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What Being "Foreign" Taught Me About Being Foreign
I still remember the feeling. I can't remember what I was wearing, although the little stuffed bunny I clenched in my arms is still clear as day (and safely tucked away in my attic). My grandma had gifted her to me, dressed in a polka-dotted red dress, to remind me that even when I couldn't hug her, bunny would be there to remind me we weren't all that far away. At eight, your world feels so small and yet so incomprehensively big, as those escalators did when I came off my very first flight and descended to the Miami International Airport. I distinctly remember not being able to make sense of the signs, as my mom held my little brother's hand and my dad looked attentively down at his notes, scribbled on a leather-bound notebook. While I knew we were moving, I didn't realize the implications of that type of move, one requiring a nine-hour flight, and countless luggage and countless items left behind. As we drove off toward our new home, we passed the iconic "Welcome to Miami Beach" sign, and little did I realize then what a deeper meaning that sign would take.
At first, everything felt so much like a vacation that I had few reasons to focus on what had changed. There's such beauty in the resilience of a child, and yet, such an innocence, such potential to be impacted by so much. My first realization that while this was our new home, it was going to be a long while for it to replace my home, came on my first day of school. Walking into a classroom of eager and curious eight-year-olds was like being dumped into a pool of ice water. My parents enrolled me in a school that did not have an ESOL program, so there I was, immersed in English-speaking classes without a single reference of what it all meant and few kids I could ask for help. Looking back, it was probably the best thing to happen to me, since I was forced to adapt quickly and picked up English seamlessly, albeit with a lot of frustration and tears, but I digress.
I had never felt "foreign" until then, and now that label was beginning to define me. To these kids, I was foreign. To this new culture (at least as encompassed in a third-grade classroom), I was, seemingly, an oddity. I'd go home and explain to my mom how weird I was for bringing a full pasta dish for lunch and for having perfectly wrapped notebooks (no one wraps their notebooks here, mom!) and for quoting Topo Gigio and not knowing anything about Sesame Street. Some kids even questioned why I was blonde and how I could possibly have green eyes when my skin was so tan after just a few hours in the sun. In their defense, I suppose they had an "image" of what foreign should look like, and I didn't fit it.
Those years marked a chapter of growth, a coming into my own in terms of a new identify of sorts. I was foreign, and being identified as such taught me about who I was and who I would become. Owning that part of me has led to 30 years of a life I'm proud of and an upbringing I wouldn't trade for the world, no matter how weird it seemed to others at times.
1. I'm Quirky – and a Great Conversation-Starter.
Inevitably, I'll sometimes reference things from my childhood that are, well, foreign to others. When I first taught my college roommate one of Topo Gigio's many songs and dances, she laughed for days (but in turn, now calls me Topo nearly 10 years later). I still mispronounce certain words and will never, ever understand the difference between a long A and a short A, nor why K is silent but H is not, and it wasn't until college that I learned that the phonetic sound of salmon and almond are quite different (thanks, Kate!). It makes for interesting conversations, good laughs and in many occasions, fun conversation-starters with strangers who pick up on my foreignness.
2. Food Is the Way to My Heart.
I grew up in Buenos Aires, with a half-Argentine/half-Italian mother and a full-blooded Southern Italian father who has pasta sauce (and red wine) running through his veins, which meant every Sunday was a formal pasta feast, during which my great-aunt would roll up gnocchi on the dining room table, as my loud-mouthed aunts and uncles took turns at the giant pot, reducing the tomatoes to their sweetest taste, adding in garlic (always more, always more) and shredding parmesan cheese as a side rather than a condiment. My grandma, born in Catalunya, would make dulce de leche from scratch and always have something sweet to follow every meal, which naturally was followed by espresso (sometimes topped with cream). Because of this, I'm the least picky eater in the world and have found food to be the surest way to expose myself to other foreign cultures – a delicious discovery! Today, I'm a lean, mean empanada-making machine, and it has become the way in which I pay tribute to my mom every time I cook for friends.
3. Family Means Everything to Me.
Because I've spent most of my life living far away from my affectionate and vivacious extended family, I've built a really strong network of friends who have become like family here in the States, complete with friends of my parents who have become second parents to my brother and me in their own right. Along the way, I've even discovered and connected with extended family living in the U.S. and more than ever, I've found ways to be close to my family in Argentina and Italy through the beauty of technology, helping me feel like a well-integrated piece of that hearty whole.
4. I See the World through Technicolor Glasses.
I often wonder what the world would look like to me had I never been brought out of the one I knew. There's a wanderlusting spirit that runs deep within and makes me appreciate the multicolored tapestry of the world. Because of this, my network of friends is brilliantly colorful, representing the Philippines, Cuba, France, Venezuela, Colombia and the U.S., to name a few. I couldn't imagine it not being this way, and being the Argentinian in the group provides a mutually vibrant sharing of thoughts, customs and food, lots of food. When I married my husband (and his German-Polish ancestry), I vowed to someday raise our family in just as diverse of an environment (he's already taking Spanish lessons by way of Rosetta-Stone).
5. Aiming for Achievement Is a Way of Life.
My mom used to tell me I had always been a really wide-eyed and inquisitive child, so when she and my dad made the decision to move us to the U.S. in the early 90s, she knew deep in her heart that I would ultimately take to the change really well and make the most of the opportunities and the challenges that arose. Looking back, I never knew there was an option otherwise. Seeing all that my parents went through to get here, to build a life for us here with the hope that it would be better than theirs propelled me to be the best version of myself imaginable. I knew that despite my parents setting the foundation, if I was to make anything of myself, I would have to do it on my own accord – pursuing, excelling, accomplishing and earning my way through the world. It was that mindset that allowed me to become the first in my immediate family to graduate high school, the first to go to college and the first to unimaginably pursue a graduate degree in, ironically, communication in a language that was once as foreign as I must have been to some of those kids back in that classroom 22 years ago. And as life would have it, that foreign girl became the epitome of her parents' very American dream.
Because I don't know whether I would've learned all of this not being deemed foreign, I can only be nothing but grateful for the experiences – the bumps, bruises and beautiful surprises – that have popped up along the way since I adopted and accepted that definition of myself. Ultimately, I've learned there's really nothing all that foreign about being foreign, and perhaps that has been the most grounding discovery of them all.


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Proper insulation, conservation and the use of energy saving appliances can save you money on your utilities, but research by the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) reveals that homeowners may be entitled to over $2,000 in energy efficiency grants towards upgrading and renovating their homes.
Whistler Green, a program by the RMOW to create a mix of voluntary and mandatory green building standards for the community, presented the new grant program to council on Monday. According to municipal housing planner Guy Patterson, they researched provincial and federal grant programs for construction, upgrades and renovations, and assembled the information in a way that makes the process easy for Whistler residents.
"The tricky part is for homeowners to see what programs there are to choose from," said Patterson. "(This program) is designed to make it easier for homeowners to select upgrades."
Whistler Green's Home Energy Grants program combines the Home Assessment services of City Green Solutions, the federal ecoEnergy retrofit program, and the province's LiveSmartBC initiative.
According to Patterson, the process has been reduced to three steps. There is some investment up front — you have to hire City Green to perform a baseline home energy assessment to your home at a cost of $150 plus GST and mileage, but that money will be rebated to you through LiveSmart B.C.
The assessment will look for leaks, analyze your home's heated air space, look at your appliances, and give you an EnerGuide rating. That information will tell you the best way to improve energy efficiency, from replacing appliances, to adding insulation, to replacing windows and doors.
Following the assessment you have 18 months to complete your choice of renovations, using a grant chart available on City Green's website, www.citygreen.ca.
After completing your renovations, you will need to book a follow-up assessment from City Green, which will apply for grants on your behalf.
Whistler Green's initiative comes on the heels of a proposal by the province to implement new green updates to the B.C. Building Code this spring that would require increased insulation, meet new standards for energy efficiency, and mandate the use of ultra-low flow toilets and water saving plumbing in new buildings and renovated buildings.
The province's new standards mirror some of Whistler Green's initiatives but don't go as far.
In some cases provisions the building code doesn't allow certain practices, such as the use of rainwater and snow melt in grey water plumbing systems. Patterson says they would like to see the code change to at least allow these kinds of systems if the province does not go far enough to make them mandatory.
In the meantime, everything that is allowed will be included and encouraged through Whistler Green.
Under the proposed changes:
• Low rise residential buildings and small commercial and industrial buildings would be required to install increased insulation, or, in the case of housing, meet an increased EnerGuide rating.
• High rise residential buildings and larger commercial buildings must meet the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers 90.1 standard, which is internationally recognized.
• Ultra low flow toilets and other water saving plumbing fixtures will be required in all new buildings and additions to existing buildings.
According to the province, these are only the first steps of a plan to develop unified green provisions for the construction of new buildings in B.C. Future steps will look at reusing existing buildings, adopting smart metering for energy use, disposing of construction materials in an environmentally friendly way, and improving indoor air quality.
— With notes from Claire Peich


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Larry Hurtado has a new book out, Honoring the Son: Jesus in Earliest Christian Devotional Practice (ed. M. Bird; Snapshots Series; Bellingham, WA: Lexham, 2018). Available on 27 June! Pre-order here!
Probably the best short summary of what Hurtado has argued in a life time of study on Christology and Christian origins.
Drawing on his extensive knowledge of early Christian origins and scholarship on New Testament Christology, Hurtado examines the distinctiveness of early Christian worship by comparing it to both Jewish worship patterns and worship practices within the broader Roman–era religious environment. He argues that the inclusion of the risen Jesus alongside the Father in early Christian devotional practices was a distinct and unique religious phenomenon within its ancient context. Additionally, Hurtado demonstrates that this remarkable development was not invented decades after the resurrection of Christ as some scholars once claimed. Instead, the New Testament suggests that Jesus–followers, very quickly after the resurrection of Christ, began to worship the Son alongside the Father. Honoring the Son offers a look into the worship habits of the earliest Christians to understand the place of Jesus in early Christian devotion.
Larry W. Hurtado has been one of the leading scholars on early Christology for decades. In Honoring the Son: Jesus in Earliest Christian Devotional Practice, Hurtado helps readers understand early Christology by examining not just what early Christians believed or wrote about Jesus, but what their devotional practices tell us about the place of Jesus in early Christian worship.


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Miniature Victoria Plum
I have a plum tree with loads of fruit on it, but I think that I have an infection on the tree as the leaves are curling up and going black. Please advise on how to treat it.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
This is sooty mold. It happens when the plant gets a pest infestation, likely aphids. I would recommend using neem oil, as this will get rid of the sooty mold fungus and kill the pests. Here is some articles that will help you:
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We are currently working on some new projects...
1) Paradise Lost, a story of Iblis, Judas, and living East of Eden.
3) On April 13th, 2091 a small craft was discovered in the rift valley on Neptune's moon, Triton. It was severely weathered and trapped in ice. The craft was later found to be a self replicating probe designed for exploration of distant star systems. The following images are the data that has been decoded so far...
9) We are composing an album of very few sounds. It has not a title yet.
57) We are still composing music for director Stuart Eagon. Stuart Eagon. Find his work here: https://vimeo.com/stueagon
From the upcoming album, The Other Shore, the sequel to The End of Sorrow.
This album has roots in my early years of visiting the observatory in Sunriver, Oregon with my Dad. Looking through the telescopes and seeing the moons of Jupiter with my own eyes had a profound effect on my understanding of who and where I was. It slowly came to me that it would actually be possible to stand on those moons. The ice on Europa is real; it would hold you up. And if stood there and looked up, the sky would be filled with the swirling storms of Jupiter's upper clouds. The planet would be surrounded by blackness.
Though these thoughts inspire awe, they begin to chill your bones as you move farther away from the sun. Temperatures plunge. There is no air to breathe. Radiation is immense. Standing upon Neptune's moon Triton, the sun would begin to resemble the rest of the stars as you faded into the nothing.
Voyager two took one of the only clear images we have of Neptune. I don't believe we were meant to see that kind of image. Unaided our eyes are only prepared to see the sun, the moon, and the stars. Looking into the blue clouds of the last planet you cannot help but think of the black halo of space that surrounds the planet and extends forever.
I cannot un-see those images. They have become a part of human consciousness. They are the dawn of an unnamed religion. They are more powerful and more fearsome than the old God. In a sense, they are the very face of God. And perhaps we were not meant to see such things.
This album was my feeble attempt to make peace with the blackness. The immense cold that surrounds and beckons us all. Our past and our future.
The album closes with an image of standing amidst Pluto's Norgay Mountains. These peaks extend 20,000 feet of solid ice into thin atmosphere. Evening comes early in the mountains. There is no Earth. On this final planet we face the decision of looking back toward Earth or moving onward into the dark.


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Trade war between Russia and West influences markets
U.S. and European markets have suffered as investors worry about geopolitical tensions, including Russia's ban on a range of U.S. and European foods in response to Western sanctions over the crisis in Ukraine.
RUSSIA'S already battered economy will struggle to recover from the fallout of the crisis in Ukraine as uncertainty looks set to drag down growth around the former Soviet Union, the IMF warned on Tuesday.
"Risks to growth are largely to the downside," the international lender wrote in its World Economic Outlook released on Tuesday.
"An escalation in geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine, resulting in a tightening of sanctions against Russia, could entail a serious setback for the region." Russia's economy has been hit hard by the spillover from the Ukraine crisis, with the IMF's projected growth rate for 2014 slumping to just 0.2 per cent.
The global lender has halved its 2015 growth forecast for Russia to 0.5 per cent amid fears that Moscow's standoff with the West over Ukraine will continue to take its toll.
The US and EU have slapped the toughest sanctions on Moscow since the Cold War over its support for a separatist uprising in east Ukraine, prompting Moscow to retaliate with embargoes on a wide range of food products from the West.
Massive capital flight from the country is expected to reach some $100 billion in 2014 and to remain high over the next year, the IMF has estimated.
The turmoil has seen the rouble lose a fifth of its value against the dollar since the start of the year, with the national currency on Monday briefly plummeting through the psychologically important mark of 40 to the dollar to reach an all-time low.
Meanwhile inflation has soared to over 8 per cent and looks set to remain elevated in 2015.
"Even without further escalation, prolonged uncertainty could erode confidence, accelerate capital outflows, put pressure on the exchange rate, and further weaken investment and growth, with the adverse spillovers to the rest of the CIS via lower imports, remittances, and foreign direct investment," the IMF said.
Some senior Russian officials have sounded increasingly dire warnings over the country's perilous economic situation but President Vladimir Putin has shown little sign of relenting over Ukraine in a bid to ease the economic woe.
Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev last week warned that the combination of high inflation and feeble growth created an "explosive situation." The head of Russia's largest bank, Sberbank, Herman Gref, himself a former economy minister, warned that Russia could end up collapsing like the Soviet Union.
But many analysts say that Putin appears willing to withstand any economic pressure in his bid to stand up to the West and secure control over Ukraine's industrial heartland in the east.
"All signals from President Putin are that the Russian government is prepared to weather whatever economic storms are necessary in pursuit of its broader objectives in Ukraine," Eurasia Group wrote last week.
Around the region the economic outlook remained grim.
In Ukraine — already in recession since mid-2012 — the fighting in the east has led the IMF to forecast the economy will shrink by 6.5 per cent this year and only recover 1 per cent in 2015.
The Ukrainian hryvnia has lost some 40 per cent of its value against the dollar since the start of the year as inflation has soared.
Neighbouring economies reliant on trade with Moscow will also be hit by fallout from the crisis.
Lower demand from Russia will see pro-Moscow Belarus endure "subdued" growth and Western-leaning Moldova will struggle to bolster its economy, the IMF said.
The knock-on effect will also be felt in ex-Soviet nations such as Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan where remittances from Russia make up a key chunk of the economy.
The oil-rich Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan will also see growth decline as investor confidence remains unsteady on the back of ongoing regional tensions.


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Latest News
Bush sends Congress a partisan agenda
WASHINGTON—President Bush made nice with the Democrats for the television cameras after they won control of Congress, complete with pictures filled with handshakes, smiles and vows of working together. He even tossed Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld over the side, making many people think that maybe he was going to move more toward the center and reach out for bipartisan openings.
But the agenda he's sent to Congress since then is full of Republican proposals that have no chance of winning bipartisan approval, enrage Democrats, rally his conservative base and appear to be intended to paint Democrats as obstructionist.
Bush has resubmitted several judicial nominations that had been blocked even before last week's elections. He's asked again that the Senate confirm John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations. And he's urged approval of warrantless eavesdropping on suspected terrorists without any accommodation to Democrats' demands that a court sign off on the spying.
None of these proposals is expected to win approval in the lame-duck session of the Republican Congress, and all are assured of defeat when the Democrats take over in January.
Bush's proposals could be simply his opening bid in what would be a tough round of negotiations with the Democrats. Or they could be a political gambit designed to frame the Democrats early on as obstructionists while rallying a conservative base dispirited by last week's election losses.
Either way, they contradict the initial post-election image that indicated that Bush was ready to reach out to Democrats.
"I intend to work with the new Congress in a bipartisan way," he said the day after the election. "The message yesterday was clear: The American people want their leaders in Washington to set aside partisan differences, conduct ourselves in an ethical manner and work together to address the challenges facing our nation."
Then this week Bush sent to the Senate four appellate-court nominations that waved a red flag before Democratic bulls. They included:
_U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle of North Carolina, who's been blocked for years by Democrats who accuse him of being hostile to civil rights and often overruled by higher courts.
_William G. Haynes, a former Pentagon general counsel to Rumsfeld, who's been assailed by Democrats for his role in crafting Bush administration policies on detentions and treatment of suspected enemy combatants.
_Michael B. Wallace, a private-practice attorney from Mississippi who was rated unqualified by the American Bar Association and who's been criticized by Democrats as being hostile to civil rights and to the poor.
_William G. Myers, a mining lobbyist from Idaho who's opposed by environmentalists.
"Barely a week after the president promised to change course by working in a bipartisan and cooperative way with Congress, it is disappointing that he has decided to stay the course on judicial nominees," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who'll chair the Senate Judiciary Committee when the Democrats take over in January.
"These are nominees who failed to win confirmation under a Republican-controlled Senate and they were returned to the president. . . . This is exactly the kind of political game-playing that prompted Americans to demand change and a new direction in Washington."
Democrats also chafed at the re-nomination of Bolton. Bolton has served temporarily since Senate Democrats blocked his confirmation in summer 2005 with the help of Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio.
If Democrats think Bush's in-your-face moves will anger voters, at least one Republican strategist countered that they'll be applauded as overdue by conservatives.
"To the party's detriment, we did not run on the issue of judges as much as we should have. It's a winning issue for us," said strategist Keith Appell, who added that Bolton also is popular with conservatives.
"There is a real question as to how enthusiastic the Republican leadership was last year on these nominations. Now there is an opportunity for the Republican leadership in the Senate to re-establish itself with the conservative grassroots by fighting for these nominees."
Even if Bush loses, he wouldn't only rally the party base, Appell said, but a loss would also allow him to argue that Democrats were obstructionists.
"It forces the Democrats to violate their promise of bipartisanship," he said.
Bush also is pushing Congress to ratify his warrantless eavesdropping without any hint of accommodation to Democrats, who want the spying to continue but with court oversight.
White House spokesman Tony Snow defined bipartisanship in that case as the Democrats supporting the president's plan because both parties now share power—and the responsibility to protect the country against terrorists. On Bush's terms.
Bruce Buchanan, a political scientist at the University of Texas who's watched Bush since he was governor, saw Bush's proposals as the opening bid of a high-stakes poker game.
"He's testing the resolve of the Democrats," Buchanan said. "He's operating from his usual habit. He starts with his preferred position and then moves back from there only when he has to. Maybe he thinks he can exploit the Democrats."
Bruce Buchanan, a political scientist at the University of Texas, said he doubts that either side would be successfully or permanently scarred as obstructionist or face a backlash from voters at this early stage, still two years from the next election. Thus, he said, "Bush probably thinks it's too soon to sing Kumbaya with the Democrats."
_William G. Haynes, nominated to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., was assailed by Democrats during his hearings for his role in crafting Bush administration policies on enemy detentions and treatment. He served as general counsel for Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld.
_Michael B. Wallace is an accomplished private-practice attorney from Mississippi and a nominee to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. He was rated unqualified, though, by the American Bar Association—in part because the organization found that he lacked a "commitment to equal justice." Democrats seized on the report as proof that Wallace would be hostile to civil rights and to the poor.
_Federal District Judge Terrence Boyle of North Carolina technically has been waiting more than 15 years to get a seat on the 4th Circuit bench in Richmond. He was nominated by the first President Bush, but never got a hearing. He was re-nominated by the current President Bush in 2001 but was initially blocked by North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who thought the bench needed more African-Americans.
Boyle has been accused of being hostile to civil rights, and Democrats have vowed to filibuster him. The closest he's come to confirmation was a committee vote a year ago. His nomination expired before a floor vote, so he'd need another nod from the committee before a confirmation vote could take place.
_William G. Myers is a mining lobbyist from Idaho, nominated to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Democrats have portrayed him as hostile to environmental interests, a key issue in the Western states covered by the court to which he's nominated. He hasn't gotten a committee vote yet.
_Norman Randy Smith, nominated to the 9th Circuit, and Peter D. Keisler, nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, have been opposed for less partisan reasons, but they'll still likely face opposition.
Smith, a federal district judge from Idaho, was nominated to a seat on the appeals court that Californians traditionally have held. Democrats have opposed him for that reason.
Keisler, a former clerk for Judge Robert Bork and Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, is opposed by Democrats who complain that his resume offers few clues as to what kind of judge he'd be. Some activist groups also criticize his nomination to the D.C. Circuit because he'd occupy a controversial new seat—one that Senate Republicans denied to Harvard Law School Dean Elena Kagan during the Clinton years.
(McClatchy correspondent Stephen Henderson contributed to this report.)
(c) 2006, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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Keith Lemon launches LottoGo.com TV ads
1st October 2018
Exciting times at Annexio as we've just unleashed our LottoGo.com ads featuring funny man and TV personality Keith Lemon!
A series of ads, written by and featuring the much-loved alter-ego of comedian Leigh Francis, have aired to lift the brand profile and encourage visits to the website, LottoGo.com. Filmed in and around London, the entertaining ads (one featuring Leigh Francis' real-life mum) highlight the potential multi-million jackpots available to win with LottoGo.com.
Keith Lemon said: "Had a great time filming the LottoGo.com ads, working with my mum. She is the loveliest lady. She deserves more than a box of chocolates. So, if I did win on LottoGo.com and could clone meself. I would and One of me would stay at home with her and look after her. Aren't I a nice son!"
Check out the other ads to find out what Keith would do if he won the LottoGo.com Jackpot! https://bit.ly/2QEHZGq


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Ghost Recon Wildlands Added Loot Crates And Surprise, They Kinda Suck/
Earlier in the month, Ubisoft announced that the Extended Ops update to Ghost Recon: Wildlands would add 'Battle Crates' to the online open world shooter. Unsurprisingly, they've been with a wave of criticism from players.
Granted, Ubisoft promised these crates would offer cosmetic-only items like gun camos, wearables, and skins inspired by other Ubisoft games, each with varying levels of rarity. If someone wants to play Wildlands dressed as a character from Assassin's Creed then why not.
Unfortunately, after the update dropped yesterday, it seems the battle crates don't work as promised and more damningly, are hella expensive. Unlike Overwatch or Call of Duty or even Star Wars: Battlefront II, you can't earn crates through play or completion of objectives or even using common-tier credits.
Instead, you can only purchase Battle Crates using Ubisoft store credits gained from spending real cash. Currently, 800 credits will set you back $3.49 and that will net you two Battle Crates at 400 credits each. For $13.99 you can get 3840 credits, which is just shy of the 4000 credits needed to get a bundle of ten.
Okay, that seems unsurprisingly terrible. But what else is new? Well Ubisoft promised that duplicates would not be drawn from the crates. They stated: "There are no duplicates in the Battle Crate system. You will only get items you do not already own." This promise is reiterated on the in-game store.
But players have complained on Reddit that they have been scoring duplicates of items they'd already secured from cosmetic packs in the store. A Ubisoft representative got in touch with Kotaku later in the day saying the issue with duplicates has been resolved, and that players should no longer receive duplicates.
However, it's important to note that many of the items drawn from the crate system aren't exclusive to it and can be purchased from the store. Which means the singular reason to try your luck with the crates is the chance of Legendary character skins.
Kotaku's S.E. Doster reports his luck with the system: "I opened a total of fourteen crates, which earned me only one Legendary Rainbow Six Siegeskin. And one crate contained the El Tio devil mask, a duplicate of an item that I already owned." He added that he didn't get much in the way of duplicates, but mostly because he hadn't purchased many cosmetics prior."
"Some crates had unique gun cosmetics, but many crates gave me ugly hats and lame face paint. All in all, I was disappointed. Even without the duplicate items issue, Wildlands' current loot drop system doesn't feel like a good gamble, especially for players who have previously purchased packs of in-game items."


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- NEGOTIATE - Negotiate with the shortlisted venues – we make the venues work hard to earn your business.
- SITE INSPECTION - Organise site inspections at relevant venues as required.
- CONTRACT - Facilitate your contract with the successful venue.
- HANDOVER - Introduce you to your on site Event Coordinator who will continue to work with you on the finer details of your event.
Our service doesn't end after we do a handover with the chosen venue, we provide a safety net reminder service, diarising all your deposit and attrition obligations to assist you in preventing any unnecessary contractual penalties. We also provide you with a rooming list template and other tools as needed.
We are always there for you along the way if you need any further assistance in the lead up to your event. All it takes is one phone call.
full project management
We are also able to provide full project management services at industry competitive rates. Services include:-
- Registration services
- Travel
- Team building
- Sponsorship
- Advertising
- Literature
- Promotional Merchandise
- Audio Visual
- Photography and videography
- Guest speakers
- Partner activities
- Gala dinners
- Trophies
- Many more components tailored to your individual event needs


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Making the Bassmaster Team Championship again, was my most important goal going into the season. My partner Shaun and I won angler of the year for the D&R Sports Series in west Michigan. We were going to Lake Guntersville this year, around 700 miles from home.
We were excited, Guntersville is one of the most famous lakes in the whole country. It holds some giant fish, 8 pounders and 30 pound bags are fairly common! Not to mention a Bassmasters classic berth and some big prize money were on the line.
I had actually been there once before, for my senior year of college spring break. So at least we would be familiar with the lay of the land. We knew it was going to be tough to pin something good down in 1.5 days of practice though. We love fishing grass and Guntersville has plenty of it. We were committed to finding a grass patch full of quality bass. By the end of practice we found several areas that seemed to have decent numbers of fish and a few big ones swimming around.
At the banquet/rules meeting we got our boat # for day 1. Not really what we were hoping for at boat 195 out of 197. We were excited to find no one sitting on one of our primary areas, so we went to work. Unfortunately we made 2 passes through it and never got a bite, so we were off to spot 2. We quickly caught a keeper and then went on a flurry of 3 more. After that we were on a dry spell for quite some time. We made a fairly long run up the lake in hopes we could scrounge one or 2 off a particular grass line. No luck there, so we headed back to our main river ledge to bomb square bill crankbaits and swimbaits. We picked up our limit fish, but couldn't make any culls. Then we got the bite we had been waiting all day for all day. The fish was estimated between 6 and 7lbs and would cull out a 2 pounder. Unfortunately it ended up being a tale of the one that got away instead of the kicker we needed. We ended up weighing 13-10 for the day, definitely not what we wanted but certainly not out of it on this fishery.
Boat numbers were reversed on day 2 so we would be the 3rd boat to leave the dock. This would put us in position to make a gamble for a big bite or 2. Guntersville is famous for big fish catches around bridges, so that's where we were headed first. Our plan was to spend 2 hours on a bridge and then go catch whatever we could on our other areas. However day 2 was exceptionally foggy and was postponed. After we loaded the boat back on the trailer we relaxed for the day and checked out some of the tackle shops around the lake.
Day 3 (which was actually day 2) also brought concerns of a fog delay. But fortunately we were able to go about 10 minutes after the scheduled blast off time. We put the hammer down and headed for the bridge we picked. Unfortunately a local boat was already sitting on the place we preferred to be. We picked the other side and started working. All we could produce was 2 short strikes on a Nemesis Baits jig. Lots of other boats were in the area as well and not a single fish was boated. We eventually bailed on the bridge and headed to the place we had a flurry of activity on day 1. The only problem was they weren't pulling any current, that is key for getting fish to bite on Tennessee river lakes. A couple passes with only short fish and we were out. We were either going to live or die on the area we had the big bite on day 1, since we knew the right fished lived there. It started off pretty quickly there as we put 4 keepers in the livewell. Then it just kind of died, a few short strikes was all we could manage. We finally hooked up again and it was a good one, somewhere between 4 and 5 pounds. Our lucky streak continued and it came off right at the boat. We did eventually put our 5th fish in the boat, giving us a small limit at 11-10. That is not what you come to Lake Guntersville for!
When all was said and done we would finish 79th out of 197, and those 2 lost bites would have put us in check range for sure. One saving grace was our buds Chris and Tim won the whole tournament! They also qualified through the D&R Sports Series as the Classic Champions. One of my main goals for 2016 is definitely to get back to this tournament for the 3rd year in a row. I'm looking forward to that challenge!
Jeff Elliott - Team Reel 'n Smoke Member


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Pro Dog Academy offers all phases of training and behavior modification. Our dog training school also offers one-on-one as well as bootcamp for our training clients. All dog training programs are specifically designed for you and your dog's needs. As with the other training programs offered at Pro Dog Academy, our training classes start with an evaluation of your dog's temperament and aptitude, as well as a discussion of what your family's needs and goals are. Every dog is treated as an individual, and training is carried out accordingly. Most dogs want nothing more than to please their people, and most people don't know how to communicate their wishes to their dog. Pro Dog Academy helps teach the dog what humans want, and teach humans how to engage their dog and keep them engaged when communicating.
Phone: 561-352-7105561-352-7105


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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Stalking is a crime that affects more than 7.5-million victims a year, and January is national stalking awareness month. Kim Case with the Missouri Sheriff's Office stopped by the morning show with information many people are not aware of. According to Kim, two-thirds of stalkers pursue their victims at least once per week -- many daily. Weapons are used to harm or threaten victims in one out of five cases, and one in eight stalking victims lose time from work as a result. Kim also says 11- percent of victims have been stalked for five years or more.
If you think you are being stalked and need help, click here for a list of resources.
39.099727 -94.578567


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Children's Injuries
If you as a parent have experienced the heartbreak of watching your child suffer due to an injury caused by the negligence of another, then you know how helpless and vulnerable you can feel. You want to help your child but may not know the best way to get help or how to go about it. Getting help means dealing with complex legal issues and a thorough investigative process. You should have to focus on nothing more than caring for your child. You can You need the resources of the children's injuries attorneys at the Galbreath Law Firm.
Your child may have been injured in any number of ways. The injury may be the result of a product that malfunctioned. Defective and dangerous children's products have resulted in numerous injuries and the recalls of those items. Cribs with drop down sides have malfunctioned and some car seats for kids have been known to perform improperly leading to injury and sadly, even some incidents have resulted in the death of a child. Some of the cribs carried the name of a brand that we all know and trust. Those cribs have now been recalled. These are just a couple of examples of how faulty products can harm your child. Other types of negligence also lead to children's injuries. Your child may have been given inappropriately prescribed drugs, or been involved in an auto accident. It does not matter how your child came to be injured. From negligent manufacturers and doctors to careless drivers, if negligence was involved in any way, you have a right to seek compensation in most cases.
The Children's Injuries Attorneys at the Galbreath Law Firm will treat you, your family and your case with the same care they would give to their own family. We treat each potential case with the dedication and professionalism that it deserves. We have the resources, experience, knowledge and compassion to help you get all of the compensation that you and your child deserve.
The Galbreath Law Firm provides their services to clients throughout the State of Texas including but not limited to the cities of Abilene, Sweetwater, Brownwood, Coleman, and Eastland. Counties include but are not limited to Taylor County, Nolan County, Brown County, Coleman County, and Eastland County.
The Galbreath Law Firm is located @ 4542 Loop 322 #102, Abilene, TX 79602. Initial consultations are free. Give our offices a call at 325-437-7000


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Revenue Surplus Predicted by LAO Could Go to Health Programs
A new Legislative Analyst's Office report predicts the state will have $1.1 billion more for discretionary spending than previously estimated, the Los Angeles Times' "PolitiCal" reports.
Democratic lawmakers in the state are expected to urge Gov. Jerry Brown (D) to use the additional money to increase spending on government programs, such as public health care (Megerian, "PolitiCal," Los Angeles Times, 5/19).
Details of Report
LAO estimates that California will receive about $3.1 billion more in tax revenue than the $113.3 billion projected in Brown's revised fiscal year 2015-2016 budget plan (Miller, "Capitol Alert," Sacramento Bee, 5/18).
A previous LAO report projected that California was on pace to exceed revenue estimates in Brown's original FY 2015-2016 budget proposal by about $4 billion.
Under a California school funding law, schools and community colleges would receive most of the state's extra tax revenue (California Healthline, 4/27).
According to "PolitiCal," the extra school and community college funding would amount to about $660 million. Meanwhile, $1.5 billion would be diverted into the state's rainy-day fund and used for debt payments.
After setting aside those funds, the state would be left with about $1.1 billion for lawmakers and Brown to decide how to spend, according to the report.
Dems To Push for Government Services Spending
According to "PolitiCal," the surplus in discretionary funding likely will spark debate among lawmakers on how to use the money.
For example, Democrats likely will seek additional funding for government programs, including:
- Child care services; and
- Public health care for undocumented immigrants ("PolitiCal," Los Angeles Times, 5/19).


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Kids Alpaca Flower Headband, Blue Hand crochet
Delicate blue rose headband made with alpaca for your precious little girl. Soft and lovely two shades of blue color, one of a kind headband.
Material: 100% Alpaca
Size: 6-18 mo
Color: light and medium blue
Hand made in the USA
Gently hand wash in slightly warm or cold water. Use shampoo or mild soap if needed. Soak. Do not agitate. Flat dry.
Only 1 left in stock
Additional information
|0.6 lbs
There are no reviews yet.


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Sports Law
His expertise in personal injury, insurance and cases involving highly technical issues has resulted in his being instructed in a wide range of sports cases from F1 motor racing to "It's a Knock-Out" type events (Participant diving head-first into a shallow pool rendered paraplegic – Uren v Corporate Leisure Ltd and MOD [2010] EWHC 46, [2011] EWCA Civ 66 and [2013] EWHC 353) and physical team-bonding activities (Participants negotiating a high wall on an assault course while roped together – serious back injury sustained by a female participant).
These cases have included insurance disputes relating to career-ending footballing injuries (Southampton Leisure Holdings PLC v Avon Insurance), and others have involved accidents arising from mountain biking (Sudden fracture of handlebar causing accident and brain damage to rider – Ide v ATB Sales [2007] EWHC 1667 and [2008] EWCA Civ 424), motorcycling (Sudden failure of swinging arm of motorcycle resulting in accident and serious injury to rider), swimming (Near-fatal drowning incident in pool – issues as to safety systems and supervision), diving (Serious neck injuries in cases involving Claimants diving into shallow reservoir and pond on common land respectively), leisure flying (Helicopter crash in poor weather in UK – Stevens v Allianz and Chaucer Syndicates), horse riding (Issue as to suitability of horse for inexperienced rider who was injured when horse bolted) and weight training (Injury while using gym machine. Issue as to safety of the equipment and quality of supervision).
Selected CasesView full profile »
"The consummate QC, there is no better"
Legal 500 2018
"Highly knowledgeable in his field. Very thorough. He provides a pragmatic analysis of the issues informed by his wealth of experience."
Legal 500 2017
"He is held in high regard for his tactical skills and steely determination – you want him on your side."
Chambers & Partners 2016
"He's extremely knowledgeable, easy to talk to and has a very good presence in court – all the things you would look for in a barrister."
Chambers & Partners 2016
He manages expectations well, gives it to the client straight and is charming in court and in conference. He is confidence-inspiring and intellectually rock hard. Unflappable, easy to talk to and responsive".
Chambers & Partners 2015
"Very well versed in insurance policy disputes."
Legal 500 2015
"He has gravitas and a superbly sharp legal brain."
Legal 500 2015
"Rated very highly across a range of professional negligence disputes."
Legal 500 2015
Richard "has an astonishing grasp of detail."
Chambers & Partners 2014
"A very sophisticated operator [with] great client skills."
Chambers & Partners 2014
"Recommended for issues pertaining to product liability."
Legal 500 2014
"A pre-eminent leader in the defendant personal injury market."
Chambers & Partners 2013


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What does the choosing of Israel and the choosing of Christ have to do with God choosing us? In our second week on the controversial topics of divine election and predestination, Pastor Brad unpacks a third view (the one to which he ascribes)--Corporate Election.
Take some time in your group to read Romans 10:1-13. How does this tie into the below description of corporate election and predestination, which Brad shared in church on Sunday? What questions are you left with? How were you challenges? Read the below paragraph as a reminder: The relationship of corporate election and predestination could be compared to a ship (i.e., the church, the body of Christ) on its way to its future and final destination (i.e., conformity to the image of Christ). The ship is chosen by God to be his very own vessel. Christ is the chosen Captain and Pilot of this chosen ship. God desires that everyone would come aboard this ship and has graciously made provisions for them to do so through its Captain. Only those who place their trust in the Captain of the ship are welcomed to come on board. As long as they remain on the ship, through a living faith in the ship's Captain, they are among the elect. If they choose to abandon the ship and its Captain through unbelief, they cease to be among the elect. Election is experienced only in union with the Captain and his ship. Predestination tells us about the ship's future direction and final destination that God has prepared for those remaining on it. God, out of his immense love, invites everyone to come aboard the ship through faith in the ship's Captain, Jesus Christ.
Pick one person from your group to slowly read through Romans 10:10-13 a total of three times. The group members should make themselves comfortable and relaxed. The first time you read through the text just listen. During the second reading pay attention to the words or phrases that stand out to you. After reading the passage a third time allow some space to ponder what this passage is speaking to you. Why did the particular words or phrases stand out to you? What does this tell you about God? Yourself? Salvation? After sitting with these questions take some time to share with the rest of your group members.
After the discussion simply take some time to pray for one another. After listening to these sermons and reviewing the scripture passages today what do you feel like God is inviting you into? Where did you notice nudges to more fully live into Romans 10:1-13?


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Picture this…
The sun setting over the Pacific ocean reflects a golden glow back onto the rocky cliff faces of Los Arcos National Marine Park, where thousands of endemic birds who have nested there suddenly taken flight and are circling high into the sky above you.
After dusk, you gaze down from the star filled sky to see that the waters have come alive—you've been gifted a chance to observe bioluminescent waters within and around the sea caves and grottos of Los Arcos.
Our Sunset Session is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that's not to be missed and never to be forgotten.
The basics
WHAT • A three-hour guided night paddle excursion at sunset
WHEN • Available Wednesday through Sunday, an hour before dusk
WHERE • Paddle Zone in Mismaloya & Los Arcos National Marine Park
COST • 1200 MXN pesos per person
The details
Our team will welcome you 30 minutes before your scheduled departure from our little surf shop on Mismaloya Beach, seven miles south of Puerto Vallarta. Once you arrive, we will introduce you to the ways of the water with a short introductory paddle lesson. Then, we will gear up for a brief paddle from Mismaloya Beach to the neighboring islands of Los Arcos National Marine Park. Either along the way or once in Los Arcos, the sun will set. And, from there, you will spend some time exploring the caves and grottos of the area while receiving historical and biological information from your guide. The most magical aspect, as we've been told by our clients, is when they have a chance to observe the natural phenomena of bioluminescent life in the water—it is a once in a lifetime experience most tell us fervently that they'll never forget.
Our Sunset Session lasts for about three hours and logs a total distance of about 2-3 nautical miles.
The cost for this experience is 1200 MXN pesos per person
Equipment rental (board, leash, paddle, or kayak + mask and PaddleLit light belt)
Professional tour guide with personalized service
Snack bar and refreshments on the water
Mexican hot cacao tea and traditional sweet snacks upon your return to our shop
One digital GoPro photo souvenir taken on your excursion (with additional photo packages available for purchase)
A secure place to store your belongings during your tour
PLUS, a complimentary paddle boarding lesson is included to you at no additional cost
Comfortable bathing suit or water clothing to move and get wet in
Dry change of clothes
Towel to dry off
(Optional) A cellphone with sufficient space, should you choose to take home our photo package
(Optional) A flashlight for the walk down the beach back to your preferred type of transportation
Also—please note…
No previous paddle experience is required to participate in this offering.
Ages 15+ on their own equipment.
Children and Minors Aged 5-14 are allowed if accompanied by guardian on the same equipment (Age 18 or older) and receive half-off the price of the full tour.
The exact times available for this tour change depending on the season, so please book your trip in advance to confirm the time of your departure.
Gratuity is not included in the price of your tour.
Please refer to our company's terms and policies for additional details on the conditions of your booking.


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Game Bytes :: November 24, 2018 :: BlActivision
LeGrande and Jeremy stumble out of their turkey-induced stupor and conscientious objections to bring you the important things in life: video game news! Beginnings and ends of eras with Kingdom Hearts, Rockstar's Agent, and Steam Link, funding numbers and sales numbers, strife in the house of ActiBlizzard, a fairly solid PS5 rumor, and a celebrity has been tweeting about the hardcore game she's been playing! We lay out the new releases, and have a good discussion about our preferences in platform emulation!
Intro: "Magnificent 7 (Climax Mix)" – Bayonetta, by Norihiko Hibino, Takahiro Izutani, Masami Ueda, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Rei Kondoh, Takayasu Sodeoka, Erina Niwa, Yoshitaka Suzuki, Naoto Tanaka
Outro: "Alpine Ridge" – Spyro Trilogy Reignited, by Stewart Copeland; remixed by Stephan Vankov
Check out our Discord community at https://discord.gg/ZTzKH8y


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BMW modelcars 1/18
A bit foggy and shiny morning created a beautiful light and atmosphere for another set of pictures. This time BMW M235i M Performance (GT Spirit) played its main role. Both on and beneath a view tower BMW M235i showed its unique shapes. Even if it is not a pure M2 (maybe someday in the future ;-) ), its curves, wheels, exhausts and many other additional parts say that this car doesn't like the inside lane of a highway... Notice M Performance on the side skirts.


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Product Comparison: Samsung Gear VR (2015) vs Samsung Gear VR (2016)
General Specifications
Gear VR (2015)
Gear VR (2016)
About the Product
Buy and watch hundreds of Hollywood movies & TV shows in Oculus Cinema. In Oculus Video, watch 2D videos including trailers, clips, and your own movie files in a completely new way. You can choose from multiple VR theater environments including a home theater, a huge screen theater, and even the surface of the moon!
The Gear VR turns your Samsung Galaxy smartphone into a completely portable and wireless virtual reality machine by snapping your phone into the headset. The immersive Super AMOLED screen plus a powerful processor create vivid surroundings and movements so realistic, you'll feel like you've been dropped right into the center of the action.
Key Specs
Movement Tracking
Control Type
Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity (Mount/Unmount Detection)
Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity (Mount/Unmount Detection)
What customers say about "Key Specs"
Samsung Gear VR (2015) Virtual Reality Headset
- Using Oculus cinema, you can choose theater themes AND in the VOID mode, you can adjust the size of the screen and make the screen follow your movements (to stay centered) even if you are reclining back in your easy chair!
- Adjustments for focus can be made with the focus wheel.
- You can play back 3D SBS videos by creating a folder called 3D inside of the movies folder and placing the 3D videos in that folder.
- The combination of the goggle sensors and the phone sensors are really amazingly good at tracking your head movements.
- Without a remote, your hand/arm will tire quickly of moving around in-game.
- No IPD adjustments to allow you to adjust eye spacing. This feature would surely improve the viewing experience and reduce eye strain.
Samsung Gear VR (2016)
- VR is far more immersive than the Google Cardboard.
- Controlling on screen avatars adds another element to video games
- The built in VR cinema is interesting.The 360 viewing is awesome.
- The value is good, it is a couple lenses, some sensors, and some controls.
- I've never gotten motion sickness until I used this. Used it for maybe 5 minutes to set it up and now i wanna vomit.
- It's a pain to use if you don't have the controller.
- It came without controller.
Size & Weight
Frost White
3.65 in.
3.88 in.
7.95 in.
8.18 in.
4.58 in.
4.82 in.
17 oz.
12.1 oz.
What customers say about "Size & Weight"
Samsung Gear VR (2015) Virtual Reality Headset
- The straps are easily adjusted when switching users.
- It's pretty comfortable to wear.
- It's not heavy though I could see that after an hour and a half you may want to take a break
- For people with smaller faces, the weight of the device starts to hurt/pinch a bit after 15 min or so.
- The headset itself is lightweight but after a while you start to notice the weight of it a little more.
Samsung Gear VR (2016)
- Pretty comfortable to wear, didn't notice any fatigue after an hour of gameplay
- The weight of the device was OK and the straps, when adjusted, worked as expected.
- The device is comfortable and well supported when it is on your face. I
- It's way too heavy. It gave me a headache just from the weight of the device.
- I was a bit concerned with fatigue from the weight of the headset, but it is unsubstantial
Field Of View
96 °
101 °
Focus Adjustment Wheel
Interpupillary Distance Adjustment
Touch panel, Back button, Volume buttons
Touch panel, Home button, Back button, Volume buttons
360° viewing, Compatible with samsung galaxy devices, Virtual Reality Anywhere
360° viewing, Powered by Oculus, Compatible with samsung galaxy devices
Adjustable Headband
Integrated Speaker(s)
Integrated Microphone
Power Source
Need no power supply
Need no power supply
What customers say about "Features"
Samsung Gear VR (2015) Virtual Reality Headset
- Oculus makes it very easy to maneuver the home menu and I had no problems downloading a few free games right out of the package
- Software integration is fairly well implemented.
- Partnership with Oculus adds high end features and apps such as Netflix VR and other Oculus / GearVR exclusives.
- Integration with the Samsung phone is fantastic. Built-in controller pad, home/back button, volume controllers. Control Panel within the VR software environment as well.
- External controls! You can select applications, change the volume, re-orient the screen, go back to previous menus, play games, and more without ever taking the headset off. This is a BIG DEAL!
- Only supports a few specific models
- Lacking content on the app store, in particular, it would be nice to have a few demos!
- Tends to overheat after 45mins-1hour+ of use especially if any other application or download is running on phone.
Samsung Gear VR (2016)
- Being able to move your head to look around an environment is pretty damn impressive
- Fairly easy to set up and use. I followed the user's manual directions and it took me about 10 or 15 minutes to get it set up and working.
- The Home button and mouse pad were easy to access/find while using the Gear VR. It was easy to navigate using the controls.
- I love that this device has a charger port so that you can plug in your phone charger while in use to preserve the battery (it's a battery hog).
- Installation is kind of inconvenient, and the Oculus app can't be installed before the headset arrives.
- Suffers from a lack of YouTube app.
- VR Cinema does not support Play Movies, Amazon Video, Vudu, or any other popular movie streaming services.
Warranty / Certifications
Manufacturer Warranty
1 year(s)
1 year(s)
Other Information
Price History
Popular Comparisons
Zeiss Cinemizer OLED (1909-127) Multimedia Video Glassesvs
Sony HMZ-T1 Personal 3D Viewer
Google Cardboard Officialvs
Google Daydream View
Google Daydream Viewvs
Samsung Gear VR (2017) Virtual Reality Headset with Controller
Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headsetvs
Fat Shark Attitude V4 Anniversary Edition FPV Goggles, Red
Google Cardboard Officialvs
Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headset
Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headsetvs
Samsung Gear VR (2017) Virtual Reality Headset with Controller
Samsung HMD Odyssey Windows Mixed Reality Headset with 2 Wireless Controllersvs
HTC VIVE Virtual Reality System
Sony PlayStation VR Virtual Headsetvs
Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headset
HTC VIVE Virtual Reality Systemvs
Sony PlayStation VR Virtual Headset
HTC VIVE Virtual Reality Systemvs
Oculus Rift + Touch Virtual Reality System
Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headsetvs
HTC VIVE Virtual Reality System
Oculus Go Standalone Virtual Reality Headset - 64GBvs
Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headset


text: "I knew right after I got engaged that the engagement photos we had taken needed to reflect our personalities, goofiness, and love and that is exactly what Andra gave us. She fulfilled my vision entirely and was so easy and fun to work with! The photos turned out stunning and we will cherish them forever and I would recommend her to anyone and will definitely be using her again in the future!" -Hayley engagements


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What are the real differences between "native" and "non-native" English teachers? How did we end up with these distinctions in our industry? And what should we be doing about discrimination? We meet with Dave Weller to discuss the issues surrounding "native" and "non-native" English teachers such as attitudes of parents and teachers, the responsibilities of language schools and how to change opinions.
Our references for this episode....
Ross' research about opinions on "native" and "non-native" English teachers in China
Watch Silvana Richardson IATEFL Plenary "The 'native factor', the haves and the have-nots"
"Native" / "Non‑Native" English Teachers ‑ Different Perspectives and Responsibilities (with Dave Weller) - Transcript
Tracy: Hello, everyone.
Ross Thorburn: Hi, folks.
Tracy: Today, we've got our regular podcast guest...
Both: Dave Weller.
Ross: Hello, Dave.
Dave Weller: Hello, everybody. I was trying not to say hurrah again.
Dave: Regular listeners will know what I mean.
Ross: Dave's here this week to talk with us about a rather controversial issue...
Tracy: Which is native English speaking‑teachers versus non‑native English‑speaking teachers.
Ross: Today, we've got three questions. The first one is what's all the fuss about? Second...
Tracy: What do the parents and the students think about it? The third one...
Ross: What can managers and schools do about it?
What's the "Native" / "Non native Teacher" debate about?
Ross: Guys, what's the debate about?
Tracy: Based on my understanding, just schools, parents, teachers and students feel a different mode of English ‑‑ native or non‑native...They've got advantages and disadvantages. So it seems more people, native English‑speaking teachers and have a better model of English.
Ross: As well as that, it seems like there's a bit of a tendency in the industry that native speakers who are teachers will tend to get paid more. Native speakers who are teachers will tend to be given more opportunities.
Dave: Actually, I read about a study that looks at higher education institutions in the UK. They found over 70 percent of them made hiring decisions for staff based on whether they were native or non‑native speakers.
Ross: That doesn't surprise me a lot. It's almost like our whole methodology and approach to teaching language, doing everything in the students' L2, is almost based around having native‑speaking teachers, right?
Dave: Definitely. It goes really deep. Again, there's different levels of it. It's fine if it just stayed as an opinion, but once it turns into action, policy and systems, that's where discrimination kicks in. It becomes distinctly unfair and entrenched within our industry. Despite being what a lot of people think of as a very nice and liberal industry, it hides quite a lot of trade dark secrets.
Ross: Interestingly, if you do any reading on this, you find that it becomes very difficult to define what a native speaker actually is. One thing that you can't deny is that the person grew up speaking English, but when you start to look at other criteria, they're very, very woolly.
It tends to be things like they can be creative with language, they don't have a foreign accent, they're aware of the culture of the language. All these things, which clearly, it's possible...
Dave: Of course. Non‑native speakers have that as well.
Ross: Ultimately, you get to this point where, really, the only difference between the two is that one of them grew up speaking English, and one didn't. Which, if you're learning English from someone, is pretty irrelevant, isn't it, what language or what they did in their childhood. Who cares about that?
Dave: Precisely. All you really care about is how good they are as a teacher, how well then can connect with you in the classroom, they can motivate you, and all the other things that go into making up a good teacher.
This whole argument actually needs to be rephrased into clearer lines. Silvana Richardson mentioned in her IATEFL that we need a new word for non‑native speakers. For me, that word would just be English teachers.
There's no point devolving that word into finer detail. You should actually go back up the chain. We're all English teachers. Just some of us have different skills and backgrounds than others.
If we were to do that, it would solve a lot of these problems. When you talk about a teacher, you can, "OK, which language can they speak and at what level?" That way, you can say, "Well, in the old parlance, there's this native‑speaking teacher who can speak a little bit of the learner's L1, but not to their level.
"Then there's a native speaker who can't speak any. Then there's a non‑native speaker who is local to the area. Then there's a non‑native speaker that isn't local from the area."
Ross: Part of it is linguistic determinism. The Sapir‑Whorf hypothesis, made famous by the recent movie ‑‑ "Arrival." This idea that because of the language that we use, that we have to describe the teachers as native and non‑native teachers or speakers, that's the thing that we end up focusing on.
If we changed it, and say, we called them monolingual or bilingual teachers, then which of those would you have a preference for?
Dave: I agree to a point, but this is why I might be against that. I can't say everything goes as you plan. Then in 20 years' time, you actually might get a reverse situation where there's prejudice against native speakers because of the bilingualism versus monolingualism.
All I think you should do is revert back to the phrase teachers and then what skills does that teacher have.
What do parents and the students think about "Native" / "Non- native Teachers"?
Ross: Interesting in that the research I've done on this and the survey where I looked at parents, students, teachers, and sales and service staff, and asked every group, I had a bunch of different attributes in there.
For example, attitudes, qualifications, personalities, relationship with students, being native speakers, what people look like, their nationality, and their ability to speak the student's L1.
The number one thing was definitely not being a native speaker. That ranked about number three or number four in people's preference. The native or non‑native speaker is...people use that as a proxy.
It's something that if you don't know anything about the industry, then you can relate to that very, very easily, but if you're a parent and you don't know anything about language learning, you're not going to know what qualifications the teachers should have.
It's very difficult to see what the teachers' attitudes are or their personalities, if any, or of those things. It is quite simple to check. Is this person a native speaker or not?
Dave: I find it fascinating. To go back to non‑native speakerism for a second, I was reading some of Adrian Holliday's work. He said that it started out as almost a marketing ploy from various aid agencies back in the '60s to propagate the idea that native speakers were the best model.
In which case, that obviously links up to the idea that Silvana Richardson said in her plenary that we can change the perception in the industry. All it takes is a little time.
With research that backs this up ‑‑ research coming out that actually says that it's not just OK, but beneficial to use L1 in the classroom ‑‑ you put those things together, then this is the way forward to actually eradicate bias in our industry.
Ross: Let me play you that quote from Silvana now.
Silvana Richardson: Employers always have choices. Collusion with inequality and prejudice is a choice. Discrimination is a choice. As Rajagopalan says, "In our neoliberal world, who will dare challenge what the market dictates?"
The answer to this is, just because the market is demanding certain things, it does not mean that the market itself cannot be made to perceive things differently.
Ross: Do you think that's true? Is that realistic though, that the market can be made to perceive...
Dave: Of course, it is. Yeah, definitely. If you look on an individual on a mass scale, how many times have we changed our minds over the course of our professional development over the last 10, 15 years?
Precisely, it's the same thing with the industry. Industries change, ideas change, views change. It happens usually, I would argue, from the ground up rather than direct from above, especially in an industry such as ours which is quite fragmented and has no overarching body to dictate the standards.
Tracy: I still think there is a huge market, because you just look at the education companies doing online or offline. The business...they create the scenario, and having native English teachers is the better choice.
Ross: In that case, do you think it's an easier or difficult or a long or short task to change the way that Chinese parents and students see local teachers?
Tracy: It's going to be a long way. I have to say all the non‑native teachers need to work really hard, because if you constantly made the mistakes, and you constantly misspell the word, and you constantly use the utterances or expressions that people don't normally use, and use those language to teach your students, there is a problem.
Ross: It's so unfair, because I see a lot of really bad native‑speaking teachers [laughs] who don't get picked up on making teaching mistakes or methodological mistakes.
Dave: Or even language mistakes of teaching language which is highly improbable, possible but doesn't often get used. They end up teaching...It's, maybe, not going technically wrong, but you'll hear people teaching language that never gets used.
Ross: They're from one particular part of the Deep South in America and they use a phrase that only them and their family and the people in that village use and are like, "I've never heard it before."
I don't see them getting picked up on those mistakes. They tend to get a free pass because they're a native speaker. That's really unfair.
Tracy: A lot of teachers or parents always say, "Oh, I want my student or my child to speak Standard English," or "All the students should learn Standard English."
Dave: There's no such thing anymore, is there?
Ross: I don't think so. Is that a cultural concept that exists in China? There is a standard Chinese, but there's no Standard English.
Dave: Let's play devil's advocate just for a second. I can clearly understand what they mean though. Even though we're looking at it from a technician's point of view, we're looking at it from a point of view of professionals in the industry. What parents mean...it's almost like the shadows on Plato's cave, to take it deep for a second.
The concept of a horse, despite all horses can look slightly different...Again, they're using that term as a proxy of an English that will be understood around the world. No matter where they go, it'll be effortless to be able to communicate with other English‑speaking teachers and not be hindered in any way through pronunciation or grammar or phrase. That's shorthand for what they're trying to say.
Ross: Indeed, but is it not also the case that a very, very small percentage of learners will learn English or an accent or something to the point where they're at that level of, "Oh, I want to sound English" or "I want to sound American," but, really, for most of the students I've taught, even after years, they sound Chinese, because...
Dave: Maybe your students, Ross.
Dave: Sorry, that's such a flippant answer. No, I completely agree with your point. In fact, I'd even add to that and say, it's not about increasing their level. It's about teaching the skills to grade their language if they do encounter another non‑native speaker who has trouble understanding their accent, maybe because they're from a quite different culture. Again, you're arguing against a perception and a belief.
What can managers and schools do about "Native" / Non-native Teacher" discrimination
Ross: Can we talk for a minute about language schools and, maybe, what language schools can do about that? I've got another Silvana quote for you. Do you mind if I play this briefly?
Dave: Please do.
Silvana: This is part of the California/Nevada's position paper opposing discrimination against non‑native English speaking teachers. It says, "Teaching job announcements that indicate a preference or requirement for a native speaker of English trivialize the professional development teachers have received and teaching experience they have already acquired.
Such announcements are also discriminatory and ultimately harm all teachers ‑‑ native or not ‑‑ by devaluing teacher education, professionalism, and experience.
Ross: To what extent do you guys agree or disagree with that?
Dave: 100 percent. Again, I really speak with authority from my background, which is as a native speaker. Again, it does trivialize my experience and the amount of work I've put in over the last 15 years of professional development, studying...
Ross: Getting qualifications and things...
Dave: Precisely. The extra work I've put in ‑‑ thousands of hours ‑‑ and then to be reduced to being called, "He's a native speaker. He'll do."
Ross: It still happens so often. Tracy, you had something like that a few weeks ago over organizing a teacher training thing here. Again, you've obviously got your diploma, you're studying your MA, you've been a tutor and a course director on accredited courses.
The people running the course said, "Oh, can you make sure there's a native speaker or foreigner for at least half the course?"
Dave: Who's just finished a 40‑hour online course, perhaps.
Ross: Or maybe not even that. Isn't it fascinating that that still persists?
Tracy: They even didn't care about what qualifications or experience they have. Also interesting, the person from the organization even asked me, "Can you tell me more about this trainer?"
I said, "OK. Maybe I can ask this person to send the CV, send the training, teaching experience." She said, "We really don't care about it. Just tell me his age, which country he's from, and also if he's white or black."
Ross: What about on the flip side for a minute then, Dave? As someone who used to be a director of studies before in a school where you had to make hiring decisions, where's this balance? Were you ever in some tough situations there?
Dave: [laughs] Yes.
Ross: How did that work out then?
Dave: The thing is, as a manager ‑‑ anyone who's been a manager, I'm sure, can relate to this ‑‑ you have to pick and choose your battles. That was the one that I'll actually go to bat for.
If you had several candidates and various degrees of discrimination in different things as one that Tracy mentioned earlier about someone's skin color, also about non‑native speaking teachers, you just go and not actually ask if these persons' qualified, they're capable, they've gone through the interview process, and that they would be a good fit for this team, they'd be a good fit for this country, and they'd be a great fit for our school.
Then you'd put your foot down. You'd have an argument, almost, with the culture of the school. If you won ‑‑ sometimes you did, sometimes you didn't ‑‑ often, unfortunately, it depended on how badly the school needed teachers, and how many classes waiting you had, how many students waiting to start class.
Unfortunately, it was usually the deciding factor. Once the teacher arrived, whereas the students after a few lessons, would be delighted with the experienced teacher, the parents would turn and become delighted and insist on having that teacher as a future teacher for their children.
What's does the future hold for "Non-native English teachers"?
Dave: It's always sad that we actually have to do this, or that it's something that we do have to get passionate about. Do spread the word on.
I'm very optimistic about it. I like to think there are enough people out there that people will go back, spread the word, and take small actions. There will be this groundswell of people that do this.
Ross: All right, Dave, thanks very much for coming on. It was a pleasure talking to you again.
Dave: It's a pleasure to be here, as always. Thank you.
[background music]
Tracy: Thanks, Dave. Bye, everybody.
Ross: Bye.
Tracy: For more podcasts, videos, and blogs, visit our website...
Both: Www.tefltraininginstitute.com.
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Ross: If you enjoyed our podcast, please rate us on iTunes.
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