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Gretchen Viney
For many lawyers, the core of "economics of law practice" – the focus of this issue of Wisconsin Lawyer – consists of satisfied clients who willingly pay periodic invoices. Lawyers have multiple sources of information to learn about drafting representation agreements, entering time records, and producing bills that clients readily pay. What remains unwritten, and largely unspoken, is how to discuss the initial representation agreement with our clients. This article suggests ways for practicing lawyers to discuss fee agreements with their clients and to use those discussions to build rapport, laying the foundation for successful representation.
At the outset, remember that the provisions of the fee agreement itself may contribute to, or detract from, rapport building. Lawyers who create their own agreements might consider including specific provisions based on ideas gleaned from this article. Lawyers who must explain firm-wide, mandatory agreements do not have the luxury of inserting rapport-building provisions and therefore must rely on the oral discussion to add rapport building into the mix. In either situation, you might also ponder "is anything in this agreement actually negotiable?" How you present your "agreement" may depend on whether any of its terms are fluid.
Deciding to use a written fee agreement, now required in many situations by SCR 20:1.5, is only the beginning. You must also plan when and how to introduce the fee agreement into the client meeting, taking into account your style, the client's personality, the area of law, and the flow of the interview. The client knows that he or she must pay you, so whether the written agreement is introduced early or late, you should put the client at ease by acknowledging that a fee agreement is forthcoming. Otherwise, the client will be distracted throughout the conference, wondering how much you charge and how high the bill will go.
Gretchen Viney, U.W. 1978, is a clinical professor and director of the Lawyering Skills Program at U.W. Law School. She maintains a private practice in Baraboo.
Regardless of the timing, the discussion should be an integral part of the interview, not interrupting your ongoing connection to the client. You may choose to have the full discussion early, toward the beginning of the interview, when advising the client about other preliminary matters like confidentiality, privilege, or contact parameters. However, in other situations, you may need a significant amount of information from the client before deciding whether to take the case, and you may decide to hold off entering into the fee agreement until after obtaining that information. If you wait to introduce the fee agreement until later in the interview, you might presage that discussion ("later, we will decide together if I will represent you in this matter, and we can discuss fees then"). Regardless of timing, treating the discussion as an important part of the interview, not as an afterthought, increases the client's confidence in you.
You and the client must reach an agreement as to fees and expenses; the written fee agreement is the vehicle. Introducing and discussing the fee agreement in a professional way allows you to show the client that the client is making an excellent choice in hiring you, or your firm, and that the choice is important enough to be written carefully and signed intentionally. Through business-like tone and body language (no eye rolling or grimacing), you signal the foundational importance of the agreement. Particularly for the client who is entering into a contract for the first time, your professional demeanor during the conversation builds rapport.
Lawyers charge for their services. From the perspective of most clients, a lawyer's hourly rates, fees, and costs are substantial. In truth, most new lawyers would not be able to afford to hire themselves! But apologizing for charging a fee is a guaranteed rapport breaker. You may see this as a way to be friendly, but the client wants a confident lawyer who is worth every penny. Apologizing only signals that you believe that you are not worth the money, leaving the client equally uncertain about your value.
Explain what you will do (even if not in the agreement). Many fee agreements contain few, if any, specifics about what the lawyer plans to do for the client, while the bulk of the agreement outlines how and when the client will pay for whatever it is that the lawyer does, as well as the dire consequences that befall if the client fails to pay for those amorphous services. Read through your standard agreement and ask, "If I were the client, would I have a sense of what this lawyer is doing for me and why I should pay him to do those things?" Then think about whether you might be able to add a short paragraph, or list, to address those concerns. If unsure about this aspect of fee agreements, you might review "unbundled legal services" agreements, for which itemizing the lawyer's services is standard practice.
To a lawyer's ear, these statements might seem reasonable, perhaps even encouraging. But a client may hear these very differently: What makes the lawyer so special that the client would give her information that the client has never divulged to anyone? How can $175 per hour qualify as a "discount" rate? Why can't the highly paid lawyer reach all of the client's goals?
For a client and a lawyer to work well together, they must have a trusting relationship. The client must have confidence in the lawyer's ability, feel certain that the lawyer is loyal to the client, and be reasonably comfortable in the relationship. This level of client trust is built step-by-step through effective communication skills; diligent, timely, and capable work; professional attire and demeanor; reliable office systems; capable staff; and an intentional rapport-building, or relationship-building, focus during all contacts with the client.
When the client trusts the lawyer's skill and fidelity, the client is more likely to provide the sensitive information the lawyer needs for competent representation, not because the lawyer asks, or explains why it is important, but because the client wants the lawyer to have the information. If the client trusts the lawyer, the client understands that the lawyer is not cheating on the bill or charging an outrageous fee. If the client trusts the lawyer, the client is more likely to collaborate and cooperate with the lawyer and to have confidence in both the process and the results. The client is willing to rely on the lawyer's explanations, to accept the almost inevitable give-and-take of the system, and to be satisfied in the representation. And, of course, a satisfied client is one more likely to pay for the lawyer's services and to recommend the lawyer to others.
For lawyers who use fee agreements that do not explain the lawyer's tasks, then the oral discussion must suffice: "When we say 'legal representation,' we mean doing whatever is necessary to work on your behalf. In this situation, that potentially means [list possibilities]." This is also a good time to introduce the lawyer-as-zealous-advocate explanation: "We want the best possible outcome for you, as our client. When we represent your interests, we are constantly thinking about what would be the best outcome for you." Even if the fee agreement does not use those words, your explanation of the depth and breadth of representation builds rapport with the client.
Sometimes a lawyer runs through the fee agreement quickly, in a monotone: the parody of a bad lecture. No one enjoys a lecture, so pause occasionally, allow the client to interject, and periodically ask, "Do you have questions about that?" At appropriate times, you might need to slow down, simplify, and explain new concepts like "trust account" and "computerized legal research."
The client's body language may tell you to speed up or slow down even if the client's words do not. Generally, the lawyer has an obligation to ensure that the client understands the fee agreement (SCR 20:1.4(b)), so simply speeding up or skipping ahead may not be the appropriate response. If the client seems confused or bored, change your approach to meet the client's needs: "Some of this information is rather technical. Instead of continuing to look at the paragraph line-by-line, let me just tell you how we keep track of our time. Only lawyers think in increments of six minutes, but we really do. We write down our time in tenths of an hour, so 0.1 is six minutes. Some activities have minimum charges but those charges are still written the same way. So, a letter is never less than .25, which is 15 minutes. It's confusing at first, but now I organize my life around six-minute increments."
Throughout the explanation of the fee agreement, focus on what you will do to meet the client's goals. "You want a plan for the future that will take care of your family. Our firm will be able to create a plan that will meet your goals successfully. While we're working for you, we will be sending you a bill at the end of each month. If you have any questions about a bill, or about the work we are doing on your behalf, I want you to call me so we can work out any potential issues. Now, this next section of the agreement talks about those bills and how they are handled."
Sometimes the associate or junior partner explaining the agreement is not the lawyer the client intended to hire. This awkward situation is a chance for you to win over the client. "Attorney Smith, who is the firm's expert in this area, asked me to meet with you and to take over the day-to-day supervision of your file. I am eager to see your project through to the finish. When we go through this agreement, you'll see that I'm billed at a lower rate than Attorney Smith. Overall, that's good for you because when we work together, the billing rate will be lower but, at the same time, if there's something I'm not sure about, Attorney Smith is immediately available to me. [X] is one of my favorite focus areas, so I'm confident that I'll be able to work quickly and enthusiastically toward your goals. Now, let's look at the representation agreement that our firm uses."
Another awkward situation is when the lawyer explaining the fee agreement believes the agreement is deficient in some way: poorly drafted, one-sided, overreaching. Assuming that this is the fee agreement that you must use, you probably should not signal your feelings to the client. You are a representative of the firm, so when you criticize the firm's documents, you are undermining the firm. When you "pitch" your legal abilities, you do not want to do so at the expense of the firm you represent.
For sophisticated or established clients, signing the fee agreement actually is a discrete activity, not the culmination of a discussion. For those clients, you build rapport by working quickly. "Mr. Brown, before we get started, we need to enter into a written representation agreement. The underlying terms are similar to those we used the last time, with the same hourly rates and billing terms. Why don't you take a moment to look this over and ask any questions you might have. After we've both signed it, I'll give you a copy for your file." This type of exchange is appropriate only in limited circumstances, and particularly only when the client is already familiar with the representation agreement or with representation agreements in general.
Discussing a written fee agreement with a client is already part of the lawyer's legal practice. Lawyers should not settle for a mundane conversation when just a few simple steps can transform it into a rapport-building activity.


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With Superhero museum, who needs Comic-Con? (pictures)
The Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum, in Elkhard, Ind., has the world's best superhero memorabilia and comic books collection. CNET Road Trip 2013 visited instead of going to Comic-Con.
Adam West's Batman suit
ELKHART, Ind. -- The world may be focused on Comic-Con in San Diego this week, but no one has a better claim to superhero supremacy than Allen Stewart.
Tucked away on a leafy street in this northern Indiana town, Stewart runs the Hall of Heroes Super Hero Museum, part gigantic comic book collection, part homage to some of the greatest superhero artifacts ever produced.
Among its treasures is this Batman suit from the original 1960s TV show and the suit that the original Batman, Adam West, wore when he made personal appearances.
The suit was a gift to the museum this year from a man who had purchased it at auction years ago and who was liquidating some of his collection.
Hall of Heroes
Opened six years ago, the museum was designed to look like the Hall of Justice from the Superfriends. Much of the collection belongs to Stewart, whose interest in superheroes dates back to the mid-1970s.
Amazing Fantasy No. 1
Stewart says that the museum holds 55,000 superhero comic books, including every Marvel book ever produced and every DC book since 1956. So while the museum doesn't yet have an Action Comics No. 1 (the first appearance of Superman), it does have an Amazing Fantasy No. 15, which was the first appearance of Spider-Man.
Spider-Man twin towers poster
Another rare treasure in the museum is this Spider-Man poster, which depicts the webbed hero and the Twin Towers in New York. The poster was for 2002's "Spider-Man 2" but was recalled after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Captain America No. 1
A personal favorite of Stewart's -- which is also quite valuable -- is the museum's copy of Captain America No. 1, in which the superhero is introduced on the cover smashing Adolf Hitler in the face. The book is part of the museum's "golden age" section, which showcases superheroes through comics and other collectibles between 1938 and 1955.
Batman with gun
Though Batman is famously anti-gun, that wasn't always the case, as this Batman No. 15 illustrates.
First Superman toy
This is the world's first Superman toy, Stewart said, from 1940. It's a wind-up toy, and when wound, Superman picks up the airplane.
One wall of comics
With 55,000 comic books in its collection, the museum devotes a great deal of space to housing the books, which are presented in alphabetical order. This is just one wall of four of dozens upon dozens of boxes of superhero comic books.
Superman section
The museum devotes special sections to a few famous superheroes, like this one for Superman.
Spider-Man section
There's also, of course, a Spider-Man section.
This section of the museum is painted to look like the Batcave from the 1960s "Batman" television show. It is full of hundreds of Batman collectibles.
Wolverine exhibition
The museum usually has a special section set up to celebrate something in the superhero universe. Right now, it's a Wolverine section set up because of the forthcoming "Wolverine" movie.
Comics boxes
The collection features countless boxes like this one, which all together hold 55,000 superhero comic books, including every book from a major comic book publisher since 1956, Stewart said.
Hollywood heroes
Another special section depicts superheroes in Hollywood.
Greatest American Hero suit
Though not as valuable as the original Batman suit, this is an original Greatest American Hero suit from the 1980s TV show of that name.
British Batman pedalcar
This is a Batman pedalcar from England. Stewart said it is the only one of its kind in the United States.
X-Men No. 1
Another important comic book from the collection is this copy of X-Men No. 1.
Hall of Justice
Tucked away on a shelf is this Hall of Justice toy set from the Superfriends show. The museum's facade was designed to look like this building.
Green Lantern section
Another superhero with a designated section is the Green Lantern.
Hot Wheels Invisible Jet
One year, Hot Wheels pulled an April Fool's Joke by issuing a press release that it was releasing a Wonder Woman Invisible Jet toy. Later, it put out a small number of the toys.
Captain America shield
This is Stewart's Captain America shield. Every year, he dresses up as Captain America in Elkhart's Memorial Day parade, and said that he is usually swarmed by World War II veterans who were often given copies of that hero's comics in their war-time care packages.

subset: commoncrawl


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THE interest of the following astronomical, or rather cosmographical tract to students of Irish language and literature lies mainly in the fact that it belongs to a division of our literature which has been up to the present but little investigated by those whose labours are directed to the publication of our MS. literature. The investigation and publication of such documents is of special importance for the determination of the state of native education and culture in its relation, at different periods, to that of foreign civilizations.
The translations of mediaeval Latin texts into Irish, probably for use as text-books in the schools of the 14th and 15th centuries, would supply material for special study. A comparison of the text now in hand with some of the numerous medical tracts, almost all of which still remain unedited, would doubtless supply much interesting material with respect to the resources of our language in treating of purely scientific and technical subjects.
The present work has not remained altogether neglected hitherto. The late Rev. Maxwell Close caused the text to be translated for him into English, and dealt exhaustively with the subject matter of the tract from a scientific point of view, in a paper read before a meeting of the Royal Irish Academy, in June, 1901, and published in the Proceedings of that body Vol. VI., pp. 457-464. Mr. Close's MS. notes for the paper with a typewritten copy of the above-mentioned translation are now in the Academy Library.
A further article on the subject, containing a synopsis of the contents, chapter by chapter, was published under the title of An Irish Astronomical Tract, by J. E. Gore, M.R.I.A., in Knowledge; February, 1909. This again deals only with the scientific aspect of the tract; apparently gleaned from the above-mentioned translation, and contains scarcely anything not commented on by Mr. Close.
Chapters 8, 39, and a portion of chapter 9, with another small fragment of the text, were published with the same English translation in Celtia, Vol. XI., pp. 54-6; 90-92; 101-03. The text which here follows has been arranged without consulting this small published fragment, and my translation has been made quite independently of the translation from which Mr. Close worked.


text: DALLAS — A line of flavored powdered packets aimed at hypoglycemia sufferers has made its way to stores nationwide.Quick Sticks, a quick-dissolve glucose supplement developed for hypoglycemia sufferers that require a easier way to treat symptoms of low blood sugar, now will be available at Walmart and Walgreens stores stores across the United States. Launched last year, the product initially was available at select Kroger and H-E-B stores, as well as Amazon.com."We're very excited about making Quick Sticks available nationwide to those who face the everyday challenges of hypoglycemia," said Cole Egger, founder and President of QS Holdings, the maker of Quick Sticks. "We've been overwhelmed with positive feedback from our fans saying they love the product, so this is definitely a much-anticipated launch."Available in sour apple and watermelon flavors, Quick Sticks carry a suggested retail price range from $5.24 to $6.49 per 12-count box.


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Rondthaler, Theodore Edward
5 Aug. 1899–8 Apr. 1966
Theodore Edward Rondthaler, teacher, was born at Christ Church parsonage in Salem. The first of his forebears to come to America was Emanuel Rondthaler, who was raised by a Moravian pastor in Herrnhut, Saxony; he became a Moravian missionary and was sent to Sarepta, Russia, before moving to York, Pa., in 1808. One of his three sons, Edward (1819–55), was a Moravian pastor in Nazareth. This man's son, Edward (1842–1931), served as bishop of the Southern Congregation and president of Salem College in North Carolina. The bishop's son, Howard Edward (1871–1956), the father of Theodore Edward, was a Moravian pastor who served as president of Salem College and then as bishop of the Southern Province. Theodore's mother was Katherine Boring Rondthaler, a Philadelphia Quaker. Another ancestor was the Reverend John Heckewelder, a missionary and historian among the Indians, who assisted President George Washington in preventing an Indian war in the present state of Ohio.
Rondthaler attended Moravian Preparatory School in Bethlehem, Pa., and three schools in Winston-Salem—Salem Preparatory School, Tinsley Military Institute, and Winston-Salem High School. During the summers from 1912 to 1921 he visited his aunt at Pocono Lake Preserve, Pa., where he learned rowing, swimming, and canoeing and entertained with his guitar and clarinet. At the Quaker camp of a hundred cottages, he worked delivering supplies by boat and came to appreciate the high Quaker standards and ideals.
In 1915 he entered The University of North Carolina, where his education was interrupted when he and others in his class were sent to Officers' Training School at Plattsburg, N.Y. After about six months' training at Buffalo University, he was discharged as a second lieutenant. In Chapel Hill he and others were graduated with the class of 1919 without having to make up the courses missed. While at the university he ran cross-country and was editor-in-chief of the University of North Carolina Magazine, secretary of Phi Beta Kappa, and a member of the student council. He also was a member of Golden Fleece, the highest honorary organization on campus.
During the year following his graduation he was an instructor at the university and began to work on a master's degree. Rondthaler then went to New York to try to decide whether he really wanted to teach; he lived in the Bowery YMCA and worked at such jobs as unloading bananas and fish. Later he was employed for about six months with National Carbide in Jersey City, until offered a position as superintendent of a department. By this time he had decided that he really wanted to become a teacher and entered Princeton University, from which he received a master's degree in 1923 with a major in English and Latin; he met his expenses by tutoring pupils at the Hunn School. Afterwards he bicycled through Europe and attended classes at the University of Munich (1923) and the University of Paris (1924).
Returning to Winston-Salem for the Christmas of 1924, he began to teach Latin at Salem College. There he fell in love with his father's secretary, Alice Billing Keeney, of Connecticut, who became his wife in 1927, and gave up his plans to study for a doctorate. From 1928 to 1945 Rondthaler was a high school teacher and the principal at a school in Clemmons near Winston-Salem. In 1945 he became treasurer of Black Mountain College, a utopian educational endeavor, and taught a variety of unusual courses such as "Extraordinary Communities" and "Conventional Punctuation." As treasurer he successfully negotiated for accreditation under the GI Bill of Rights and used his initiative to obtain buildings and equipment from the federal government.
With their own children enrolled in Reed College, Portland, Oreg., the Rondthalers in 1948 began teaching at the school on Ocracoke Island, where they owned a home. He ceased to teach in 1962 but remained active in the community until his death.
Rondthaler, who had become a licensed land surveyor in 1956, entered this field after his retirement. He also was chairman of the Board of Mosquito Control but demoted himself to manager in order to become more involved in the actual work. For many years he taught the adult Bible class in the Methodist church and served as a lay preacher. Having been a scoutmaster in Forsyth County many years before, he also was a scoutmaster on Ocracoke Island. Music was his hobby, and he played the clarinet, oboe, bassoon, flute, Autoharp, and guitar as well as composed music. An outdoorsman, he enjoyed hiking, sailing, and swimming. On one occasion he swam across the Yadkin River at flood stage and on another he climbed the cables of Brooklyn Bridge.
The Rondthalers had two children: Howard Mayro, who was employed by the National Forest Service in Portland, Oreg., and Alice Katherine, who married Dr. George M. Woodwell, an ecologist at Woods Hole, Mass. Rondthaler died in Durham, where he and his wife had moved in October 1965 to live in the Methodist Retirement Home in anticipation of his auditing classes at the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill. He was buried in the community cemetery at Ocracoke.
Martin Duberman, Black Mountain: An Exploration in Community (1972).
Durham Morning Herald, 9 Apr. 1966.
Durham Sun, 8 Apr. 1966.
Daniel L. Grant, Alumni History of the University of North Carolina (1924).
North Carolina Biography, vol. 3 (1928).
Raleigh News and Observer, 9 Apr. 1966.
Alice Kenney Rondthaler, "Memoir of Theodore Rondthaler," Ocracoke Island News, 8 Apr. 1966.
Additional Resources:
West, Hilton G. "The First Reunion of the Class of 1919." The Alumni Review [University of North Carolina] 8, no. 7 (April 1920). 233. https://archive.org/stream/alumnireviewseri0807chap#page/232/mode/2up/ (accessed November 25, 2013).
Image Credits:
"Theodore Edward Rondthaler." Photograph. The Yackety Yack. Chapel Hill [N.C.]: Dialectic and Philanthropic Literary Societies and the Fraternities of the University of North Carolina. 1919. https://archive.org/stream/yacketyyackseria1919univ#page/n75/mode/2up (accessed November 25, 2013).
1 January 1994 | Roberts, B. W. C.


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By Rick Feneley
THIRTEEN years after John Howard's historic gun reforms, federal Labor MP and academic Andrew Leigh lauds his legacy and says he does not envision any policy retreat by the major parties.
Mr Leigh, as an academic at the Australian National University, published research in 2010 that found Mr Howard's gun buy-back of 500,000 semi-automatic rifles and shotguns had cut firearm suicides by 74 per cent, saving 200 lives a year. Firearm homicides were down 59 per cent.
The proportion of Australian homes with guns had dropped from 15 to 8 per cent after the buy-back. In the US, about 30 per cent of homes still had at least one gun.
''Our gun buy-back took about a fifth of our guns out of circulation but it approximately halved the number of gun-owning households,'' Mr Leigh said. ''If the US could dramatically decrease the number of households with guns, it would have many fewer deaths.''
''I think it's time to give a shout out to Howard and [then Nationals leader Tim] Fischer for standing up to their conservative base in 1996-97,'' Mr Leigh said. ''We need US Republicans who are willing to do the same.''
Media baron Rupert Murdoch would agree with that. On Twitter on Saturday he said: ''Terrible news today. When will politicians find courage to ban automatic weapons? As in Oz after similar tragedy.''
Prominent Australian Liberal Malcolm Turnbull tweeted back with a none-too-subtle dig at Mr Murdoch's TV network: ''I suspect they will find the courage when Fox News enthusiastically campaigns for it.''
There was little sign of that. One-time presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, a regular on Fox News, told viewers: ''We ask why there is violence in our schools, but we have systematically removed God from our schools.'' He added that ''laws don't change this kind of thing''.
But Samantha Lee, from Gun Control Australia, said: ''Most massacres are committed by people with no criminal record or no known history of mental illness. ''You can't predict who will lose the plot.''
Ms Lee worries the shooters' lobby is clawing back ground on the Howard reforms.
Bob Katter's Australian Party vows to fight for shooters' rights if it gains a toehold in the Senate next year.
Premier Ted Baillieu's government has promised shooters a stronger voice in Victoria.
In New South Wales, recreational hunting for feral animals will be allowed in national parks in the new year, once the safety regime is finalised, under concessions to the Shooters and Fishers Party.


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"For his development of the random current approach to correlations which has had an impact on a wide variety of problems, especially his rigorous non-perturbative proof of the triviality of Æ4 field theory"
Background:Michael Aizenman is a mathematical physicist at Princeton University.
He was awarded the Norbert Wiener Prize (1990) of the Amer. Math. Soc. and SIAM for "his outstanding contribution of original and non-perturbative mathematical methods in statistical mechanics by means of which he was able to solve several long open important problems concerning critical phenomena, phase transitions, and quantum field theory." More recently he has been working on quantum effects of quenched disorder.
Member of the National Academy of Sciences since 1997, he is also the recipient of the Brouwer Medal (2002) of the Dutch Math. Soc. and Royal Dutch Acad. Sc., and Dr. Honoris Causa of Université de Cergy-Pontoise (France, 2009).
Michael Aizenman received his undergraduate education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and PhD degree in 1975 at Yeshiva University (Belfer Graduate School of Science), New York, advised by Joel Lebowitz. After postdoctoral appointments at Courant Institute of NYU, 197475, and Princeton University 197577 with Elliott Lieb, he was Assistant Professor at Princeton. In 1982 he moved to Rutgers University as Associate Professor and then full Professor. In 1987 he moved to the Courant Institute and in 1990 returned to Princeton as Professor of Mathematics and Physics.
Mary Beth Ruskai, Chair, H. Weitzner, D. Garfinkle, F.M. Cooper, M. Feigenbaum


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In a story that sounds like it came straight from the Bible — or Pinocchio — Paul Templer claims he was swallowed by a hippo while leading a kayak tour down the Zambezi River. The hippo attack happened 17 years ago, but this week Templer recounted the horrifying tale to the Guardian.
Templer was a 27-year-old river guide who had led tours down the Zambezi in Zimbabwe many times and had weathered several of what he considered "half-hearted attacks" by a certain territorial male hippo. Those half-hearted attacks gave Templer no clue as to the potential viciousness of the bull, who attacked one day, apparently out of the blue. The vicious assault killed an apprentice guide before turning on Templer who had approached to try and help his co-worker.
(MORE: Humphrey the Pet Hippo Mauls His Owner to Death)
"There was no transition at all, no sense of approaching danger. It was as if I had suddenly gone blind and deaf," Templer recalled in the Guardian. Templer did not immediately understand what happened to him, though. He said:
I was aware that my legs were surrounded by water, but my top half was almost dry. I seemed to be trapped in something slimy. There was a terrible, sulphurous smell, like rotten eggs, and a tremendous pressure against my chest. My arms were trapped but I managed to free one hand and felt around – my palm passed through the wiry bristles of the hippo's snout. It was only then that I realised I was underwater, trapped up to my waist in his mouth.
Templer was able to wriggle free, but the hippo attacked again, dragging him back underwater. Templer doesn't know how long he was under ("Time passes very slowly when you're in a hippo's mouth") before the hippo spit him out and Templer was able to make his way to the surface where a co-worker awaited.
Templer suffered close to 40 puncture wounds in the attack. Some of the bite marks were so deep his lung was exposed. His arm was crushed and was eventually amputated. After he recovered from his injuries, Templer bravely returned to his job as a guide.
MORE: The Hippo and the Tortoise – The Adorable Dozen: Bizarre Animal Friendships


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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The nation's largest produce-safety testing program narrowly escaped closure thanks to a last-minute grudging reprieve from the Agriculture Department, and finding a permanent solution to keep tainted fruits and vegetables from reaching consumers could take an even bigger effort.
Each year, the tiny program screens thousands of produce samples. It has found more than two dozen bacteria-laced examples that prompted recalls of lettuce, tomatoes and other foods from grocery stores.
It was at risk of being scrapped after President Barack Obama's proposed budget slashed the effort's funding earlier this year. But USDA spokesman Justin DeJong said late Monday that although the Microbiological Data Program "does not align with USDA's core mission," it will operate through December, using existing agreements with states to keep testing for salmonella, E. coli and listeria over the next six months.
Public health officials and food safety advocates have long argued that getting rid of the program would leave the country without a crucial tool to investigate outbreaks of deadly foodborne illnesses.
If samples test positive for bacteria, it can trigger nationwide recalls and keep contaminated produce from reaching the public.
Dr. Robert Tauxe, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's top food-germ investigator, has said the program's information can be key to pinpointing foods tied to outbreaks, and it could not easily be replaced by companies' internal tests or more modest federal sampling programs.
The CDC said contaminated fruits and vegetables caused nearly one-third of the major multistate foodborne illness outbreaks last year.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., a longtime food safety advocate, said she would continue to push for the program to stay open beyond the year's end, since the House and Senate have not included any funding for it in their agriculture spending bills.
"I am glad to hear the program will continue, but a temporary reprieve is not enough," she said. "It is unacceptable for this crucial, cost-effective program to be eliminated."
Finding more money for the modest program, which cost $4.3 million to run last year, may be tough in this economic climate. The FDA is already squeezed for food safety dollars, receiving so little money for food inspections that some facilities are only inspected every five to 10 years.
In recent years, industry leaders from United Fresh Produce Association and other major trade groups have repeatedly urged the government to get rid of the USDA program, saying it has cost growers millions of dollars in produce recalls and unfairly targeted farmers who aren't responsible for contaminating the food.
They want the private sector to do more testing, rather than allowing the USDA to take random samples of fruits and vegetables at massive grocery store distribution centers, after produce has already left company control.
Ray Gilmer, a United Fresh spokesman, did not immediately comment Monday. He has said the industry supports funding the FDA to do more scientifically rigorous tests that would help monitor public health.


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The implementation of Industry 4.0 is, among other things, about creating a digital silhouette of a plant, thus allowing for process optimisation. The essential information is provided by many sensors that are already installed for machine control anyway. Thanks to IO-Link, these sensors provide much more data than mere switching signals or analogue values.
The FOGS-series portal machining centre from Starrag Technology GmbH is a machine that has these features. It is used in mechanical engineering and in the aviation and automotive industries, for example, to manufacture body shell parts. The machine in the picture is used to process chassis components (landing gear) in the aviation industry.
These complex machine tools require sensors to monitor all media (e.g. coolants and lubricants, hydraulics, machine temperature control). Tight tolerances are required for medium temperatures, pressure values and volumetric flow quantities to ensure that tools are used with optimum efficiency in fully automated production processes.
IO-Link is a robust digital interface based on 24 V signal levels that, in addition to mere switching signals, enables bidirectional communication with the controller via the regular sensor cable. The sensors transmit digital measured values and diagnostic information via IO-Link to the IO-Link master, such as an IO module, gateway or a PLC equipped with IO-Link ports. The sensors are connected with standard M12 connectors. Screened cables and associated grounding are no longer necessary.
Starrag Technology GmbH opt for fluid sensors from ifm electronic. The reason: The sensor specialist offers the largest product range of process sensors featuring IO-Link.
Starrag Technology builds portal milling machines for the international market.
One of the greatest advantages of IO-Link is the possibility to transfer all necessary parameter data via the IO-Link connection cable to the sensor. The sensor parameter data (e.g. switch points, switching hysteresis, display colour) can be transferred from the controller to IO-Link compatible sensors, either when the sensors are set up or later during operation and to adjust them to a specific situation. Benefit for the customer: During the commissioning phase of a machine, the previously projected sensor parameters can be transferred quickly, easily and reliably to the sensor. If necessary, for example in case of small lot sizes, IO-Link makes it possible to store different parameter sets for different products separately on the sensor. Moreover, thanks to the controller-based parameter setting, subsequent process optimisation via remote maintenance is easy with IO-Link. All in all, one can say that IO-Link is a key technology for Industry 4.0 applications.
In addition to controller-based sensor parameter setting, IO-Link from version 1.1 or higher ensures double data storage of sensor parameters on the device and the IO-Link master. Dietmar Wallenstein, e-construction and commissioning department manager at Starrag Technologies, says: "One of IO-Link's great advantages is the automated data backup of the sensor data that takes place in the background. Each sensor (device) sends its parameter sets automatically to the IO-Link master. There, they will be mirrored and stored as a backup. As soon as a sensor is replaced, the data is exchanged automatically with the new device. The parameter data will then be transferred automatically from the IO-Link master to the IO-Link device. This makes it a lot easier to replace a sensor and it reduces machine downtime significantly in case of a fault. At the same time, this reduces the workload of the service and maintenance staff."
Sensor parameter setting mistakes are a thing of the past. Replacing a sensor only requires the mechanical installation. The customer can replace it without needing any support. The maintenance staff does not need to be trained with regard to sensor parameter setting since it takes place automatically in the background. Thanks to this, technical problems can be solved much faster and much more efficiently. This saves costs.
The user can access each individual sensor from the control panel.
Cost-saving: Two measured values (volumetric flow quantity and temperature) with only one sensor.
Up until now, analogue sensor signals are digitised via A/D converters and scaled in the PLC. This leads to inaccuracies of the actual measuring value.
IO-Link, however, provides the measured values from the sensor digitally to the controller. Transmission errors and conversion of analogue signals are ruled out. The digitally transmitted measured values can be directly displayed in the control room. The transferred value is always identical with the measured value. There are no longer any deviations between the local display and the value that the PLC derives from the analogue signal. Thanks to IO-Link, even interference with the analogue signal, for example caused by electromagnetic fields, is a thing of the past.
Modern process sensors from ifm often provide more than just one measured value. Dietmar Wallenstein says: "Often, a sensor processes more than just one physical value. In addition to volumetric flow quantity or pressure, for example, it is also possible to read the medium temperature via the IO-Link interface. In the past, we needed two sensors for this." This saves money for hardware, wiring and mounting since instead of two sensors you only need one.
Apart from the process data, the IO-Link sensor can also provide diagnostic data about the status of the device. Example: The level sensor detects critical deposits and signals them to the controller. Photoelectric sensors detect if a lens is soiled and signal it automatically. Pressure sensors store minimum pressure losses and maximum pressure peaks from the process and totalise the number of times that limit values are exceeded or not reached. This additional functionality supports the user decisively when it comes to condition-based maintenance. This extended information about the condition minimises expensive downtimes while increasing process reliability.
If necessary, the parameters of the process sensors can be set separately for each tool.
Sensors offer a considerable additional value if they are equipped with IO-Link. Dietmar Wallenstein summarises the advantages for Starrag Technology:
"Everyone is talking about Industry 4.0, and of course we at Starrag are not ignorant of this megatrend. When it comes to mechanical engineering, we think in particular about digital machine upgrading. This is why we opt for IO-Link. Thanks to low-cost robust interfaces, the sensors provide us with more information about the process which then can be more efficiently evaluated and optimised. This is one of the great advantages of IO-Link and a sensor feature contributing to Industry 4.0."


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The following obituaries were received for Tuesday –
Jeffrey A. Chandler – Shoals
Jeffrey A. Chandler, 50, of Shoals, passed away at 5:55 a.m. on Sunday, May 20, 2012 at St. Mary's Hospital in Evansville.
He was born January 16, 1962 in Washington to Forrest and Ruth Ann (Crays) Chandler. He was formerly employed at Kimball's in French Lick and Perfect Fit in Loogootee. Jeff was a volunteer fireman serving the Town of Shoals Fire Department and a member of the National Rifle Association. He graduated from the BNL Vocational School in Building Trades.
He is survived by his mother, Ruth Ann Chandler, of Shoals; two brothers, Sonny and wife Lisa Chandler and Jim and wife Rosanne Chandler, of Shoals; one nephew, Jeremy and wife Dayna Chandler, of Shoals; one niece, Cortney Chandler, of Shoals; several aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father, Forrest Chanlder, on October 24, 1991.
Services will be at 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 24, 2012 at the Queen-Lee Funeral Home in Shoals with Brother Ed Frost officiating. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the hour of service on Thursday. Burial will be in Spring Hill Cemetery.
Condolences may be made to the family at www.queenlee.com.
Michael Ray Holt – Bedford
Michael Ray Holt, 46, of Bedford, passed away at 4:30 a.m., Friday, May 18, 2012 in Bedford.
He was born on June 10, 1965 at Fort Belvoir, Virginia to James A. Holt and Margie M. (Robbins) Holt. He was a heavy machinery operator.
Survivors include his mother Margie Holt, of Loogootee; two daughters, Jacqueline Holt, Tiffany Holt and son Dustin Michael Holt, all of Shoals; companion Holly Terrell, of Bedford; nine grandchildren; two brothers, James A. Holt Jr. and wife Debra, of New Albany, Terry and wife Rhonda Hamilton-Holt, of Loogootee.
He was preceded in death by his father James Holt in May 2007.
Services will be on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Queen-Lee Ferguson Home in Shoals with visitation from 11 a.m. until the hour of service. Burial will be in Spring Hill Cemetery in Shoals.
Condolences may be made to the family at www.queenlee.com.
Bobby Lee Turner – Bedford
Bobby Lee Turner, 63, of Bedford, passed away at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 19th at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.
Born on November 16, 1948 in Lawrence County, he was the son of Johnie and Laura (Covey)
Turner and was raised by Dad Carl Anderson. He worked as a Grangsawyer for various stone mills. Bobby married Patty Peters on June 17, 1972 and she survives.
Survivors include his wife Patty; his children, Bobby Lee Turner and wife Debra; Polly Sue Patton and husband Scott and Johnathon Turner and wife Nellie; eleven grandchildren, Laura, Lanie, Zack, Jeffery, Eli, Michael, Tyler, Brittany T., Brittany C., Ashly and Shaila; one brother, Lucky turner and five sisters, Janice Johnson, Marilou Johnson, Linda Kendall, Lisa Anderson, Carla Anderson.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one child in infancy and one brother, Dale Turner.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 23rd from the Elmwood Chapel of Day & Carter Mortuary with Brother Kenneth Allen officiating. Burial will follow in the Pattonville Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22nd at Day & Carter Mortuary.
Family and friends are invited to sign the guest book and light a candle in memory of Bobby at www.daycarter.com.
Nellie May (Hardwick) Wade – Williams
Nellie May (Hardwick) Wade, 85, of Williams, passed away at 12:17 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, 2012 at St.Vincent Dunn Hospital.
Born January 24, 1927 in Martin County, she was the daughter of Sat and Mattie (Chandler) Hardwick. She married Harley Wade on December 20, 1947 and he survives. She was a homemaker and of the Christian faith.
Survivors include her husband Harley, of Williams; two daughters, Judy Mitchell and husband Rick, of Bedford, Kathey McKenzie and husband Ron, of Mangolia, KY.; a son, Richard Wade and wife Theressa, of Williams; four grandchildren; five great grandchildren; three sisters, Mildred North and husband Doug, of Mesa, AZ, Sue Hammersley and husband Larry, of Springville, Brenda Terrell and husband Jack, of Bedford; two brothers, John Robert Hardwick and wife Jane of Oviedo, FL., Tyra Hardwick and wife Suzanne, of Bedford; one half sister, Annis Skinner, of Illinois.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, Bill, Clifford and Roe; a half-brother, Dan Wagoner.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23rd in the Elmwood Chapel of the Day & Carter Mortuary with Brother Perry Tom East officiating. Burial will follow the Mt. Olive Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22nd.
Family and friends are invited to sign the guest book and light a candle in memory of Nellie at wwwdaycarter.com


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Scientists have captured on video the intracellular version of a postal delivery service. Reporting in the journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (BBRC), bioengineering researchers at UC San Diego published videos of a key message-carrying protein called paxillin moving abruptly from hubs of communication and transportation activity on the cell surface toward the nucleus. Paxillin was labeled with a red fluorescence marker to make it stand out in live cells.
"It's amazing to us. We thought the cell was so simple," said Shu Chien, the senior author of the BBRC paper and a professor of bioengineering at UCSD's Jacobs School of Engineering. "But it's really very complex and I'm not sure we're covering much as yet. We certainly don't know all the interactions among these molecules that bring the cell into action."
Examining living cells through a microscope, Chien and the paper's co-author, associate project scientist Ying-Li Hu, filmed red-fluorescence-tagged paxillin molecules traveling from cells' outer membrane along green-fluorescence-labeled traces of cytoskeleton. Even without video evidence, scientists have confirmed over the past 10 years that higher organisms use paxillin as a transmitter of locomotion and gene-expression signals from several classes of growth-factor receptors to the nucleus.
Cancer researchers are eager to understand paxillin's many interactions because their malfunctions have been linked to a variety of cancers, tumor metastasis, and other disease processes. Tumor-causing versions of signaling molecules may attach to paxillin and disturb the normal adhesion and growth factor signaling steps required for controlled proliferation and cell growth. For example, human papilloma virus, which can cause cervical cancer, makes a protein that binds to paxillin and that interaction may contribute to the carcinogenic potential of the sexually transmitted virus.
Chien and Hu obtained cells for their most recent study from the inner membranous lining of a cow aorta. They added genetically engineered proteins tagged with red and green fluorescence markers to the bovine aortic endothelial cells, grew them in tissue culture, and filmed them while they passed fluid across the cells' surface in a simulation of flowing blood. With that physical stimulus, paxillin consistently moved in the same direction as the fluid flow.
Paxillin is found primarily at focal adhesions, busy intersections of activity scattered around the cell's cytoplasmic membrane. Focal adhesions are regions rich with receptors for growth factors and they are also structural attachment points that link the extracellular world to the protein filaments and tubes that comprise a cell's internal cytoskeleton.
While researchers showed that paxillin serves as a docking station for a variety of signaling and structural proteins, they have been limited to visualizing paxillin with dyes that stain cells rigidly attached to microscope slides. Those snapshots of fixed cells can't reveal paxillin movement.
"We can now see the dynamics of how paxillin and other proteins move inside the cell with new fluorescent labels and live-cell video microscopy," said Chien, director of the Whitaker Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the Jacobs School.
The two-color labeling technique of Chien and Hu revealed that red-labeled paxillin is linked to green-labeled actin filaments, the thinnest of three types of protein filaments that make up the cytoskeleton of cells of higher organisms. Paxillin either slides along the actin filaments or is pulled by them. In a surprise, Chien and Hu also showed that paxillin itself forms long, fibrous structures in the cell cytoplasm.When actin is chemically removed, paxillin no longer moves and its fibrous structures disappear.
"As least by showing that paxillin and actin filaments move together we have some insight into the possibility of how paxillin can transmit information from one region of the cell, such as the periphery, to another region of the cell, such as the nucleus," said Chien. "The whole situation is much more complex than we have been able to show."
Chien, Hu, and their colleagues at UCSD had previously reported that paxillin can be rapidly assembled and disassembled, and they hypothesize that this process enables cell migration by assembling new focal adhesion sites in the direction of cell movement and disassembling them on the trailing side of the cell. Researchers are applying the fluorescence-labeling technique to the many other signaling and structural proteins found predominantly at focal adhesions.
"When we piece all of these things together we can get a more complete understanding of how the cell functions, both in migration and signal transduction," said Chien. "If we can understand the details of these processes, we can not only understand how normal cells function, but we can also look at diseased cells to see why they sometimes don't move properly or why they don't transmit information properly."
Video available at http://video-jsoe.ucsd.edu/asx/Paxillin.paper.wmv.asx.
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Materials provided by University of California - San Diego. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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No, Senate Bill 458 does not speak to vertical divisions of middle housing and requires that each resultant lot or parcel contain exactly one unit. Therefore, cities are not required to allow vertical divisions of middle housing.
Show All Answers
House Bill 2001 (HB 2001) is a law passed by the Oregon Legislature in 2019 to increase housing choice and supply. The law requires large cities, including Eugene, to amend their land use regulations to allow more housing types like duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, cottage clusters, and townhouses in residential areas where single-family homes are allowed, by June 30, 2022. These housing types are often called "middle housing" because they are between a single-family house and an apartment building in terms on number of units. For more information about the requirements of HB 2001, visit the Requirements of HB 2001 fact sheet. For more information about what led to Oregon adopting the bill and middle housing types, visit the Project Overview fact sheet.
All residentially zoned areas within the city limits that currently allow single-family homes will be affected. In Eugene, this includes the following zones: R-1 Low Density Residential, R-2 Medium Density Residential, R-3 Limited High Density Residential, R-4 High Density Residential, and certain Special Area Zones (including Chambers, Chase Node, Downtown Westside, Elmira Road, Historic Blair, Jefferson Westside, Royal Node, Whiteaker, and Walnut Station special area zones). Land that is not zoned for residential use, including but not limited to commercial, industrial, agricultural and public land are not affected. In addition, land that is outside of the city limits (not annexed) is also not affected by HB 2001 (but will be, once inside the city limits).
Land within Eugene is divided into different areas called "zones." These are intended to provide areas suitable for certain types of development or uses (examples include commercial, residential or industrial). Each zone provides a set of regulations governing the uses and development of a property within that zone, and includes such regulations as maximum building height or minimum building setbacks. To find out the zoning of a specific property in Eugene, use the City's searchable zoning map. To learn more about what uses are allowed in a specific zone, you can check out Eugene's land use code. While all middle housing types are currently allowed in Eugene, not all middle housing types are allowed in all residential areas and often times extra process steps are required to build it.
Yes. House Bill 2001 does not prohibit single-family homes or make it more difficult to build single-family homes where they are currently allowed, rather it allows middle housing types to be built in the same residential areas where single family homes are allowed.
While HB 2001 does prohibit the creation of new CC&Rs that conflict with HB 2001, it does not affect existing CC&Rs. To find out if a specific property has CC&Rs, contact the Homeowner's Association (if applicable) or a title company or conduct a search through Lane County Deeds & Records. If you own property, the title report produced when you purchased your property should disclose any CC&Rs. If you are buying property, realtors are required to disclose existing CC&Rs before you purchase the property. The City of Eugene does not enforce CC&Rs or other such private agreements.
The Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission adopted rules that include three ways or choices for cities to comply with House Bill 2001: a model code, minimum compliance standards, and a performance metric approach. The model code is a set of ready-made land use regulations that cities can directly apply; the minimum standards are, at minimum, actions that cities must take to comply with the house bill; and the performance metric requires that middle housing be allowed on a certain percentage of lots around the city and within census tracts. The new rules were adopted on December 9, 2020 and contain some prescriptive requirements (such as parking standards) as well as areas where cities have flexibility in implementation. Project staff completed 10 months of public engagement as outlined in the project's Public Involvement Plan, resulting in Guiding Values and Principles and recommendations that Eugene's implementation of the house bill go beyond the minimum standards required by the state. The recommendations were to encourage lower-cost and Affordable Housing , provide flexibility, and reduce parking regulations near transit.
Middle Housing isn't a new thing! These housing types were more prevalent before World War II, as can be seen in many historic districts and older neighborhoods. Locally, you can find older examples of middle housing in the Skinner Butte area, in and around downtown, and near the University of Oregon. However, allowing middle housing as contemplated by HB 2001 throughout postwar single-family neighborhoods is pretty new. In 2019, Minneapolis, Minnesota, was the first city to adopt a city-wide policy to allow middle housing, by right, in all residential zones. Then, following close behind, Oregon was the first state to pass such a bill. Other cities in Oregon, such as Bend adopted new land use regulations prior to the passage of HB 2001 to allow for middle housing types to be built in more areas.
Because this project will result in changes to Eugene's land use regulations (which requires a legislative process), the Eugene City Council will be the decision-maker. Staff provided a recommendation on the changes to the Eugene Planning Commission, based on public engagement and consultant work to bring forward to a formal adoption process. The formal adoption process for any new or changed land use regulations included a public hearing before the Planning Commission, who then deliberated and made a formal recommendation to City Council. Then, on April 18, 2022 at 7:30pm City Council will hold a separate public hearing and additional meetings for deliberations and action.
A "roundtable" is a form of discussion. Participants agree on a specific topic to discuss and debate. Each person is given equal right to participate, as illustrated by the idea of a circular layout referred to in the term "roundtable." The groups that participated in the roundtables were identified in the Public Involvement Plan. A initial list of groups was identified by staff and expanded based on Planning Commission and City Council feedback, and subsequently approved by the Planning Commission when they approved the final plan. The roundtables did not have decision-making authority, rather their role was to be advisory to staff. For the Boards and Commissions roundtable, staff invited six official city boards and commissions to provide representatives. For the Local Partners Roundtable, staff invited local organizations or groups including participants in the Housing Tools and Strategies process, neighborhood leaders, builders and developers, environmental advocates, realtors, and housing advocates to provide representatives. Lastly, for the Equity Roundtable, staff invited groups or organizations doing equity-based work serving underrepresented community members to provide representatives.
In support of inclusive public engagement, staff collaborated with the Portland-based group Healthy Democracy. Healthy Democracy is a nonpartisan nonprofit that designs and coordinates innovative deliberative democracy programs. Their purpose is to involve community members who are representative of the community and compensate them for their time engaging in public policy issues. The creation of an advisory group designed to reflect the broad needs and interests of the community provides perspectives that otherwise would not be included in project implementation. Letters were mailed to 7,500 random Eugene households in October 2020 to solicit a broadly diverse panel across seven demographic categories. Several of the demographic categories, include race and ethnicity, were based on the makeup of the school aged population in the 4-J and Bethel school districts, in an effort to reflect the greater diversity of our future generations. The panelists were selected in early November 2020 via a live selection event and shortly thereafter began meeting and hearing background information from experts in land use, planning, housing, and more. The panel is kind of like "Eugene in a room." The panelists met a total of 15 times through spring 2021 and provided a truly democratic lens to the project. The panel did not have decision-making authority, rather their role was to be advisory to staff. All large-group sessions were broadcast live and can be watched on the Healthy Democracy YouTube channel. For more information, see the Eugene Healthy Democracy Panel's webpage.
We want to hear from everyone! There are ongoing opportunities for the public to learn more about the project and provide input. The best places to start are the project website. For project updates, opportunities to engage, and to receive formal mailed notice, sign up for the project's Interested Parties Email List. Additionally, community members can provide testimony by email to firstname.lastname@example.com. For more information or to provide input, community members are encouraged to contact project staff
The Public Involvement Plan for this project has an intentional focus on equity and inclusion. These areas of focus mean we added new ways for community members to engage, in addition to the variety of existing methods we have in our public engagement toolkit. Planning projects affect the entire community; however, traditional engagement efforts face challenges in reaching certain parts of the community. This structure has created disproportionate representation in the planning process and has resulted in exclusion of some people and groups who are directly impacted by plans and policies. As summarized by Oregon Land Conservation and Development (LCDC) Commissioner Anyeley Hallova during a rulemaking meeting on the House Bill, "before racial segregation through zoning, some neighborhoods had more diverse housing types with mixed incomes that are part of our beloved neighborhood fabric. As intentional as racially segregating housing policy was, we need to be as equally intentional about providing equitable housing outcomes for all." Across the country, we have a difficult history of exclusion to grapple with, and our intent with this project is to acknowledge that history, and move forward with a focus on inclusion for all, including renters, low income people, people with disabilities, young people, seniors, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. For more information, you can review the History of Residential Zoning fact sheet and visit the project webpage.
As noted above, the House Bill was passed in 2019 by the Oregon Legislature and is now Oregon law. Changes to the language of HB 2001 can only be made by the Oregon Legislature. The City of Eugene must comply with HB 2001 and the newly adopted rules by June 30, 2022, or the state model code will apply directly. However, we recognize that people will have questions and concerns about implementation. As staff, we want to hear what you think – please reach out. We can help explain what things the City has control and choice over during implementation, and what things are predetermined by the house bill and new rules. See the fact sheets on the project webpage as well as the Guide to the Planning Commission Recommendation for more information on the scope and requirements of the bill and how Eugene is proposing to implement the bill. Additionally, community members can provide testimony by email to email@example.com.
There is a difference between true "Affordable Housing" and "naturally occurring affordable housing." Affordable Housing is housing that is directly subsidized by an organization or the government. This housing usually has waitlists and serves people with specific income ranges and housing needs. Naturally occurring affordable housing is market-rate housing that is usually older, smaller, or both. Newly constructed middle housing is anticipated to be sold or rented at market rate, and it will have a wide range of prices. New housing, however, tends to have a higher price tag than older housing, simply because it's new. A new house that is very similar to a house 30 years old is likely to command a higher price, because of that lack of wear and tear. The newer house will have a higher up-front cost but will have lower maintenance costs. Middle housing can be 'affordable by design.' Middle housing tends to be relatively small, which leads to lower operating and long-term maintenance costs. A 1,500 square foot house is likely to cost its occupants much less than a 2,500 square foot house. There's less square footage to heat, a smaller roof to maintain, less exterior space to paint. The cost of housing includes maintenance costs, not just the upfront price. As part of implementation of House Bill 2001, the City will be required to consider ways to increase the affordability of middle housing. We know that housing affordability is an issue of importance for our community, as has been reiterated during the public engagement for this project. The Planning Commission's recommended code amendments include incentives for lower-cost and Affordable Housing. For more information about the proposed Land Use Code incentives, visit the Guide to the Planning Commission Recommendation. Incentives beyond the scope of the project and the Land Use Code, including an Anti-Displacement Plan, will be pursued through the Housing Implementation Pipeline process
Some people worry that new market-rate apartment buildings in gentrifying neighborhoods raise nearby rents and accelerate gentrification. The concern is that new buildings could change nearby amenities or neighborhood reputation, increasing demand for the neighborhood enough to offset the effect of increasing supply. Research by economists at the Upjohn Institute have shown that new market-rate apartment buildings in low-income areas do not accelerate gentrification. 3 Instead, they slow rent increases in nearby apartments. This implies that new developments serve mainly to absorb existing demand for an area rather than to generate new demand. In turn, this reduces pressures on nearby rents because many high-income households move to the new building rather than outbidding lower-income households for nearby apartments. New developments are associated with gentrification, but they follow it rather than precede it.
tate law does not allow jurisdictions to require all new middle housing to be affordable at a specific income level. Imposing affordability requirements on private development (known as "inclusionary zoning") is allowed by Oregon law only for development with at least 20 units per building, and only if certain incentives are offered in exchange. This would also be prohibited by House Bill 2001 because it would almost certainly constitute an unreasonable cost that is not applied to single-family housing. The City could make density bonuses, lower parking ratios, or other code incentives that go beyond minimum compliance available only for development that meets certain affordability criteria but must allow middle housing subject to standards consistent with HB2001 regardless of pricing. New middle housing is likely to be affordable to a broader range of households than new single-family detached homes; however, it is very difficult to deliver new housing (of any form) that is affordable to the City's lowest income residents without public subsidy. Even if it were legal, requiring middle housing to offer below-market rents or sales prices without providing public subsidy or incentives would likely make it impossible for the private market to develop. It would also mean that middle housing would face even greater obstacles compared to single family development. Nearly all for-profit developers would likely continue to build single family homes. Some non-profit or affordable housing builders would be able to build middle housing, but it would rarely be delivered by the private market.
Yes, the City has discussed and is considering several options for encouraging or incentivizing development of middle housing that would be affordable to a wider range of residents. These include:
Implementation of the proposed middle housing code updates will enhance housing equity and affordability in the long-term in a variety of ways.
In general, imposing more regulation on the development and design of any form of housing tends to increase the cost of producing and providing that housing. While it is important to continue to regulate certain aspects of housing development in a reasonable, fair and consistent manner, too much regulation can constrain housing production in ways that drive up housing costs overall. However, if calibrated carefully to the local housing market so that new development remains viable, regulations that limit the size of new homes (including single-family detached homes as well as middle housing) can help prevent very large homes that are more likely to be expensive from "out-competing" smaller and lower-cost housing options.
The City can continue to work with non-profit and market rate developers of all forms of housing that are affordable to people with low incomes. This includes continuing to implement a variety of strategies including: use of publicly owned land, reduction of system development charges or other fees, implementation of property tax abatement programs, provision of technical assistance by City staff, use of state and federal funds for subsidies, and others.
Senate Bill 458 was adopted by the Oregon Legislature in 2021. The bill allows lot divisions for middle housing that enable them to be sold or owned individually. Essentially, Senate Bill 458 allows for lot divisions of a "parent lot" solely for ownership opportunities of middle housing units. For example, if a side by side duplex used the lot division, you could purchase one side of the duplex and the land around it.
The bill is a follow-up to House Bill 2001 - the bill that legalizes middle housing in many cities throughout the state. Senate Bill 458 requires jurisdictions to allow middle housing lot divisions for any HB 2001 middle housing type (duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, townhouses, and cottage clusters) built in accordance with ORS 197.758.
SB 458 requires a middle housing lot division application submit: "A proposal for development of middle housing in compliance with the Oregon residential specialty code and land use regulations applicable to the original lot or parcel allowed under ORS 197.758 (5)". This means that any lot division proposal will need to demonstrate compliance with both applicable building code and HB 2001 middle housing code in order to be eligible for a lot division under SB 458. While middle housing built after implementation will meet these criteria, middle housing built prior to implementation may not be eligible.
The Senate Bill lot division would work the same with detached middle housing as it would for attached middle housing. So long as the "parent lot" met the Middle Housing criteria (including frontage, lot size, lot coverage, etc), then the lot could be divided for ownership opportunities.
A Partition is a type of land use process that creates new legal lots. Those new legal lots would be granted full development rights. The Senate Bill 458 lot division allows the creation of new lots within a legal "parent lot" solely for the purpose of ownership opportunities. The new lots created from Senate Bill 458 are not granted additional development rights and must be maintained to meet the criteria applicable to the "parent lot".
No, the Senate Bill 458 lot division does not grant additional development rights to the middle housing lot. Even if you owned a unit of middle housing on its own lot, it would still be considered middle housing—not as a new single detached unit.
You could add additions if the development would still meet criteria applied to the "parent lot". This includes criteria such as height, lot coverage, and open space requirements.


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Open Hand Studios
Preservation. Development. Education
Open Hand Studios is a nonprofit organization working
at the crossroads of development, education, and preservation.
We work across the globe on a local level to alleviate poverty,
improve livelihoods, educate communities, and preserve culture.
The Burundi Cow Project is an education and development project that helps students broaden their global awareness, gain cross-cultural knowledge, and instill an ethic of service while directly helping poor farmers in a small central African nation.
Open Hand's Biogas Project seeks to reduce deforestation and bring clean renewable energy to the pastoralist communities of northern Kenya.
Umm el-Jimal
The Umm el-Jimal Project is a collaborative effort to preserve a Jordanian archeology site and bring economic development to the local community.
Asian African Heritage
At the National Museums of Kenya we are working with the Asian African Heritage Trust installing a new permanent exhibit that shares the history and culture of the Asian African community.
Artists of the First Sunrise
Artists of the First Sunrise is a documentary and cultural preservation project with Australia's aboriginal people and seeks to share their story and struggle through their art.
Healing Children of Conflict
OHS sits on the steering committee of HCC who recently brought Hamzah, a young Palestinian boy, to the US for medical treatment.
Signage Installed
The first set of OHS's designed signs have been installed at Umm el-Jimal.
US Ambassador Visits Umm el-Jimal
Recently both the US Ambassador to Jordan and the Cultural Affairs officer at the US Embassy have visited Umm el-Jimal to review our work there.
Faces of Dignity Wins Award
TechSoup has announced that Faces of Dignity is a winner of the Adobe Show Your Impact award.
OHS at the AU Summit
Jeff DeKock presented the lecture "Using Photography and Video for Advocacy" at the Africa Union Summit in Kampala, Uganda.
OHS Featued in Archaeology Magazine
Read the ArticleWorldview Interview
OHS's directors are interviewed on Chicago Public Radio's program Worldview.
Grave Errors Launch
OHS at Berzeit
OHS presented the lecture "Preserving Heritage, Preserving Communities" at Berzeit University, in Ramallah, Palestine as part of a conference on Gender Studies.
OHS presents at Yarmouk University Conference
Four members of the UJ Project and OHS team presented a paper titled "Restoration of the Ancient
Water System at Umm el-Jimal: Survey, Strategy, and Goals" at a workshop themed "Regional Survey and Land Use Reconstruction in the Levant," hosted by Yarmouk University.


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Well, here's me[edit]
Raised in the golden age of RPGs, I was aware of BattleTech even before I started playing classic boardgame BattleTech and reading the novels in 1992, back in a time when I had plentiful of spare time as a conscript in the army (Luftwaffe actually). Not knowing anything about the game universe or the 'Mech designs, I randomly affiliated with House Liao because green is my favorite color and chose the Archer as my 'Mech for the first training battles because I thought it had the best image (and two Doombud LRM-20 sounded badass - no idea what they were though). I did not know how it was different from a Stinger... funny how I remember that after so many years.
As a subscriber to BattleCorps I have meanwhile got canonical BattleTech stories published there under the pen name Stephan A. Frabartolo.
In case you're wondering about that Awards board I used to have... I decided to retire it wholesale. (User:Frabby/Awards)
2022 Update[edit]
Time flies by, and I'm still here. But I have come to the realization (as opposed to a conscious decision) that I won't be as active on Sarna as I used to. Changes in my life - all of them good! - have limited my spare time for the forseeable future, and combined with other hobby ventures this means I can only devote a smaller part of a smaller cake to BattleTech these days. Which means I simply can't be all over this wiki anymore like I used to.
Being a CGL factchecker comes with Sarna problems that I didn't anticipate. Not only does it take time, it also means I can actually contribute much less to Sarna because of all the insider knowledge that comes with it. I'm so far ahead of the curve that I can hardly edit on Sarna anymore. Oftentimes I've read early drafts of upcoming products months before they come out, and it's hard to keep all that knowledge to myself when editing something on Sarna (it often feels like Sarna is already outdated). It's actually hard to even remember what info is already out in the wild, what is still secret/upcoming, and then there's the problem that stuff changes - sometimes substantially - in the time between factchecking and publication. With ilClan era products, I have essentially lost track of what's already been published.
The Discord eats up (too) much time - I feel like I'm spending half an hour a day reading through idle banter there only to stay up-to-date on Sarna issues. And then there's that "special project" of mine, something I've been wanting to do for almost as long as I've been a Sarna editor. It's good news for BattleTech and you'll hear about it if and when CGL decide. :)
So, yeah. I'm still here, but with a reduced presence and no longer in the front seat. Other editors and admins have stepped up - you know who you are. I'll be lurking in the shadows and grace you with sagely advice from time to time. :)
Preferred time period: Third/Fourth succession war (pre-Clan)[edit]
I liked the early LosTech flair of the BT universe and started to lose interest in the storyline when the Clans arrived because I do not like their barely credible backstory and braindead pseudo-culture, and the associated tech and rules and general munchkinism. (In this sense, The Wars of Reaving went a long way to mend my feelings, as the Clan culture eventually imploded along exactly those lines where I felt it should. Go Clans!) Accordingly, my BT interests primarily cover the time prior to 3050, and the inner workings of the BT universe at that time. I didn't care for the Civil War era, but liked the Jihad era very much. By now I am fairly up-to-date regarding the universe timeline. Gaming-wise I'm still mostly stuck in the Succession Wars era. The multitude of new weapons, associated rules and new 'Mech designs became a burden instead of a boon for me at some point.
Preferred Factions[edit]
The preferrence for the Capellan Confederation stuck - I always liked to play the underdog, at least in games.
Roleplaying-wise, I also feel at home in the Oberon Confederation and the general Steiner/Kurita periphery area.
As for mercenaries, I have a soft spot for Hansen's Roughriders in particular from the days of the old boxed set; the Waco Rangers were probably my second favorite and I love how they were burned to usher in a new era on Outreach!
If I were to name a favorite Clan then it would be Clan Ghost Bear, or perhaps Clan Snow Raven - because these two appear to be the least whacky. But I rarely venture beyond the Succession Wars era and thus don't really associate with the Clans at all. Their "honor"-bound mindset and self-defeating attitude offends me.
Since I picked up my BT hobby again around 2007 I have begun to complete my collection of BT books. I don't collect miniatures or CCG cards, though I do possess a fair number of miniatures - my brother used to paint them.
Recently I have been acquiring lots of old BT books and game boxes via ebay, and the opportunity to purchase PDF files from the BattleShop was one I could not resist especially considering how strong the Euro was vs. the USD at the time. My collection of out-of-print BattleTech products is fairly amazing now (it is certainly amazing me!), missing only a few ultra-rare bits and pieces such as the old TCI model kits with the enclosed scenarios. I'm not willing to spend a fortune on these though, so unless I manage a lucky find, someone else will have to compile BTW articles on them.
My collector's attitude is especially strong regarding rare "fringe" products.
What I am doing on the Wiki[edit]
Being a general information spotter who has diligently collected and put together bits and pieces from various sources in the distant past when I GMed a BattleTech campaign made me an obvious victim to wikipedianism. I started adding bits and pieces here and there and I really would not say there is any specific favorite area I am working on.
Doing a little research on my own work here, my first contributions ever (then as an unregistered IP) were made on 23 June 2007.
To my own lasting surprise I have been offered Adminship on BattleTechWiki. I normally seek to avoid any form of responsibility in my spare time activities but decided to give it a go nevertheless. I both hope and expect that being an Admin will change essentially nothing for me, and if the added rights and privileges are helpful to me in grooming the integrity of the BT universe then that can only be a good thing.
On the official BattleTech forums I quickly found myself in debates about what is canon and what is not, and have since become something of a Canon expert. To wit, while I feel I understand the official rulings on canonicity, all I can do is to apply them - I don't have any powers to decide what is canon and what is not. My thread on Canon (and in particular, the Line Developer's statements and answers) can be found here.
But at least I have played my part in hammering out our Policy:Canon, which I rewrote from the ground up following fruitful and inspiring discussions with Revanche and Scaletail, and I also essentially wrote the article on Canon. I must say I am quite proud of both of these articles.
Fringe products[edit]
I have acquired many foreign-language, apocryphal or rare BT products specifically to create articles on them here, because I think in-depth coverage on such rare or outlandish products is what really sets BTW apart and marks it as the premier one-stop online BT resource. Accordingly, I am fairly proud of the comprehensive coverage I produced on such topics, particularly
- Atlas der Inneren Sphäre
- BattleTech: Die Welt des 31. Jahrhunderts
- BattleTechnology
- Battledroids
- Berserkerbanden (this has to be the strangest animal yet)
- Blackthorne BattleTech (Comic series)
- Fallout (Comic series)
- Karma
- Nova Game Books
- Ronin!
To-do list[edit]
- (This is more for my own reference - but feel free to jump in on any of these projects.)
- House cleaning chores:
- The careless mass-use of the "Update needed" tag irks me. Category:Sources needing updates needs to be worked down.
- Category:Pages with reference errors needs to be worked down.
- Category:Pages using duplicate arguments in template calls needs to be worked down.
- Category:Articles with unsourced statements needs to be worked down.
- Keep an eye on Category:Considered for deletion
- All categories and list articles of "Minor" somethings need to be eliminated, their content merged into proper categories or articles. Nothing is objectively "minor", and I feel it is a useless or even positively misleading parameter.
All starship categories need their text reviewed and corrected where it falsely claims to list "all canon" ships of a given class.Done.- Generally, find and terminate with extreme prejudice any unused, superfluous or misleading categories. We shouldn't create categories just for the sake of creating categories here, and too many categories seem to be just that.
- BattleTech article needs to be updated and expanded
- BattleTech (board game) article needs to be updated and cleaned up
- BattleTech boxed set article needs to be updated and cleaned up
- Rules Level/BMRR needs to be merged into Rules Level, and that article needs a cleanup
- Articles that need to be rewritten or substantially improved:
- Fortress Republic
- Flannagan's Nebulea is a glaring and very annoying misspelling; and on top that it it's a very poorly desrcibed... thing.
- Battle of Tukayyid
- check this list of reportedly misplaced systems on Sarna and apply corrections
Policy:Notability needs a rewrite, with an eye particularly to "Notable 'Mechs and MechWarriors" (an issue that keeps popping up); also, Sarna needs to make some style and structure decisions regarding the coverage of military units and when to use, or not use, categories. Need to find out what policies these issues affect.Done, I think. Seems no-one noticed.- Template:InfoBoxMilitaryCommand needs to be finalized, approved, and applied - and Template:InfoBoxMercUnit and Template:InfoBoxStateUnit need to be folded into MilitaryCommand.
- Fix personal arms article structure, merge sub-articles into coherent articles for each item, do away with templates being used (e.g. Auto-Pistol (Hawk Eagle)/RPG4e, Template:Auto-Pistol (Hawk Eagle))
- Category:Game Aids and Category:CBT Tactics look poorly defined and need a serious cleanup.
- Merge all content from Optional Fate article into the respective character/source articles and remove the Optional Fate article (and all links and redirects)
- Create a section in merc unit articles listing any known DropShips and JumpShips associated with a given unit
- Category:Real World Events needs to be brought up to speed and populated. Must research into WWEs.
- 2015 BattleTech Video Game crowdfunding campaign article
- BattleTech rulebooks article
- BattleTech logo article
- George Ledoux article
- Nicolas Ramilie article
- Kelly Hunt article
- Eleuthera Meriba / Meriba system article(s)
- Ronin (Faction) article
- Scouring of Outreach article
- Exituri article
- Essay: BattleTech in Germany
- Essay: BattleTech Astrogation
- Essay: WarShip Art
- Essay: FASAnomics
- Essay: Draconis Combine mercenaries
- Essay: Evolution of spacecraft rules and designs
- List of Battledroids - some, but not all, of the BattleMech precursors were canonized, and some queer Battledroid miniatures exist (some even without published stats). Reference link on HMP forum
- List of BattleTech articles in magazines (based off this thread)
- List of German BattleTech novels update
- FanPro Novels
- List of Hidden Worlds & merge The Five into this new list article
- List of MilSpecs articles
Unseen article needs a workover(I think it's okay for the time being.)
BT Forum Threads with wiki-relevant content[edit]
- A zillion questions about canonicity
- Full BattleTech product inventory
- Gaming Magazines - A Guide to their Battletech Articles
- Unmapped, lost or misnamed systems and planets
- Canon WarShip list
- The Jihad and the WoB plan explained in great detail
My roleplaying group[edit]
Besides boardgame 'Mech combat we did a lot of scifi roleplaying in the BT universe back in the day and eventually played our own merc unit (with periphery bandit background), where I was largely the GM and not a playing member. The storyline of our RPG campaign kicked in around the year 2995. Our freelance merc unit made contact with the Oberon pirates and agreed to work for them in the countless feuds that plagued the pirate-infested periphery. Ultimately, they became so powerful within the Oberon faction that they became feared and mistrusted; they were soon sent on increasingly hazardous missions and received less and less support until they decided to break away, stealing a number of heavy 'Mechs and a Leopard class DropShip in the process. This earned them the wrath of the Oberon pirate king.
After falling out with their erstwhile pirate lords, the unit's combat record shows mercenary contracts with Houses Steiner, Kurita and Marik who usually sent the unit on diversionary raids and (rarely) on objective raids or pirate hunting missions. They performed adequately (for mercs, i.e. poorly) in the defense of Suk II against a Kurita raid, where their heavy but slow 'Mechs were outmaneuvered by lighter Kurita units and they lost the Stalker which had been their payment for the job.
Their rating in the Mercenary Review Board dropped considerably after the unit "accidentially" lost their House liaison officers on two occasions: In one case an error during combat drops from orbit (blamed on a computer malfunction) dropped their liaison officer in his Phoenix Hawk far behind enemy lines, never to be heard of again; in another case a liaison officer was KIA on the battlefield under highly dubious circumstances involving the mysterious disappearance of a vast amount of combat salvage. The unit was also accused of war crimes while operating as counter-insurgency forces in the Free Worlds League, but an inquiry failed to provide conclusive proof.
In summary, they were mercenaries of the worst sort: Effective in steamroller tactics but immune to finer details of planning, unable (or unwilling) to achieve any mission objective besides search & destroy and wickedly addicted to Inferno SRMs (which they cunningly used to great tactical effect). They always inflicted and often suffered tremendous material losses over the course of their adventures, including the capture and subsequent loss of several different DropShips. When on the loose and operating on their own, unchecked by laws or liaison officers, the dishonourable and quite ruthless unit showed remarkable combat prowess as well as tactical and strategical skill and achieved great feats. Their name alone may eventually have been a deterrent to would-be attackers, and their determination (or stubbornness) paid off more often than it cost them.
Last known status report[edit]
Their last status report showed the unit as a mixed troops bataillon, composed as follows:
- 1 modified Atlas with Gyro damage
- 2 Marauders, one of them the 3M variant
- 2 Warhammers, one of them a further modified 6K variant
- 2 Archers, one of them a 2S variant
- 2 Crusaders, one of them a 3L variant
- 2 Thunderbolts, both further modified 5SS variants
- 1 Catapult
- 2 Rifleman, one of them with a destroyed fusion engine
- 1 Shadow Hawk, heavily modified (Company commander's private 'Mech)
- 2 Scorpions
- 1 Wolverine that had its head/cockpit destroyed
- 1 Enforcer
- 2 Vindicators
- 1 Blackjack
- 2 Phoenix Hawks, one of them modified (replacing the MGs with Flamers)
- 1 Hermes II, without the usual advanced avionics suite
- 2 Centurions, both of the AL variant and both suffering from permanent damage
- 1 Wasp
- 1 Stinger
- 1 Locust
- 4 SRM Carrier tanks
- 4 LRM Carrier tanks
- 2 Tracked APC (25t)
- 2 Hover APC (15t)
- 2 Wheeled mobile repair platforms
- approximately 3 platoons of Infantry
- Aerospace wing: 1 Invader, 1 Union, 1 Leopard, 1 SL-15 Slayer, 1 TR-10 Transit
- One Phoenix Hawk and one Warhammer damaged beyond repair, to be broken down for spare parts
They were under contract to the Draconis Combine until the end of August 3000 as a mobile periphery defense reserve, stationed on Alleghe and tasked with the defense of St. John, The Edge and Lovinac against Lyran and periphery raiders. No further contracts are known; it is believed that the unit retreated to their secret home planet for good, and/or joined the Oberon Confederation after reconciliation.
- In fact the campaign was suspended during this contract, and may yet be taken up.
They were fairly successful on the battlefield because I (playing the enemy forces as GM) apparently never excelled at tactics, but they made up for that with spectacular lousy dice rolls like crashlanding two Unions in a row in what should have been a cakewalk to collect battlefield salvage.
BattleTech MUSE[edit]
Around 1996 I played as Liao MechWarrior Frabartolo in a text-based online BT community (the BattleTech3056 MUSE as far as I remember). I eventually dropped out because my university uplink was too slow for the realtime combat simluator, leaving my 'Mech a sitting duck in the training exercises, and thus preventing me from ever partaking in any serious battles.
My notable exploits during the time on the MUSE included losing 3 Griffins in a row in ill-fated attempts to prove the design's superiority on the battlefield, later faring surprisingly well piloting a Crusader (a design I don't like) and eventually getting assigned a Cataphract, but never the Archer I always asked for. Despite merely mediocre combat performance (or perhaps because this was still better than than the average Liao MechWarrior) I was promoted to Subcommander, drafted into Warrior House Imarra against my wishes and given command of a Lance that had never seen combat action by the time I had to quit the game.


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Diet plan help! 8 weeks pregnant
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Six months pots-op as of yesterday. I celebrated with a HIIT class where I was challenged to do a wall-assisted handstand. I truly thought there's no way in hell that I can get up there. Well... I proved myself wrong. The instructor said, "Just try getting one foot up there." I tried and it was so easy, that the other foot went up, and the next thing that I knew, I was standing on my hands with my legs up in the air, leaning against the wall.· 1 reply
Last weekend I challenged myself to a 10-mile hike, and I was SURE that my legs would be non-functional that night and the next day. But that didn't happen at all. But I did learn that I need a new hiking boot or shoe. I've got a goal of walking the Portuguese coastal route of the El Camino later this year, and I good shoes will be essential.
I've hit another weight loss stall, but that's to be expected. I am so close to my goal already that if it does take 6 more months to get that last stone off, that's okay with me. And I am building muscle, so that stone may never move. S'alright friends, s'alright.


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The route begins at Grant Park in downtown Chicago along Lake Michigan. You'll be using trails and city streets to make your way through the city and its suburbs into Indiana. The terrain is flat and the route uses of a combination of rural roads, state highways and abandoned railroads that have been converted into rail trails. Near Peru, the International Circus Hall of Fame is a favorite spot to visit. Indianapolis is known as the "Crossroads of America." Included in this map is the Indianapolis Cutoff, which shortens the route by 50 miles and avoids Indianapolis. Click on enlargement for detail.
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