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Much has been and is being written about glyphosate-tolerant weeds in the southern US. Articles about the subject appear regularly in numerous agricultural publications. There is general agreement among weed scientists that glyphosate tolerance in weeds will become a major factor in weed management, and that currently it is more critical for cotton than for soybean production.
The following content is presented in concert with Trey Koger, USDA-ARS research agronomist at Stoneville, MS; Dan Poston, MAFES weed scientist/soybean specialist at Stoneville; and Eric Walker, USDA-ARS research agronomist at Jackson, TN. These young colleagues, trained as weed scientists, provide valuable insights into the problem and how it can be addressed in soybean production systems. They are involved in soybean research and are working toward the development of production systems that sustain/improve profitability of soybean culture in the midsouth. Thus, glyphosate-tolerant weeds are of paramount importance to them.
For the last decade, soybean producers have spent a decreasing percentage of total production costs on weed control because of Roundup-Ready technology and the advent of generic glyphosate. This phenomenal accomplishment has offset cost escalations for other inputs, allowing soybean producers to continue to make a reasonable profit. The flexibility and simplicity of using glyphosate, plus the normally excellent weed control from its use, have allowed growers to give more attention to other factors such as disease, insect, and irrigation management.
Presently, glyphosate-tolerance concerns are associated with the broadleaf weeds horseweed (marestail), several pigweed species, and common ragweed. There is documented ryegrass resistance/tolerance as well. The advent of glyphosate-tolerant horseweed has occurred in conjunction with reduced-tillage cropping systems.
Soybean production practices will have to change if glyphosate-tolerant weeds begin to affect yield. These changes likely will involve increased preplant tillage and the inclusion of non-glyphosate herbicides in weed management systems; both will increase production costs. Due to erosiveness of soils in some areas of the midsouth and escalating fuel costs, increased tillage for preplant weed control may not be environmentally and/or economically acceptable.
The most sensible approach to control and/or prevent glyphosate-tolerant weeds in soybean production systems is to change herbicide weed management and/or adopt a crop rotation program. A rotation of soybeans followed by corn, with weed management in corn using atrazine or herbicides other than glyphosate, could help reduce the development of glyphosate-tolerant weeds. Atrazine is still commonly used in glyphosate-tolerant and conventional corn due to its broad-spectrum weed control and low price.
The accompanying table presents representative weed management systems for soybeans, along with their costs. Costs for herbicides are a composite from several sources, and thus may not represent the actual cost for an individual producer. However, we believe they are reasonable representations for the purpose of this article.
The cheapest system, of course, uses glyphosate for both pre- and post-plant weed control. Where weed tolerance does not occur and is not anticipated, this system can and should be used for obvious economic reasons.
Presently, the efficacy, safety, and economics of a glyphosate-only weed management system for soybeans make it the best option, and it should be used to the fullest extent possible. However, to preserve this technology, producers must continually monitor fields for changes in control by glyphosate. If weeds that were previously controlled by glyphosate survive an application, producers should make note of the timing, rate, sprayer settings, and spraying conditions at the time of application. If warranted, this system should be supplemented or replaced with alternative weed management strategies.
One alternative system involves replacing or supplementing glyphosate in the preplant or burndown portion of weed management. Examples in the table use Ignite or Gramoxone to replace glyphosate, 2,4-D or Clarity (dicamba) to supplement glyphosate, and the residual herbicide Valor added to glyphosate and 2,4-D. All of these non-glyphosate herbicides have good activity on broadleaf weeds, including those with proven tolerance to glyphosate. However, environmental conditions can influence efficacy of Ignite and Gramoxone, and excellent spray coverage with both products is required to achieve optimal performance. With each of these burndown changes, post-plant glyphosate is used to control in-season weeds. Costs for this system with alternative preplant herbicides range from about $2.50 to $8 per acre greater than the cost for a total glyphosate weed management system.
The increased cost of the three-way mixture of glyphosate, 2,4-D, and Valor is somewhat offset by the elimination of a possible additional burndown at planting and an in-season glyphosate application. According to Poston, residual herbicides prevent flushes of weeds like glyphosate-tolerant horseweed that may emerge between burndown and planting. He also states that net returns for early-planted soybeans in Mississippi are typically higher when residual herbicides are used in preplant burndown programs. Koger proposes that other residual herbicides such as Prowl can be used to prevent horseweed from germinating between burndown and planting.
A second alternative system uses glyphosate and non-glyphosate herbicides applied preplant, non-glyphosate herbicides (FirstRate, Canopy, and Canopy XL) applied preemergence, and glyphosate applied postemergence. The FirstRate label indicates control of all weeds presently exhibiting tolerance to glyphosate, while the Canopy and Canopy XL labels do not show control of horseweed. However, either 2,4-D or Clarity included in the burndown application will control horseweed. Costs for this system range from about $14 to $22 per acre greater than the cost for the glyphosate-only system, and about $9 to $17 per acre more than the system where non-glyphosate herbicides replace or supplement glyphosate in the burndown application. (It is important to note that some varieties may be sensitive to the metribuzin in Canopy and the sulfentrazone in Canopy XL). Because of the much greater cost of this system, it should only be used on those acres that have significant infestations of glyphosate-tolerant weeds.
FirstRate is a viable postemergence (0.4 oz. and about $10.50 per acre ) control alternative for glyphosate-tolerant horseweed in soybean. However, it is an ALS-inhibiting herbicide with a single site of action and weed tolerance is likely to occur if it is relied on too heavily. Therefore, Poston cautions against its overuse. Other preemergent herbicides can be used in this system to offset this concern and possibly lower cost.
On the alluvial soils of the Delta that are not subject to erosion, fall or spring tillage should be considered for control of fall-emerging weeds such as horseweed that are developing tolerance to glyphosate. However, with ultra-early planting now being practiced, fall tillage may be the only tillage input that can realistically be used to supplement control of glyphosate-tolerant species that emerge in the fall. This will not necessarily represent an additional cost because many users of the stale seedbed planting system already use secondary fall tillage such as disking and/or spring-tooth cultivation. According to research conducted by Koger, Poston, and Tom Eubank at the Delta Research and Extension Center at Stoneville, a production system of fall tillage followed by Ignite applied in February provides excellent control of horseweed and results in a clean seedbed for early spring planting of soybeans. Fall tillage followed by glyphosate plus 2,4-D applied in the spring provides the same level of horseweed control, and is the common stale seedbed system on the alluvial soils in the Delta. Valor can be applied after November 15 with or without tillage to prevent weed emergence during the winter and early spring.
Weed shifts that result from using weed management based solely on glyphosate may be just as important as the development of glyphosate-tolerant weeds. The exclusion of residual herbicides in such a system has resulted in the presence of late-season grasses in soybeans across the midsouth. Glyphosate does an excellent job of controlling annual and perennial grasses, but has no residual activity. Thus, grasses that germinate throughout the growing season and under a crop canopy have become problematic in soybeans late in the season after the intended final glyphosate application.
Late-season grasses can reduce yield, interfere with and reduce harvest efficiency, and increase the occurrence of late-season soybean diseases such as Phomopsis seed decay, according to Koger and Poston. The inclusion of late-season residual grass herbicides in a glyphosate-based weed management system is a viable option for their management, but adds expense and requires rainfall or irrigation for their activation. However, this should reduce the weed seed bank for following crops and reduce the selection pressure placed on glyphosate alone in the development of glyphosate-tolerant weeds. According to Walker, if late-season grasses are present and increased selection pressure for glyphosate-tolerant weeds is not a concern, a late-season glyphosate application should control these grasses and also reduce seed production of many other weed species that may be present.
The important message in this discussion is that glyphosate-tolerant weeds in soybeans can be managed with present technology. Thus, the concern about glyphosate-tolerant weeds becoming unmanageable in soybeans is not justified at this time.
Glyphosate tolerance may increase with its continued use. If so, producers should be prepared to pay more for weed management than they presently spend with glyphosate-only systems. Unfortunately, this increased expense will not translate to increased yield, but rather to the sustainability of soybean production if glyphosate tolerance becomes significant in problem weed species.
Weed management programs and their costs for soybeans using glyphosate alone, in combination with non-glyphosate burndown herbicides, and in combination with non-glyphosate burndown and preplant or preemergence herbicides. All rates and costs are per acre.
Spring burndown (rate)1
Cost 2
Postemerge (rate)3
Total Cost2
Glyphosate(1 lb. a.e.)
Glyphosate(1.5 lb. a.e.)
Ignite (36 oz.)
Gramoxone max(2 pt.)
Glyphosate + 2,4-D (24 oz..)
$5.60 +$2.39
Glyphosate +Clarity (8 oz.)
$5.60 +$5.22
Glyphosate (1.5 lb. a.e.)
Glyphosate +2,4-D +Valor (2 oz.)
$5.60 +$2.39 +$8.36
Glyphosate +2,4-D
FirstRate(0.75 oz.)
Canopy4(6, 8, or 10 oz.)
Canopy XL4(6, 7, or 8 oz.)
Glyphosate + Clarity
$5.60 + $5.22
Canopy XL


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Dear Carolyn:
I grew up with a mother who was profoundly manipulative, volatile and mean-spirited. My siblings and I all have anxiety disorders for which we have sought counseling. I have distanced myself from my mother and have a happy life with my husband and 4-year-old daughter.
I have begun allowing my mother limited contact with daughter out of my mother's desire to have a relationship with her. I am comfortable with where the boundaries currently are, but my mother is not. She continually pushes to have my daughter for weekend visits (she lives several hours away).
I do not believe she would overtly harm my daughter, but she can "fly off the handle" when upset and has very different ideas than I do about what is "acceptable" behavior from a 4-year-old.
My family seems to think I am being unreasonable to hold my mother at such distance. My sister has no personal relationship with her but does allow her to baby-sit her children. Am I wrong not to allow weekend visits, or am I being realistic?
— Anxious Mother
Dear Anxious Mother:
If this is multiple-choice, then I need more choices. Like this:
"I refuse to leave my daughter with my mother unsupervised because I am (a) wrong; (b) realistic; (c) not out of my therapeutically reconstructed mind."
I'm going with (c).
I can't know what your sister is thinking, and have the sense not to pass under-informed judgment on the way people raise their kids, but I will spend part of today wondering how a parent too toxic for adults can be safe for kids.
You've mulled this yourself, apparently, and come up empty. Trust that. Don't be sucked in by a manipulative family that has damaged your own mental health. If anything, recognize that you're within their gravitational field and take a corrective step back.
Mom's pressuring you? So what. You're a mother too, one who knows the harm "profoundly manipulative, volatile and mean-spirited" people can do. Protect your cub. Be fierce.
Dear Carolyn:
In the Feb. 1, 2013 chat (http://wapo.st/14D8KhN), you said it's helpful for a teen to talk to someone who "doesn't have an agenda." My 12-year-old stepdaughter has witnessed a lot of violence against her mother while at her mom's house, so her dad has her in counseling with a highly recommended therapist she seems to like.
However, recently my stepdaughter has made comments that she doesn't like some of the things the therapist suggests — that perhaps there are better ways to handle things than violence, and perhaps my stepdaughter does get angry about things.
The therapist appears to be a consummate professional. But now I'm worried my stepdaughter will think her therapist has an agenda or is biased against Mom. Do I try to help her see the therapist is unbiased, or do I just stay out of it? She needs a third party she can trust.
— Wondering
Dear Wondering:
Please encourage your stepdaughter to express her concerns to the therapist directly. It'll be good practice for her in standing up for herself and setting the agenda for her own care (something she'll have to do with doctors and other caregivers throughout her life). It will also give the therapist, if s/he's a good one, a chance to address these concerns openly, thereby building or affirming mutual trust.
Email Carolyn at tellmewashpost.com, follow her on Facebook at or chat with her online at noon Eastern time each Friday at www.washingtonpost.com.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
24.69 km 80993.28 feet 15.34 mi 6384.00 seconds 106.40 minutes 1.77 hours 8.65 mi/hr
On Friday, I rode the D&H trail between Granville and West Pawlet, VT, in the rain. That wasn't so much fun after a while, so when I got to West Pawlet, I turned around. On Monday, for this ride, I went back and rode it from Rupert, VT, back north to West Pawlet.


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Join Tri-City Americans for New Year's Eve Game Vs. Spokane
It's a 25 year tradition that will continue New Year's Eve when the Americans again face off against Spokane.
It's a fun, safe, family way to ring in the New Year, as the Americans take on the Chiefs. The Western Hockey League has scheduled this tradition to continue, as it's one of the biggest nights of the season.
December 31st. 2008 the Americans set what was then the all-time attendance record at a game with 6,042 fans. It was since broken in March 2010 - also against Spokane - with 6,053.
For tickets and information be sure to check out the Americans website, amshockey.com or call 509-736-0606. But hurry, as the game always sells out! Ring in the New Year with the Tri-City Americans and your home for Americans WHL Hockey, Newstalk870!


text:
Airframe and Powerplant Technology
Welcome to Airframe and Powerplant Technology at MVCC!
There are few industries that foster dreams and goals like aviation. From design to construction, from maintenance to flight, aviation is an industry that has shaped the future. Demand for personal and commercial air travel has spawned jobs for trained personnel of all types – in particular, for Airframe and Powerplant Technicians.
Start your career in one year with the Airframe and Powerplant Technology program offered by Mohawk Valley Community College. It is the only community college-based aviation maintenance program in New York State and one of only a few one-year programs in the country.
The FAA-authorized program (Certificate #VXYT570K) is structured as a full-time, 40-hour-per-week training program that runs in three consecutive semesters.
During the course of 12 months, students receive 1,905 hours of FAA-approved training that prepares them to sit for the examinations required to be issued the FAA Airframe and Powerplant Certificate.
Request Information
Walter Constantini
Director, Airframe & Powerplant Technology Program
Griffiss International Airport, Rome NY
MVCC's Gulf Stream
(Click here for video)


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New Canaan Mounted Troop all about the children
Sacha Chen-Schaab graduated from New Canaan Mounted Troop's cadet program with the rank of captain in 1982. He was leaving the place where he spent a decade not only horseback riding, but taking care of the horses and the barn.
"For me, it was sort of like Scouts on horseback," Chen-Schaab said. "I wasn't any good at basketball, or baseball, or anything that an American boy should be able to do. This was the sport that I was good at."
But Chen-Schaab moved on, sort of.
He started a career in business management and later moved to Australia, where he became a teacher and administrator. Then he moved to Southeast Asia and spent 16 years in Singapore. Though he never rode horses in Asia, Chen-Schaab never forgot those 10 years he spent with the NCMT.
"It was always on the back of my mind," he said. "That experience was still shaping who I was as an adult."
Chen-Schaab returned to his home state of Connecticut and December and just four months later landed a job in the same place where his passion for horsemanship was born.
More InformationThe New Canaan Mounted Troop's 75th anniversary
Saturday, May 31, from 5:30 to 9 p.m., rain or shine, at 22 Carter St., New Canaan
For more information, visit newcanaanmountedtroop.org or call 203-966-0634.
All proceeds from the party will benefit NCMT's charitable programs.
He is now a development director for the NCMT, a New Canaan institution that is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.
Decades after he graduated from the NCMT, Chen-Schaab found a place that hasn't changed much, at least when it comes to its mission.
The NCMT still is all about the children and hands-on learning.
On Saturday, May 31, the organization is celebrating its anniversary with a combined "Round-Up" barn dance and alumni reunion.
The event will feature an equestrian drill team demonstration, live music, dinner and a raffle drawing for cash prizes.
The nonprofit charitable and educational organization was founded in 1939 by noted horsewoman, educator and author Margaret Cabell Self, who died in 1996.
Self personally trained thousands of young people at the NCMT and wrote more than 40 educational books for children.
Though the facility, the staff and some of the programs have changed over these seven decades, the organization's goals still are the same.
"Really, it hasn't changed. That's the beauty of it," Executive Director Lynne C. Schulthess said. "The mission and the essence are still the same."
The NCMT's mission is to "build leadership, responsibility and confidence in youth through sound horsemanship."
Unlike many horse show clubs, where kids "roll up, get on a horse that's already been groomed and tacked up for them, so they (can) jump on, ride around, jump off, hand it off to someone and they go home," Chen-Schaab said, the NCMT offers a more hands-on experience.
"You're educating the entire horse person," he said. "You're doing everything from soup to nuts here. You're learning every aspect of the horse, how to take care of the horse, how to take care of the stable."
Chen-Schaab said the process leads to a richer learning environment.
"While doing all of that, the children are building confidence, they're building leadership skills, they're mentoring younger children," he said.
The NCMT's flagship cadet program is available to students between 7 and 18 years old and combines weekly group riding lessons and participation in the equine care program, which consists of a weekly Equine Care Day, or "Barn Day," and training on horse care and stable management.
Schulthess said all children and teens "take care of the horses, mentor the younger kids, they feed, they water, they hay, they clean the barn."
Doing such chores was what Chen-Schaab liked the most about the NCMT.
"I liked working directly with the horses," he said. I wanted to be with the horses. I wanted to know all the aspects of the sport."
Schulthess said the organization offers more than just an opportunity to ride horses.
In fact, everyone who wants to participate in a program has to learn how to take care of horses.
"You can do equine care here and not ride. But you cannot ride and not do the equine care," Schulthess said. "So the philosophy of working with the horses and working with the kids has remained the same."
The NCMT is the last remaining unit of the Junior Cavalry of America. New members are inductees and are promoted through the ranks of cadet, corporal, sergeant, 2nd lieutenant, 1st lieutenant and captain.
The cadet major is the top rank and is elected by fellow troopers to be the leader or the program year.
The facility, located at 22 Carter St., features outdoor and indoor rings, 30 stalls, several turnout paddocks, grass paddocks, a tack room and horse laundry facilities.
The majority of the NCMT's 26 horses and ponies were donated. Some are retiring from show careers and others are donated because their owners can no longer take care of them.
Chen-Schaab's brother and mother also were part of the NCMT in the 1970s.
He noted that the NCMT is one of the few affordable organizations of its kind.
"If the troop hadn't existed, I wouldn't have had the chance to ride because we could afford this place," he said. "But we couldn't afford anything that has 'hunt club' at the end."
The NCMT also provides a number of scholarships to youth and it hosts summer camp sessions.
In addition to the cadet riding and equine care programs, the NCMT offers therapeutic riding and ground programs, called Super Troopers, to children and adults with special physical, cognitive and emotional needs.
The programs help promote physical and emotional wellness through equine therapy and horsemanship.
Many of the current participants have autism, Schulthess said.
Schulthess, who has been in the horse business for 30 years and has ridden with Leslie Burr Howard, an Olympic champion equestrian, said one of her goals is to make the NCMT "more visible" in town and in Fairfield County.
Chen-Schaab hopes people recognize the value of having an institution like the NCMT that's been around for more than seven decades.
After all, he said, "we're more than just a place where kids ride horses."
email@example.com; 203-330-6582; @olivnelson


text:
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There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to Matrimonial Causes (Northern Ireland) Order 1978. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
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51.—(1) Without prejudice to any provision of this Order which empowers or requires the court to dismiss a petition for divorce or judicial separation or to dismiss an application for a decree nisi of divorce to be made absolute, nothing in any statutory provision relating to the general jurisdiction of the court or in any rule of law shall be taken as empowering or requiring the court to dismiss such a petition or application on the ground of collusion between the parties in connection with the presentation or prosecution of the petition or the obtaining of the decree nisi or on the ground of any conduct on the part of the petitioner.
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F1Art. 51(3) repealed (9.11.2009) by Presumption of Death Act (Northern Ireland) 2009 (c. 6), ss. 19, 20(2), Sch. 2, Sch. 3; S.R. 2009/356, art. 2
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text:
Note : Your request will be directed to SAGE Millimeter.
The SWF-60355340-12-H1 from SAGE Millimeter is a Waveguide Filter with Frequency 60 GHz, Insertion Loss 1 dB, Operating Temperature -40 to 85 Degree C, Rejection 40 dB, Rejection Frequency DC to 55 GHz. Tags: High Pass. More details for SWF-60355340-12-H1 can be seen below.
Ka-Band Bandpass Filter from 35.7 to 40.3 GHz
8.5 to 14.5 GHz, WR-75 Waveguide Lowpass Filter
You can now find similar products from multiple companies on everything RF.


text:
Next Episode of Rederiet is
not planed. TV Show was canceled.
A series about the family Dahlén and their shipping company named Dahléns. Most of the scenes take place on Mr Dahléns office and on board the passenger ferry M/S Freja.
Looks like something went completely wrong!
But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
- and it just happened to you.
Please try again later or contact us.


text:
- Year
- 1996
Stephen King releases two books at once
On this day in 1996, blockbusting bestselling author Stephen King releases two new novels at once. The first, Desperation, was released under King's name, while the second, The Regulators, was published under his pseudonym, Richard Bachman.
King was born in Portland, Maine, in 1947. His father abandoned the family when King was two, and his mother struggled to support her two children. King was sickly as a child and developed a love for books. He studied English at the University of Maine, where he met his wife, Tabitha.
After college, the couple lived in a trailer while King taught school, worked in a laundry, and churned out four novels, which were rejected. Discouraged, he gave up on his fifth novel until his wife encouraged him to try again. In 1973, Doubleday paid him $2,500 for the book Carrie, about the bloody revenge of a high school outcast. A few months later, he earned $420,000 for the paperback rights. The book was a huge bestseller, as were his subsequent 30 novels. He also wrote six novels under the name Richard Bachman, and 14 collections of short stories or nonfiction. King's books have sold 300 million copies to date.
Despite his success, King has struggled with his own demons. In 1988, he joined Alcoholics Anonymous, stating "I never met a drink or drug I don't like." In June 1999, he was taking a walk near his Maine home when he was hit and critically injured by a car. Six operations were required to repair his hips, pelvis, ribs, and other broken bones. Meanwhile, he managed to write a novella, several short stories, and a memoir. In March 2000, he released a new novel, Riding the Bullet and the The Plant available over the Internet. Since that time, King continues to write fiction and non-fiction books.


text:
Clip Artistry
Source: Martha Stewart Living, September 2008
Use decorative paper (or wallpaper leftovers or samples) to brighten basic clipboards.
Start by making a template: Trace the shape of the board onto card stock, making a notch for the clamp (use a zip tie to hold clamp open while working).
Place template on the back of paper; cut out with a craft knife.
Brush a thin, even layer of Martha Stewart Crafts decoupage glue onto clipboard with a craft brush.
Affix paper, and smooth out air bubbles with a craft scraper. Brush with decoupage glue.
Hang several in place of a bulletin board.


text:
Opinion Editorial: Nature is the missing, fourth dimension of the water-energy-food security nexus, says Dr Mark Smith, Director IUCN Global Water Programme.
How will the planet cope with two billion more people in an increasingly urbanized and wealthy world? Is there a way to address the additional energy, water and food demand, whilst not degrading our ecosystems even further?
If we continue on the path of business as usual, in less than two decades demand for freshwater globally would be 40% more than what is available. Ensuring water, energy, and food security for all will get more and more difficult. A transformation of our current approaches to managing water is essential and new opportunities must be identified.
This is where the water, energy and food security equation comes in. The 'nexus' perspective increases our understanding of the interdependencies between water, energy, food and other policies such as climate and biodiversity.
Nature's services
Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from nature. They include water storage by forest soils and wetlands, soil nutrient cycling for food production, water purification, movement of water by rivers, flood regulation, coastal defence and carbon sequestration. Most of these services don't register in markets and most are ignored in investment for economic development.
Yet The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity study produced a headline figure that one year's loss of natural capital – ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss – leads to loss of ecosystem services over 50 years of US$ 2-4.5 trillion.
When we ignore ecosystem services, the costs can be huge.
For poor people, these costs can be ruinous. Construction of the Diama Dam meant that by 1994, the Senegal Delta was starved of annual floods. The Delta became hyper-salinised and choked with invasive weeds. Ecosystem services were gone. Daily income from fishing and livestock grazing was virtually eliminated.
For a developing economy, the costs of ignoring ecosystem services can be crippling. In Rwanda, there are less reliable flows to downstream hydropower because of draining (for farming) of the Rugezi Wetlands and degradation of the surrounding Rugezi-Bulera-Ruhondo watershed. The result: a two-thirds fall in power generation from the dams, a 250% hike in electricity prices prior to 2006, with US$ 65,000 spent daily on diesel for generators.
The missing link
I believe that ecosystem services are really infrastructure – part of the "stock of facilities, services and installations needed for the functioning of a society and economy." Natural infrastructure is the spine of the green economy and critical to resilience. But it is the missing fourth dimension of the water-food-energy security nexus.
We live in a world where demands on natural resources are rising and resource constraints are tightening. We are told that: the era of readily available water is over; the era of cheap energy is over; the era of cheap food is over.
I have one to add to the list: the era of single-mindedness is over.
We have to manage complexity; it's no longer plausible to say 'we must have more hydropower' or 'we must have more irrigation' and stop there. We have to be able to work with multiple, competing objectives: that is the essence of the nexus approach and of living with complexity.
Nature is part of these multiple objectives – it is not an add-on or an afterthought – and certainly not a luxury. Natural infrastructure is an investment option that can help meet several objectives including poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation.
And the benefits often exceed the costs. This is why Beijing municipality invested US$ 1.9 billion from 2001-2005 in watershed protection, why New York spent US$ 1.5 billion on ecosystem management rather than $6 billion on a water filtration plant and why utilities, private companies and NGOs in Quito, Ecuador are building a trust fund for watershed management, now worth US$ 8 million.
Putting nature in the equation gives us the opportunity to think differently.
Seeing the bigger picture
Rather than chasing an infrastructure agenda in which nature is a problem, a cost and a political risk, we can work in systems terms: invest in portfolios of built and natural infrastructure in watersheds and river basins. Nature is then part of the solution – for addressing the multiple objectives of the nexus securities. No strategic package for financing can be complete without investment in natural infrastructure. No Minister making a decision on water infrastructure can be fully briefed until the natural infrastructure options are on the table too.
Taking the lead
There are moves in the right direction in some countries. In the Komadugu Yobe basin in northern Nigeria, federal and state government have created a trust fund aiming for US$ 125 million in investment to restore the basin. The financing goes to river and wetland restoration works but also to strengthening associated livelihoods and creating incentives. Critically, this builds people's capacities and the institutions for effective, participatory, multi-level water governance.
Clearly nature has much greater values than as infrastructure – the opportunity though is to have nature become part of the solution, not just a frustrating problem to be sidelined when convenient. Investing in natural infrastructure can really put the 'green' into green economy.
Nature in the nexus creates new opportunities for innovation and solutions that we will otherwise miss – at a cost to our capacity to tackle the complex, interacting pressures on the globe and on development.
For more information, please contact [email protected].
This Opinion Editorial is part of the IUCN Water Focus series in the lead up to the 6th World Water Forum, taking place in Marseille from 12-17 March. More information here.


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The St. Joseph Catholic Church will hold its 9th Annual St. Patrick�s Irish Dinner on Saturday March 16.
The St. Joseph Catholic Church will hold its 9th Annual St. Patrick�s Irish Dinner on Saturday March 16. The dinner will take place in the Church Hall, 202 20th Street, Port St. Joe.
The dinner is $10 a ticket and will include Corn Beef, New Potatoes, Cabbage, Carrots, Onions, Homemade Soda Bread or rolls, dessert, and tea, coffee or lemonade. There will be two seatings that evening, one at 5 p.m. EST and the second at 6:30 p.m. EST. Tickets for the first seating usually sell out, so please get you tickets early for your preferred seating.
Back by popular demand, we are selling the Whole Cooked Corn Beef Briskets. The Brisket will be 3-31/2 pounds cooked weight for $20. We need these to be pre-ordered so we know how many to cook. You can pick them up the day before the dinner March 15 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Take outs will be available again this year and you can pick them up at the front door ticket sales during either seating. Just look for the signs.
Entertainment again this year will be Toni Minichello on the accordion and Marty Jarosz will be our MC. Come and sing Irish songs, eat good food and have an enjoyable evening.
You can purchase tickets after each mass Saturday evening or Sunday morning or the Church Office will have them available on Monday & Thursday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Phone number is 227-1417. Also you can get tickets at the No Name Caf� Books and More or The Laundry Basket.
For more information or to buy tickets call Barb or Dan Van Treese 227-9837


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Locum Dentist to join our well-established dental practice in Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire.
What we do matters. Our customers trust us with one of their most important assets, their smile. Patient care is our passion and we believe everyone deserves a happy and healthy smile, which is why we thrive on having the very best people in the industry working with us to ensure we all keep on smiling.
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This exciting opportunity also offers:
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The Practice: Established with 3 surgeries, modern working environment, fully computerised, R4 Software. Experienced longstanding associates, supported by a dedicated Dental Hygienist and a team of qualified professional support staff. Providing a 50/50 mix of NHS & Private, and in addition offering Practice Plan and Oasis Basics.
Oasis Mablethorpe is a well-established three surgery practice, located in the Marisco Medical Centre. This modern environment enables us to offer a holistic approach to patient care. Our modern surgeries are just a short walk from Mablethorpe's sandy beaches.
Why join Oasis? Here's a selection of the fantastic incentives we have to offer:
- Excellent working facilities and the latest equipment
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Further locum or associate opportunities available at over 420 Oasis and Bupa Dental UK practices


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A suspect in the assault of Boulder police Sgt. Jim Byfield on University Hill in 2010 was arrested Monday in Santa Barbara County, California.
Herbert Joseph Vallier, 37, was arrested on suspicion of first degree assault -- a Class 3 felony -- and misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief, resisting arrest and obstructing a police officer, according to Boulder police.
Vallier is being held on $500,000 bond in California pending extradition to Boulder County.
On Oct. 16, 2010, a male slashed tires on two police vehicles with a knife near 11th Street and College Avenue. Byfield chased the suspect, and, during a struggle, suffered a concussion and a broken clavicle and elbow.
Byfield was in rehabilitation for months before returning to duty. Byfield retired in 2013 after 32 years with the department.
According to Boulder police, Vallier was identified as a suspect by "concerned community members," and corroborating information in recent weeks led to an arrest warrant.
"Jim Byfield is happy and relieved with the arrest," interim Boulder police Chief Greg Testa said in a statement. "This arrest wouldn't have been possible without the public's help."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Kurt Foster at 303-441-4329.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may contact the Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.crimeshurt.com.
Contact Camera Staff Writer Mitchell Byars at 303-473-1329, email@example.com or twitter.com/mitchellbyars.


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ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101 Review: Assemble!
Introduction and Design
Tablets may be the darling of the tech industry, but they've also received their fair share of criticism as well. One of the most consistent barbs throw towards them is the tablet's inability to serve as a competent platform for content creature. While it's technically possible to write a document or edit an image on a tablet, it's certainly not enjoyable.
Part of the problem is the lack of a keyboard and mouse. Touchscreens are beautiful and intuitive, but they're not precise. While third-party cases and docks have tried to solve this issue, they're often both clunky and expensive.
It's little surprise that a tablet designed specifically to work in conjunction with a keyboard dock has hit the market, but it is surprising that the first such device comes from ASUS, a company with relatively little experience building mobile products. The Eee Pad Transformer is already the second-best selling tablet on the market (after the iPad, of course) and reports indicate sales are constrained by supply rather than demand. What is it that has made the Transformer a quick success?
Continue reading our review of the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer tablet!!
One thing's for certain – it's not just the hardware inside. As you can see below, this Eee Pad is packing a familiar Nvidia-powered punch that is similar to that found in numerous Android Honeycomb tablets as well as some Android smartphones.
Since an innovative new architecture obviously isn't the Transformer's selling point, it must be design that is shifting units so quickly. Let's dive in and see what this tablet offers.
Tablet design is rarely worth much comment, as most are exactly as thin and slab-sided as the category's name would suggest. Despite this, ASUS has managed to create a product that's recognizable and attractive even without the dock attached.
Differentiation has been accomplished using two strategies. The first is simply color. Most of the tablets on the market are available only in monochrome – you can choose white or black, but nothing in between. The Eee Pad Transformer, however, comes in an elegant and unique shade of brown that ASUS calls Espresso. In addition to this, the backside of the tablet, as well as the underside of the dock, is coated with a geometric star pattern. These two subtle touches combine to make the Transformer appear both handsome and original.
Build quality is robust. The back of the tablet is made of hard plastic, but its tough and thick enough to avoid the cheapness that is associated with the material. Along the sides of the tablet you'll find aluminum, and both the sides and interior of the dock are coated with the same. Most importantly of all, the mechanism which attaches the tablet to the dock is large and sturdy. It feels capable of surviving a few lumps and it's also solid enough to keep the tablet from rocking or swaying while attached to the dock.
Video News
Great review, I personally wish it was 3G tab, but soem day it will :) Thanks guys for great review!
This is a nice review of a great tablet. My wife has one and it is an excellent bit of kit, and so versatile. I agree with you that over-focusing on the dock actually does the Transformer a disservice: it's a great tablet in its own right. But I disagree with you about the keyboard - I find it perfectly fine for typing with, certainly the equal of any netbook keyboard. It really is an impressive piece of technology, especially when you can plug almost anything into the USB ports and have them work as if on a laptop. (One exception: an external DVD drive won't work in this fashion, so don't expect to be able to plug one in and watch DVDS on it. That is a limitation of Android rather than of the Transformer itself.) I really like its somewhat retro design, almost steampunk in feel, which does indeed differentiate it from the crowd of iPad wannabes.
I must also mention that the lag when using the dock to type in the browser is a known issue, and one that can be circumvented by downloading another browser instead.
Asus did a great job with this, remarkably so when, as you say, they're not exactly known for tablets. I especially like their attention to detail on the software. As you say, Polaris is a nice inclusion (essential really, given how the device is marketed) and actually one of the best mobile office suites available (and it's not available on any other tablet). Asus have also made some subtle but genuinely useful changes to Android, unlike some of the clunkier changes that other tablet makers have implemented. For example, they've added a setting to the browser to have it load PC versions of websites by default instead of mobile versions. That is useful.
I have an iPad 2 myself, which is also a great thing, but I think the Asus Transformer is its equal. This is partly because it is quite different. If you want to use the device for work and productivity, the Transformer seems to me a much better choice than the iPad. (Conversely, the iPad is better for other things.) In my view the Transformer is the only Android tablet really worth considering (unless you have a religious objection to Apple, as some people do), because it is the only one that really offers something different. The other Android tablets are, to varying degrees, just not-iPads and don't offer compelling reasons to choose them instead, especially given the poor selection of apps available for Honeycomb compared to the vastness of the Apple app store. The Transformer, by contrast, does things that the iPad can't, and for some people these will more than make up for its weaknesses in other areas.
I do agree that the keyboard is about as good as many netbooks, but I'm generally down on netbook keyboards as well. I just don't find that sort of experience comfortable, not only because of the small keys, but also because of the lack of palmrest space below the keyboard.
Using another browser hadn't occurred to me. Hopefully that tip will help other Transformer users who run in to issues with lag.
I'm happy that you're enjoying your Transformer. It is the best Android tablet out there today. If I were going to buy one right now, a Transformer without the dock is what I'd go for.
What's a "content creature"? Sounds scary!
Nice review. The performance charts need a little help. Do longer bars indicate better performance?
YOU ARE WRONG-the right click button always does something in Android. It is another back button. Did you even use the TF101!
You did a great job on this article. I would really love it if you expaned a little more on the subject. pacman game online
Is the 3G upgrade firmware-based or hardware - i.e. is the circuitry already built-in but just needs new firmware to 'activate' it, or do you actually need to buy another unit?
I'm looking for a tablet with ability for:
-Kindle/Amazon books
-USB connector to ext HD to run MKV files.
Is this it am I still looking?
I must also mention that the lag when using the dock to type in the browser is a known issue, and one that can be circumvented by downloading another browser instead


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"! ~ ~ Where Furries are Furrylicious ~ ~ !"
Welcome to the Furrylicious Furry comunity, Where all furrys and furry friendly creatures are welcome, Please enjoy your stay, you can play games, chat, post your stuff, check out the shops, and more.
Membership: Open
Group Owner: Kaybi
Category: Fun & Other Stuff
Date Formed: 2010-07-21 12:09:45
Members: 746


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Firefighter Killed In Idaho Forest Fire
The US Forest Service has identified a firefighter killed in an Idaho wildfire Sunday as Anne Veseth, age 20, a seasonal firefighter for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest.
Veseth, as native of Moscow, Idaho and a sophomore at Lewis and Clark State College In Lewiston, was apparently struck by a falling tree or debris. The cause of death will be determined by the coroner.
She was a qualified Level Two Firefighter and was on the firelines of the Steep Corner Fire about 80 miles southeast of Coeur d'Alene.
The Forest Service has a team of investigators in northern Idaho this week to understand how and why the accident occurred. The investigation is expected to take several weeks.
US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said, "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of this brave young woman."
Regional Forester Fay Krueger said, "We are devastated by the loss of this young woman. This is a stark reminder of the inherent dangers out men and women face every day on the fire lines of wildfires all over the country."


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BOBBI HUMPHREY: Home
Celebrating 40 years of music! Buy Now -->
Welcome to my official website. Finally, I am building a musical home for my fans who have known of my flute music since the seventies, as well as new fans and friends of today and tomorrow. I hope that you will visit often so we can share this wonderful experience of Music,Imagery, and Words;all things creative. It is so rewarding and exciting to develop my brand globally-"PARADISE SOUNDS RECORDS"; a creative freedom long coming.Who knew technology would bring the true freedom song and bridge to globally connect creators and consumers of Music;finally, finally,giving the artist equity in his creations.Feel the music ,feel the love.I am so excited.From my days at Texas Southern University and S.M.U. in my hometown of Dallas,My dream was to play my flute.After meeting Dizzy Gillespie, and moving to NYC and recording with Lee Morgan and Stevie Wonder{"Songs in The Key Of Life", my dreams came true;recording and performing in many countries.But somehow, I feel a more authenic, boundless, and fearless chapter in my Life is being born.Freedom is such an easy and enjoyable travel buddy.I believe through the power of Music, we can explore the power of pure possibilities. Let's enjoy the ride together!


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Wednesday, February 27, 2008
It Gets Easier But..
When my daughter was in preschool, this aspect of being a working parent was easier because, although the preschool was closed for vacations etc., it typically followed the university calendar pretty well, and it was open from early to late. We seldom needed our daughter to be at preschool for the full, long day, but the option was there if we did need it.
At my daughter's current school, the school-day schedule is excellent, and there are after-school activities 5 days/week. School gets out at 4 pm, and she loves having an extra hour or so after school to play with her friends or participate in a play or musical or dance performance.
The main challenge now is that there are at least 2, and commonly 3 or more, no-school days/month on days when my husband and I have to teach and do the usual essential academic things (meetings, meetings, and meetings). On such days, we try to arrange for our daughter to play at a friend's house for part of the day, but sometimes she has to come to campus with us. She is old enough to entertain herself for long periods of time with a book, a pen and paper, or a computer, and sometimes she comes to a class or meeting with one of us. In fact, attending her dad's large intro-level class last year was a revelation for her. After class, she asked, "Daddy, did you know that no one in the back of the room is listening to you?".
It has been semi-difficult to deal with so many no-school days, especially when there are 3 or more in a month, but it has been manageable. Next year, however, our daughter will be attending a new school. All our options involve a decrease in the amount of time she is or can be at school. She will have the same number of no-school days, and there will only be the option of after-school activities 3 days/week.
Most of the time it won't be a major problem for my husband and me to take turns to leave campus an hour or two early 2/days week, but it will be difficult when one of us is traveling or ill or just generally insanely busy.
Fortunately we both have very flexible jobs that will allow us to manage this new situation somehow, but in general, what are working parents of school-aged kids supposed to do? Work part time? Hire a baby-sitter? I guess I didn't think we would need to hire a baby-sitter for our daughter at this age when we have not needed one up until now.
32 comments:
I can't speak from the parent-side of things, but from the recently-kid side, during the periods of my childhood when both my parents were working, I always looked forward to the afternoons my brother and I spent with our babysitter. This was especially true as I got a little older and I came to see our sitter as something of a stand-in older sibling (something lacking from my oldest-child life) rather than simply as a caretaker.
I don't know if this helps at all, but I hope that you find an all-around agreeable solution to the situation.
- Ann said...
With 2 kids involved in various afterschool activities like plays, music lessons, soccer, baseball, debate, we couldnt possibly manage all the chauffering plus our jobs without an afterschool babysitter. If you advertise in your college paper, you will find lots of responsible, delightful college women looking for part time work, who would be happy to have the relatively easy job of afterschool babysitting and chauffering of a older child.
We have found that in addition to the help, most of our babysitters have been role models and friends to our children. The "older sibling" comment of Kristen is apt for many of our sitters too. Most of the sitters have been regarded fondly by the kids, and when not, we have changed sitters. Also, as kids get older and their homework and social life gets more complicated, the kids need more down time, and it is stressful for them to attend school afterschool childcare programs.
I'm not sure how old your daughter is - I'm an only child of two academics and I think I started being home by myself after school at around 11 (there was a school bus). I don't think it did me any harm...I had a babysitter before then though. In fact, pretty much throughout my childhood.
- Jay said...
We're going to face this at some point - our daughter's school day ends at 2:45 and she's currently in an after-school program that goes until 6:00 PM, but that is only an option until she's 10. So in two years we'll have to figure out something, and I suspect it will be a babysitter.
- Brigindo said...
There's a great book out (Not-So-Nuclear Families, Karen Hansen) that examines how families meet the demands of childcare across class. While all families have needs that shatter the myth of the independent nuclear family, it is the middle-class and especially the professional middle class that seems hardest hit due to the salience of their careers.
(also Kristin, but a different one....)
I have younger kids (2 and 5) and am in graduate school/hubby and I both work for the community college. But this semester we have started swapping care for our children with our next door neighbors. 1 day a week we watch their daughter for 2 hours and 1 day a week they watch ours for 2 hours. Our 5 yr olds are best friends so it works out well. Perhaps you can arrange something similar with one of your daughter's friends? Or maybe exchange some nighttime sitting in exchange for your daughter to play at a friend's house?
and finally: my 11 yr old self would have loved the right college age/high school age girl to hang out with me as a babysitter.
Thanks for the change of topic, at least for one day. I still want to find active solutions to improving the environment for women scientists. We are losing too many of them and their tremendous contributions. If new discoveries and breakthroughs are going to be made, then it is imperative that we find a way to ensure that women are not harrassed and discrimated against. I am forever grateful to you for your boldness and courage to bringing these troubling issues to the forefront. Keep up the good work and keep fighting for women.
Middle school is a problem, as you describe. According to the school system, apparently a sixth grader is "old enough" to be home alone after school. In my case, my spouse worked "only" 35 hours a week to ease this, but with two faculty jobs that isn't an option. By eighth grade my daughter took a sudden and unexpected (given my own abilities) interest in sports--running cross country and track after school solved this problem during the season, and thus eased things. We also split pick-up duties with another parent duo.
My daughters are both used to coming into work, and while that's not ideal, it is our solution for school holidays and teacher workdays.
This isn't a new problem, however. Growing up, financial reality meant both my parents worked (my father often in two jobs), and after having a babysitter through the early years, I, as the older sibling, was the babysitter for the rest of my childhood. We survived.
Mark P
- chemcat said...
I hear of this problem a lot from my colleagues with kids older than mine (mine is 2). The added complication is that they all seem to have soccer, ballet, swimming and what not, so even if the parent left early etc s/he would just be a chauffeur, driving the kids to the activity and waiting around while they are busy. Solutions: several hire an undergrad to do the chauffeuring; one signed on her kid to a ballet school that has concurrent adult classes, so she gets a workout as well... others pick the school based on the after school activities/services offered. Some big campuses have kids activities, for example ours has a great swimming school, and one of my colleagues lucky enough to have little competitive swimmers picks them up from school and takes them to campus for a two hours daily training.
Yes, I do not know how other parents do it, especially low income ones for whom hiring help is not an option! I'm from Europe, and my mom choose to be a grade school teacher to be on the same schedule with us. The scary thing is that she made that choice well before getting married: what if she didn't have kids?! (careers are not very flexible where i come from). She advised me to do the same when I was in grad school (and single) :-)
- EcoGeoFemme said...
How old do you feel she has to be to stay home alone for a couple of hours? Ten is too young, but 12 is approaching babysitting age. I think my parents had me be home alone after school when I was on the young side (6th grade?). we had many very friendly neighbors that I could have called if I needed help. I really liked having that hour to myself, even then. It's a crummy situation for you and your daughter, but at least it won't last too long.
My parents both worked very long days, and had too far a commute to make leaving early practical (since they drove together). My brother and I did a pretty good job entertaining ourselves. We were both so busy with extracurriculars, we didn't ever really get home until our folks did anyhow--and we were walking distance to school. I can only once remember my folks coming home early; when I got hit by a car on my bicycle. Even then, they checked that I was ok, then turned around and went back to work. Maybe that skews my vision of child-rearing, but my brother and I both turned out ok :).
- Dr. Jekyll & Mrs. Hyde said...
I spent many a post-school hour in one of my parents' offices. By your daughter's age, there should be enough homework to keep her occupied for an hour or two. And if not, that's what reading was invented for (as I'm sure she knows). Self-sufficiency is a great skill, especially if she's headed into academia herself....
And I'll second Kristen's comment that babysitters are a blast, because they do things your parents never would.
I really don't see a problem... If your kid is fairly independent minded and can entertain herself/do her own homework (which I assume given she's a kid of two profs) and has no major behavior problems, I'd say once she's 8+ years old she can hang out at home by herself for 2-3 hours before you get home. Of course this is assuming that you live in a relatively safe neighborhood.
I mean, I babysat my neighbor's kids at the age of 10...
If you feel nervous about it, set up a "call in" schedule so you check up on her every hour or so by calling your home phone.
- Global Girl said...
In middle school, me and my classmates were expected to be able to take care of ourselves until our parents came home. But that was a culturally different situation, and given how child-like American college students ("college kids") are allowed to act, perhaps that is not a good solution in the US. Isn't there daycare for older children too here?
My son is only 3 but I've been thinking ahead to how my husband and I will handle this when the time comes (we are both academics). I am pretty sure we'll use babysitters, and try to find one that speaks a foreign language (he is nearly bilingual at the moment and I want to encourage this). Perhaps you could find an undergraduate who is fluent in whatever language your daughter is learning at school, or who has some other skills that would be of particular interest to your daughter. The great thing about being in a university town is that you have a pretty large population of talented people who might be very interested in this type of a part-time job.
- Harvestar said...
My parents both worked by the time I was in school. There was about an hour or so of time after school where I'd have a babysitter, until I was "old enough" to stay at home alone. I guess we were lucky to have lived in the same neighborhood for many years and knew everyone. My babysitter in the early days was a girl only 4 years older than I. She was very cool.
There were also the times when my parents had evening events that I could not attend and they had to get a babysitter. I enjoyed those times a lot since I didn't have any sisters and getting to hang out with a cool older person was great.
There was also a much older woman in our neighborhood who was like an aunt to me. I would stay at her house too during day times.
- chall said...
I was alone at home and&or with a friend and her older sibling when I was 12 and older...
I guess I lived ina safe neghibourhood and my parents trusted me that I didn't lie since I wasn't allowed "down town" and had to stay at the house or at my friends' houses.
My parents also had phone numbers to my friend's places (since this was before cell phones as well) so I knew that they might call and check up on us... I guess that can't be done as easily now?! (And this was not mainly because they didn't trust me but to give me an opportunity to say to some of my friends why I couldn't lie to my parents and just take off...)
I do know that my junior high school had "after hours homework reading" in the library where kids could be until it was time to go home and meet parents. Maybe that is an option?
- Janice said...
Well, we've been able to juggle things but I'd recommend the babysitter route if you can manage it. That wasn't a viable choice for us given youngest's special needs situation and I'm reluctant to approach any undergraduate to offer employment because I feel they might think it's an offer "they can't refuse".
hm.. my parents gave my sister and I the opportunity to learn piano at 4. That took care of the after school activities big time. We practiced everyday (even when we were sick, except going-away vacations) for at least 0.5-1 hr each day at first which then increased to 3-4 hr as we got more advanced and had to practice for exams, music festivals and competitions. Sometimes my sister and I fought over when we could practice. Needless to say, that didn't leave much time for other activities. I'm sure the neighbours were sometimes bothered by all the wrong notes and repetitiveness. If we weren't practicing properly, our mom would know (i.e., no sounds is not good) and I found that it's pretty hard to read fiction while playing piano.
I did miss out on a lot of social activities with other kids especially in high school, but I'm glad I went through all that. Now I play for self-enjoyment and teach once in awhile.
I just wanted to say that I LOVED going to campus with my mom when I was in middle school. It seemed like such a cool place, full of smart people and interesting buildings, fountains, etc. I'd spend hours reading in the bookstore or library, or drawing/doing homework/typing on the typewriter in my mom's office. I'm sure this early exposure had a lot to do with my pursuing an academic career.
I started taking the bus home from school and staying there alone for a couple of hours at about age 11, I think. There were several neighbors I knew could always help if I needed anything.
I think 10 is definitely old enough to be given a key to the house and stay home alone. I did this starting at age 6. Just have her call you at an appointed time each day (maybe right when she gets home), if you feel unsafe. And I really enjoyed having some time to myself each day. I was a much less rebellious teenager than I could have been, and that was partly because I knew I'd have a few hours at home everyday away from my parents. (Not to suggest that I had a bad relationship with them; we get along great, and I didn't use the time to do anything they would've frowned upon. It's just... you know, personal time).
My mom went back to college when I was in third grade (8 years old?) and I watched my brother(5 years, full of energy) after school for an hour. I remember my parents being angry the school offered no solutions (they were going to send pre-school brother home by himself an hour early because 3rd grade and preschool finished at different times) and that was their best option. They couldn't afford a babysitter - it's expensive to pay for college when only one in the pair is working.
Give it a try - I'll bet your daughter will be fine, especially with neighbors to call - are you a reasonable distance away so that if you need you you and the Mr can be there quickly? That might ease your mind.
- chemcat said...
Some people are suggesting that a pre-teen can be home by herself. That was true when (and where) I was growing up, but it could add other complications. A friend of mine who works as counselor for a high school tells me that all the trouble (drug use, teenage pregnancy, unsafe we surfing, etc) happens between 3 and 6..... :-)
- Principle Investigator said...
I echo the comments about a responsible 10-yr-old being able to stay home by herself for a few hours. My dad was a high school teacher and my mom had family members nearby and neighbors willing to help out, so my sister and I enjoyed a lot of free childcare. But I was expected to look after myself and my sister by age 10 or 11, and I worked as a sitter through junior high and high school. I just wonder whether any laws have changed since then about leaving minors unattended?
- Tom Comeau said...
What you do is really going to depend on your child. My daughter has been coming home alone two or three times a week since she started fifth grade at 10. Some of her sixth grade classmates, at 12, still don't feel comfortable going home to an empty house.
What remains a hassle are the days when she's ill, or the long Spring Breaks that don't line up with good times for me to be off, and the one day a week she needs to go somewhere other than home (riding) and I have to move her.
My wife is an attorney, and can't regularly take off, so most of the load falls on me. I'm fortunate to have a very flexible schedule, and to work from home a day or two a week.
One of her friends has two parents who are both in law enforcement, and they not only don't have great schedule flexibility, they both have to travel every month or two.
They rely on family (grandmom and an aunt, I think) and a friendly neighbor.
Another of her friends has a dad in health care and a mom who is active-duty military. They were able to plan pretty well until mom got deployed, and they brought grandmom to live with them.
One of my PTA buddies is a nurse, married to a doctor. They managed to have a nice, coordinated schedule until he deployed to Iraq. He's a reservist, and the Army seems to need surgeons. She quit her job, and does temp nursing part-time when she can. It's taking a financial toll, both because her income is way down, and because the Army doesn't pay as well as private practice.
So I don't know what ordinary working folks are supposed to do, either.
It would seem reasonable that being with an attentive, caring babysitter on occasion might be preferable to being alone -- whether alone in your presence, trying to remain unobtrusive for long stretches of time -- or *shudder* actually home alone for long stretches of time.
In either of those cases, her needs are going unmet. By contrast, a good babysitter would be there precisely to meet her needs.
I'm not sure I understand the hesitancy around hiring a babysitter -- although cutting back work hours is certainly an economically plausible option since you are both tenured.
- Jay said...
Not all kids need adults to meet their needs, and part of our job as parents is to help them learn to meet their own needs. My daughter, now 8, is nowhere near ready to stay by herself, but I know 10-year-olds who really want that level of independence. It's important to respond to the needs and capacity of the individual kid, and not just have a kneejerk >shudder< at the idea of a child being alone for an hour or two without an adult to dance attendance.
I have a kid at school and one in preschool, and the school-age kid is way easier. (Your preschool may have been more accommodating than mine, and your school may be less accommodating that mine, of course.) Like you said, bringing an elementary kid to work, is not a big deal (that's what we usually do in those days); bringing a preschool kid, on the other hand, pretty much obliterates the possibility of getting anything done.
Also, students seem to think nothing of having a 7-year-old quietly coloring in the back of the class, but I received negative comments about bringing my 10-day-old sleeping baby to class (yes, napping the whole time).
Related to some of the points you touched on in your more recent post, I'd say somehow babies just seem more unprofessional than school-age kids, I suppose ;)
I'm comfortable leaving my 8-year-old alone for an hour or so at home. We do that sometimes while I go out to exercise. However, I'm not comfortable having him arrive from school alone every day.
- Amanda said...
"Daddy, did you know that no one in the back of the room is listening to you?"
Amazing. That just made my day. Thanks!
while I go out to exercise
I don't ever remember having babysitters and my parents both worked or were in school full-time from when I started kindergarden. I was 5 or 6 when my brother (age 8-9) and I began staying home alone together in the afternoon. Perhaps we lived in a much safer city than you do. Maybe I'm naive, but I would think a responsible 10-year-old could manage on her own for a few hours, especially if you have reliable neighbors she could turn to in an emergency.


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How urgently are you earning trust?
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69 percent of Americans have chosen to not use or not create an account with an online service because of concerns regarding how personal information will be used. Our level of trust in a company is a key determinant of whether or not we will use its platform.
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A 20 year-old already imprisoned for a series of computer-related crimes has been charged with launching separate DDoS attacks on Kent Police and Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
After an investigation by Kent Police, Lewys Martin has been charged with 17 counts of computer misuse, including the intriguing one of failing to provide the passwords to encrypted storage devices.
The accusations are the latest in a long list levelled at Martin. Earlier this year he was sentenced to an 18-month jail term for posting a bogus Call of Duty patch that was actually a data-stealing Trojan.
Police found details of 300 credit cards in his possession as well as evidence that he'd taken out a fraudulent loan using an assumed identity. Police believed he sold card data to foreign criminals for between $1 and $5.
In an extraordinary twist, while on bail for the Trojan offence, he was caught attempting to steal computer and projector equipment from Walmer Science College in Deal, Kent. He was also reported to have committed other burglaries, including one on a separate college.
Police haven't yet revealed when the DDoS attacks in question took place but Martin will appear at Maidstone Magistrates Court next month to answer the new charges.


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Global Media AIDS Initiative Announces New Public HIV/AIDS Education Initiatives at XV International AIDS Conference
July 14, 2004
Actor and AIDS advocate Richard Gere and MTV President Bill Roedy on Tuesday at a Global Media AIDS Initiative press conference at the XV International AIDS Conference announced several public HIV/AIDS education campaigns primarily targeting youth in the United States, Russia and China, USA Today reports (Sternberg, USA Today, 7/13). MTV is a partner in the Global Media AIDS Initiative, an alliance between the United Nations and the media that was generated through a partnership between UNAIDS and the Kaiser Family Foundation, with financial support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Kaiser Family Foundation release, 7/13). As a part of the initiative, Gere announced agreements with two of India's largest entertainment networks and a 24-hour news station to develop AIDS public services announcements (USA Today, 7/13). Speaking at the briefing, Gere and Roedy criticized the Bush administration's focus on abstinence in AIDS education, AFP/Yahoo! News reports. Roedy said that although MTV has been "criticized quite a bit" for its commercials and programs encouraging condom use, the company will "continue to take those risks" (AFP/Yahoo! News, 7/13). Gere said that the United States will "hopefully have another administration in about four months ... and along with that some sanity on the subject." He added that AIDS "to this planet, to this time and place" is the "most important issue" (AFP/News24.com, 7/13). Under the initiative, 22 media companies have pledged to use their influence to educate people worldwide about HIV/AIDS. Most companies pledged to use PSAs, expanded news coverage and documentaries to education the public. Many participants agreed to weave AIDS-related stories into entertainment programs, recruit other media outlets to join the campaign and provide their campaign materials free-of-charge to other broadcast outlets (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/16).
New Campaigns
A kaisernetwork.org webcast of the session is available online.
Back to other news for July 14, 2004
This article was provided by Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. It is a part of the publication Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report. Visit the Kaiser Family Foundation's website to find out more about their activities, publications and services.
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The $3.9 billion sought by Democrats is high, Straus indicated.
"I don't think there's room. I know that the budget has limits, with the caps, and we can't go above the cap," Straus said.
Asked about the threat that Rep. Sylvester Turner described concerning the items that would be brought up in special session, which he said occurred with Straus in the room, Straus first asked, "Which room?" Then Straus said, "There are those who are saying that, yes."
Gov. Rick Perry's spokeswoman, Lucy Nashed, asked for a comment, referenced the fact that his office earlier was responding to a report that Perry had asked lawmakers to vote against the budget because of the amount of education spending.
"The governor has not told members not to vote for the budget. There are a lot of ongoing conversations about the budget at this point in the session, and the governor expects lawmakers to send him a balanced budget that limits spending, includes tax relief for Texans and funds water and transportation infrastructure projects," Nashed said by e-mail.
UPDATE: Democrats are standing firm on an infusion of $3.9 billion for public education, Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, said Thursday, accusing Republicans of moving the goalposts in the budget debate.
"We have never changed," said turner, who is on the conference committee that is negotiating differences between House and Senate versions of the spending plan.
Turner, speaking after Democrats caucused Thursday, said the agreement with House GOP leadership was that schools would get $2.5 billion in general revenue in the House version of the state budget for the next two years.
In addition, he said, the agreement was that schools would keep $1.4 billion that otherwise could be re-routed by the state due to higher local school property tax revenues.
Schools are funded by a combination of state, local and federal money. When local revenues rise, the state obligation decreases. The amount that could be freed in state general revenue in this way is $1.4 billion, money that has come into play in budget negotiations.
Turner said that Democrats in return would give their support toward the two-thirds vote needed to spend money from the rainy day fund for water infrastructure and for a proposed constitutional amendment to dedicate the money, allowing Republicans to avoid breaking the spending cap.
In addition, Turner said, Democrats weren't going to break the deal when Republicans said they'd re-route another $500 million that the House had agreed to give schools in the current fiscal year, potentially to roads in energy-boom areas like the Eagle Ford Shale.
Turner, however, said Republicans have sought to change the deal because of apparent dissension within their own ranks.
He said that word came from House Speaker Joe Straus's office that Gov. Rick Perry was saying it was too much money for education and that the most they could do was $3.2 billion, plus $300 million to help school districts with Teacher Retirement System costs.
Perry spokesman Josh Havens denied Wednesday night that Perry was telling lawmakers this.
"What else is new?" Turner said, steely. He said Perry should put out a clear, public statement indicating how much education revenue he supports, if that's the case.
Turner also said that Democrats had been threatened that if they don't agree to the GOP position, that they would face a special session in which Republicans would also find it easier to pass now-stalled anti-abortion legislation. He said the sentiment expressed, with Straus in the room, was, "If you don't accept this deal, it will only get worse for you in the special session." But Turner said Democrats are willing to risk that because of the important of education.
Straus spokesman Jason Embry didn't have an immediate comment.
Original post:
Budget negotiators who have been trying to finalize a deal on how much to spend on public schools, how to get $2 billion for long-neglected water infrastructure and other key issues have posted a public meeting for 2 p.m. Thursday.
Time is flying toward the regular session's May 27 end and legislative deadlines kick in before then.
Capitol Inside's Mike Hailey reported that Texas House Speaker Joe Straus told the publication at a south Austin restaurant late Wednesday night that a $3.5 billion deal on public education spending "will be dead in the morning if Democrats in the lower chamber haven't accepted the offer by then in exchange for their support on the funding of a state water plan."
One Democrat maintained Thursday that it was a question of whether leadership is going to be bipartisan. Republicans have said the money already committed to education is significant.
Even though the GOP has a legislative majority, leaders need Democratic support to take money for water from the state's rainy day fund because it requires a two-thirds vote.
Democrats have pressed for more money for public education, which
was cut back $5.4 billion two years ago in the face of a projected revenue shortfall. Lawmakers instead had billions more dollars than forecast by Comptroller Susan Combs.


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Bolt Prospects Prospect of the Month: January
There are some prospects in this organization who wish they could put up the numbers in a year that this prospect did in a month...
RW/C Chris Lawrence, Mississauga (OHL)
When you average more than a point a game over the span of 31 days, you're having a good month. When you average more than a goal a game, you're having a great month. January was a banner month for Chris Lawrence who has overcome time missed due to an early season head injury and now finds himself tied for 19th in the OHL in scoring and tied for 4th in the league in goals. In 11 January games, Lawrence scored 14 goals and 21 points helping to soar to 14 games above .500 and tie with Belleville at 62 points for the second best mark in the OHL's Eastern Conference. In 6 of those 11 games Lawrence was selected as one of the game's three stars: twice as first star, three times as second star and once as third star. Through 45 games, Lawrence has 35 goals and 66 points with 88 penalty minutes and a +26 rating. Prior to this season, Lawrence only had 41 goals in his entire junior career and his 66 points obliterates his previous season high of 53 points set in 67 games last season.
Lawrence's January Statistics:
January's Prospect of the Week Winners
1/22-1/28, D Dane Crowley, Everett (WHL)
1/15-1/21, RW/C Chris Lawrence, Mississauga (OHL)
1/8-1/14, G Morgan Cey, Johnstown (ECHL)
1/1-1/7, RW/C Chris Lawrence, Mississauga (OHL)
Previous Prospects of the Month
December, G Jonathan Boutin, Springfield (AHL)
November, G Karri Ramo, Springfield (AHL)
October, C Blair Jones, Springfield (AHL)
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Real Talk: Juelz Santana On Working With Chris Brown After Rihanna Incident "Its His Business. You Dont Kick A Man. When They Down"
Juelz Santana talks album, rides, and speaks on Chris Brown being in his new single "Its his business, you dont kick a man when they down". Shout out to Mr. Exclusive
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Harold Morton Landon Translation Award
This $1,000 award recognizes a poetry collection translated from any language into English and published in the previous calendar year. Established in 1976, it is given annually. A noted translator chooses the winning book.
Submissions are accepted September 15 through February 15 each year. Postmark deadline: February 15, 2019. The judge is Dunya Mikhail. Submissions are currently closed.


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Returning acts are tuning up for the summer season at the Starlight Bowl.
The music begins on July 4 with "Salute to the Soul of America" with the group Stone Soul joining forces with the Burbank Philharmonic before the 9 p.m. fireworks display.
Stone Soul leads off the first half of the concert, said Cathryn Villalobos, recreation supervisor for the Burbank Parks, Recreation and Community Services.
"We had Stone Soul last year at one of the Sunday evening performances, and they were really well received," she said. "They are super high-energy and perform all the familiar Motown hits. We thought they would be a perfect fit on Fourth of July."
There will be a little interaction between the two musical groups as lead singer Matt Phairas of Stone Soul will be singing a couple songs with the orchestra when the philharmonic takes the stage the second half, Villalobos said.
"That will be new for everybody," she said. "The fireworks start at 9 p.m. and last just under 20 minutes."
Burbank Mayor Anja Reinke will be guest conductor for Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" just before the fireworks display, said Steven Kerstein, conductor of the Burbank Philharmonic.
"She is a great supporter of the arts in Burbank and we wanted to make sure she had the chance to conduct one of the jewels of the performing arts organizations in town," Kerstein said.
Phairas will perform James Brown's "Living in America" and a Stone Soul version of "America the Beautiful" with the philharmonic. Then the philharmonic will perform music from Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" and music from John Williams' "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Star Wars" and Morton Gould's "American Salute" and "76 Trombones" by Meredith Wilson from the musical "The Music Man."
The first Sunday concert features Adbacadabra, an Abba tribute band, and Fantastic Diamond, a Neil Diamond tribute group, Villalobos said.
"We've been hearing for years that people want a Neil Diamond tribute," she said. "These are two really good tribute bands. People like to hear bands they can sing and dance to."
Another highlight will be the return of the band Berlin, featuring Terri Nunn.
"We had the band here in 2007, and again it was very well received," Villalobos said. "It's an '80s group and is probably best known for the song 'Take My Breath Away,' which won an Academy Award and Golden Globe.
Opening for them will be the Spazmatics, also an '80s dance band.
Closing the season will be the Fab Four and the Answer on Aug. 8.
This year, the seating will be assigned, and it's the only concert to have that, so fans won't have to arrive early to assure a seat to the concert, which usually sells out, she said.
BJs is returning as the concessionaire serving salads and sandwiches, and they are adding hot dogs to the menu this year, Villalobos said. They will also have a couple of new youth options.
San Marco Coffee will be back with hot and cold coffee drinks, hot chocolate and blended and iced coffee drinks.
A 15% discount is available for groups of 20 or more, and can be purchased online or at the Community Services Building, she said. The discount is not available for the Fourth of July concert.
"I think it's a real great lineup and the best entertainment around for the price," Villalobos said.
Tickets are $10, $2 more than last year, and children and seniors are $6, up from $5 last year.
The prices were raised for budgetary reasons, Villalobos said.
The ticket sales don't cover all the costs involved in putting on the concerts, she added.
"We have a real strong sponsorship program. The sponsors return every year and provide additional funds. Those sponsorships help us provide the quality concert series," she said.
More concert information is available on the redesigned website at http://www.starlightbowl.com.
Starlight Bowl Summer Concert Series
July 4 -- Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra, Stone Soul and aerial fireworks
July 11 -- Adbacadabra and Fantastic Diamond
July 18 -- The Little River Band
July 25 -- Element Band and Mariachi Divas
Aug. 1 -- Berlin featuring Terri Nunn and The Spazmatics
Aug. 8 -- The Fab Four and The Answer


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A strip-searches by a prison guards has been ruled unconstitutional after an inmate awaiting trial described his search at the hands of a female guard as "a humiliating event."
In a 6-5 ruling, California' Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled opposite-sex searches unconstitutional "except in an emergency." The same ruling sets standards for nine Western states. While 6 of the judges found the search "unreasonable," there was dissent. "Judge N. Randy Smith said the cadet had conducted the search professionally and, although it was "unsavory to our sensibilities," the action met legal standards."
The ruling also seems like it could lead to confusion: should this only apply to heterosexual prisoners? Would a gay male guard be preferable? What about transgendered prisoners and guards? And at what point do such distinctions become arbitrary? What about those prisoners who for whatever reason might prefer a guard of the opposite sex? And in any event, to what extent will this affect operating procedures, which were presumably already designed to facilitate same-sex searches in most cases?
Many of the same questions — both of dignity and constitutionality — can be applied to TSA inspections. When does something become "degrading," in the court's words — and to what extent will the government respect that?
Cross-Sex Strip Searches Ruled Unconstitutional [SFGate]
[Image via Shutterstock]


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(credit: AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) Brock Motum scored 31 points and Royce Woolridge added 25 as Washington State closed out the regular season by crushing USC 76-51 on Saturday.
Woolridge hit five 3-pointers and Motum three, helping the Cougars (13-18, 4-14 Pac-12) to their first winning streak in conference play this season with a sweep of the Los Angeles schools. Washington State defeated UCLA on Wednesday.
T.J. Terrell had 18 points for the Trojans (14-17, 9-9). He was the only player in double figures for USC, as it struggled from the field (19 for 56) and behind the arc (4 for 24).
Washington State never trailed and put the game out of reach when Woolridge hit four consecutive 3-pointers to make the score 66-46 with 4:42 remaining.


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Leftover notes and quotes from Ashley vs. New Hanover boys
Ashley upset New Hanover in the first round of the NCHSAA playoffs on Monday. Click here to see the full story, but here are a few extra notes and quotes from the game. -Area coaches have been talking about Tyre Gathright for the entire year, saying that a lot of the shots he makes are unguardable. Gathright proved that point in abundance on Monday. When he drives the lane, it creates space for both Ridell Camidge to shoot it from… Read More »


text: Nerve has another edition of its "Dating Advice From..." column, and this time they went to the Miss High Times contestants to answer readers questions. We're not sure if the girls were actually baked when giving their answers (for our stoned advice column, it's a requirement), but it was still really pot-centric: My girlfriend always expects me to pay for our shared pot. How can I put a stop to this? Stop buying with her. Get your own stash and let her know why you did. If she were a real stoner she would have her own stash too, and this never would have happened in the first place. [Nerve]


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Run of the week: Sherwin Creek Road; an unexpected March delight right out your back door
Despite having a tiny campground right on it, despite being only a mile from Mammoth, little Sherwin Creek Road just to the southeast of town has a wild and lovely feel that makes it a great cross-country ski destination for an afternoon, or even for a day-long adventure.
The gravel road is covered in snow right now, making it a perfect place for skiing Mammoth's spring snow.
With Sherwin Creek tumbling under it, with deep forest, open meadow, birdsong and pine trees, with springs and sun and sweeping views all colliding with one another, the ski packs more variety into four miles than most routes would in an entire day.
In just a few, short, easy miles, you can ski through deep forest, round the bend into wide-open sunlit meadows, bypass aspens and bear-haunted gorges (I've seen many out there in spring and summer) and old, sienna and burnt umber wood cabins nestled against the white snow.
And, for inexplicable reasons, it's also a relatively unused route, given its proximity to Mammoth, almost guaranteeing quiet and solitude.
This ski is made even better because it could also be a one-way, four-mile ski to another shuttle car parked on U.S. 395, should you so choose.
So go on. Get out there.
The ski leaves Mammoth on the flat out near the propane tanks where the winter trailhead for the Sherwins is now.
Leave the vast majority of the bustle and noise behind at the trailhead but be prepared for some snowmobile activity on this route, since the road is open to all users.
Head southeast on the flat, on the old Sherwin Creek Road, still visible through the snow, if you watch carefully.
Glide over the spring corn snow, heading slightly downhill, aiming for a patch of Jeffrey pines about a half mile from the trailhead.
As you close in on the pines, the road steepens and drops down into a small ravine. Stop and listen for the sound of juncos and chickadees, ravens and jays. The birds have just reappeared after their winter absence, nesting and mating season is just around the corner, and the woods are no longer locked in the deep winter silence.
Descend the hill, heading for the deep trees and the still faint sound of the creek ahead of you.
At about one mile, the Jeffrey pines begin to overshadow the road. In another hundred feet or so, aspens and water birch appear, a sure sign in the Sierra of water.
Little Sherwin Creek drains the Sherwin crest towering above Mammoth, crashing down from stark, steep, unnamed granite peaks above Valentine Lake, then on down to Sherwin Lakes, followed by a fast cascade down the mountain to the quietude of Mammoth Creek.
Before it gets to Mammoth Creek, just a mile east of town, the little creek crosses under a dirt road that parallels Mammoth Creek for about four miles, connecting Old Mammoth Road to U.S. 395.
Cross little Sherwin Creek at about 1.3 miles and keep heading southeast, through the sweet open Jeffrey pine forest.
The road winds and meanders a bit, passing by aspen groves protecting Sherwin Creek Campground to your left.
The silence here, on a calm and windless day, is perfect. The views thought the sparse forest to the south show the big bulk of Bloody and Laurel mountains far above you.
The sky is the blue only March brings. The breeze is the cool and perfect breeze that only March brings. And the smells, of vanilla Jeffrey pine and newborn sage and errant juniper and snow melting on granite, are the smells that only March brings.
Keep skiing through the trees for another mile or so, passing the sign to Valentine Lake and the private camp for children near the trailhead to Valentine. You are now about two miles from the trailhead back near the propane tanks.
Ahead of you, the forest slowly begins to thin and open on the right, or south, where the base of Laurel Mountain dominates.
Keep an eye out on the right for the beginning of an extensive sage and meadow flat, hugging the base of Laurel Mountain.
In the spring and summer, the display here of balsam root and lupine is second to none.
But today, keep skiing, until the forest gives way abruptly to sun-drenched open country, with the White Mountains all the way across Long Valley looking suddenly close enough to touch.
Keep skiing, heading always south and east, through this open country. To your right, Laurel's head is out of sight and lower ridges dominate the skyline, cresting up to meet the sky.
To your left and directly behind you, the view stretches back to Mammoth Mountain and the very tips of the Minaret range.
Keep skiing, heading for the long run of white road and meadow leading to the highway, still far out of sight and sound.
At about three miles, a small cabin surrounded by aspens catches your eye at the base of Laurel. Set against the banks of a small stream cascading down the mountain, the cabin belongs to some lucky being, a small piece of heaven surrounded by paradise.
Keep skiing east as the little creek parallels, then crosses under, the road, keeping you company as you glide.
When the creek crosses the road again, you have reached the open country just east and north of Laurel ponds and about a half mile from the highway.
This is a good place to turn around and return to the trailhead as you will soon hear and see the highway. Or, if you left another car down the road where the Sherwin Creek road hits the highway, pick up your shuttle car.
Take Old Mammoth Road south, toward the Stove and Mammoth Creek. As soon as you cross the creek, take a sharp left on Sherwin Creek Road.
Follow it about one third of a mile to the parking area near the propane storage tanks.
Head away from the snowmobilers and south, following the dim traces of the road east and south.
Start skiing.