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Tuesday, November 15, 2011
SAP in Transition on Mobile, Cloud, and In-Memory Computing
I attended two days at SAP's SapphireNOW conference in Madrid earlier this month, at the end of a month-long trip to Spain and Italy. The trip to Madrid gave me a good opportunity to catch up with the latest developments with SAP since the Sapphire conference last May in Orlando.
Jim Hagemann Snabe gave the Wednesday keynote, which I found tighter and more balanced than similar messages delivered in Orlando. Back then, the keynotes seemed to overly emphasis HANA, SAP's new in-memory database technology. Although HANA is still hugely important to SAP, the message is now more balanced between SAP's three focus areas of innovation: mobile, cloud, and in-memory computing.
I also appreciated Snabe's tone, focusing positively on SAP's roadmap and customer success stories. This was a welcome change from recent keynotes by the CEOs of some of SAP's competitors, whose bar-room brawling style might be more entertaining but doesn't provide much real insight. Personally, I find Snabe's low-key approach much more palatable, and I have to believe customers feel this way also.
So, in a nutshell, here is my bottom line: I see SAP in a period of transition with cloud computing, mobility applications, and in-memory computing. There is progress, but success is not ensured.
Business ByDesign Has Momentum, but Line of Business Apps LaggingSAP has two major cloud initiatives: its Business ByDesign (ByD) ERP suite for small businesses and its Line of Business (LoB) SaaS applications, which complement its Business Suite.
Concerning ByD, SAP is on target to reach 1,000 customers sold by year end, although SAP executives indicate that reaching that goal might come down to the wire. Although reaching or exceeding that number will matter to some SAP folks' year-end bonuses, I would view anything close as being a significant accomplishment. My consulting team at Strativa recently evaluated ByD in a competitive deal and came away favorably impressed. Customer reference checks during the Madrid conference were also encouraging. I believe SAP has a winner with ByD: both for subsidiaries of its large customers and in net-new small business deals. Those who question the viability of ByD at this point should reconsider their assumptions.
On the Line-of-Business side, progress is not as impressive. SAP has one SaaS application—Sales On Demand—in general release. But don't expect to see other applications any time soon. Travel On-Demand (mostly expense reporting) will go into beta in Q1, 2012, according to Sven Denecken and Kevin Nix, who head up LoB development. Career On-Demand is scheduled to go to the first beta customer in Q2, 2012. In addition, Kevin and Sven told me of another LoB application now in development: Social Service and Marketing On-Demand. I have no target date for this product.
SAP positions these LoB applications as people-centric applications, helping end-users accomplish their daily activities. Although this is an interesting approach, the LoB apps do not have very broad functional footprints. For example, Sales On-Demand is primarily focused on the collaboration of pre-sales teams and others as they coordinate their activities for specific prospects. It is by no means a complete CRM package—it is not even a complete sales force automation app. Likewise, Career On-Demand is not a complete talent management system. Rather it is focused on helping people manage their goals, objectives, and daily activities and to see what others across the organization are working on. Finally, Social Service and Marketing is narrowly focused on processing incidents originating from Twitter and other social media channels.
In my view, the LoB applications are a defensive play by SAP, aimed at keeping its installed base from leaving the SAP-fold for newer cloud-based providers. For example, in my view, Sales On-Demand is aimed at keeping SAP CRM customers from considering Salesforce.com. Likewise, Career On-Demand is meant to keep SAP HRMS customers from considering Workday. Finally, Travel On-Demand is SAP's answer to Concur's expense management system. SAP may be successful in getting its installed base to adopt some of these LoB applications, but because they are not complete solutions, I do not think they are an adequate response to the threat from Salesforce.com, Workday, Concur, and others. Furthermore, it is hard to imagine non-SAP customers purchasing these solutions.
The other problem with the LoB applications, frankly, is that they are a late response by SAP. Salesforce.com, Workday, and Concur have been developing and marketing their applications for years. In the case of Salesforce.com, over 10 years, and SAP is only now starting to respond? It's like the student who turns in (hopefully) a well-written essay, but misses the deadline.
So, on my scorecard, SAP gets an "A" for ByDesign and a "C" for its line of business applications.
Turning the Ship on Mobile ApplicationsOn the mobility front, SAP appears to be making good progress. Based on a briefing I received, there are now 50 mobility apps available in the new SAP Store. Of these 38 are authored by SAP and 12 are from partners. There are 200 more in the development pipeline (split between SAP and partners is not clear to me).
All of the current apps in development are based on the Sybase Unwired Platform (SUP), and this is where there are some issues. The SUP is a general platform for mobility device development and management. It allows a developer to write an application and have it deployed on multiple devices, such as RIM's Blackberry, Apple's iPhone/iPad, Android devices, and Windows phones. It also provides an enterprise-class management platform for back-end data access, application provisioning, user and device management, and security. So from the perspective of ensuring that its mobility apps are enterprise-class, I can understand why SAP would want mobile applications developed by partners to be certified for SUP.
The problem, however, comes from the developer perspective. Many of the best mobile apps development these days are coming from small shops, and current SAP licensing practices by SUP are, shall we say, burdensome for small developers. Based on briefings we received, it appears SAP understands the obstacles in the way of small developers and wants to show some flexibility on this issue. There is talk of allowing developers to work outside of SUP and then submitting their applications for certification. There was even talk at some point of allowing apps to be sold via the SAP Store that do not run on top of SUP, but that is by no means current policy.
My colleague Dennis Howlett has a deeper dive on SAP's mobility progress.
So, it would appear that on the mobility front, SAP is in transition. They are making good progress, but they need to follow through on their good intentions to become more developer- and partner-friendly in mobile apps development.
In-Memory Computing Still Rings SAP's BellAlthough the Madrid messaging was balanced among the three areas of innovation, you can still sense the excitement among SAP executives when they come to the subject of in-memory computing. They honestly feel that its in-memory technology (HANA) will leap-frog SAP over its competition. In a small group briefing with Vishal Sikka, he spent significant time talking about the value proposition of in-memory computing to provide faster answers to business queries, without the constraints of data structures such as cubes. The value of HANA has already been demonstrated in a limited number of one-off proof of concept projects for select customers, many of whom were featured in the Orlando conference.
The next step is to scale up HANA adoption by using it as a customer platform for SAP's business warehouse (BW) deployments. In a sidebar conversation with Sanjay Poonen, SAP's President of Global Solutions, he indicated this is where most SAP customers will first realize the value of HANA.
Ultimately, though, SAP intends to bring in HANA underneath parts of the Business Suite—we had one briefing from a customer looking to run HANA underneath its trade promotion processing to more quickly analyze pricing trends. SAP has a far-reaching vision for HANA to ultimately become the data platform for many of its products.
So SAP is also in transition with in-memory computing: moving it from a small number of proof-of-concept case studies to a broader adoption by its customer base. This migration has only just begun.
Can SAP Make The Needed Transitions?For the largest enterprise software vendor in the world, the roadmap is good. But is it possible for SAP to complete the needed transitions? There are strong economic rewards up front for HANA, which are big ticket license sales. But will SAP be willing to devote the resources necessary for its cloud solutions and mobility applications to be successful, where the deals are smaller? The signs are encouraging, but success is not ensured.
So in terms of transition, I think SAP has made the most progress with cloud computing, with Business ByDesign but not with its line of business applications. The direction with mobility applications is good, and SAP is making the right noises about working with small developers, but it is too early to see words translated into action. Finally, even though in-memory computing is still early in its roll out, it stands a good chance of success if SAP can gain adoption beyond its initial proof cases, because it does not require SAP to change its business model.
- Progress is good with mobility apps, but the partner model needs to be improved. When small mobile developer partners, like Graham Robinson, tell me they are happy with SAP's support then I will be convinced that SAP stands a good chance of being successful. The words coming from SAP executives are the right sounds, but I'm waiting to hear confirmation from small developers that SAP's actions are following its words.
- It is going to be interesting to see how SAP's cloud computing programs proceed. For SAP, cloud is both a sustaining innovation and a disruptive innovation (to use the terminology of Clayton Christensen). From the standpoint of SAP's large customers with many small subsidiaries, ByD is a sustaining innovation because it gives them something to offer for their subsidiaries. Many competitors, such as Microsoft Dynamics, Epicor, NetSuite, and Plex, are targeting these subsidiaries in a so-called "two-tier ERP" strategy. Thus, ByD preserves and extends the revenues that SAP receives from these large customers.
The larger question is whether ByD can consistently beat out cloud-based competitors such as NetSuite, Plex, or Rootstock for net new deals in small organizations. As I indicated, the signs so far are good. But will SAP be willing to invest what it takes for such small deals? Furthermore, will SAP be willing to let ByD naturally grow up-market and start to disrupt (cannibalize) its sales of SAP All-in-One or even its Business Suite? If so, then I would declare victory for ByD as a truly disruptive innovation.
I do not view SAP's LoB applications as disruptive. These apps are targeted primarily at SAP's installed base and are therefore a sustaining innovation for SAP. They do not need to be best-in-class. They only need to be good enough to keep customers from going with SFDC, Workday, Concur, or other pure best-of-breed cloud solutions. But, as noted earlier, these are not complete solutions and may not be enough to keep SAP customers from looking elsewhere. Also, they are unlikely to find much of an audience outside of SAP's installed base.
- Although I would agree generally with Vishal's assessment about HANA, from an economic standpoint, in-memory computing does not require SAP to transition its thinking or business model. From an economic standpoint, in-memory computing is a sustaining innovation for SAP. SAP can use in-memory computing to continue to sell big-ticket licenses to big-ticket customers and receive large annuities in the form of maintenance fees. It is not like cloud and mobile which require that SAP make changes in its expectations on how it will make money in the future.
I made some of the same points in a very short interview with Dennis Howlett, during the Madrid conference. You can watch the interview below.
Postscript: I'll repeat here what I said to my SAP host when I bid goodbye from the Madrid conference: I know some of us often give SAP a hard time. But we do it for one reason: we care about SAP's customers, just as SAP does, and we want SAP to be successful for their sake.
Disclosure: SAP paid part of my travel expenses to attend the Madrid conference.by Frank Scavo, 11/15/2011 02:17:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Sunday, November 06, 2011
Cutting Through the Fog of Cloud Computing Definitions
In recent years, the term "cloud computing" has been used and abused by vendors and their marketing groups to denote just about anything the vendor offers other than on-premise systems. Analysts too have piled on, each offering their own definition of cloud computing. This 2009 Wall Street Journal article outlined the confusion. The result has been fruitless arguments over what is "true cloud" or "false cloud," as in the recent tit-for-tat speeches by Larry Ellison and Marc Benioff during Oracle Open World.
Such debates are likely to continue, but now there is at least one official source for the definition of cloud computing. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an arm of the US Department of Commerce, has now published The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing. Though other standards bodies may (or may already have) published their own definitions, NIST carries particular weight as it is often referenced in U.S. governmental procurement. The NIST definition is vendor-agnostic and buyer-centric.
The NIST DefinitionThe NIST document is short--the body of the document comprises just three pages, with the definition itself taking up less than two pages. In it, the authors describe the essential characteristics, service models, and deployment models for cloud computing.
- The five essential characteristics are: on-demand service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured service.
- They go on to then list three service models, which should be already familiar to most observers: software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS).
In my mind, the section that is most useful for distinguishing what is or is not cloud computing is the first one, the "essential characteristics." So, let me quote NIST directly (emphasis mine).
- Finally, they list four possible deployment models for cloud computing: private cloud, community cloud, public cloud, and hybrid cloud.Essential characteristics:Keep these key points in mind.
- On-demand self-service. A consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with each service provider.
- Broad network access. Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and workstations).
- Resource pooling. The provider's computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer demand. There is a sense of location independence in that the customer generally has no control or knowledge over the exact location of the provided resources but may be able to specify location at a higher level of abstraction (e.g., country, state, or datacenter). Examples of resources include storage, processing, memory, and network bandwidth.
- Rapid elasticity. Capabilities can be elastically provisioned and released, in some cases automatically, to scale rapidly outward and inward commensurate with demand. To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be appropriated in any quantity at any time.
- Measured service. Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service.
Cutting Through the Ellison/Benioff FogSo, let's apply these characteristics to what Larry Ellison and Marc Benioff each describe as cloud computing. In my opinion, both are right and both are wrong.
Benioff's service, Salesforce.com, certainly meets the NIST definition of cloud computing, both in its CRM application, which meets NIST's definition of SaaS, and in its Force.com offering, which meets the definition of PaaS. He is also correct in criticizing the labeling of Oracle's Exalogic hardware as a "cloud in a box." By my reading of NIST's essential characteristics, one could construct a cloud service using Oracle's hardware, but the hardware itself should not be considered a cloud.
But if Benioff is referring to Oracle's newly announced Public Cloud Services as a "false cloud," he is wrong. Oracle's Public Cloud Services certainly meet the NIST definition of cloud computing. But it is primarily an IaaS offering, similar to Amazon's EC2. Assuming that Oracle will offer development capabilities on top of its Public Cloud Service, those would be PaaS, and if it chooses to run applications on top of its Public Cloud Service, such as Oracle CRM On-Demand, those would be SaaS.
On the other hand, Ellison is wrong to label Salesforce.com's PaaS offering as a "false cloud." Ellision's argument is that Force.com utilizes proprietary extensions to Java and other programming languages, which make it difficult to migrate applications to other cloud providers. But there is nothing in the NIST definition of cloud computing that requires interoperability between different cloud service providers, as desirable as that may be. Ellison is simply turning what he sees as a disadvantage of Benioff's cloud into an argument that it is by definition not a cloud.
Cutting Through the Application Hosting FogThe NIST definition is also useful for cutting through vendor marketing efforts to label anything they do off-premise as cloud computing. In particular, application vendors that simply host their on-premise solutions in their own, or partner, data centers should not be labeling those as cloud computing. In particular, simple hosting of an application does not qualify as cloud computing because it lacks the essential characteristics (see bolded sections in the quoted definition above).
With a hosted application, the customer generally cannot "unilaterally provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interaction." In addition, with a hosted application there is generally no "sense of location independence." Rather, the customer usually knows the data center and may even know the data center, cage, or rack in which his hosted application resides, even if the application is hosted on a virtual server. Finally, with a hosted application, computing resources generally cannot be "elastically provisioned and released, in some cases automatically, to scale rapidly outward and inward commensurate with demand." Rather, the customer must negotiate provision of additional computing resources.
Notice also that the NIST definition does not mention anything about how cloud services are contracted. Some vendors point to subscription pricing as evidence of their hosted applications being cloud offerings. According to NIST, how the customer pays for the service has no bearing as to whether the service is cloud computing. It could be subscription pricing, it could be a perpetual license, or it could be something else.
The marketing hype and confusion over cloud computing will no doubt continue. But at least now NIST offers a reasonable and objective definition.
Related postsSalesforce.com: more than an itty-bitty application
The inexorable dominance of cloud computing
Lawson's cloud services: good start, but no SaaS
A game-changing play in enterprise software
Labels: cloud, IaaS, Oracle, PaaS, SaaS, Salesforce.com, SFDCby Frank Scavo, 11/06/2011 12:30:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Cooking For Engineers
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Beer Butt Chicken
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Joined: 24 Jul 2005
Posts: 3
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2005 4:52 pm
Post subject: Beer Butt Chicken
After several months of grilling an assortment of pork and beef we searched volumes upon volumes of webpages in an effort to find a decent recipe for grilled chicken. Actually, it took me all of nine seconds. I saw the words "Beer" and "chicken" and after 15 min of rejoicing regained control of my mouse and proceeded to click print. Googling "Beer can chicken" or "beer butt chicken" will get you an array of recipes. Ultimately it comes down to a few simple things and my personal adaptation of ingredients:
1 Chicken (2-4lbs), whole and gutted.
1 Lemon
1 Quarter stick butter (Can substitute Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Kosher salt (amount varies, just an even cover on the outside of the bird)
Fresh Ground Pepper (Same as salt)
8 Cloves Garlic (Adjust this to your liking, but I like Garlic)
1/2 Package Fresh Rosemary (Roughly 6 or 7 units, sprigs, whatever it is)
2 16oz cans of Beer (your choice)
Begin by taking the chicken and seperating the skin from the breast creating a pocket. Don't remove it, just pull it away from the meat so you can stuff the ingredients in there and keep them in place. You can also do it down the back from behind the neck area.
Use the butter or olive oil in the pockets you have created on the front and back. Then continue on the outside of the bird as well.
Mince the garlic. Reserve about 1/4 for use later, the rest place in the pockets.
Slide the rosemary over each breast and back. Keep some for later.
Slice the lemon and place 1 or 2 slices over each side of the breast and 1 down the back. You can also save a slice or two to be used with the garlic and rosemary.
Salt and pepper the outside of the bird liberally.
**Here's my favorite part: Now, crack that beer and drink about 3/4 or most of the beer.
Now crack another beer and only drink about 1/3, we'll use this one in the chicken.
Press in the top of the can to make more of an opening and insert the Garlic, rosemary and lemon.
Either slide the birds pelvis over the can or shove the can up into it. Just get it seated solidly and prep the grill. It should sit on the counter fine without supports, if not, do not attempt to grill until it does.
If your using Propane or charcoal, figure out an offset cooking technique. I place a large piece of heavy aluminum foil down the center and set the bird on it, orientating it breast facing you. I don't want flames directly touching the chicken but even heat up the sides are a must. If using propane most of you should have enough clearance to shut the lid. If not, you may have to construct some type of cover, else your bird may not cook through properly. In any case, ensure there are no flame ups by peeking every few minutes.
Cook the bird for 35-45min on low to medium low heat. Yes, you could cook it faster, but why rush perfection? Drink those beers and chat with friends.
Use thermometers to check the temps in thigh and top of breast. roughly 180 in the thigh area and about 170 in the breast. If you don't have a thermometer then just cut the breast and check for clear juices. Let it stand for 5 min after grilling.
Remove the can and enjoy. Its not the typical engineering approach but its the best damn chicken I have ever had. Get creative with your rubs and post here your variations.
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Our last few games have included Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, then a stretch of home games against Tennessee Tech, Jacksonville State, Alabama A & M, and Tennessee State University. But most recently, we played won our conference opener with Mercer after we traveled to Central Arkansas. Sorry to not fill in on the details about the other games, I can't remember that far back…oh except, the one really exciting thing about the Air Force trip, I had a lot of family travel out to watch us play, and I promised I'd give a shout out to my Papa Larry!! (Love you guys.).
But anyways, back to Central Arkansas, since the game was on a Monday, and we didn't fly out, we had a short practice on Sunday morning right before we got on the sleeper bus which we would be traveling in for the next six hours!! Yea, as much fun as it sounds being on a bus for six hours, imagine doing it with an extreme headache from a concussion in the game the night before. It was awesome. But that aside, we all boarded the sleeper bus, some of us studied, took a nap, listened to our iPods, or just chilled and watched a movie in the back (Elf, my personal favorite.) We all anxiously counted down the minutes till we would stop to eat, after all, we pretty much (or at least I) stay hungry. About an hour more to go until we stopped to eat at Cracker Barrel (I think Billy got to pick where we eat, if I had to take a guess…) and we find out, we get to transfer buses, because apparently ours wasn't running right. So, after waiting, we got to carry all our bags to another bus and hit the road once more. After arriving at our hotel, we were given the night to rest (no practice) and the time to prepare ourselves for the game the next day. After breakfast, we had a scouting report on the Sugar Bears (which to me is just a weird name for a mascot, but that's just my opinion!) and pregame at McAlister's deli, it was game time. It was a tough battle between the two teams, and although the Lady Bisons out hustled UCA in order to overcome the 11-point disadvantage after half-time, we feel short in the last few minutes of the game. After fouling them in order to get possession of the ball and them making their foul shots, we just couldn't overcome the loss and ended up down by 9.
We are on the road in Clarksville Wednesday night against Austin Peay at 7. Please make the 45-minute drive to support us.


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Jane Doe Inc. applauds new law to address housing rights of victims and survivors of sexual and domestic violence and stalking
January 03, 2013
January 3, 2013
Contact; Maureen Gallagher, Policy Director
Office: 617-557-1808 Mobile: 857-334-4489
January 3, 2013. After many years of advocacy, Jane Doe Inc., the Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, is pleased that an Act relative to housing rights for victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault and stalking was enacted by the Legislature and signed into law today by Governor Patrick.
Jane Doe Inc.'s Executive Director Mary R. Lauby explained why this bill has been one of JDI's priority legislative proposals, "Inadequate and unsafe housing options contribute to the economic instability that some victims face. This law removes obstacles as it creates new options for rape victims and victims of domestic violence and stalking who may need and want such protection."
This new law will provide rights and protections in the following ways:
- Protects victims from financial penalties of early lease termination for reasons related to violence committed against them.
- Prevents owners from refusing to rent to a victim if they have terminated a rental agreement under provisions of the law.
- Authorizes lock changes, at tenant's expense, to increase safety from violence.
Massachusetts joins at least 28 other states that statutorily provided some form of housing laws that protect victims of sexual or domestic violence; Federal housing programs across the US provide similar protections.
Jane Doe Inc. has made this a priority bill for several legislative sessions, and has worked closely with Senators Creem and Eldridge, Representatives Story and Honan and other legislators. JDI collaborated with other partners to successfully bring these needed changes to the Commonwealth including Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, Greater Boston Legal Services and the Victim Rights Law Center.
# # #
For a comment or analysis, please contact JDI's Policy Director Maureen Gallagher at 617-557-1808 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Jane Doe Inc. (JDI) is the statewide advocacy coalition of 60 community based member agencies that provide direct services to sexual and domestic violence survivors throughout Massachusetts. JDI is a social change organization committed to addressing the root causes of sexual and domestic violence and promoting justice, safety, and healing for survivors.


text:
Regular price
The Point and Shoot Pouch is designed to carry your essentials for quick and simple shooting. Whether you prefer to carry a compact point and shoot camera, iPhone or iPod, the Point and Shoot Pouch's padded fleece-lined main compartment offers excellent protection, while its durable, heathered exterior offers a uniquely refined look and feel.
A zipper pocket and internal slip pocket keep memory cards and batteries organized while the custom molded belt clip and removable wrist strap give you flexible carrying options.
Dimensions5" x 2.9" x 1.6"13cm x 7.5cm x 4cm


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Open house and Horse Guard demonstration
"I love all the horses," said 1st Sgt. Bill Goessinger, of the Second Company Governor's Horse Guard (2GHG), based in Newtown.
But if forced to name the one he enjoys most, it has to be the big draft horse named Andy.
"He's just a love bug; he's really a goof. To show you what I mean, you'd have to check out our Facebook page. He's a character," said Goessinger.
Two friendly horses from 2GHG will be among the attractions Sunday, May 19, when the Newtown Historical Society hosts an open house at its headquarters, the Matthew Curtiss House in Newtown.
Constructed circa 1750, the Matthew Curtiss House, which also serves as a museum, is an example of Connecticut saltbox architecture. Located at 44 Main St., it was purchased by Matthew Curtiss Jr. in 1781. In 1970 the Newtown Historical Society purchased and restored the house to its original condition.
While docents will be on hand to give house tours and answer questions Sunday, Goessinger said he and other 2GHG members will share information about the Horse Guard and how it's evolved since its start in 1808.
Goessinger, 43, lives in Bethel with his wife, Amy, and their two dogs. He joined the 2GHG after learning new members were needed; that was more than five years ago. A Gulf War veteran, he liked the idea of wearing a uniform again and the camaraderie of being in a service organization.
Now he's 2GHG's top noncommissioned officer. He said the company is always looking for new members to help it preserve its history and serve the community.
"For thousands of years, horses were used as a way of getting soldiers into combat," he explained. "Around World War II is when the use of tanks and armored vehicles fell into place."
The 2GHG was commissioned to protect and serve the governor. Today members march and ride in patriotic events and participate in such activities as a riding program for people with disabilities.
"Due to cutbacks, we only have 10 horses, so some members walk (in parades). You need ground people with horses to make sure everything is done safely," Goessinger said.
"We are under the National Guard, so if there's an emergency we can respond to help anywhere in Connecticut," he added.
Some 2GHG troopers will wear different uniforms Sunday to show the uniforms over the years. And, of course, visitors are invited to pet the horses.
"Horses are such kind animals," Goessinger said. "It's enjoyable to ride and groom them, and they give so much back."
Prior to joining the guard, Goessinger's only experience with horses was from the day his sister put him on one and said, "Here you go! Hang on!" He was about 10 years old.
"I remember it; it was at a farm called Treetop in Bethel, but it's not there anymore," he said. "They used to raise thoroughbreds.
"Being a little kid on top of a huge horse, I wasn't scared," he said, and then paused. "Yes, I guess I was scared."
But that's all in the past. Goessinger said the thing that's great about 2GHG is you don't have to have prior military experience or equine knowledge because "they teach you everything," from drilling ceremonies to military courtesy rules.
There are 40 members. They drill on Thursday nights, and everyone helps muck out the stalls, feed the horses and ride them. Once a year there's also a weeklong training session.
"I hope everyone will come out to see the horses," Goessinger said. "We preserve the tradition of the cavalry. If we forget our past, we're like a ship without its rudder. You have to preserve the past in order to move on in your future."
The Historical Society is a nonprofit, run by volunteers. It offers living history demonstrations, a lecture series and a summer history camp for kids, among other events. All funding comes from donations, membership dues, bequests and fundraisers. New members are always welcome.
M.B. Tuccio is a freelance writer in Connecticut; email@example.com
Matthew Curtiss House, 44 Main St., Newtown. Sunday, May 19, noon-4 p.m. Free but donations appreciated. 203-426-5937, www.newtownhistory.org, http://www.facebook.com/newtownhistoricalsociety.


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Sequential hermaphroditism
|Part of a series on
|Biological terms
|Sexual reproduction
Sequential hermaphroditism (called dichogamy in botany) is a type of hermaphroditism that occurs in many fish, gastropoda and plants. Sequential hermaphroditism occurs when the individual changes sex at some point in its life. They can change from a male to female (protandry), or from female to male (protogyny)[1] or from female to hermaphrodite (protogynous hermaphroditism), or from male to hermaphrodite (protandrous hermaphroditism). Those that change gonadal sex can have both female and male germ cells in the gonads or can change from one complete gonadal type to the other during their last life stage.[2] Individual flowers are also called sequentially hermaphrodite, although the plant as a whole may have functionally male and functionally female flowers open at the same time.
Protandrous hermaphrodites refer to organisms that are born male and at some point in their lifespan change sex to female. Protandrous animals include clownfish. Clownfish have a very structured society. In the Amphiprion percula species, there are zero to four individuals excluded from breeding and a breeding pair living in a sea anemone. Dominance is based on size, the female being the largest and the male being the second largest. The rest of the group is made up of progressively smaller non-breeders, which have no functioning gonads.[3] If the female dies, the male gains weight and becomes the female for that group. The largest non-breeding fish then sexually matures and becomes the male of the group.[4]
Other examples of protandrous animals include:
- The ctenophore Coeloplana gonoctena. In this organism the females are bigger than the males and are only found during the summer. In contrast males are found year round.
- The flatworms Hymanella retenuova and Paravortex cardii.
- Laevapex fuscus, a gastropod, is described as being functionally protandric. The sperm matures in late winter and early spring, and the eggs mature in early summer, and copulation occurs only in June. This shows that males cannot reproduce until the females appear, thus why they are considered to be functionally protandric.[5][6]
Protogynous hermaphrodites refer to organisms that are born female and at some point in their lifespan change sex to male. As the animal ages, based on internal or external triggers, it shifts sex to become a male animal. Male fecundity increases greatly with age, unlike female.
Protogyny is the most common form of hermaphroditism in fish in nature.[7] About 75% of all sequentially hermaphroditic fish species are protogynous.[8] Common model organisms for this type of sequential hermaphroditism are wrasses. They are one of the largest families of coral reef fish and belong to the Labridae family. Wrasses are found around the world in all marine habitats and tend to bury themselves in sand at night or when they feel threatened.[9] In wrasses, the larger of the two fish is the male, while the smaller is the female. In most cases, females and immature have a uniform color while the male has the terminal bicolored phase.[10] Large males hold territories and try to pair spawn while small to mid-size initial-phase males live with females and group spawn.[11] In other words, both the initial and terminal phase males can breed; they differ however in the way they do it.
In the California Sheephead (Semicossyphus pulcher), a type of wrasse, when the female changes to male, the ovaries degenerate and spermatogenic crypts appear in the gonads. The general structure of the gonads remains ovarian after the transformation and the sperm is transported through a series of ducts on the periphery of the gonad and oviduct. Here sex change is age-dependent. For example, the California sheephead stays a female for four years before changing sex.[10]
Blue-headed wrasse begin life as males or females, but females can change sex and function as males. Young females and males start with a distinct coloration known as the "Initial Phase" before progressing into the "Terminal Phase" coloration, which has a change in intensity of color, stripes, and bars. Initial Phase males have larger testes than larger, terminal phase males, which enables the initial phase males to produce a large amount of sperm. This strategy is able to compete with that of the larger male, who is able to guard its own harem.
Botryllus schlosseri, a colonial tunicate, is a protogynous hermaphrodite. In a colony, eggs are ovulated about two days before the peak of sperm emission.[12] Although self-fertilization is avoided and cross-fertilization favored by this strategy, self-fertilization is still possible. Self-fertilized eggs develop with a substantially higher frequency of anomalies during cleavage than cross-fertilized eggs (23% vs. 1.6%).[12] Also a significantly lower percentage of larvae derived from self-fertilized eggs metamorphose, and the growth of the colonies derived from their metamorphosis is significantly lower. These findings suggest that self-fertilization gives rise to inbreeding depression associated with developmental deficits that are likely caused by expression of deleterious recessive mutations.[13]
Other examples of protogynous organisms include:
- In the following fish families: Serranidae (groupers),[14][15][16] Sparidae (porgies), Synbranchidae (swamp eels),[17] Labridae (wrasses), Scaridae (parrotfishes), Pomacanthidae (angelfishes), Gobiidae (gobies), Elacatinus, Lethrinidae (emperors), and possibly others.[18]
- The isopods Cyathura polita and C. carinata
- The tanaidacean Heterotanais oerstedi.
- The echinoderms, Asterina pancerii and A. gibbosa are also protogynous and they brood their young.
- Protogyny sometimes occurs in the frog Rana temporaria, where old females sometimes change to males.[5]
Ultimate causes
Ghiselin proposed three models for hermaphroditism in 1969 in his paper titled "The evolution of hermaphroditism among animals".[19]
- The 'low-density model' states that individuals have characteristics that reduce the opportunity for mating; this model cannot be applied to sequential hermaphroditism.
- The 'gene dispersal model' is based on the idea that limitations on dispersal may influence population structure or genetical environment and it can be separated into two versions: the inbreeding version and the sampling-error version. This theory of gene dispersal can be applied to sequential hermaphrodites, especially the inbreeding version. The inbreeding version is based upon the fact that both protandry and protogyny help prevent inbreeding in plants and thus one can make the same assumption that in animals it works by reducing the probability of this occurring among siblings. The sampling-error version is based on the reality that the genetical environment is influenced by genetic drift and similar phenomena in small populations. The two aspects of these hypotheses influenced by hermaphroditism, that is inbreeding and sampling-error, result in the same thing — reduction of genetic variability. In other words, being a hermaphrodite would increase genetic variability and thus be considered advantageous to the organism. This theory of gene dispersal can be applied to sequential hermaphrodites, especially the inbreeding version.
- Lastly, the 'size-advantage model' states that reproductive functions are carried out better if the individual is a certain size/age. To create selection for hermaphroditism, small individuals must have higher reproductive fitness as one gender and larger individuals must have higher reproductive fitness as the opposite gender. With this size-distribution pattern, an individual would maximize its fitness if it reproduced as a sequential hermaphrodite. For example, eggs are larger than sperm, thus if you are a big you are able to make more eggs so being female when big is advantageous, however the size advantage relationship is really not as simple as the example just mentioned, but it allows for a better understanding.
In most ectotherms body size and female fecundity are positively correlated.[1] This supports Ghiselin's size-advantage model, which is still widely accepted today. Kazancioglu and Alonzo (2010) performed the first comparative analysis of sex change in Labridae. Their analysis supports the size-advantage model by Ghiselin and suggest that sequential hermaphroditism is correlated to the size-advantage. They determined that dioecy was less likely to occur when the size advantage is stronger than other advantages[20]
Warner suggests that selection for protandry may occur in populations where female fecundity is augmented with age and individuals mate randomly. Selection for protogyny may occur where there are traits in the population that depress male fecundity at early ages (territoriality, mate selection or inexperience) and when female fecundity is decreased with age, the latter seems to be rare in the field.[1] An example of territoriality favoring protogyny occurs when there is a need to protect their habitat and being a large male is advantageous for this purpose. In the mating aspect, a large male has a higher chance of mating, while this has no effect on the female mating fitness.[20] Thus, he suggests that female fecundity has more impact on sequential hermaphroditism than the age structures of the population.[1]
The size-advantage model predicts that sex change would only be absent if the relationship between size/age with reproductive potential is identical in both sexes. With this prediction one would assume that hermaphroditism is very common, but this is not the case. Sequential hermaphroditism is very rare and according to scientists this is due to some cost that decreases fitness in sex changers as opposed to those who don't change sex. Some of the hypotheses proposed for the dearth of hermaphrodites are the energetic cost of sex change, genetic and/or physiological barriers to sex change, and sex-specific mortality rates.[1][21][22]
In 2009, Kazanciglu and Alonzo found that dioecy was only favored when the cost of changing sex was very large. This indicates that the cost of sex change does not explain the rarity of sequential hermaphroditism by itself.[23]
Proximate causes
Many studies have focused on the proximate causes of sequential hermaphroditism. The role of aromatase has been widely studied in this area. Aromatase is an enzyme that controls the androgen/estrogen ratio in animals by catalyzing the conversion of testosterone into oestradiol, which is irreversible. It has been discovered that the aromatase pathway mediates sex change in both directions.[24] Many studies also involve understanding the effect of aromatase inhibitors on sex change. One such study was performed by Kobayashi et al. In their study they tested the role of estrogens in male three-spot wrasses (Halichoeres trimaculatus). They discovered that fish treated with aromatase inhibitors showed decreased gonodal weight, plasma estrogen level and spermatogonial proliferation in the testis as well as increased androgen levels. Their results suggest that estrogens are important in the regulation of spermatogenesis in this protogynous hermaphrodite.[25]
Flowering plants
In the context of the plant sexuality of flowering plants (angiosperms), there are two forms of dichogamy: protogyny—female function precedes male function—and protandry—male function precedes female function.
Historically, dichogamy has been regarded as a mechanism for reducing inbreeding (e.g., Darwin, 1862). However, a survey of the angiosperms found that self-incompatible (SI) plants, which are incapable of inbreeding, were as likely to be dichogamous as were self-compatible (SC) plants (Bertin, 1993). This finding led to a reinterpretation of dichogamy as a more general mechanism for reducing the impact of pollen-pistil interference on pollen import and export (reviewed in Lloyd & Webb, 1986; Barrett, 2002). Unlike the inbreeding avoidance hypothesis, which focused on female function, this interference-avoidance hypothesis considers both gender functions.
In many hermaphroditic species, the close physical proximity of anthers and stigma makes interference unavoidable, either within a flower or between flowers on an inflorescence. Within-flower interference, which occurs when either the pistil interrupts pollen removal or the anthers prevent pollen deposition, can result in autonomous or facilitated self-pollination (Lloyd & Webb, 1986; Lloyd & Schoen, 1992). Between-flower interference results from similar mechanisms, except that the interfering structures occur on different flowers within the same inflorescence and it requires pollinator activity. This results in geitonogamous pollination, the transfer of pollen between flowers of the same individual (Lloyd & Schoen, 1992; de Jong et al., 1993). In contrast to within-flower interference, geitonogamy necessarily involves the same processes as outcrossing: pollinator attraction, reward provisioning, and pollen removal. Therefore, between-flower interference not only carries the cost of self-fertilization (inbreeding depression; Charlesworth & Charlesworth, 1987; Husband & Schemske, 1996), but also reduces the amount of pollen available for export (so-called "pollen discounting"; Harder & Wilson, 1998]). Because pollen discounting diminishes outcross siring success, interference avoidance may be an important evolutionary force in floral biology (Harder & Barrett, 1995, 1996; Harder & Wilson, 1998; Barrett, 2002).
Dichogamy may reduce between-flower interference by minimizing the temporal overlap between stigma and anthers within an inflorescence. Large inflorescences attract more pollinators, potentially enhancing reproductive success by increasing pollen import and export (Schemske, 1980; Queller, 1983; Bell, 1985; Geber, 1985; Schmid-Hempel & Speiser, 1988; Klinkhamer & de Jong, 1990). However, large inflorescences also increase the opportunities for both geitonogamy and pollen discounting, so that the opportunity for between-flower interference increases with inflorescence size (Harder & Barrett, 1996). Consequently, the evolution of floral display size may represent a compromise between maximizing pollinator visitation and minimizing geitonogamy and pollen discounting (Klinkhamer & de Jong, 1993; Barrett et al., 1994; Holsinger, 1996; Snow et al., 1996).
Protandry may be particularly relevant to this compromise, because it often results in an inflorescence structure with female phase flowers positioned below male phase flowers (Bertin & Newman, 1993). Given the tendency of many insect pollinators to forage upwards through inflorescences (Galen & Plowright, 1988), protandry may enhance pollen export by reducing between-flower interference (Darwin, 1862; Harder et al., 2000). Furthermore, this enhanced pollen export should increase as floral display size increases, because between-flower interference should increase with floral display size. These effects of protandry on between-flower interference may decouple the benefits of large inflorescences from the consequences of geitonogamy and pollen discounting. Such a decoupling would provide a significant reproductive advantage through increased pollinator visitation and siring success.
Harder et al. (2000) demonstrated experimentally that dichogamy both reduced rates of self-fertilization and enhanced outcross siring success through reductions in geitonogamy and pollen discounting, respectively. Routley & Husband (2003) examined the influence of inflorescence size on this siring advantage and found a bimodal distribution with increased siring success with both small and large display sizes.
The length of stigmatic receptivity plays a key role in regulating the isolation of the male and female stages in dichogamous plants, and stigmatic receptivity can be influenced by both temperature and humidity.[26] Another study by Jersakova and Johnson, studied the effects of protandry on the pollination process of the moth pollinated orchid, ''Satyrium longicauda''. They discovered that protandry tended to reduce the absolute levels of self-pollination and suggest that the evolution of protandry could be driven by the consequences of the pollination process for male mating success.[27] Another study that indicated that dichogamy might increase male pollination success was the study performed by Dai and Galloway.[28]
See also
- Plant sexuality
- Sequential hermaphrodite section in Hermaphrodite
- 1 2 3 4 5 Warner, R.R (1975). "The Adaptive Significance of Sequential Hermaphroditism in Animals.". The American Naturalist. 109: 61–82. doi:10.1086/282974.
- ↑ Carruth, L. L (2000). "Freshwater cichlid Crenicara punctulata is a protogynous sequential hermaphrodite". Copeia. 2000: 71–82. doi:10.1643/0045-8511(2000)2000[0071:fccpia]2.0.co;2.
- ↑ Buston, P. M (2004). "Territory inheritance in clownfish". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 271: s252–s254. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2003.0156. PMC 1810038. PMID 15252999.
- ↑ Buston, P (2004). "Does the Presence of Non-Breeders Enhance the Fitness of Breeders ? An Experimental Analysis in the Clown Anemonefish Amphiprion percula". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 57: 23–31. doi:10.1007/s00265-004-0833-2.
- 1 2 Policansky, D (1982). "Sex change in plants and animals". Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics. 13: 471–495. doi:10.1146/annurev.es.13.110182.002351.
- ↑ Russell-Hunter, W. D.; McMahon, R. F. (1976). "Evidence for functional protandry in a fresh-water basommatophoran limpet, Laevapex fuscus". Transactions of the American Microscopical Society. 95 (2): 174–182. doi:10.2307/3225061. JSTOR 3225061.
- ↑ Avise, JC; JE Mank (2009). "Evolutionary Perspectives on Hermaphroditism in Fishes". Sexual Development. 3: 152–163. doi:10.1159/000223079.
- ↑ Pandian, TJ (2012). Genetic Sex Differentiation in Fish. Boca Raton, FL: Science Publishers.
- ↑ "Animal Planet :: Fish Guide -- Wrasse". PetEducation.com. Retrieved 2011-03-28.
- 1 2 Warner, R.R (1975). "The reproductive biology of the Protogynous hermaphrodite Pimelometopon Pulchrum (Pisces: Labridae).". Fishery Bulletin. 73: 261–283.
- ↑ Adreani, M S; L G Allen (2008). "Mating system and reproductive biology of a temperate wrasse, Halichoeres semicinctus". Copeia: 467–475. doi:10.1643/cp-06-265.
- 1 2 Gasparini F; Manni L; Cima F; Zaniolo G; Burighel P; Caicci F; Franchi N; Schiavon F; Rigon F; Campagna D; Ballarin L (July 2014). "Sexual and asexual reproduction in the colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri". Genesis. 53: 105–20. doi:10.1002/dvg.22802. PMID 25044771.
- ↑ Bernstein, H; Hopf, FA; Michod, RE (1987). "The molecular basis of the evolution of sex". Adv Genet. 24: 323–70. doi:10.1016/S0065-2660(08)60012-7. PMID 3324702.
- ↑ "Familie Serranidae - Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets". Fishbase. August 26, 2010. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ↑ "Anthiinae - the Fancy Basses". Reefkeeping Magazine. 2008. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ↑ R. Thompson & J.L. Munro (1983). "The Biology, Ecology and Bionomics of the Hinds and Groupers, Serranidae". In J. L. Munro. Caribbean Coral Reef Fishery Resources. The WorldFish Center. p. 62. ISBN 978-971-10-2201-3.
- ↑ J.R. Gold (1979). "Cytogenetics". In W.S. Hoar; D.J. Randall; J.R. Brett. Bioenergetics and Growth. Fish Physiology. VIII. Academic Press. p. 358. ISBN 978-0-12-350408-1.
- ↑ Dimitri A. Pavlov; Natal'ya G. Emel'yanova & Georgij G. Novikov (2009). "Reproductive Dynamics". In Tore Jakobsen; Michael J. Fogarty; Bernard A. Megrey & Erlend Moksness. Fish Reproductive Biology: Implications for Assessment and Management. John Wiley and Sons. p. 60. ISBN 978-1-4051-2126-2.
- ↑ Ghiselin, M T (1969). "The evolution of hermaphroditism among animals". The Quarterly Review of Biology. 44 (2): 189–208. doi:10.1086/406066. PMID 4901396.
- 1 2 Kazancioğlu, E; SH Alonzo (2010). "A comparative analysis of sex change in Labridae supports the size advantage hypothesis". Evolution; international journal of organic evolution. 64 (8): 2254–64. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.01016.x. PMID 20394662.
- ↑ Charnov, E (1986). "Size Advantage May Not Always Favor Sex Change". Journal of Theoretical Biology. 119: 283–285. doi:10.1016/s0022-5193(86)80141-2.
- ↑ Munday, P; BW Molony (2002). "The energetic cost of protogynous versus protandrous sex change in the bi-directional sex changing fish Gobiodon histrio". Marine Biology. 141: 429–446. doi:10.1007/s00227-002-0904-8.
- ↑ Kazancioğlu, E; SH Alonzo (2009). "Costs of changing sex do not explain why sequential hermaphroditism is rare". The American Naturalist. 173 (3): 327–36. doi:10.1086/596539. PMID 19199519.
- ↑ Kroon, FJ; Munday, P. L.; Westcott, D.; Hobbs, J.-P.; Liley, N. R. (2005). "Aromatase pathway mediates sex change in each direction.". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 272 (1570): 1399–405. doi:10.1098/rspb.2005.3097. PMC 1560338. PMID 16006326.
- ↑ Kobayashi, y; Nozu R; Nakamura M. (2011). "Role of estrogen in spermatogenesis in initial phase males of the three-spot wrasse (Halichoeres trimaculatus): wffect of aromatase inhibitor on the testis.". Developmental Dynamics. 240: 116–121. doi:10.1002/dvdy.22507. Retrieved 2011-04-27.
- ↑ Lora, J; Herrero, M.; Hormaza, J. I. (2011). "Stigmatic receptivity in a dichogamous early-divergent angiosperm species, Annona cherimola (Annonaceae): Influence of temperature and humidity.". American Journal of Botany. 98: 265–274. doi:10.3732/ajb.1000185. Retrieved 2011-04-27.
- ↑ Jersáková, J; SD Johnson (2007). "Protandry promotes male pollination success in a moth-pollinated orchid.". Functional Ecology. 21: 496–504. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2435.2007.01256.x. Retrieved 2011-04-27.
- ↑ Dai, C; L F Galloway (2011). "Do dichogamy and herkogamy reduce sexual interference in a self-incompatible species?". Functional Ecology. 25: 271–278. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2435.2010.01795.x. Retrieved 2011-03-28.
Further reading
- Barrett SC (February 2002). "Sexual interference of the floral kind". Heredity. 88 (2): 154–9. doi:10.1038/sj.hdy.6800020. PMID 11932774.
- Barrett, S.C.H., Harder, L.D., Cole W.W. (1994). "Effects of Flower Number and Position on Self-Fertilization in Experimental Populations of Eichhornia paniculata (Pontederiaceae)". Functional Ecology. 8 (4): 526–35. doi:10.2307/2390078. JSTOR 2390078.
- Bell G. (1985). "On the function of flowers". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 224: 223–65. doi:10.1098/rspb.1985.0031.
- Bertin, R.I. (1993). "Incidence of monoecy and dichogamy in relation to self-fertilization in angiosperms". Amer. J. Bot. 80 (5): 557–60. doi:10.2307/2445372. JSTOR 2445372.
- Bertin R.I.; Newman C.M. (1993). "Dichogamy in angiosperms". Bot. Rev. 59: 112–52. doi:10.1007/BF02856676.
- Darwin, Charles (1862). On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilized by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. London: John Murray.
- Charlesworth, D., Charlesworth, B. (1987). "Inbreeding Depression and its Evolutionary Consequences". Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics. 18: 237–68. doi:10.1146/annurev.es.18.110187.001321. JSTOR 2097132.
- de Jong, T.J., Waser, N.M., Klinkhamer, P.G.L. (1993). "Geitonogamy: the neglected side of selfing". Trends Ecol. Evol. 8: 321–25. doi:10.1016/0169-5347(93)90239-L.
- Galen, C., Plowright, R.C. (1988). "Contrasting movement patterns of nectar-collecting and pollen-collecting bumble bees (Bombus terricola) on fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) inflorescences". Ecol. Entomol. 10: 9–17. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2311.1985.tb00530.x.
- Geber, M. (1985). "The Relationship of Plant Size to Self-Pollination in Mertensia ciliata". Ecology. 66 (3): 762–72. doi:10.2307/1940537. JSTOR 1940537.
- Griffin SR; Mavraganis K; Eckert CG (September 2000). "Experimental analysis of protogyny in Aquilegia canadensis (Ranunculaceae)". American Journal of Botany. 87 (9): 1246–1256. doi:10.2307/2656717. JSTOR 2656717. PMID 10991895.
- Harder, L.D., Barrett, S.C.H. (February 1995). "Mating cost of large floral displays in hermaphrodite plants". Nature. 373 (6514): 512–5. doi:10.1038/373512a0.
- Harder, L.D., Barrett, S.C.H. (1996). "Pollen dispersal and mating patterns in animal-pollinated plants". In Lloyd, D.G.; Barrett, S.C.H. Floral Biology: Studies on Floral Evolution in Animal-Pollinated Plants. NY: Chapman & Hall. pp. 140–190.
- Harder, L.D., Wilson, W.G. (November 1998). "A Clarification of Pollen Discounting and Its Joint Effects with Inbreeding Depression on Mating System Evolution". The American Naturalist. 152 (5): 684–95. doi:10.1086/286199. JSTOR 2463846. PMID 18811343.
- Harder LD; Barrett SC; Cole WW (February 2000). "The mating consequences of sexual segregation within inflorescences of flowering plants". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 267 (1441): 315–20. doi:10.1098/rspb.2000.1002. PMC 1690540. PMID 10722210.
- Holsinger K.E. (1996). "Pollination biology and the evolution of mating systems in flowering plants". In Hecht, M.K. Evolutionary Biology. NY: Plenum Press. pp. 107–149.
- Husband, B.C., Schemske D.W. (February 1996). "Evolution of the Magnitude and Timing of Inbreeding Depression in Plants". Evolution. 50 (1): 54–70. doi:10.2307/2410780. JSTOR 2410780.
- Klinkhamer, P.G.L., de Jong, T.J. (1990). "Effects of plant size, plant density and sex differential nectar reward on pollinator visitation in the protandrous Echium vulgare". Oikos. 57 (3): 399–405. doi:10.2307/3565970. JSTOR 3565970.
- Klinkhamer, P.G.L., de Jong, T.J. (1993). "Attractiveness to pollinators: a plant's dilemma". Oikos. 66 (1): 180–4. doi:10.2307/3545212. JSTOR 3545212.
- Lloyd, D.G., Webb, C.J. (1986). "The avoidance of interference between the presentation of pollen and stigmas in angiosperms: I. Dichogamy". New Zeal. J. Bot. 24: 135–62. doi:10.1080/0028825x.1986.10409725.
- Lloyd, D.G., Schoen D.J. (September 1992). "Self- and Cross-Fertilization in Plants. I. Functional Dimensions". International Journal of Plant Sciences. 153 (3, Part 1): 358–69. doi:10.1086/297040.
- Queller, D.C. (1983). "Sexual selection in a hermaphroditic plant". Nature. 305 (5936): 706–7. doi:10.1038/305706a0.
- Routley MB; Husband BC (February 2003). "The effect of protandry on siring success in Chamerion angustifolium (Onagraceae) with different inflorescence sizes". Evolution. 57 (2): 240–8. doi:10.1554/0014-3820(2003)057[0240:teopos]2.0.co;2. PMID 12683521.
- Schemske, D.W. (1980). "Evolution of floral display in the orchid Brassavola nodosa". Evolution. 34 (3): 489–91. doi:10.2307/2408218. JSTOR 2408218.
- Schmid-Hempel, P., Speiser, B. (1988). "Effects of inflorescence size on pollination in Epilobium angustifolium". Oikos. 53 (1): 98–104. doi:10.2307/3565669. JSTOR 3565669.
- Snow, A.A., Spira, T.P., Simpson, R., Klips, R.A. (1996). "The ecology of geitonogamous pollination". In Lloyd, D.G.; Barrett, S.C.H. Floral Biology: Studies on Floral Evolution in Animal-Pollinated Plants. NY: Chapman & Hall. pp. 191–216.


text:
I met him once. Rather, I ambushed him. It was in the thin air of Telluride, Colo., for the film festival, in 2004. He had just finished a conversation with New Line executive Bob Shaye and came out of the clock tower on W. Colorado Avenue. He was small in person, his face gaunt from skirmishes with cancer. I approached him, joined him in his quarter-mile walk to his lodgings, and spilled it.
I love movies because of you, Roger.
Or, rather, I understand the movies and myself well enough to call it love.
Because of you.
What has been your favorite of the festival?
Where are you off to next?
(Can I come too?)
I don't remember a single answer. Probably because I did all the talking. We parted ways after a few minutes — me embarrassed, he to file a dispatch to Chicago. Looking back now, a day after his death at 70, I'm relieved that I had a chance to thank him.
A critic's noblest and most generous act is to inspire passion in others.
Roger Ebert taught me to love the movies.
Roger Ebert taught the world to love the movies. Look how many movie lovers are publishing their gratitude in tribute, in personal terms. Look how some refer to "the movies," with its definite article — his populist, intimate, Midwestern way of referring to his life's passion.
He became most known for his thumbs, but this up-or-down brand was oddly out of sync with his ecumenical, nuanced grasp of cinema and life. This man was a mensch. This analyst was a humanist. This was a wit among twits. Everyone is a critic now, but how many of us possess the required authority, humanity and dexterity with words?
The first writing I did for newspapers was film criticism, and Ebert's annual compendia of starred reviews were my inspiration. During high school I tacked above my desk one of his enduring quotations: "A movie is not what it is about but how it is about it." The simple, elegant authority of this maxim transfixed and guided me, not least because one might substitute "story" — or anything else really — for "movie." It guides how I write today, about anything. The smallest, most insignificant subject can make for a great story if you inquire with verve and execute with care. By mastering the parameters of a medium and rendering his judgment and appreciation into words, Ebert taught me that. A writer must be both skeptical and big-hearted, intractable on some matters and flexible on others. Ebert taught me that too.
"We must try to contribute joy to the world," he wrote in May 2009, in a blog post on mortality.
"The cinema is the greatest art form ever conceived for generating emotions in its audience," he wrote in 1991 in a preface to his top 10 list.
Roger Ebert contributed joy by sharing his joy. And by sharing his outrage. After all, if we are going to pay money to withdraw into darkness for two hours, it better be worth it.
"We are all allotted an unknown but finite number of hours of consciousness," he wrote on his blog in 2008. "Maybe a critic can help you spend them more meaningfully."
One of his most memorable digs: "'Pearl Harbor' is a two-hour movie squeezed into three hours, about how on December 7, 1941, the Japanese staged a surprise attack on an American love triangle."
One of his most resonant compliments: "A film like 'Hoop Dreams' is what the movies are for. It takes us, shakes us, and make us think in new ways about the world around us. It gives us the impression of having touched life itself."
"Life Itself" is the title of his graceful memoir, published in 2011, and its opening line captures how he (and we) are wedded to cinema: "I was born inside the movie of my life." We all are. Our lives unspool behind us in Technicolor, in Cinemascope, in dissolves and montages and swish-pans and close-ups. He was the celebrant of modern America's intimate union with the medium. He chronicled how we retreat into the temple of movie theaters, how we step outside ourselves, how after the credits we emerge into the world wider-eyed and clearer-headed.
Because of Roger Ebert I am enraptured by "The Third Man" and "Bonnie and Clyde." I am over the moon for "The Producers." I prize the work of Billy Wilder and the delight it brings to my life. Because of Roger Ebert I have seen "Tokyo Story." Because of Roger Ebert's splendid audio commentary on the DVDs of "Citizen Kane" and "Casablanca," I not only understand but appreciate why the first is the greatest movie and the second is the most beloved.
He dissected his passion by conducting shot-by-shot workshops. He democratized it by creating an "overlooked" film festival. When cancer and surgery robbed him of a voice several years ago, his writing muse worked overtime. His blog, like his wife Chaz, was a salvation. In between his vigorous reviews, he tapped out long essays seemingly out of nowhere. Each was a review of the action of living. He once spent a couple thousand words recounting his lust for a 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk, though he was really delivering a treatise on nostalgia and loss. He once wrote about the rudimentary matters of traveling and walking, but the way he wrote it made it read like a tracking shot by Carlo di Palma, made it move as if jump-cut by Godard, made it resonate like a sequence of Altman's.
A piece of writing is not what it is about but how it is about it.
He beat alcoholism.
He didn't beat cancer.
So it goes, he might have said.
In a career of great lines, his best was this: "We live in a box of space and time. Movies are windows in its walls." Ebert was the man who pulled back the curtains on those windows, who beckoned us to their panes. Come, see. Look at the million lifetimes you can live while consigned to your own. Outside those windows floated Orson Welles in a dark Viennese doorway, a helmeted Klaus Kinski on his raft in the Amazon, Frances McDormand barfing on the side of a Minnesotan highway.
Roger Ebert taught me to love the movies, and therefore life itself, and I will have this love for the rest of my life. So will others. There are scores of thankful apprentices out there today, humming with grief and gratitude in newsrooms, in the blogosphere, on Twitter, in darkening movie theaters. Darkening, darkening, darkening and then: the drums and blaring brass as 20th Century Fox spins its searchlights, and we are again enraptured by lives and worlds beyond our own. Our guide to these worlds is gone, but because of him we know the terrain.


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Cisco Helps Military Veterans Find Meaningful Civilian Careers
Thousands of military personnel will transition from uniform to civilian life in the coming years — about 1 million between now and September 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
A Cisco priority is to help these men and women find meaningful jobs and educational opportunities that match their skills and interests after their service to our country is over.
One way we do this is through our annual Veterans Corporate Technology Day (VCTD) event, to be held at three Cisco campuses in California, North Carolina, and Texas on Tuesday, November 13.
This event connects active duty and transitioning military personnel with the people and resources that can help them get started on a career in the technology industry. For example, attendees will learn about how the Cisco Networking Academy can prepare them for entry-level careers, further education, and tech industry certifications.
Attendees at our San Jose, California event will also have the opportunity to conduct live and virtual interviews via Cisco WebEx.
Are you a veteran, or do you know someone who will be transitioning from the military soon? If so, please check out these resources for employment and education:
- Cisco's Operation Homeforce: Like our new Facebook page, search for Cisco job openings through the military job matcher app, and refer other veterans
- Hero2Hired: Search for jobs nationwide through a special pipeline that matches Military Occupation Codes to civilian job openings.
- 100,000 Jobs Mission: See the 80+ companies that are part of this coalition to collectively hire 100,000 veterans by 2020 and browse their job openings
- Syracuse University Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Resources and data related to employment and education.
Read more about how Cisco is helping put U.S. veterans to work in the Cisco Newsroom.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.


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Transform your photos into one-of-a-kind, hand painted masterpieces!
by Steve Karol
Rope Color
Image Size
The image is near the edges of the product but doesn't cover the entire product. Some of the background color may appear around the outside edges of the image.
Background Color
Our weekender tote bags are chic and perfect for a day out on the town, a staycation, or a weekend getaway. The tote is crafted with soft, spun poly-poplin fabric and features double-stitched seams for added durability. The 1" thick cotton handles are perfect for carrying the bag by hand or over your shoulder. This is a must-have for the summer.
Care Instructions
Spot clean or dry clean only.
Ships Within
2 - 3 business days
Nice picture!
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Beautiful capture Steve!
Average Rating (4.93 Stars):
Jessica Wallace
January 20th, 2019
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January 18th, 2019
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Grace Zwart
January 15th, 2019
Media Mixed media Style/Subject I have worked in oils, Acrylic, watercolor, mixed media and photography. Currently I am exploring digital manipulation of my art and photography. The main focus being landscapes and abstracts. My approach to art depends on the subject I am pursuing. Philosophy "My philosophy about art is that art should be an expression of three main concepts. One being beauty. Two being an emotion. Three being an idea. Since there is much malevolence in the world, I feel one has the obligation to point out what is beautiful. At the same time it is important for the artist to express his inner tumult and happiness alike to show how he feels and learn about his relationship with others and his...
Our return policy is very simple:
If you're not happy with a purchase that you made on Pixels.com, for any reason, you can return it to us within 30 days of the order date. As soon as it arrives, we'll issue a full refund for the entire purchase price. Please note - Pixels does not reimburse the outgoing or return shipping charges unless the return is due to a defect in quality.
Pixels sells thousands of pieces of artwork each month - all with a 100% money-back guarantee. We take great pride in the fact that hundreds of thousands of artists have chosen Pixels to fulfill their orders, and we look forward to helping you select your next piece!
All weekender tote bags ship from our production facility within 2 - 3 business days of your order.


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California is applying money-transfer laws to high-tech start-ups and others in the business of moving funds, subjecting them to the same strict regulations and heavy scrutiny as financial service companies.
And that has some Silicon Valley entrepreneurs crying foul. The regulations, they say, are hobbling their ability to develop new Internet technologies that, like PayPal Inc. and Square Inc., make fast, secure payments with smartphones and tablets.
FaceCash, a Palo Alto company that developed a mobile payment system using facial-recognition software, has sued the state in federal court on claims that licensing requirements discriminate against the company and hinder interstate commerce.
"California and virtually every other state is attempting to regulate money transmission, an increasing subset of which is Internet," said FaceCash founder Aaron Greenspan, who closed his firm July 1, 2011, because he didn't have a state license.


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October 12, 2007
Alumni, family, and friends prepared and served over 75 meals on Saturday, October 6 at Kay's Kitchen, which is located at the St. Martin Center in Marion.
Kay's Kitchen provides nutritious home cooked meals in a welcoming, clean, and respectful atmosphere. Thanks to the dedicated service of numerous volunteers, Kay's Kitchen served over 34,800 meals in 2006.
Craig Miller '97 and David Callecod '89 were the Wabash Day Leaders.
In group photo: Back row, Callecod, Ndow, and Miller. Front row, Nolan and Ian Callecod


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AuthorityLabs Partner API
AuthorityLabs provides SEO rank monitoring for use by consultants, agencies, bloggers, and internet marketing pros. The Partner API gives users access to search results only. Nothing done via the Partner API is reflected in any account. Pricing is based on specific endpoint usage, per thousand calls. RESTful calls are used and responses are formatted in JSON.


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|Statement by H.E. Ambassador Liu Zhenmin at the Third Committee of the 64th Session of UNGA on Crime prevention, criminal justice and International drug control ( Items 104 and 105)
Statement by H.E. Ambassador Liu Zhenmin, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, at the Third Committee of the 64th Session of UNGA on Crime prevention , criminal justice and International drug control ( Items 104 and 105)
(7th October 2009, New York)
Mr. Chairman,
Over the past year, the international community has continued to achieve positive results in preventing and combating transnational crimes. The UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the UN Convention against Corruption and the three conventions on narcotic drugs (1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances and 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) have established the international legal regime for preventing and combating transnational crime and laid down the basis for global governance architecture. Discussions among the parties on the return of corruption-related assets under the Convention against Corruption and the implementation mechanism of the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime have steadily developed in depth. Meanwhile, however, international terrorist activities, transnational organized crime, and drug production and trafficking are interwoven, with their global, syndicating, networking and diversified characters becoming ever more prominent. The international community still has a long way to go in system and capacity building in the area of preventing and combating transnational crime.
Mr. Chairman,
Strengthening international cooperation is the fundamental way to effectively prevent and combat transnational organized crime. Such cooperation should be based on the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty, equality and mutual benefit. Consideration should be given to the needs of the developing countries and efforts made to help them with their capacity building. Countries should endeavor to tap the potentials of carrying out cooperation under the relevant conventions in such fields as extradition, judicial assistance, asset recovery and technical assistance. China supports the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in continuing to play an important role in facilitating international cooperation against transnational organized crime, integrating resources and assisting developing countries in capacity building.
Mr. Chairman,
The Chinese Government has consistently fulfilled its obligations under the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Convention against Corruption in an active, conscientious and comprehensive manner. In order to implement the relevant provisions of the two conventions, it has taken necessary measures in the legislative, executive and judicial areas and actively engaged in international cooperation. Last February, China adopted the Amendment to the Criminal Code to further improve its criminal penal system regarding such offenses as corruption and human trafficking. To date, China has signed with over 50 countries 106 treaties on judicial assistance. We are ready to enhance exchanges and share experience with even more countries.
The Chinese Government is firmly against the illicit transfer of small arms and light weapons. It exercises strict control over the export of small arms and light weapons in keeping with its international obligations and its domestic laws and regulations. We are willing to continue our support for and active participation in regional and international efforts against the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.
Mr. Chairman,
While the international community has achieved some positive results in the control of narcotic drugs, it is still confronted with formidable challenges. At the global level, although the production of cocaine and heroine has registered a decline and the market for cannabis and opiate usage is shrinking, the manufacturing, trafficking and abuse of new drugs continue to grow unabated; the loss of precursor chemicals remains a serious problem; sustainable alternative development activities lack adequate funding and drug abuse among the youth is getting worse.
A proper solution to the drug problem hinges on the efforts of all countries themselves and, even more so, the cooperation of the international community. China supports the Political Declaration and Plan of Action adopted by the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in March which set out new targets and programme for drug control. China appreciates the work done by UNODC and the International Narcotics Control Board. We encourage UNODC to continue to increase dialogue and consultation with donors, recipients and other interested countries and institutions with a view to helping the countries concerned to address their specific drug problems.
Mr. Chairman,
The Chinese Government has always insisted on a comprehensive ban on drugs. In light of China's specific situation, we have formulated an integrated, comprehensive and balanced national drug control strategy. In 2007, the Chinese Government promulgated the Drug Control Law, which clearly defines the working mechanism of the national strategy. China has all along adhered to the guideline of strict control of precursor chemicals and resolutely cracked down on their trafficking and illegal trade. The Chinese Government pays particular attention to drug prevention education for youth and teenagers, taking such education for middle and primary school students as a fundamental project in the drug control endeavor.
The Chinese Government attaches great importance to international cooperation in drug control and is an active player in various international and regional cooperation mechanisms against narcotics-related crimes under, inter alia, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the East Asia Sub-regional Memorandum of Understanding on Drug Control, and Paris Pact Process. It has actively assisted some of its neighbors in launching alternative crops cultivation to replace poppy and such efforts have achieved remarkable results in some places. China has also carried out pragmatic cooperation with the United States and European countries in drug control enforcement, exchange of information and training. The Chinese Government will further enhance, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, its cooperation with the rest of the international community in drug control, consolidate the hard-won gains in this area and work relentlessly for an early elimination of the scourge of narcotic drugs.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.


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Phillies Schedule Day-Night Double Header
The Phillies and Atlanta Braves game originally scheduled for April 15, 2014 has been rescheduled for Saturday, June 28 at 7:35 p.m., as part of a day-night doubleheader.
All tickets for the April 15 game will be honored for entry into the June 28 game, beginning at 7:35 p.m. All gates, including Ashburn Alley, will open at 6:35 p.m. for the rescheduled game.
The regularly scheduled 3:05 p.m. game on June 28 will now begin at 2:05 p.m. The Apple Vacations Photo Day presented by Now Resorts & Spas will take place prior to the 2:05 p.m. game. All gates, including Ashburn Alley, will open at 12:05 p.m.
Tickets for the April 15 game may also be exchanged for a future 2014 regular season game, subject to availability, prior to the June 28 makeup game.
Ticket exchanges can be done in person at the Citizens Bank Park Advance Ticket Windows, Monday-Friday (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) and Saturday (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) or via mail by sending the April 15 tickets along with the requested game date to: Philadelphia Phillies Ticket Office, One Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia, Pa. 19148.
Broadcast information for both games on June 28 will be forthcoming.


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Hi, I'm fifteen years old and have been having these symptoms for years.
My hallucinations started when I was twelve. I looked up some research, and I'm pretty sure they are hypnopompic hallucinations, since I have them when I'm waking up. I'm fully conscious, I can move. I've jumped out of the bed, pointed at the hallucinations, hid under my covers, said what they were, screamed; when I finally realize I'm hallucinating I can't see it anymore. I've had people witness me hallucinating before. I don't remember ever hallucinating with the room lit, or tv on. My most recent hallucination was two weeks ago.
Since mid-last year I've experienced what I think is sleep paralysis. But instead of waking up, it happens in the dreams. I'm having a nightmare, everything vivid, especially sound. The sound is extremely painful, either bad music, or someone screaming. I want to wake from it, so I try to throw my leg over, or reach my arm over, but it won't work. I try to open my eyes to wake up, but it won't work. It's like my limbs are attached to the bed, they barely budge. Then suddenly I snap out of it. A few times it had happen while I was falling asleep, rather then waking up. Those times I wasn't dreaming, instead I hear stuff around me, like the tv, or people talking, and I'm trying to wake up because I have fallen asleep on the couch. I try opening my eyes and lifting my head, but I can't. This isn't as frequent as my other symptoms.
I've always had a hard time falling asleep before twelve, often falling asleep at one, sometimes two. I don't feel tired in the morning, and in the mornings I have a cup of coffee. At school, most of the time I'm fine, not tired, but when coming home I get extremely tired. I've started to fall asleep on the couch in the afternoon after school, and after waking up I feel alright. Later around 5ish-7ish I feel the urge to take another nap. Even when I get a good night's sleep for a some weeks I still feel the urge to go to sleep around these exact times. I can resist them, but its hard. If I've gotten bad sleep the night before, I may doze off for ten seconds, but wake myself up because I realize I have to stay awake. I often miss my favorite tv shows that are on around 7ish, because I fall asleep during them. It becomes a big problem when I baby-sit. I don't fall asleep, but the urge is so strong.
Today for the first time, I was in school and we had a math test. I felt completely fine, but then I started getting extremely tired. While everyone was going onto the next page, I was only on number five. That's not normal for me, I have an A in that class, and knew I knew the stuff we were learning. It was unexpectant. I just couldn't concentrate, and tried so hard to speed up. I have ADHD, and I know what its like not being able to concentrate, (I'm not on medicine for it anymore, haven't been for years), but this was different then attention defficet. I felt like I was falling asleep, and had to stay after school to finish my test. I appologized to my teacher after I finished and told her I tried, I just couldn't concentrate probally because I don't get enough sleep. She understood. This is the first time this has happened.
I know I have parasomia. I sleep walk, and sleep talk. I also have sleep terrors and will scream at night. I think it may have started when I was eight years old. A lot of people have witnessed me doing this. So much that I have to warn new people I camp with or have sleepovers with of my sleeping problems. I think it's unrelated to the symptoms I've mentioned, but I figured I might as well list everything.
Do I have a sleeping disorder? Please, I'd really like to know if its called something.


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The Plymouth Grand Voyager saw production from 1990 to 2000. It is a practical passenger van produced in several trims. Owners absolutely love this van, and many keep theirs for years, as the good models just keep going on and on. They provide ideal options for families, and the seats can be moved around to give flexibility whenever needed.
Earlier models offer two different engines: a three-liter V-6 that produces 142 hp and a 3.3-liter V-6 capable of producing 150 hp. Later models include a 3.8-liter, V-6 engine that produces 180 hp. In general, the 3.3-liter V-6 provides the best mix of fuel economy and power.
This van is known for its reliability and its ability to keep going with a minimal need for servicing; although when problems do occur, they seem to generally involve the transmission or the electronics. These issues prove bad enough to make owners swear off owning another Plymouth forever, as repair costs run high.
The roominess of the Plymouth Grand Voyager makes it perfect for a larger family, and it is spacious enough to transport large items. With a convenient side door, Plymouth builds the Grand Voyager to be versatile. The seats can be removed in the back, making room for a bed—perfect for a road trip. It accommodates taller people with plenty of headroom and legroom.
The 2000 Plymouth Grand Voyager comes in just two different trim levels: the Base and the SE, as this marks the year Plymouth decided to discontinue the Expresso trim level. Plymouth changes some of standard features available on both models, and the base models include a cassette player. The base model contains a three-liter, V-6 engine and automatic transmission, and the SE level comes with a 3.3-liter, V-6, flex-fuel engine and an automatic transmission.
The year 2000 saw the demise of this model, and it marked the end of the Plymouth badge.
While many people love their Plymouth Grand Voyagers, others aren't so enamored. Although solidly built and comfortable, it presents some concerns about the transmission, especially as the van ages and mileage exceeds 80,000.
The Plymouth Grand Voyager minivan made its debut in 1990 with a choice of two models but just one engine, a 3.3-liter V-6. The SE model comes with a four-speed automatic transmission, seating for seven passengers, power steering, an audio system, and not much else. The LE trim offers a bit more luxury with cruise control and air-conditioning. Optional extras include leather seating, a better audio system, and a towing package.
In 1991, the model underwent a redesign to look sleeker. The interior benefits from better styling, and new features include anti-lock brakes, second-row captain's chairs, a driver's-side airbag, and all-wheel drive.
1992 saw the introduction of a new base model, which comes fitted with a three-liter, V-6 engine and a three-speed automatic transmission. This marks the first model with an integrated child seat available for families with toddlers.
In 1993, Plymouth introduced height-adjustable seat belts for front-seat passengers, while those in the rear seats benefit from lower-mounted anchors, making them more comfortable. Models fitted with captain's chairs in the second row come with a tilt feature that makes it much easier to access seating in the third row. Optional extras include a CD player and firmer, sportier suspension.
In 1994, the Grand Voyager received a number of changes. The exterior flaunts a restyle, and Plymouth makes a number of revisions to the instrument panels. The sliding door mechanism shows improvement and the model benefits from less noise and vibration in the cabin. Several new safety measures include standard passenger-side front airbags and side-impact beams. All-wheel drive models come standard with anti-lock brakes. The LE model can be fitted with a larger 3.8-liter, V-6 engine.
1995 saw minimal changes to the model. In 1996, the model got completely redesigned and received a better interior and more powerful engines. It represents the first minivan to have a left-hand sliding door.
1997 saw upgrades to the transmission software and upgrades to safety features. 1998 saw the addition of a new Expresso trim level. In 1999, the Plymouth Grand Voyager underwent no substantial changes.
2000 Plymouth Grand Voyager
The 2000 Plymouth Grand Voyager is a minivan that shares many characteristics with the Dodge Grand Caravan.
1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager
Chrysler continues to hold the lead in the minivan segment with the 1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager and its sibling models, providing a proven vehicle at a reasonable price.
1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
The 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager classifies as a large minivan that looks similar to stalwarts, such as the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country.
1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager
The Plymouth Grand Voyager is a value minivan with features and designs that are at the head of their class.
1996 Plymouth Grand Voyager
The 1996 Plymouth Grand Voyager is completely redesigned to be the company's highest-profile vehicle.
1995 Plymouth Grand Voyager
The 1995 Plymouth Grand Voyager is a car manufactured by Chrysler under the Plymouth brand, and its history can be traced back to 1974 when it was offered as a rebadged Dodge Sportsman.


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New York City has unfinished business, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said today.
In his last State of the City address, he vowed to finish many projects undertaken during his 12 years as mayor, like the High Line, and launching some new ones, like curbside car chargers.
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He spoke at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which opened in September and has hosted Jay-Z concerts as well as the Brooklyn Nets season.
Bloomberg said he would pack his remaining 320 days, including today, which was not only Valentine's Day but also his birthday.
"We have unfinished business," he said. "Our goal is not to spend the year cutting ribbons."
He promised to finalize construction on the 7 train extension, which will go all the way to 34th Street and 11th Avenue in the planned Hudson Yards development.
Another of his projects, the High Line, will also be finished as the third part is finalized.
Also on the list? The Ferris wheel planned for the Staten Island shore, which he announced last year, and bringing Major League Soccer back to the city.
And he said he wants to ban Styrofoam packaging from stores and restaurants, like the kind found in many to-go boxes.
In another new proposal, Bloomberg suggested a pilot program for curbside vehicle charges that could fill up vehicles in 30 minutes.
He tackled a few crime topics, including marijuana arrests. The mayor said that starting next month, anyone arrested for having a small amount of marijuana will no longer be held overnight.
Alfredo Carrasquillo of VOCAL-NY said the announcement was a "step in the right direction."
"Mayor Bloomberg stopped defending the indefensible and now recognizes that we cannot afford to criminalize youth of color for carrying small amounts of marijuana," he said.
ButCarrasquillo, who told Metro about spending two days in jail after a police stop and arrest for marijuana, said stop-and-frisk is a part of the problem, as many are found with marijuana during such stops.
During his address, Bloomberg defended the NYPD's controversial stop-and-frisk program.
"I understand that innocent people don't like to be stopped," he said. "But innocent people don't like to be shot and killed, either."
Uptown Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito expressed disappointment at the mayor's vigorous stop-and-frisk defense, but she said the marijuana statements were "step in the right direction."
"This policy shift is greatly encouraging," she said in a statement.
And Brooklyn Councilman Jumaane Williams applauded the decline in the incarceration rates that Bloomberg pointed out, but otherwise blasted his leadership.
"The use of spin and selective statistics cannot distract us from the reality that this mayor, for whatever personal reason, has time and again refused to chart a new course for New York City," he said.