers the elegance of Bordeaux wines. "The basic difference between our blending styles is simple," she says. "I add the wines that represent the curves and softness of a woman. ... My role is to soften up their big, powerful California reds."
The winemaking bug has also infected the ice-skating world. Olympic champion Peggy Fleming and her husband, Greg Jenkins, planted a vineyard near the Santa Cruz Mountains seven years ago but didn't expect so many spins and turns during the first few years. "Grape-growing is similar to nurturing athletes," says Fleming. "Grapes can grow by themselves, but with coaching from experts they grow that much better."
Although the winery is in Los Gatos, the pair pulls grapes from Yountville vineyards and recently released a Bordeaux blend, Choreography, with a Napa Valley AVA. Other wines include Victories Rosé, which benefits breast cancer research, and Madden Ranch Syrah, whose grapes come from friend John Madden's East Bay vineyard.
In 2005, golfer Greg Norman launched Greg Norman California Estates with wines including Lake County Zinfandel and Paso Robles Petite Sirah. He still rolls up his sleeves when it's time for production. "I don't stomp grapes or roll barrels, but I'm heavily involved in the blending process," he says. "Blending is a challenge because it's an exercise in creativity, but with differing opinions approaching it from diverse perspectives."
Not to be outdone by Norman, fellow golfer Arnold Palmer produces wine at Luna Vineyards, a Napa Valley winery co-owned by Palmer's friend Mike Moone. Arnold Palmer Wines include California Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. "It's fun to think you are a part of something you enjoy so much," Palmer says.
Wine Songs
It may seem obvious that the singer of '80s superhits "Dr. Feelgood" and "Girls, Girls, Girls" knows how to have a good time. But Mötley Crüe front man Vince Neil has a serious appreciation of fine wine, as his 10,000-case production of Vince Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Sonoma Chardonnay attests. "Vince has a tattoo of Vince Vineyards on his arm," says Vince Vineyards managing partner Russ Dale. "During [Mötley Crüe's] 2006 tour with Aerosmith, the Vince Vineyard bus accompanied the tour and visited distributors in each city."
Rock compatriot Carlos Santana's sparkling wine is bottled under Mumm Napa's DVX label, which is reserved for the winery's tête de cuvée. Santana selected the final blend for Santana DVX in 2005. "Carlos and winemaker Ludovic Dervin spent the day touring, tasting, and talking the same language of creative expression," says Dan de Serpa, licensing manager for Santana Management. "Carlos views this collaboration as symbolizing how his music and Mumm sparkling wine are bookmarks in people's lives."
Entertaining in the Vineyard
To escape the glare of Hollywood, My Three Sons star Fred MacMurray purchased a cattle ranch near Sonoma's Russian River. Although the MacMurrays later sold the ranch to E & J Gallo, Fred's screenwriter daughter Kate lives on the property in a cabin her father built. "My father loved wine and wasn't a snob about it. If he liked the taste of a Cabernet, he thought it was great no matter the label," says Kate, who promotes the Gallo-produced MacMurray Ranch wines and is part of the winemaking team. "We call this part of Sonoma the "Noir Hood" and MacMurray Ranch Estate River Cuvée Pinot Noir reflects the land we live on."
In the 1970s, comedian Dick Smothers launched Smothers Brothers Wines from the brothers' Santa Cruz vineyards. Brother Tom later purchased 50 hillside acres in Kenwood to plant cabernet sauvignon, and when Dick sold his interest, Tom renamed the brand to Remick Ridge Vineyards and hired winemaker Richard Arrowood to overhaul it. Tom and his wife, Marcy, live on the Remick Ridge estate and own the Wine Room in Kenwood, where Remick Ridge and four other wineries offer tastings.
Robert Redford is another Hollywood star who relishes the beauty and relaxed lifestyle of Wine Country. Although the part-time Calistoga resident doesn't own a vineyard or winery, Sundance partners with artisanal, family-owned wineries to produce exclusive wines for his Sundance Resort's Wine as Art program. Some of this year's wines include Honig's Sauvignon Blanc, Selby Chardonnay, Judd's Hill Merlot, and Mer Soleil Late Harvest Viognier.
Whether the field is athletics or entertainment or politics, the lure of wine continues to grow. The list of celebrities expands as more of them enjoy serving their own brand to family and friends—and finding it at their favorite restaurants—in addition to finding new ways to satisfy their fans.
Other Celebrity Wines
Winery Owners
Raymond Burr, actor, Raymond Burr Winery, Sonoma
Bruce Cohn, manager of the Doobie Brothers, B. R. Cohn, Glen Ellen
Francis Ford Coppola, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Geyserville; Rubicon Estate, Rutherford
John Lasseter, writer/director, Lasseter Family Winery, Glen Ellen
Diane Miller, Walt Disney's daughter, Silverado Winery, Napa
Vineyard Owners
Carmen Policy, former NFL executive
Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Representative
Tom Seaver, Hall of Fame pitcher
Wine Labels
Larry Bird, Legends, Cosentino Winery, Yountville
Mike Ditka, Kick Ass Red, Mendocino Wine Co., Mendocino
Elvis Presley Wines, Graceland Cellars, Signature Wines, Hayward
J. Garcia, Clos du Bois, Napa
Marilyn (Monroe) Wines, including Marilyn Merlot and Norma Jean brands, Nova Wines, St. Helena
Outside Northern California
Dan Ackroyd, comedian, Canada
Mario Batali, Food Network chef, Italy
Lorraine Bracco, actor, Italy (Bracco label)
Gérard Depardieu, actor, France
Bob Dylan, singer, Italy
Ernie Els, golfer, South Africa
Nick Faldo, golfer, Australia
Mick Hucknall, singer, Sicily
Sam Neill, actor, New Zealand
Olivia Newton-John, singer, Australia (Koala Blue label)
Fess Parker, actor, aka Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone,
Southern California
Sir Cliff Richard, singer, Portugal
Sting, singer, Italy
Mike Weir, golfer, Canada


text:
Lord, I am tired
My body grows weak;
I've tried, and I've tried
Your help I do seek. In prayers I've sent up
With things I desire;
What you return fill my needs
But I persist to inquire. Oh, please help me
To just understand;
Your wishes, my purpose
Of walking this land. Forgive me the pit-falls
I've put myself in;
In your strength I'll try
And start over again. Let me help those who need
Give drink to whom thirst;
But most of all Lord
To serve you first.

subset: commoncrawl


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Citizens are important stakeholders in Nova Scotia's primary and integrated healthcare system. As part of the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research, BRIC NS is committed to research that engages patients and citizens, improves their health outcomes and focuses on the priorities identified by citizens.
If you are interested in being contacted about research opportunities, please fill out our membership form.


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Generally, once the debtors complete the meeting of creditors, their involvement in the case is pretty much done. All they have to do is make sure that they have completed their credit management class.
If they have a car or a vehicle of some type and they want to reaffirm the debt, which means that they say I know I am filing bankruptcy on all of my creditors, but I want to keep this car and I want to keep the loan in force and I want to keep all my rights under the contract. So what the debtor will do is that they will sign a reaffirmation agreement that says "Okay, I understand I filed but I agree to keep the debt just like it was before the filing of the bankruptcy case". By doing so, the debtors will have a positive credit reference on their credit reports and will help them improve their credit score after they get their bankruptcy discharge. That is the main thing that takes place after the 341 hearing other than making sure you have your second class completed and that the certificate has been filed with the bankruptcy court. Other than that, the debtor is just waiting to get their discharge.
If you have more questions regarding the Meeting of Creditors, call the law firm of Steven F. Bliss at (858) 278-2800
now for a FREE Initial Consultation and get the information and legal answers you are seeking.


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Sterling Silver 31mm Charm Earrings
DescriptionOpt for unspoilt simplicity with these sterling silver charm earrings. With a slender silver cylinder, mounted above a delicate silver ball, these contemporary earrings speak of a modern, slightly tribal design, making them an ideal choice for displaying your favourite charms.
Product Details
- Metal content Sterling Silver
- Metal colour Silver
Delivery & Returns
FREE delivery for all orders over $100. Orders under $100 will be charged a flat fee of $9.90.
Once your order has shipped, please allow 2-7 business days for delivery depending on your location. Orders requiring ring sizing take up to three (3) additional business days to complete.
If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, you may return it online or in-store within 30 days of delivery for an exchange or full refund. Subject to meeting the requirements of our refund policy.
For more information, visit our FAQ page.
Care & Cleaning
When you purchase any products from Emma & Roe by Michael Hill, you are welcome to have your piece cleaned and polished in store at no charge.
To keep your pieces looking their best, here are some simple Care and Cleaning tips.


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When a student record is created for you in the Student Information System (SIS) by your admitting school.
Currently enrolled students have access to SIS. New, incoming students receive access when they have been matriculated. If you are unable to login, please see SIS Login Help.
Faculty of record and advisors of record have access to SIS. New faculty receive access when their department submits an Add/Update Instructor/Advisor form to the University Registrar's Office.
Administrators can request access to SIS by submitting a SIS Security Request Form. Training is required for some areas of access.


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Stand Alone Die set – This is a unique sentiment die set that will
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Each word is hand drawn and truly one of a kind. "Cheers and Celebrate" also works well for
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Cameron University Professor of Art Katherine Liontas-Warren has been invited to contribute to the Artist Printmaker Research Collection (AP/RC) at the Museum of Texas Tech University. The AP/RC is a research collection of original prints created by artist/printmakers. She joins more than 15 other artists from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado who are contributing to the project.
"I am honored to be asked to contribute to this collection," says Liontas-Warren. "Knowing that my work will be included in a collection that is readily available for research, exhibition and examination for generations to come is extremely gratifying."
The AP/RC seeks one copy of every editioned work that a selected artist has ever created in addition to mylars, photographs, matrices, and other materials that were used in the development and creation of the prints. The collection also contains published or unpublished materials relating to an individual artist's career, such as evolving artist statements, exhibition reviews and exhibition announcements.
The AP/RC highlights comprehensive collections by individual artist-printmakers, specifically those artists who participate in and perform every phase of the printmaking process from developing the image, fixing the image on a matrix, and printing the image. The collection focuses on original works of art in any print media, including relief, planographic, intaglio and digital. These may include woodblock prints, linocuts, etchings, screen prints, lithographs, engravings, giclee prints, monoprints, pochoirs, and more.
August 25, 2011


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6 Lessons on Raising Boys to Become Men
Not every boy is a football jock. Not every boy is bookish. (I was a happy, bookish, "drama geek" who somehow gravitated to martial arts.) Somehow my wife and I raised three wonderful young men who are all different, yet needed the same bits of advice to grow up and become independent, responsible, hard-working men. We are not perfect parents, and this list is certainly far from complete, but here are a few tips we learned along the way. (Actually, some of these ideas are for girls too, but for the most part I had my sons in mind as I wrote this.)
How do you raise boys to become men? Here are a few ideas:
1. Get them outside.
Boys are naturally more rambunctious. They love to virtually "explode" upon the scene by building, climbing, and knocking stuff down. I think every boy I've ever seen has a "truck gene" somewhere inside; whenever they see toy cars or blocks, they immediately make the sound of an engine and it's off to the races with the car or block! (Yes, some girls are rambunctious too. We have raised a daughter too. But girls are definitely different and we need to know that and respect it. Boys in general just naturally like to take more risks and do "dangerous" stuff.)
They break things (some of my boys broke some things I really treasured), so let them break stuff outside! They think they are invincible. Let them play and explore and break and build outside! Get them away from the video games and other electronic devices and let them build forts and climb trees and build ramps for their bikes and skateboards. (Of course this should all be under adult supervision ... if they want to parachute off the roof with an umbrella, I would discourage that.) One of the reasons we have an explosion of childhood obesity in this country is that our kids are discouraged from physical activity!
My mother would send me outside and tell me not to come in unless I was bleeding or on fire. So, we explored the woods and drainage ditches of where I grew up (Savannah, Ga.). We played with snakes and turtles, and played army, and built forts, and played two-hand touch football in the street. Oftentimes we played tackle football at a neighbor's house. Tons of kids played with us. We all got beat up a little bit, but no serious injuries. Get the kids outside!
Camping with the family or joining a scouting organization is wonderful to teach self-reliance and let a boy be a boy. I used to endorse the Boy Scouts of America, but in light of their recent caving to the LGBT agenda, I now endorse Trail Life USA.


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But from the inward motion to deliver
Sweet, sweet, sweet poison for the age's tooth
He that perforce robs lions of their hearts
May easily win a woman's.
Shadowing their right under your wings of war:
I give you welcome with a powerless hand
The shadow of myself form'd in her eye;
Which, being but the shadow of your son,
Becomes a sun, and makes your son a shadow:
I do protest I never lov'd myself
Till now infixed I beheld myself
Drawn in the flattering table of her eye.
There is no sin but to be rich
The sun's o'ercast with blood: fair day, adieu!
Which is the side that I must go withal?
I am with both: each army hath a hand;
And in their rage, I having hold of both,
They whirl asunder and dismember me.
And I will kiss thy detestable bones;
And put my eyeballs in thy vaulty brows;
And ring these fingers with thy household worms;
O, that my tongue were in the thunder's mouth!
Then with a passion would I shake the world
Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale
There is no sure foundation set on blood;
No certain life achiev'd by other's death.
The spirit of the time shall teach me speed.
To break within the bloody house of life;
Kneeling before this ruin of sweet life,
And breathing to his breathless excellence
The incense of a vow, a holy vow,
Never to taste the pleasures of the world,
Never to be infected with delight
Be great in act, as you have been in thought;
Let not the world see fear and sad distrust
Govern the motion of a kingly eye:
Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire.


text:
To the editor:
The Southington Democratic Town Committee is seeking democrats interested in running for public office in the November 2015 municipal election. Be a part of out town by actively participating in its government.
Please email your information to firstname.lastname@example.com or Call Bob Berkmoes at 860 621 3847.
Robert M. Berkmoes, Southington


text:
It is our continuing mission to treat and provide services to our residents consistent with our Lord's teachings.
At our Lutheran Home Communities, we want you to enjoy your "home". That is why we take pride in our amenities and accommodations, designed to meet your needs. Whether you want to embrace your independence, or gain peace of mind through the care we offer, we help you make the most of your "home".
The Lutheran Home for the Aged Association – East (LHAA-E) is a comprehensive retirement campus that hosts an array of services helping you (and your family) live worry – and hassle – free. We invite you to visit our Lutheran Home communities and see how our services can enhance your life.


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While I was blogging about anti-politics, unseasonal bushfires were raging through New South Wales. This has happened as Australia's new Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his Liberal/National Coalition prepare to scrap the meagre climate policies of the previous government. On 16 October, Greens MP Adam Bandt wrote in the Guardian:
Abbott is failing in what Ronald Reagan reportedly described as a government's first duty: to protect its people. Global warming poses the biggest ever threat to Australians and the Australian way of life, but he is siding with the enemy. This week he has put us on the fast-track to become the first ever country to introduce a price on pollution, and then repeal it. […]
Global warming is already damaging the health and the way of life of ordinary Australians and unless we act those threats will become catastrophic. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) predicts that under extreme climate change, the kind of bushfires we saw in Victoria on Black Saturday may happen on average once every two years (and we shouldn't forget that more people died from the summer's heatwave than the fires themselves). I drove past world-renowned wineries in southwest WA a few weeks ago, where the Climate Commission says climate change is drying the region, threatening WA's agriculture and biodiversity. The Climate Commission also warns of impacts on our fish stocks as the ocean absorbs CO2 and acidifies. […]
Donning a volunteer firefighter uniform for the media is a con if you're also helping start fires that put people's lives in danger.
If our prime minister truly wants to protect the Australian people, he must help fend off dangerous global warming, the country's biggest ever threat.
(As a side note, being only one person Abbott can make little difference to a state-wide emergency, so by his own logic doesn't that make his participation in the fire-fighting irrational?)
The next day, Bandt repeated his message on Twitter and on ABC TV, and was joined by Greens leader Christine Milne. The right-wing media hit back with editorials and opinion pieces denouncing Bandt's comments as "insensitive." What could be a more sensitive response to a tragedy than seeking to prevent such tragedies from recurring with increasing frequency and severity?
Environment Minister Greg Hunt accused the Greens of "politicizing" the fires – but tragedies have causes, and some of those causes can be addressed through political means. Commenting on the political causes and implications of a tragedy is not "politicizing", because the causes and implications are already political.
And then a cacophony of voices began to chime in on Bandt's side. First climate activist groups and individuals on Twitter; then scientists; firefighters; several political commentators; Labor backbenchers; letters to the editor; cartoonists; The Age; and Al Gore. Lenore Taylor wrote that extreme weather is "the elephant in the room" and "policymakers can no longer credibly look away", while 7:30 interviewed several scientists confirming "the link between global warming and fires is established and demands action". UN climate chief Christiana Figueres stated the fires show we are "already paying the price of carbon" and "just introductions to the doom and gloom that we could be facing". Even the Liberals' NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell admitted: "clearly, I think that's the science".
Abbott maintained silence on the issue for a week, until he was eventually asked to comment by denialist radio host Neil Mitchell. Abbott dismissed Figueres as "talking through her hat", saying "these fires are certainly not a function of climate change, they're just a function of life in Australia". Then Hunt told the BBC:
I looked up what Wikipedia said just to see what the rest of the world thought. It opened up with the fact that, 'bushfires in Australia are frequently occurring events during the hotter months of the year due to Australia's mostly hot, dry, climate'.
Greg Hunt, master of the bleeding obvious!
When asked about Abbott's alleged 2009 remark that climate change science is "absolute crap", Hunt became defensive, berating the interviewer for "swear[ing] on international radio". Hunt went on to say:
I think we've all got to be very careful, in talking with the senior people at the Bureau of Meteorology, for example, they always emphasise, never trying to link any particular event to climate change.
Again, Hunt is stating the obvious in an attempt to obfuscate a more important point. It's true we can't say whether global warming caused a single fire, just as we can't say tobacco smoking caused a single case of lung cancer, but in both cases we know it dramatically worsens the odds. There is an established causal link between global warming and increases in many types of extreme weather events, including bushfires.
It's not rocket science. Global warming means more extreme heat. The increase of energy in the climate system also causes the water cycle to intensify: more water evaporating from the ground; more water being held in the air; more water falling as rain. The combination of hotter temperatures and drier soils leads to more frequent and worse bushfires. The link between climate change and bushfires has been known for 25 years and acknowledged by former Liberal Prime Minister John Howard, the Environment Department website, and the very Wikipedia page which Hunt quoted.
The controversy has sparked a spate of vandalism on Hunt's Wikipedia page. His name is apparently "Gwegowy Andrew c'Hunt" and his nickname "Wiki Greg". "He's a clown." "He was also caused by global warming, long before European settlement." "He was raised as a eucalyptus tree and was briefly emperor of Pluto during his teens." He "attended the Syndey School for Disenfranchised Girls" and has "a Master of Arts in Interpretative Dance". "Hunt is married and has a daughter and a son but chooses to live at home with his mother" and "His mother tells him how proud she is each morning after she buttons up his cardigan and hands him his lunchbox as she sends him off to work." "He has already proven to be terrible at his job, to no surprise." Whoops, he "has proven to be awesome at his job". "He was quoted as saying he uses Wikipedia for important policy research." "He is known to reference Wikipedia in interview the BBC whilst coming off as a bit of a dick." And:
Hunt was appointed Environment Minister under Prime Minister Tony Abbott despite not having any interest or knowledge about the environmental challenges that Australia faces. He is, however, an avid user of Wikipedia and has taken to conducting all of his research for his ministerial role on this site. If undergraduates of university do this, they receive failing grades for work which is based on the "facts" garnered from this site, all of which are completely trustworthy and can not be changed by anyone but those who are experts in the subject matter involved.
He is notorious for using Wikipedia to conduct research on environmental issues on Wikipedia despite having access to a vast bureaucracy staffed by some of the finest and most dedicated minds in the nation, like some total turd. Critics concede that his 1990 Honours thesis on the necessity of a carbon tax was probably more academically rigorous than the manner in which he comports himself as one of the most powerful people in the country, but others defend their characterisation of the Environment Minister as an utter weiner.
It must be accurate – it comes from Wikipedia!
Hunt gave the game away later that day by saying the Government had taken "science off the table" and was "not debating it". As Lenore Taylor wrote in the Guardian:
There is a very good reason the Coalition wants to stamp out any link in the popular debate between climate change and an increased prevalence of bushfire weather.
They remember all too well the way concerns about weather events in 2006 and 2007 forced the then Howard government to take action on climate change that it otherwise probably would not have.
As Howard wrote in his autobiography Lazarus Rising, "in the space of several weeks, commencing in October 2006, four separate events came together to push the climate change concerns of the Australian community to higher levels than ever before. In Victoria the bushfire season started early; the drought affecting large areas of eastern Australia lingered on … from outside Australia came the contributions of Al Gore … and Sir Nicholas Stern.
"These four events coincided and dramatically increased the focus on global warming in Australia … I concluded that the government would need to shift its position on climate change."
This was apparently primarily a political consideration, since Howard says later in his book that he is "an agnostic rather than a sceptic on climate change, instinctively I doubt many of the more alarming predictions".
For a brief period in 2006-2007, the climate movement had the Australian government on the run. Howard's 2006 move was toward what I have described as Phase 2 of the greenwash program: an emissions trading scheme with international offsets, which could do more to prevent than drive decarbonisation in Australia. Although Howard quickly met his downfall, Labor Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard forged ahead with Phase 2 (with slight improvements made through the Greens' negotiation with Gillard). In future, we should not settle for greenwash from either of the major parties. It's telling that Labor leader Bill Shorten has been absent from the present bushfire debate: the reality is Labor are not so different to the Liberals.
The mental contortions of Abbott, Hunt, and Howard illustrate a common tactic of denialists of many different types. A denialist may rhetorically acknowledge the existence of the thing they deny, but obfuscate by casting excessive doubt where it is unwarranted, painting grey areas where there are none, attempting to discredit the most convincing lines of evidence or argument, and downplaying any aspect with political implications. It's a little-known fact, for example, that Holocaust deniers don't deny the Holocaust happened; they merely claim its scale has been exaggerated. This is why we must talk about precisely the things the Government doesn't want us to talk about, and we must debunk all the stages of climate change denial.
There are a number of climate-related issues of which the major political parties attempt to smack down any mention. As well as the connection between climate change and present impacts such as increasing extreme weather, examples include the need to leave most fossil fuels in the ground, and any criticism of coal exports, Australia's largest contribution to climate change. The Liberals do not want to talk about climate science at all, and lash out at any accusation of "denialism". It's understandable when climate activists are intimidated into shutting up and focusing on topics which the political establishment doesn't mind discussing. But the Government's bluster may be a hint they realize their position is weaker than they let on. Certainly, it makes no logical sense.
In calling out the Government, Bandt has succeeded in doing something not even the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change could manage: putting climate change back in the headlines. Blogger David Spratt argues this is instructive:
The debate which has erupted over extreme climate events has important lessons for all those urging more, not less, action on climate change. The story should be about people in Australia and not distant places, about now and not just the distant future, about connecting the dots between extreme events and global warming. It is a story about record heat and bush fires, about how family and friends will live in a hotter and more extreme world, about how a retreating coastline will affect where we live and work, a story about health and well-being, about increasing food and water insecurity, and the more difficult life that children and grandchildren will face. This makes climate action a values issue, the choice between increasing climate harm and climate safety.
Abbott's position is a non-policy. Instead of addressing the human cause of increasingly extreme weather, he intends to sit back and wait for disasters to happen, then pontificate that it is just something that happens, it has no political implications, and all that can be done is to fight the symptoms. His policy on fires is "We didn't start the fire". His policy on droughts is "I wish it would rain". And his policy on floods is "Don't go out in the pouring rain". The only thing he will do to address the actual causes of global warming is to replant the trees that have just burned down.
Prevention is better than cure. Surely when an activity is known to be creating tragic consequences, leaders have a responsibility to both acknowledge the link and do something about it. But Abbott and Hunt don't want to do that, because it would mean standing up to the powerful fossil fuel lobby, who have denied the facts and sabotaged action for 25 years and privately laugh about it.
On the other hand, maybe that's an insensitive thing to say.


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- Call to Order: (604) 472-1500
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Raw Pet Food Diet
Raw Pet Food Diet
Hills Foods is a leading supplier of premium raw diet pet food meat and bones to pet food companies and animal owners in Vancouver, BC. As a pet food product, naturally nutritious raw meat and bones continues to grow in popularity as more and more owners are made aware of the additives found in traditional pet foods, some of which may not agree with your pet.
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text:
S: Adam and Amy
FC: Adam and Amy
1: Hello! Thank you so much for giving us the chance to tell you a little bit about us! Our names are Adam and Amy and we have been married for 10 years. We have no children but we believe that everything happens in Gods' time. We are ordinary people with ordinary lives. We don't drive a fancy car or have a fancy house. We don't make millions of dollars or vacation in exotic places. What we do have is love. When we started writing this letter we thought of lots of things to say to impress you or things to scream " Pick me! Pick me!" but that is not our personality. We want you to see our heart and our lives. Nothing fake or exaggerated. In the next few pages you will learn about our likes, our dislikes, our hobbies, our faith and so much more! I hope as you look in the little corners of our lives you can picture your baby in our family. Adam and Amy
2: Adam and I met in 2000 when I was 17 and he was 20. Our relationship wasn't your traditional dating relationship. We actually met online through Yahoo personals. Adam likes to tell people that I CHOSE him because I am the one that responded to his personal ad. We didn't have an internet relationship though. We met in person soon after we met online. I believe that God had his hand on our relationship from the very beginning.
4: We were only together for about a month when Adam asked me to marry him. Adam didn't propose to me like most men propose. He didn't use a ring. He used a Bible and engraved it with my name and his last name instead of mine. It was totally a surprise and I will never forget it. We set the date for June 23rd 2001 but soon decided we didn't want to wait that long. So we changed it to March 17th 2001. Adam says he is glad we chose that day because its St. Patricks Day and it makes it easier for him to remember. | Adam and I just celebrated our 10 year anniversary and can't wait to celebrate the next 10 years and the 10 after that. I can only hope that we will have a child to add to the family to make new memories.
6: I work at American Family Radio in Tupelo as the Director of Radio Automation. I have been there for 8 years and I love what I do. Before I worked at AFR I worked at a call center for Dell computers in Alabama. In my spare time I enjoy working with Computers and playing disc golf at the park near by. | I think it was several years after Amy and I were married when I started realizing that I wanted to add to our family. Although I know that things are going to change quite a bit I feel that the change will be good. I think up until the last few years it was hard for me to imagine having children but I find myself looking forward to it more and more each day. | Adam
7: I work at American Family Association as a Video Automation Technician. I have been there for 3 years and I am so thankful for my job. Before I started at AFA I worked at a daycare and also kept children in my home.When I am not at work I enjoy making beaded necklaces, reading, cooking, or going on a shopping trip with friends or my mom. | I think it has always been my dream to be a mother. When everyone else had a specific career in mind, I always struggled. I knew that my heart was to give as much love away as I could but I just didn't know how. As I got older, I realized my calling was to be a mom. Adam always says I would have had a honeymoon baby if it had been up to me and I think he is right. It is my hope that I can be the mom that God has called me to be. | Amy
8: Our Faith | We are Christians and we plan to raise our child in the same belief. God is the center of our lives and we strive to put him first in every aspect of our lives. We are very active in our church. Adam runs our sound and I sing on the praise team. We also do most of the media and graphics for any church functions.
10: Our Home | ... As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:25
11: We really love the neighborhood that we live in. Our neighbors are great and it is normally very quiet and peaceful. We live less than a mile away from a park. The park has a water fountain for kids to play in and also ponds with ducks and fish. | We live in a 3 bedroom house with a nice backyard. Our home is not very big but it is a perfect size for us and a new addition to our family.
12: Adam and I are very blessed to have such a wonderful family. We are both very close to our families. | My parents live about an hour away and we visit them about once a month. When we are not able to visit them, they come here. My brother and his family lives in Texas so we don't see them often but we talk on the phone quite often | Amy | Adam | My parents only live about 10 mintues away so we see them more than we do Amy's family. We go out to eat with my parents for lunch every Saturday that we are in town. My sister lives in Tennessee so we do not see her very often. She comes down to visit sometimes and we also go to visit her.
16: Parents | Adam's Parents | Ken & Shelia
17: Amy's Parents | James & Paulette
18: Amy's Brother and Sister in Law | Delinah and Nick | Adam's Sister and Brother in Law | Rex and Brandy
19: Niece & Nephews | Kaitlyn | Riley | Colby
22: Our Furry Babies | Zeke | Molly
23: When you enter our home you will most likely be greeted by our two dogs Zeke and Molly. They both think that they are at least part human. We have had them both from the time that they were born. We raised Zeke from four days old because his mother had too many puppies. One of our past dogs is the mother of Molly. Zeke is a very loving, laid back dog and if he had his way he would be with us 24/7. Molly is not as laid back as Zeke but she is just as loving. She is a little more independent than Zeke. They are both very sweet natured dogs.
24: We have always known that we wanted children, we just didn't know when that would happen. We never dreamed there would be a problem getting pregnant.. A few years into our marriage the doctor told me I had a medical condition that even though it was not life threatening, it was going to make it hard for us to get pregnant. A couple years later Adam was diagnosed with cancer. Although he is cancer free that has made it near impossible to have kids biologically. This was the beginning of a long journey for us. A journey that has taught us a lot of things, patience being one of those things. When Adam and I decided to adopt it was not one of those magical moments where we both said " God told me we are suppose to adopt" or "I just know adoption is right for us". We discussed our options for several years before a decision was made. Deciding to adopt is not something that we wanted to take lightly. First we wanted to make sure that bringing a child into our home would be something we could do and know that it was the right thing. Then we had to decide if we were truly ready to be parents to a little child that would depend on us to take care of their every need. I think I was ready before Adam was. It took him a little longer to adjust to the idea.
26: Now here we are, waiting for the day that we get that call saying " You've been chosen!" I know that if we are the parents that God has chosen for your child, the pages inside this book will be what God uses to make a connection between us and you! If we are not the parents that God has chosen, I know that you WILL find that couple and they will be the best parents!
27: The Lord bless you and keep you The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26


text:
PHOTO CREDIT: Lee Adams/ICCImages.com
All five Mississippi Gulf Coast finished under par and the No. 2 Bulldogs seized control of the second MACJC of the season, leading by 20 shots at Ackia Golf Club in Amory.
"We did alright today," Gulf Coast coach Tommy Snell said. "It could have been a little better. We made a couple doubles we shouldn't have. The guys hung in there and never got too excited when they made a bogey."
Gulf Coast's Brice Wilkinson (So., Madison Central/Madison) is tied for the lead at 4-under with Meridian's Will Kidder. Jon Hopkins (Fr., Hockerill Anglo-European College/Bishops Stortford, England) is third a shot back, and Jake Crosson (Fr., New Hope/Columbus) is another stroke back in fourth.
Carter Nicholson (So., Pearl River Central/Carriere) and Nathan Woolard (Fr., Poplar Bluff/Poplar Bluff, Mo.) are tied for fifth at 1-under.
Wilkinson made five birdies on his second nine, and the Bulldogs were 9-under on Nos. 1-9 after teeing off on 10. Crosson had four birdies, and Hopkins and Woolard had eagles.
Tournament host Itawamba is in second place, five shots ahead of Meridian. Copiah-Lincoln is another two shots back and Hinds is in fifth at 20-over heading into Tuesday's final round.
"We're going to do the same thing we did today," Snell said. "Our goal is to keep sizing up the golf course preparing for district next April. We're still seeing which holes we need to attack, and which holes we need to show a little caution. Tomorrow it will be more of the same, trying to play smart."
Team scores
|1. Gulf Coast
|278 (-10)
|2. Itawamba
|298 (+10)
|3. Meridian
|303 (+15)
|4. Copiah-Lincoln
|305 (+17)
|5. Hinds
|308 (+20)
|6. Itawamba B
|327 (+39)
MGCCC scores
|T1. Brice Wilkinson
|68 (-4)
|3. Jon Hopkins
|69 (-3)
|4. Jake Crosson
|70 (-2)
|T5. Carter Nicholson
|71 (-1)
|T5. Nathan Woolard
|71 (-1)
|T8. Graham Evans
|75 (+3)
|T22. Patrick Powers
|78 (+6)
For more information on MGCCC's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.


text:
Faye Kingslee
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Faye Kingslee was born in Western Australia, but migrated over to Borneo when she was one. Her father is Chinese and mother is Irish. She has lived in Perth, Melbourne, Kuching, Miri, Singapore, New York and lives in Los Angeles. She attended acting classes at the NYU Tisch Asia campus in Singapore. She speaks three languages and used to work in ... See full bio »
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Do you need baffles in your attic?
If you have two or three bird venting holes along the outside of your roof line these are a great way to ventilate your attic along with gable ventilation on each end of the roof end.
The problem lies in that the builders and insulation contractors or any other contractor for that matter essentially do not talk to each other. That is the cause for hot rooms, poor airflow, unless art heat gain into your home and high utility bills but I digress. The lack of communication and just poor practices or laziness on part of insulation contractors is the reason why baffles or ridge vents are not placed at all the bird vents above the house.
But why are they even needed in the first place? The reason is two-fold.
1. Baffles direct airlflow up the roof slope and out the ridge vents if you have them. If you don't have baffles then the air that vents the attic will blow back the insulation a good foot or more from the sides of the house.
2. Some contractors will put a fiberglass batt in-place of a baffle because the fiberglass batt is rigid and won't blow back. The fiberglass batt insulation will allow airlflow to pass through it (as all loose fill insulation will) but there is a problem with this scenario. The fiberglass batt insulation allows hot outside air to pass through it but it does not direct the airflow up and away from the drywall ceiling. So while the outside air is passing through the batt, it is also heating the drywall which defeats the purpose of the fiberglass batt.
Baffles can be cardboard, plastic or Styrofoam material and come in 16" on center or 24" on center sizes. Expect to pay a little more for baffles especially in a retrofit situation and garages are NOT included in the square footage of your attic or in insulation quotes.
Converting a garage into livable space takes some planning but is well worth the effort. A carefully planned mancave doesn't have to break the bank either and can become a hangout haven for everyone.
Start with an idea
Have you been looking for a place to display a sports or hobby collection, or maybe you are just looking for a place you can call your own to unwind, or would you like a media and entertainment center to watch your favorite movies? Draw your layout of the room on graph paper. Typical garages are about 20' x 20', give or take. Plan where you will hang your cool collections, watch TV and sit and draw lighting, electrical, cable and plumbing plans around the design. You may find you run out of space and have to rework the design based on the layout of the garage.
We can't help you on the design, but here are the essentials you need to do to create a comfortable, functional and low cost man cave.
1. Insulate the walls
No, you don't have to remove the drywall to insulate the walls, a simple drill and fill is all that is needed. A drill and fill method is easily done from the inside of the home where a two to three two inch holes per stud will be drilled and the wall cavity backfilled with cellulose insulation. Cellulose insulation has a higher R-value per inch then loose fill fiberglass. Because it is loose fill, it will fit around the electrical boxes, plumbing vents and electrical outlets. The holes are replaced with a foam plug by the insulation contractor. Garage door slots can be filled with 2" foam board reflective insulation and/or insulated and drywalled right over, taking away about 6" of space from the wall.
2. Insulate the ceilings
Here in Phoenix our attached garages are not insulated when our homes are built but if you are from back east or the Midwest most attached garages are insulated. Why? Well the temperature swings in cold climates are much more dramatic than here, even in the desert. In Chicago, for example they go from 0 degrees outside to 65 degrees inside, a change of 65 degrees. In Phoenix, we go from 110 degrees outside to 75 degrees inside, a change of only 35 degrees. That difference and also because sub-freezing temperatures are much more damaging than super hot temperatures, makes the difference when insulating attached garages in Phoenix. An R-38 or 12 inches of blown insulation is recommended for an attached garage.
3. Add ducting or a minisplit
You will need to take a look at your air conditioners size if you want to add more ducting to the garage for this upgrade. If your system is oversized, it will actually work to your benefit here where you can use the extra cooling capacity to help cool the garage. A rule of thumb is 1 ton of cooling capacity satisfies 400 sq ft. An energy efficient homes can stretch that ratio out to about 600 sq ft per ton. The location and size of the ductwork is also important and a function of your main home size, HVAC system size and airflow. Another alternative is to add a minisplit ductless AC system to cool the garage. These mini splits are great because they have no ductwork and potential for duct leakage. They can be framed into an external wall and can only be used when needed, helping to save energy.
4. Radiant barrier above the garage to keep the heat out
A radiant barrier will help keep the garage cool in the summer time and should be stapled along the roof truss not laid on top of the insulation. The reason is that once a radiant barrier gathers a layer of dust, it is totally ineffective. That is why radiant barrier chips or radiant barrier laid on the insulation do not work.
5. Electrical, cable and fiber lines
Plan where you will need electrical outlets, overhead lighting and light switches for electrical runs. Have an electrician check if your sub panel has enough space for the additional loads. Smurf tubes with a looped rope are convenient if you think you may need to add more cables like cable or power cords through the walls. Plan the location of your TV and if you will need an internet connection and their location. To minimize work, try to keep your major plumbing and electrical on the shared wall to the main house. Watch only movies or what can be accessed through the internet via a smart TV or a game console may not warrant the need for cable lines to be run.
6. Plumbing
If you plan on having a separate bathroom, wet bar or kitchen area, try keeping it close to your existing home. If your existing water lines run under the slab, a plumber will have to find a manifold behind the common wall and run new lines through the attic of even through the wall. If you have an existing laundry room or bathroom against that common wall, you can tap into the drain for new plumbing if you are planning on having a bathroom or kitchen sink.
7. Drywall
You may need to relocate the attic hatch to a new storage closet along the wall of the main house to conceal the existing attic hatch if it's in the middle of the garage. Usually 5-6 feet of length is taken off of the garage area and sectioned off into a bathroom, bar area, storage closet with the attic hatch, and a media cabinet.
8. Flooring
Since most garages are concrete slabs, you want to make sure it's not post-tension before hammering it up. If you plan on using your garage more as a work space, a coating of acrylic paint can transform the room by itself. If you plan on using the man cave more as living space, a sub floor base is essential just like the main part of the home.
Cool man cave ideas and links
Man Cave Club http://www.mancavesite.org/
Those are the essentials, next step is to decorate, get a 70" flat screen or movie projector and a comfort chair to kick back in. When done right, a man cave doesn't have to break the bank or drive your energy bills through the roof. For help with HVAC, duct design and insulation needs, contact Green ID to schedule your free assessment.
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November 2019
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text:
President Henry B. Eyring said,
"The message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is that we can and must expect to become better as long as we live.
Prepare yourself spiritually
In order to lead others, you must first learn to lead yourself. This includes having a vision for your future, setting goals, and working every day to achieve those goals. Having a sense of your eternal potential will help you lead yourself to the realization of Heavenly Father's plan for you.
What is your vision for your earthly and eternal future? What are you doing every day to grow a little closer to your Father in Heaven? How can you help the youth you teach to work toward perfection?
|What is your vision for the future? Has it changed over the course of Zion's Camp?
Do the youth see their own eternal potential? Do they know how to work to get there?
|Prayerfully study these scriptures and resources. What do you feel inspired to share with the youth?
1 Nephi 2:9 (River running to fountain of righteousness)
Video: "All I Needed"
Other resources from your personal experience and inspiration
Teaching in the Savior's way
The Savior trusted His disciples, prepared them, and gave them important responsibilities to teach, bless, and serve others. How can you prepare the youth to teach others what they learn?
Teaching tip: Watch this video to learn how to get to know the youth and show that you love them: "Know and Love Us"
Make connections
During the first few minutes of this session, help the youth make connections between what they are learning in various settings (such as quorum and class meetings, BYC, Mutual, other church meetings, skill challenges, personal study or other experiences).
How can you help them see the relevance of what they're learning in their lives? The ideas below might help:
- Invite the youth to share an experience that helped them understand the things they have learned about communication, vision, and goal-setting.
- How have these changed the way they've interacted this week?
- Ask the youth what it means to be a good leader. Have them describe the best leader they personally know. What is that person like? Give them time to share their thoughts.
Learn Together
Each of the activities below will help the young men and women understand the importance of leading themselves as they work toward worthy goals. Complete each of the three sections by prayerfully selecting one or more activity in each section that resonates with you and will work best for your class or quorum:
- Discuss the importance of having a personal vision
Choose from these activities:
- Play: The Identity Game–Hawk, Snake, Coyote
Play this in an open area. Prepare the area by stretching a rope on the ground to separate the area into two equal parts. Mark the back boundaries of the two parts about 50 feet behind, and parallel to, the center rope.
Divide the group into two teams. Each team huddles, and
members decide whether they will all be hawks, snakes, or coyotes.
The teams face each other across the center line. At the game leader's signal, members of each team assume the sign of the animal decided upon by their team:
Hawks – Arms outstretched as wings
Coyotes – Hands cupped against the head as ears
Snakes – Palms held together and the hands making a slithering motion
The key to the game is this:
Hawks get snakes.
Snakes get coyotes.
Coyotes get hawks.
Thus, if team A has chosen to be hawks and team B shows the sign for snakes, the snakes must run to the safety of their back line before being tagged by the hawks. Likewise, if team A shows the sign for coyotes and team B shows the sign for snakes, the coyotes must run for safety or be tagged by the snakes.
Each person who is tagged becomes a member of the other team for the next round of the game. The game continues for eight to 10 rounds. The numbers on each team will ebb and flow as participants are tagged and change sides.
At the end of the game, gather the youth to the instruction area and ask what they learned about playing the game successfully. Bring out this idea: You've got to know whether you're a hawk, a snake, or a coyote. Once you know that, then you can use what you know about yourself to decide what you're going to do—whether you're going to run for safety or try to tag the other team.
Apply that idea to leading yourself: We all have our own sets of strengths and ways of doing things. We each have experiences that helped make us be who we are today and are influenced by our parents, teachers, religious leaders, friends, and neighbors. We also have the freedom to choose much of who we will be, what guidelines we choose to follow. Understanding as much as we can about who we are is a basic part of leadership.
- Ask the youth, what does it mean to lead yourself? Allow them to respond. Explain that before we can lead others well, we need to be able to lead ourselves. One way to lead yourself is to answer three questions:
- Where am I now?
- Where do I want to be?
- How do I close the gap between where I am now and where I want to be?
Share a simple example of how this might work (mountain climber, student, etc.). Ask youth for a few more examples from school, church, their family, sports, etc. Compare knowing where you want to be with having a personal vision of what future success looks like. Explain that later in the week, the youth will develop their personal vision. For now, they need to start thinking about where they are now and where they want to be. Think big. Where do they want to be in 10 years? 25 years? Have them write some ideas in their journals.
- Other activities to demonstrate importance of personal vision as you are inspired.
- Help each youth recognize at least one new way of thinking about himself or herself.
Choose from these activities:
- Have everyone cross their arms, then recross them the opposite way. Discuss comfort level with difference and the fact that there is no right way. For some people, right over left feels more natural, for others it's left over right. Ask all right-handed participants to raise their hands, then ask a show of hands of those who are left-handed. Ask a show of hands of people with blue eyes, then of those whose eyes are brown. Some traits (like which way we feel better crossing our arms) may have no clear explanation, but they are still part of who we are.
Emphasize the fact that to lead yourself well, you need to know as much about yourself as you can. Who you are is not just whether you are a coyote, a hawk, or a snake. Who you are is not just how tall you are or the color of your eyes or what kind of music you like, but also how you make decisions when you are with other people and how you make decisions when you are alone. Encourage the youth to think about the traits that make them who they are. How do they see themselves? How do they think others see them? What about Heavenly Father? Have them write down some qualities they possess.
- Other activities to help youth think about themselves in new ways as you are inspired
- Describe the phases a person experiences while moving toward a goal or learning a new skill.
Choose from these activities:
- Ask the youth to think about an experience they've had working toward a goal or learning a new skill. Was it difficult? What was the experience like? How did they feel during the process? Explain that even though we are all unique, most of us go through the same stages as we are moving toward a goal or learning a new skill. They happen to be the same stages that teams experience: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing.
Whenever we begin to learn a new skill or begin making our way toward a new goal, we have lots of enthusiasm but we probably also have lots to learn before we can get very far. When we begin any new skill or goal, we will always be back at Forming. The same is true when using a real compass. If you want to head out in a new direction, you need to point your direction-of-travel arrow toward your destination and begin working your way through the phases again.
Ask the youth to consider a new skill they've been working on this week and think about which stage they are in—Forming, Storming, Norming, or Performing.
- Other activities to demonstrate the process of achieving goals as you are inspired.
- Recognize the phases a person may experience as he or she progresses through learning/achieving experiences.
Choose from these activities:
- Show video clip 5-12, Leading Yourself (Part One), which begins with "Whether you have a strong personal vision or one that involves others . . ." Add these thoughts to the video presentation:
- To move toward more advanced stages of self-leadership, it's important to reevaluate your goals. Are they getting you closer to realizing your vision of success?
- You can recast your goals. You can refine them to make them more powerful.
- You can also seek the help of others. Find people who can help you set your goals, teach you skills, and evaluate your performance.
Continue through the interactive scenarios at slide 5-13, Leading Yourself, and video clip 5-14, Leading Yourself (Part Two), to the Be, Know, Do summary. The foundation of leadership is Be, Know, Do:
- The BE of leadership—Who you are and how you use your strengths
- The KNOW of leadership—The skills of teaching and helping others achieve their goals
- The DO of leadership—Tools for communicating, solving problems, and resolving conflict
We each have responsibility for figuring out where we are, where we want to be, and how to close the gap in between—in other words, to develop a personal vision, determine the goals to fulfill that vision, and make plans for reaching our goals.
Knowing about ourselves will help us understand why we are where we are now, where we want to be, and how to close the gap between our present situation and what success looks like. Understanding the stages we go through as we learn a new skill or work toward a goal can help us better understand the process and get through difficult times more efficiently
- Other activities to show the learning process as you are inspired.
Invite to Act
Ask the youth how they will use what they learned about leading themselves to change their actions in the future. What will they do differently today, tomorrow, this week, and this year? Have them write down their ideas.
Encourage youth to use their NYLT compasses to chart their individual progress through the Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing phases as they learn new skills and work toward personal goals. This is a personal activity that they can continue to do throughout the course and when they return home.
Discuss with the youth what their next skill application challenge will be. Ask them to consider how what they've learned about leading themselves applies to the challenge. Encourage them to apply their new skills and ideas to the activity.
This series was adapted from National Youth Leader Training to help leaders teach LDS youth leadership skills so that those leaders can confidently "Let Them Lead."
Authors: Maria Milligan and Darryl Alder | LDS NYLT writing team; at Utah National Parks Council, Maria is Chief of Staff and Darryl is Strategic Initiatives Director. Together they help LDS Stakes meet their camping and training needs in a customized basis.


text:
Phrases that are talked about in the video: ขายยังไง /kăai yang-ngai?/ How do you sell this? กิโลละเท่าไหร่ /gì-lo lá tâ0-rài?/ How much is it per kilogram? กิโลละ 1,000 บาท /gì-lo lá nùeng pan bàat/ It is 1,000 Baht per kilogram. ตัวละเท่าไหร่ /dtua lá tâo-rài?/ How much is it per one? ตัวละ 500 บาท /dtua lá hâa rói bàat/ It is 500 Baht each. ลดได้มั้ย /lòt … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Seafood Market Tour in Pattaya
Talk Like a Thai EP.16
TALK LIKE A THAI We created this short lesson so you can learn one more Thai stucture you can use in veryday life, or it can help refreshing your memories. Watch now by clicking the picture below. Hope you find it useful in your Thai learning. :) 'Present continuous' or verb with "-ing" expressing action that is happening at the moment speaking such as 'I am … [Read more...] about Talk Like a Thai EP.16
VIDEO: 10 Cities You've Been Mispronouncing Your Entire Life
Thailand offers many tourist destinations across the country from North to South. There is something for everyone in the country - amazing beaches, waterfalls, mountains, temples. We often hear foreigners pronounce names of provinces or cities in Thailand different from the way Thai people do because the transcription in English doesn't represent the actual pronunciation. If … [Read more...] about VIDEO: 10 Cities You've Been Mispronouncing Your Entire Life
10 Thai Words You're Probably Mispronouncing!
First of all, if you would like to speak Thai like a Thai let's start by pronoucing the word "Thai" correctly. It is pronounced "ไทย /tai/", not "ทาย /taai/". I heard many foreigners say Thai food -อาหารทาย /aa-hăan taai/, Thai boxing- มวยทาย /muai-taai/, Thai langugae- ภาษาทาย /paa-săa taai/, ผัดทาย /pàd-taai/, BUT these word are pronounced with SHORT vowel. The correct way … [Read more...] about 10 Thai Words You're Probably Mispronouncing!
VIDEO : Practice "ง /Ng/" Sound
"ง" or "ng" sound in Thai language is one of the challenging consonants for non Thai speakers. In this video my brother Mink and I show you some words with "ง" or "ng" sound, they are commonly used in everyday life so you can repeat these words often. Tip: Pay attention to how you are sounding the "NG" at the end of the word, then get used to beginning a word with it. … [Read more...] about VIDEO : Practice "ง /Ng/" Sound
Talk Like a Thai : I Got Ditched!
This episode of Talk Like a Thai, teacher Pear introduces you a Thai slang for "I got ditched!". First let's learn a couple of words; ทิ้ง /tíng/ means "to throw away something" เท /tay/ means "to pour" A formal language for "someone has been dumped" is โดนทิ้ง /doan tíng/, but if you want to communicate nuances of meaning or emotion better than formal language you … [Read more...] about Talk Like a Thai : I Got Ditched!
VIDEO: Talk Like a Thai EP.3
The full pattern for describing an action that is happening as you speak is: กำลัง gam-lang + do something + อยู่ yùu Please read more explanation and examples in my post here . It is the exception for the phrase "I am on my way", it is a fixed phrase "กำลังไป /gam-lang bpai/", we don't say กำลังไปอยู่ gam-lang bpai yùu … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Talk Like a Thai EP.3
VIDEO: Talk Like a Thai EP.1 & 2
Vocabulary from the lessons ฤดูใบไม้ผลิ /rúe-duu bai-máai plì/ = spring ฤดู /rúe-duu/ = season ใบไม้ /bai-máai/ = leaf ผลิ /plì/ = blossom, sprout ลมแรง /lom raeng/ = windy Other seasons: ฤดูร้อน /rúe-duu ráwn/ = hot season, summer , ร้อน /ráwn/ = hot ฤดูหนาว /rúe-duu năao/ = cold season, winter, หนาว /năao/ = cold ฤดูฝน /rúe-duu fŏn/ = rainy season, … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Talk Like a Thai EP.1 & 2
วันวิสาขบูชา (Visakha Bucha Day)
Visakha Bucha Day (วันวิสาขบูชา) or Wan Pra Yai วันพระใหญ่ marks the three important incidents in the life of Lord Buddha (พระพุทธเจ้า) on the same day - the full moon of the sixth lunar month. The three significant separate events are : 1. The Buddha's Birth (ประสูติ) 2. The Enlightenment of Buddha (ตรัสรู้) - While sitting under the Bodhi tree, he found his answer and … [Read more...] about วันวิสาขบูชา (Visakha Bucha Day)
VIDEO: Which Dishes do You Recommend?
Teacher Pear is taking you to a seafood restuarant in Hua Hin. She shows you different types of seafood. Dialogue Waiter: จะรับอะไรดีครับ /jà ráp à-rai dii kráp/ What would like to order? Pear: อยากกินอาหารทะเลค่ะ /yàak gin aa-hăan tá-lay kâ/ I would like to have seafood. มีอะไรแนะนำคะ /mii à-rai náe-nam ká?/ What do you recommend? Waiter: จะเป็น … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Which Dishes do You Recommend?
Thai Proverbs 2018
"ยกพริกมาทั้งสวน / yók prík maa táng sŭan/ " Let's look at the meaning of each word in this phrase: "พริก /prík/" means chilli. It is hot and spicy, so the word พริก /prík/ is used to describe someone who appears hot or sexy. ยก /yók/ means to lift something up high ยก /yók/ + something + มา /maa/ means to bring something over to a place ทั้ง /táng/ means entire, … [Read more...] about Thai Proverbs 2018
Krabi Getaway
I grew up in the south and maybe that is the reason why I can't be away from the sea for so long. I often go to Koh Samed and Hua Hin for a long weekend because it is close to Bangkok, but my favourite beach destination is Southern Thailand. There are many islands with white sandy beaches and crystal clear water such as Koh Tao and Koh Lipe. For this trip my family and I … [Read more...] about Krabi Getaway
VIDEO: How to Pronounce "Songkran" Correctly
Thai New Year or "สงกรานต์ Songkran" is celebrated on April 13th every year. If you are in Thailand, you would find yourself swept up in festivities for three, five or even 10 days, depending on your specific location in the country. สงกรานต์ Songkran comes from a Sanskrit word ส-กรานต which means 'to pass' or 'move into' and indicates the passing of the sun, moon and other … [Read more...] about VIDEO: How to Pronounce "Songkran" Correctly
Thailand's New Banknotes with King Rama X
King Maha Vajiralongkorn, or King Rama X, ascended to the throne in December 2016. Now he's finally taking his place on Thailand's currency. According to a press release dated 8 March 2018, the Bank of Thailand plans to introduce the 17th series of notes. The fronts feature the new king, Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, and the backs features two kings in order … [Read more...] about Thailand's New Banknotes with King Rama X
Learn Most Thai Popular Words
At the moment no Thai is not talking about "บุพเพสันนิวาส Buppesannivas". It is the most popular Thai drama series of all time! This TV series is based on the history that took place in year 1682 which was in the era of the King Narai of Ayutthaya Kingdom (year 1656 to 1688). Thai language that is spoken in that era is different from Thai language that is spoken nowadays. If … [Read more...] about Learn Most Thai Popular Words
VIDEO: 5 Useful Phrases for Talking to a Native Thai
We have learned so many Thai lessons and you want to use it in real life with a native. However sometimes some Thai people speak too fast and you don't quite sure what they are saying. Let's practice these few phrases so you can continue your conversation with them smoothly. I am sorry, I don't understand. ขอโทษครับ ผมไม่เข้าใจครับ kăw-tôot kráp , pŏm mâi … [Read more...] about VIDEO: 5 Useful Phrases for Talking to a Native Thai
VIDEO: Useful Phrases "I Can't Wait!"
There are two ways to say "I can't wait" in Thai. รอไม่ไหวแล้ว /raw mâi-wăi láew/ Pattern: รอ/raw/ + do something + ไม่ไหวแล้ว /mâi-wăi láew/ รอกลับประเทศไทยไม่ไหวแล้ว รอกลับประเทศไทยไม่ไหวแล้ว /raw glàp bprà-têet-tai mâi-wăi láew/ รอเจอคุณไม่ไหวแล้ว /raw jer kun mâi-wăi láew/ ตั้งหน้าตั้งตารอ / dtâng-nâa-dtâng-dta-raw/ which could be … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Useful Phrases "I Can't Wait!"
VIDEO: Isan Dialect (Lesson 2)
อีสาน /i-săan/ the nickname for Northeastern Thailand is the largest region in the country. Isan food is available in almost every corner especially "ส้มตำ Som Tam" (green papaya spicy salad) which is popularly consumed across the whole country, not just in the Northeast. When you travel to Bangkok you will likely come across a local from Isan, majority of taxi drivers … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Isan Dialect (Lesson 2)
King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Birthday Anniversary
Until 13 October 2016, 5 December had long been celebrated as the King Bhumibol Adulyadej 's Birthday, as well as being marked as Father's Day in Thailand. As of 2017, though, the King's Birthday public holiday has moved to 28 July, the birthday of new King Vajiralongkorn, or King Rama X. Nevertheless, 05 December remains an important public holiday in remembrance of King … [Read more...] about King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Birthday Anniversary
VIDEO: Pronunciation Focus!!
ถุง /tŭng/ means "bag". It is a simple word but it is one of the commonly confused word as this word is used for bags that are used for shopping like plastic bag, paper bag, fabric bag or cloth bag. Many students misunderstand this word for bags like purse, suitcase or luggage which are actually called "กระเป๋า grà-bpăo". We can combine the word ถุง /tŭng/ with … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Pronunciation Focus!!


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Month: October 2017
How poverty impedes development in Africa
This article first appeared in my weekly column with the Business Daily on October 29, 2017
The fact that Africa struggles to meet development goals is not a secret, but an understanding of the role poverty plays in this process is less common. Africa seems to be caught in a vicious cycle where a poor status of development across a cross section of criteria exacerbates poverty and poverty negatively affects the ability of Africans to meet development goals.
According to the organisation World Hunger, in 2012, 47 percent of the population of sub-Saharan Africa, lived on USD 1.90 a day or less; below the poverty line. 22 percent of the world's human development is lost due to inequality; the figure is 32 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa. There are several means through which poverty curtails Africa's ability to develop.
(source: http://www.borgenmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/africa.jpg)
Firstly is the role of poverty in economic growth. Poor Africans do not have the savings required to invest in activities that would boost their income. Further, poor Africans are seen as high risk and thus are routinely denied access to credit streams that would enable them to improve their financial status. Thus being poor, makes it harder to get the financial support required to get out of poverty.
Secondly there are effects of poverty on health and education. Higher levels of income reduce infant mortality, and better education in terms of primary and secondary school enrolment rates are positively associated with higher levels of income. But the reality is that poor people often cannot afford the healthcare they require, nor are they able to educate their children to basic levels of education. Thus the fact that almost every 1 in 2 Africans are in a state of poverty means that half of the continent has a fundamentally compromised ability to afford access to healthcare and education; a reality that then makes the prospects of rising out of poverty more difficult. Poor health compromises one's ability to physical work and exerts a great toll on income growth. Poor education ensures that millions of Africans are vulnerable, stuck in low paying jobs, often in the informal economy that routinely undercompensate. Poverty itself makes it difficult for Africans to rise out of poverty.
Finally, poverty negatively affects human development itself. Research has found that exposure to poverty in early childhood impacts brain development. Damaging effects can range from poor cognitive outcomes and school performance, stunted development, limited future productivity as adults and intergenerational transmission of poverty, to a higher risk for antisocial behaviours and mental disorders. According to UNICEF, nearly half of all children in sub-Saharan Africa are living in extreme poverty; children are twice as likely as adults to be living below the poverty line. And because more children live in poverty, they are much less likely than an adult to be able to cope with extreme poverty because of stunting, infant mortality, and compromised early childhood development.
(source: http://www.essaywow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/lndikumana0723.jpg)
The good news is that this can all change. For example some of the negative effects of poverty on children's brains can be mediated by support of the children's caregivers. It is time Africa developed a strategy on how the negative effects of poverty on development can be systematically eliminated.
Anzetse Were is a development economist; email@example.com
Gender inequality expensive for Africa
This article first appeared in my weekly column with the Business Daily on October 22, 2017
According to the UN gender inequality is costing Africa USD 95 billion a year. This figure peaked at USD 105 billion in 2014, or six percent of the region's GDP. In a report released by the UNDP last year, it was found that women achieve only 87 percent of the human development outcomes of men and only make 70 cents for each dollar made by men. The causes of gender inequality are numerous and range from lower levels of female secondary attainment, lower female labour force participation and high maternal mortality, to the physical and sexual abuse of women and girls by boys and men, as well as women being underpaid and undervalued in the workplace. Indeed, while 61 percent of African women are working, they still face economic exclusion.
The continued marginalisation and mistreatment of women and girls is making the continent lose billions and leaving everyone, including men and boys, worse off. Africa continues to be foolish in the tolerance of gender inequality. For example, women are crucial investors in their community and spend 90 percent of their revenue on their family or community.
Gender inequality in Africa is a multi-layered and complex issue, and class differences inform the articulation of how inequality is experienced by women.
Low income women are often trapped in an economic and cultural reality where girls are excluded from going to school; according to the UN only 39 percent of girls in rural areas attend high school. Low income pregnant women cannot afford good quality healthcare for themselves and their children and thus often die while giving birth and many of their children die before reaching the age of 5. Further, domestic labour is a grievous burden; African women and girls still carry out 71 percent of water collecting translating to 40 billion hours. While all members of the household, men and boys included, benefit from this female labour, women and girls are never compensated for their contribution. Low income women are also often locked in the informal sector; a sector riddled by a lack of regulation which often engenders gross injustices such as under-compensation, labour law violations and flagrant exploitation, all of which disproportionately affect women.
(source: https://iycoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/Africa1.jpg)
High-income women who have the opportunity of being educated, can afford decent healthcare and often have help around the home are still affected by gender inequality. In the workplace for example, women are notoriously underrepresented in leadership positions. In Africa, only between 7 and 30 percent of all private firms have a female manager. This is largely due to patriarchal socialisation that conditions populations to prefer male over female leadership. Women are often judged negatively for exhibiting what are deemed to be the male qualities of ambition, assertiveness and even self-confidence. Contributions made by women are often under-appreciated and sometimes bro-propriated, a phenomenon where men take credit for ideas generated by women. And while high income women may have help at home, they are still disproportionately saddled with the domestic responsibilities. These range from ensuring the home looks presentable and ensuring the children do their homework, to the emotional labour of organising daily schedules, and knowing and catering to everyone's emotional needs.
Africa will continue to lose billions to gender inequality and while this issue is often articulated as a 'women's' issue, the reality is that everyone, including men and boys, are negatively affected by the mistreatment and marginalisation of women and girls.
Anzetse Were is a development economist; email@example.com
Supplementary budget weakens Kenya's fiscal position
This article first appeared in the Business Daily on October 17, 2017
A few weeks ago, the National Treasury presented a supplementary budget cutting development spending for the current financial year by KES 30 billion. Additionally, the IEBC has requested KES 12 billion for the presidential election re-run. These developments are problematic for several reasons.
(source: https://static.pulselive.co.ke/img/incoming/crop7313340/0094679013-chorizontal-w1200-h630/national-treasury.jpg)
The first problem is Kenya is in an already compromised fiscal position where recurrent expenditure accounts for 58.8 percent of the 2017/2018 budget. We already have a budget with subpar development spending which translates to less money being channelled to productive spending; instead the bulk of funds sit in non-productive recurrent spending. Thus the cut in development spending will skew the development-recurrent ratio even further pushing Kenya into a position where government spending will have an even more muted effect on contributing to the economic growth.
Secondly, the government's revenue collection for the fiscal year starting July was behind target by KES 29 billion. As much money as possible should stay in the development docket so it is used to spur economic growth and raise domestic revenue to better manage growing spending and debt needs and obligations. The cut in development spending will mean revenue targets will likely not be hit and government will have to borrow aggressively next financial year to plug the fiscal deficit due to subpar revenue generation catalysed by the cut in development spending.
Thirdly, private sector will be negatively affected. The supplementary budget indicates that development plans in roads, water, power plants, real estate projects and electricity transmission, will be affected. Domestic private sector usually contracted to implement such projects will not get contracts which would have ensured they remain productive. Bear in mind, the cut in development spending occurs in a context of muted economic growth due to a combination of election, the drought and the interest rate cap. Thus the development spending cut will exacerbate an already difficult year for many businesses, further compromising economic growth.
(source: https://www.matchdeck.com/uploads/image/asset/10018/large_Nairobi_NIGHT.jpg)
Finally, there is a real risk that the cut in development expenditure will be shifted to recurrent spending. While National Treasury indicates it also seeks to make cuts in recurrent spending by limiting travel of individuals on the government payroll, they will likely be unable to save enough to finance the KES 12 billion requested for the election. It is likely that the election re-run will be partially or fully funded by money previously earmarked for development spending. This is deeply worrying as the government borrows to meet development expenditure. Thus there is an emerging situation where the country will likely use debt to finance recurrent expenditure; this is untenable. This puts the country on an even more precarious fiscal path.
Government seems to have a habit of using supplementary budgets to shift money from development to recurrent spending making it difficult to track the ratio between the two types of spending and analyse the extent to which debt is financing recurrent expenditure. While this year the surprise election re-run has put the National Treasury in a difficult position by generating expenditure momentum in the wrong direction, the features of this supplementary budget are not new. Greater caution needs to exercised in developing supplementary budgets so that this process is used to strengthen, not weaken Kenya's fiscal position.
Anzetse Were is a development economist; firstname.lastname@example.com
Education misalignment costly for Kenya
This article first appeared in my weekly column with the Business Daily on October 15, 2017
There is a story of bright young person in Kenya who studied biochemistry in university and graduated with first class honours. The young person was passionate about biochemistry and was determined to pursue a career in scientific research. After applying for and being turned down from several jobs with various scientific organisations, the young person gave up and decided to start a business in the transport sector. The only problem is that that he had not studied transport and logistics nor business management and thus did not have a clear idea about what starting a business in the transport sector entailed. To this day this young person ekes out a measly living in a business venture at which he's not very good, all because he couldn't pursue the career for which he was trained.
The story above mirrors the life of millions of Kenyans. They study hard, parents and loved ones save up to take them through to university and in the end, they end up unemployed, underemployed or mis-employed. Quality of education aside, this type of educational misalignment is costing Kenya billions in several ways.
(source: http://www.dhahabu.co.ke/2016/05/27/assessing-state-university-education-kenya/)
The first is that Kenyans are spending billions getting educated in fields they end up abandoning. The hours, efforts and money spent to attain secondary and tertiary education is all wasted when the young Kenyan discovers there are no jobs in his/her area of interest and expertise. This is despite the fact that from an economic point of view, the country needs that expertise to diversify the economy and start or strengthen numerous industries. Thus, the millions poured into the education of young Kenyans go to waste as they are forced to move away from their knowledge base to pursue careers in other fields for which they did not study.
Secondly, because young people often turn to self-employment in order to survive they often end up running businesses badly because they have neither the aptitude, training or interest to run and manage a business. Not everyone is an entrepreneur, yet millions are forced to become entrepreneurs. The informal economy, where most Kenyans are employed, is full of Kenyans who turned to entrepreneurship as an act of desperation. For most, running their business is not a well thought through and strategic venture for which they have been trained, it is the final push for survival. The result is that millions of businesses are not functioning at optimal levels, indeed many are being run very badly, providing subsistence living for those running the business.
(source: https://softkenya.com/education/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Technical-Training-Institutes-photo.gif)
This leads to the final point; the presence of millions of poorly managed businesses all of which undermine economic growth. The economy not only misses out from the economic contributions of the knowledge base of millions of Kenyans, billions of manhours are committed to badly run businesses. It's a double whammy for the economy because the investment in education is wasted and businesses that should have never started are created out of desperation. This all leads to wasted training, poor business performance and subpar economic growth.
There is a need to address the education misalignment beleaguering the country if Kenya is to tap into the potential of its population and spur sustainable income growth and economic activity.
Anzetse Were is a development economist; firstname.lastname@example.com
The intelligence of inclusive business
This article first appeared in my weekly column with the Business Daily on October 8, 2017
Last week Safaricom launched its 6th Sustainability Report detailing the company's performance on sustainable business targets based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report highlighted Safaricom's gains made over the year as well as areas for improvement. For example, while Safaricom's use of water and electricity increased, Safaricom contributed an annual average of 6.5 percent to GDP and 98 percent of their suppliers had signed up to a Code of Ethics. What was striking was that the report was thorough and transparent, detailing strengths as well as ongoing areas for improvement. Such detailed reporting is not a legal requirement and it should be noted that KCB and Safaricom are the only Kenyan corporate companies that deliberately and comprehensively report on sustainability. Many businesses seem to find such reporting not only onerous but also appear to be of the view that acknowledging low points in performance is unnecessary and risky.
Another clear point that came across in the report is that triple bottom line performance that seeks to generate financial, social and environmental return, is possible. Inclusive businesses reject the notion that business is about choosing between having a purpose or making a profit as both can be achieved; Safaricom's consistent performance is evidence of this. Thus, given that there is a business case for being inclusive and sustainable, why hasn't the sustainability movement gained traction in Kenya? There are three realities informing this reality; realities that pull against each other.
(source: https://www.unf.edu/uploadedImages/aa/coggin/about/business_centers/Center_for_Sustainable_Business_Practices/Diagram.jpg)
The first reality is that it is possible to engage in dubious business practices in the country and still generate immense profits. The culture of bribery and corruption in the country has created a sense in some quarters that unethical business practices are a necessary evil to 'survive' in Kenya. Some companies even set aside funds to grease the necessary wheels that facilitate the continuation of their business model. They consistently break laws, take shortcuts and generate negative externalities all in the name of profit.
The second reality is that of an inauthentic commitment to sustainability where the companies function within the law but do not have a sincere commitment to being inclusive. The principles of people, purpose and planet are seen as external to core business. These are companies that know that they can be seen to be making impact through carefully orchestrated photo ops and PR gimmicks. So, while they understand that brand value can be enhanced by being seen to be responsible, they do not put a great deal of money or effort in that direction.
The final reality is that of companies that are authentic in their commitment to being inclusive, sustainable and holistically responsible. They are willing to put energy and effort into being sustainable and have a culture of consistently improving their triple bottom line performance.
(source: http://www.everbluetraining.com/sites/default/files/u42494/sustainable-business.gif)
While all three realities exist in Kenya, only the third is truly intelligent. In a world of social media and citizen reporting, it is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to either flagrantly flout the law or inauthentically masquerade as inclusive. The sooner companies in Kenya understand this, the better it will be not only for themselves but the country as a whole.
Anzetse Were is a development economist; email@example.com
County Governments are not accountable to Kenyans
This article first appeared in my weekly column in the Business Daily on October 1, 2017
Last week the International Budget Partnership Kenya (IBPK) released the results of an assessment on county budget reporting for all 47 counties for the financial years 2016/17 and 2017/18. They found that counties are not making key fiscal and budget-related documents available to the public online in a timely fashion. As a result, citizens cannot participate effectively in the budget process as intended under the constitution and Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
There some troubling findings the first of which is that counties are still not making key documents available to the public online. With regards to the Annual Development Plans which are a main anchor to budgets, as of the second week of September 2017, just 22 counties had published their 2017/18 Annual Development Plans online; that is less than half of the 47 counties. In terms of the 2016/17 Quarterly Implementation Reports which detail budget implementation performance during the year, only Baringo county had published its Budget Implementation Report for the third quarter of 2016/17. With regards to 2017/18 Budget Estimates which detail program and item level decisions, only 15 counties had made the document available. Finally, with regards to the 2017/18 County Fiscal Strategy Papers which is the most important budget formulation document that sets total budget size, sector ceilings and key priorities, only 21 counties had published this online.
(source: http://www.fortyfort.org/images/Budget.jpg)
Overall, the IBPK assessment found that only about 20 percent of key budget documents that were supposed to be online were available. To make matters worse, four counties (Garissa, Mandera, Migori and Turkana) have never published any document analysed during the assessment. The star performer however is Baringo County which has consistently been the most accountable across all documents studied in the assessment.
The findings above make one reality clear; there is a consistent pattern of low fiscal transparency across most counties. There are several factors at work that creating this troubling picture.
The first is that counties do not feel moved to adhere to PFMA stipulations and account for how they plan for and execute county budgets. There is a distinct air of mischief informing this laxity. It is not a secret that the first era of devolution revealed how much autonomy county governments have in the planning and use of funds they receive and generate. In the past, it seems that the poor reporting may have been due to lack of capacity at county level. While this may be true in some cases, Baringo county makes it clear that counties can develop the capacity if they have the will to do so. Ergo, this lack of transparency seems to be aimed at facilitating a culture of financial mismanagement and corruption at county level, in an environment where, frankly, no one is holding them accountable.
(source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Baringo_County_in_Kenya.svg/250px-Baringo_County_in_Kenya.svg.png)
This leads to the second point, county governments know they can get away with failing to account for funds because there are no consequences to poor performance. County governments know that National government will still deploy funds the next year irrespective of whether they comply with the PFMA or not. With no consequences for poor fiscal performance and reporting, financial mismanagement and corruption at county level can and probably are running rife. The basic question is: who is responsible for keeping county governments accountable?
The way forward is for citizens in each county to demand financial accountability from county governments. This is because it is county citizens to whom county governments are accountable and it is county citizens who can vote out county governments.
Anzetse Were is a development economist; email@example.com


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If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but yet am not making sense, I am likely in need of more sleep. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all the mysterious things my children do while quiet, and if I have faith that, one day, I will get eight hours of straight sleep... but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all the time I possess to poor cooking and my body over to non-stop nursing, but do not have love, I am nothing.
But I am not nothing. :)
Today my husband and I celebrate twelve years of wedded life. We welcomed the day in by watching Princess Bride until midnight, and later we will be actually going away for 24 hours, thanks to the help of my parents and some wonderful friends.
Dan, it's not how I imagined it would be. But in the immortal words of "Lego House":
"In this the love of God was made manifest among us,
that God sent his only Son into the world,
that God sent his only Son into the world,
so that we might live through him.
In this is love, not that we have loved God
In this is love, not that we have loved God
but that he loved us and sent his Son
to be the propitiation for our sins.
to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another,
God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 1 John 4:9-12