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Discussion: On Copyright
As the balance of the Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Bill continues to shift, it seems that we still need to talk about copyright itself, from first principles. What is its purpose? How is it broken? What would you fix? Post your case here …
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First! (c)
That was deep, Mark. Surprisingly deep.
Copyright is not so much the right to make copies, but to stop others making them. That requires enforcement of some sort or reliance on economic barriers like expensive printing presses, distribution networks, etc.
The efficient internet and cheap fast manufacturing for physical goods changes the equation. New business model to support innovation needed.
Well, there doesn't seem to be any discussion starting here, so let's start with a few key points (at least from my point of view):
Copyright is a technological anachronism, and attempts to create scarcity where none exists.
The internet, which is by no means perfect, is really good at a few things; creating communities amongst geographically disparate persons of common interest, moving content from one place to another and forcing down the cost of communications to an accessable level.When you combine these factors; ubiquity, community, connectivity and accessability new and interesting things start to happen. For example:
If community equals "people interested in watching the latest pixar film" then those people will use the other factors to a) find out about local session times on their local cinemas website (providing it's not a usability nightmare), and b) share highlights, mashups, commentary and most importantly copies with each other.
If community equals "people upset by the DRM imposed on their copy of Spore" then those people will use ubiquity, connectivity and accessability to wage a concerted campaign to hurt Spore's sales on Amazon by giving bad user reviews - something which costs EA a heap of money, but essentially costs each community member nothing more than a few seconds time (possibly the best circumvention device invented yet).
I guess my point is that like speed limits we're talking about individual people deciding that infringing the law is less important than their immediate need, whether that's doing 60 to get the kids to soccer practice on time or write wall-e/autopilot slash fic. People seem to think that these are "little laws" where they can see little or no potential harm resulting from their actions.
Matthew Poole on another thread was doing a pretty good job discussing how publishers are in essential breach of the "Copyright Bargain". That is the point reached where governments agree to suspend certain freedoms that readers might have (access to knowledge, for example) in the understanding that publishers may need some encouragement to cover the costs of producing that knowledge. It is an unnatural bargain, made more unnatural by the Internet and distributed production technology.
Section two of Richard Stallman's book, freely available here, has a number of essays discussing Copyright.
To me, "The Right to Read" chapter is the most chilling of his essays as in many ways we are now very close to the future he describes. (Plot spoiler, it follows the standard, now patented, narrative device and has a happy ending...boy meets girl, gives girl password to his computer, merriment ensues).
Finally, before we get too far into this discussion, can we have some clarity around terms.
These people are pirates. They kill people on the high seas.
Our 13 year old children are not pirates. They listen to MP3s.
Please stop equating the two.
Well, of course, we should start here, so people can see some of what we've been tossing around for the last couple of days.
Copyright is a state-sanctioned monopoly. Cutting through all the emotional stuff about moral rights and material rights, that's what it comes down to. The state grants you sole right to control what's done with the fruits of your labour. Sounds fair to everyone?
The contrast between the copyright and what I call natural rights is that natural rights exist without operation of law. Nobody debates that I have the right to live, to move around, to express my religious or political beliefs as I see fit. The state doesn't grant me those rights, it simply affirms their existence. The Elections Act doesn't give me the right to vote, it just confirms that as a resident aged over 18 it's my right. There's no legislation that grants me the right to free movement, or freedom of religion, just legislation affirming that those rights shouldn't be impinged upon by the state.
Copyright, however, requires the law in order to exist. Without the law, copyright is a nothing. There's nothing in nature to stop me from copying your work, there's only the law. So if it requires the existence and operation of the law in order to afford this right, what does society get in return for guaranteeing that right? Copyright puts the might of the judicial system (and the executive, in the event of criminal infringement) behind the enforcement of this right. That's no small thing, and it's something that shouldn't be granted without society getting something back.
The closest parallel to copyright is the law of patents, which provides similar monopolies over the fruits of one's labours. The quid pro quo is that, in return for throwing the weight of the judicial system into the protection of your right, you must publish the full specifications for your invention, such that others can copy it. There's an implied expectation that you will licence to others the right to produce your invention, if you lack the capital or other means to do so yourself. And once the term expires (with active renewal required to keep the patent for the full length of the term), your invention is available to all and sundry for their own purposes. So society gives you a monopoly, but in return once the monopoly expires you lose control.Copyright has a similar return to society, in that the work becomes available to all for their own use once the copyright term expires. But from the original 14+14 term given by the Statute of Anne in 1709 (or 1710 by the modern calendar), we're up to life-of-the-author-plus-50-years. This puts today's copyright works out of reach of those who enjoy them today, potentially even out of the reach of the creator's children until they're well into middle-age. Is that a fair return?
To me, it's not. Copyright is necessary, no question, and I'm not arguing that it should be abolished as an institution. It's even provided for in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But that same Declaration says that people have duties to their state in return for the protection of their rights. I don't consider a lifetime-plus monopoly to be fair exchange. Based on the discussion in the thread above, I seem to be something of a lone voice on that. 70, 80, 90 years, or more, that's fair, seems to be the argument. But what is the artist contributing to the society in which they live? They're contributing their work to the cultural base of a future society, but to the society in which they live right now they offer little beyond the potentially non-existent tax on the potentially non-existent royalty payments. Doesn't sound like a good trade to me.
Good post Matthew.
70, 80, 90 years, or more, that's fair, seems to be the argument.
Yes, sounds very fair to publishers, but it is not fair to authors, on the whole. Some authors favour a reduction in Copyright term to less than 10 years. This frees them of restrictive contracts with publishers (who often end up "owning" the Copyright) and allows them to explore different distribution and revenue models once the publisher has stopped printing.
Eh, I'm pro life plus 10 to 20, or fixed terms around 60-70 years. I really don't think that fixed terms of less than 50 years are at all equitable to the creator.
I think that large parts of copyright are natural rights, though -- the right to the fruits of labour, basically, as well as the moral rights. If you propose changing copyright law radically -- essentially, anything beyond returning to 40 odd year terms -- the onus is on you to explain how this will still provide a fair return to creators consistent with their right to receive payment for work.
I think Stallman is correct, the term creator should be restricted to God like entities. At best we are talking about painters, writers, programmers, authors and so on. Craftsmen.
Who says they cannot have "fair return" on the fruits of their labours with short Copyrigh terms? If you combine a "life plus" rule where does it end? Where will the next renaissance come from?
Sorry, but there comes a point where the community good does trump individual "fairness". The Copyright holders are taking us well beyond that point. You can tell this because they would like to lock away 13 year olds for listening to MP3s.
<i>You can tell this because they would like to lock away 13 year olds for listening to MP3s.</i>
Oh, for heaven's sake, most creators (and I'm going to use creators because that's the common thread) don't actually want to lock up 13 y.o.s, and nor do most copyright holders. You might have noticed the lack of authors running around suing people off the face of the planet for fan-fiction?
As for the `craftsmen' comment, (a) craftspeople, and (b) some are fine arts, and some aren't. Painting and some types of writing are arts, not crafts, whereas others are crafts, and some are barely even that. The one thing in common is the expression of ideas; idea reifiers sounds too unwieldy, so you've kind of got to make do.
1. Recoup costs with fair margin
2. Costs of production by anyone are declining
3. Costs of enforcement by collective are increasing
4. No scarcity of product has been demonstratedThus the suggestion would be, and evidence supports, a much shorter term is sufficient.
Not quite first principles, but I've been thinking lately in the context of a proposed review on an explicit satire and parody exception for copyright (the implication is it might be needed to help clarify what an infringement is for notice-and-takedown purposes... sigh).
It occurs to me that many arguments that would justify parody or satire would also apply to collage (another subject dear to my heart) and ultimately to remixes.
Anyway, it seems hard to say how the people who did the original work(s) suffer any damage. Not even the consequential sort of loss when someone else exploits direct copies of your work commercially. Which incidentally, the fashion industry seems to cope with.
So anyway as a sometime exploiter and an 'author' (in the legal sense) and relative of a rather determined author I've got a bit of a mixed perspective on the right approach for core copyright. Though as a human and a citizen I worry find the legal escalation alarming.
On the more general point, someone at boingboing pointed to a short story based around the idea there was only a finite number of pleasant combinations of music notes and if they were all registered and enforced you'd eventually run out.
Can't think what to search for, or of the name of the legal guy's book Cory Dottrow was recommending more recently. Sorry.
Oh, and the other recent development is authors get paid for books in libraries.
Keir, how about you show us that it's not possible for creators (sorry Don, I think "painter" when I say "artist") to earn a good return in 20 years? It used to be that they got 28 years, at most, to extract maximum monetary value from their work. Dickens clearly didn't suffer much from those conditions. Nor did Twain.
Look at Rowling, who's gone from beneficiary to 12th-richest-woman-in-Britain in the space of a decade. Obviously she's a bit of an extreme case, but it demonstrates that it's not necessary to have an obscenely long term for a creator to make money from their works. In fact, I'd argue that having a stupidly long term is just a state-supported gamble on the future viability of the creator's work. -
Oh and whatever copyright is, it's a civil matter. It certainly isn't up to the entirity of the rest of society to enforce it (and the penalty form making a copy shouldn't be more than actually stealing a real CD). The bod from the RIA was quoted saying it was "unacceptable" for them to have to go to court. That might just be because the keep losing cases, but either way - lump it.
And seeing as this has been said in public, illegal downloading is not like stealing. The best analogy I've seen is it's like jumping the fence to a swimming pool.
The best analogy I've seen is it's like jumping the fence to a swimming pool.
That's actually pretty good. I like "If I steal your CD, you don't have it anymore and can't listen to it. But if I copy your CD, you have a copy and I have a copy, and we can both listen to it."
Dickens clearly didn't suffer much from those conditions
Yep, one of the most fantastically successful authors to have ever lived was wildly successful, as were two other authors who were ridiculously successful. Although Twain wanted longer copyright terms to protect his children, it should be noted.
We have a system that works well at the moment, in general. Why change it as drastically as you're proposing? We don't know the consequences, but in terms of the creation of IP, we've never had it so good.
The Hobbit was published 1937; under 20 year terms, it would have been substantially out of copyright by the time the first book of the Lord of the Rings was published; I doubt Tolkien would've starved, but that's just not fair. His Estate wouldn't have got any money from the vastly popular films, even though he provided the important creative basis.
Discussing if it is possible for a creator to be adequately remunerated in 20 years is a bit of a red herring, because you haven't defined adequacy, and because the value of copyrights differ depending on the popularity of the underlying text.
And, yes, the RIAA are idiots. However, the fallacy of the excluded middle applies.
But if I copy your CD, you have a copy and I have a copy, and we can both listen to it
Doesn't matter; you haven't paid me for it, and you're depriving me of the money you should give me under the law. I don't care if I can listen to, listening to my own CD doesn't feed or clothe me. I don't really like calling it theft, because it isn't, but it is similar.
I doubt Tolkien would've starved, but that's just not fair. His Estate wouldn't have got any money from the vastly popular films, even though he provided the important creative basis.
Why should his estate have gotten any money? Your garbage men's families don't continue to get his wage from the council after he kicks the bucket.
The Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Bill is, at 55 pages, pretty heavy reading. Would you care to remind us of a few of the specific areas of concern? -
Why should his estate have gotten any money? Your garbage men's families don't continue to get his wage from the council after he kicks the bucket.
I can't accept this comparison. If the garbageman owned the grabage removal business, that would indeed pass to his family (if he so chose) after his death. Wages and royalties are completely different.
Your garbage men's families don't continue to get his wage from the council after he kicks the bucket.
First of all, one of the most important writers of the 20th century =/= a garbage man.
Look, the wage-earner does a job and then gets the money straight away; the creator does a job and then gets paid over a period of decades -- essentially, to make the accounting easier & more accurate. However, they both get paid for doing work. If the creator's family randomly got assigned more copyrights after death, this'd be meaningful, but as it stands it doesn't make sense.
We can evaluate the worth what a garbage man does basically at the point he does it; it isn't sui generis, whereas as most works of art are. Therefore, to find out the worth of an idea, one must let time pass to find the judgement of society. However, the work was done at the point of creation; all that's happening now is evaluation and payment for, essentially, services rendered.
The garbage man's family do get any wages that the council owes for work done before his death.
but in terms of the creation of IP, we've never had it so good
In terms of reusing existing IP, we've never had it so bad. And when Mickey's next coming due for release into the public domain, it'll probably get worse. How can you possibly say that it's not a broken system when every time a century-old cartoon character is about to become available for everyone to use, he's retroactively granted a couple more decades of protection?
His Estate wouldn't have got any money from the vastly popular films, even though he provided the important creative basis.
So bloody what? Why is the estate entitled to a damn cent just because it's the estate of someone who created something? That's your argument: "Because Tolkien was popular, his descendants are entitled to a whopping income for decades to come." If he'd died the day after writing The Hobbit, his estate would've been entitled to the income for the next 20 years. If he'd died 19 years after, with a fixed term of 20 years, they'd be entitled to the residual of whatever royalties he was paid during that 19 years, plus the remaining year.
The kids haven't done any of the work. What entitles them to decades of income from it? And don't try rebutting this question with the testamentary disposition of real property or financial instruments. They're not the same thing.
"Because Tolkien was popular, his descendants are entitled to a whopping income for decades to come."
Yup. That's about the measure of it. Hugely successful businessmen make their descendants hugely rich; hugely successful whatevers tend to be able to make their children rich.
Why shouldn't creators?
You're making a powerful argument against inheritance full stop, not inheritance of copyrights.
FWIW: I think that inheritance, particularly with respect to large sums and estate is perverse. On the one hand it seems almost a feudal proposal that my offspring are special as am I, and therefore inherit a position in life that has not been earned. On the other hand, giving your kids a fair chance would also seem to be a reasonable proposal. It is a really interesting argument that inherited copyright and associated protective behaviour denies future generations a living despite their legitimate intentions and labours.
I also disagree with the notion that in fact there is shortage of good ideas. People have loads of good ideas, what is lacking is industry, craft and determination to render those ideas into something that represents a decent living. From this point of view copyright and to some extent patent law actually protects the labour of those who present ideas, not the ideas themselves. Furthermore as has been pointed, out the value of an idea is tied to its popularity which is a matter of chance as much as it is a matter of merit or indeed deliberate promotion.
How can you possibly say that it's not a broken system when every time a century-old cartoon character is about to become available for everyone to use, he's retroactively granted a couple more decades of protection?
I can't see anyone arguing for copyrights being extended based on the demand of one person or company. That's a silly system, but you get that in the USA. If it's copyright for life plus 50, or plus 70 or whatever, that should be the system, if it changes it should be for good reason rather than Mickey Mouse being another 25 years older.
Because Tolkien was popular, his descendants are entitled to a whopping income for decades to come.
Actually Tolkien, for one of the most popular authors in history, didn't do particularly well out of his books during his lifetime. He was comfortable, but certainly not rich like a lot of authors who have sold a lot less books.
I do think you need to take into account what Keir has said about the payback from a copyrighted work flowing after the work for a number of years, not like a wage and salary where you get paid two weeks later.
I think lifetime plus 75 years is too long. But lifetime would be too short for me. Many authors publish shortly before their death, or even after it (again, Tolkien, edited by his son). If it was just lifetime someone would just reproduce it straight away. Which sounds fine in theory, but the publisher would never publish it as they couldn't protect it, and we wouldn't necessarily see books like the Simarillion and the Children of Hurin.
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Grossman RI, Yousem DM. Neuroradiology: The Requisites. Mosby; 1994:114–16
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text:
Flowers in a Gift
Archie's Florist & Gifts has many "flowers in a gift" that come in an unique vase that can be used many times! The recipient will think of you every time they use it! Archie's Florist & Gifts in South Hill, VA has Flowers in a Gift suitable for every occasion.


text:
Massachusetts band Speedy Ortiz's second album Major Arcana, is incredibly anachronistic. Debuted in July of 2013, the record would've fared equally well if released in the mid-90s when Built to Spill's sprawling guitar odes first came within earshot. Even lead-singer Sadie Dupuis' voice drifts into Doug Martsch territory. "Slacker" is an easy word to toss-off when you hear her warbling though the understated melodicism signifies a tireless worker. And the rupturing guitar solos the band provides couldn't possibly come from anyone sunk into a couch.
The mighty guitar wallop of new-cut "American Horror" obliterates any couch. Hearing those first feedback laden seconds, another Amherst, Mass band comes to mind. Dinosaur Jr. continues to be the gold-standard of indie-rock guitar heroics, and Speedy Ortiz seems to be cut from the same cloth. Add a few RPMs to the track and you've entered into "Kracked". Dupuis' proclamation "no it's not what you think," drips with just enough snotty adolescence to keep it away from wounded-animal territory. It does thrash like a sickly beast on its last leg however. Guitar feedback splays to every conceivable angle and drums perpetually throb. "You'd be out on a stretcher after your home-stretch," goes a key line before the song hurtles into the first chorus. The aesthetic suggests "90s", but the noise ensures the group didn't hear anything from the entire decade.
"American Horror", is from the forthcoming EP Real Hair, out February 11 through Carpark Records, and can be heard here.


text:
Matthew M. Speare
Executive Vice President & Enterprise CIO, Regions Bank
Speare joined Regions in 2013 and serves as the head of governance and integration. Regions is a top U.S. bank-holding company headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., with $117 billion in assets, operating approximately 1,700 banking offices in 16 states. In this role, Speare has responsibility for information security; check, ATM/debit, and credit card fraud operations; and systems integration for consumer, business and commercial banking groups. Prior to assuming his current role in 2013, Speare was the chief technology officer for M&T Bank, an $82 billion financial institution based out of Buffalo, N.Y.


text:
Top 10 Worst Places to Live as a Christian
If you are a Christian, the worst place to live in the world is North Korea, according to Open Doors' 2008 World Watch List released Monday.
The annual country persecution list ranked North Korea in the No. 1 spot for the sixth year in a row. There were more arrests of Christians in the country in 2007 than in 2006, according to Open Doors.
In North Korea, considered by many the most repressive regime, citizens are strictly banned from worshipping any other gods beside those enforced in the state religion – a personality cult revolving around current dictator Kim Jong Il, and his deceased father, Kim Il Sung.
Moreover, Christianity is considered a serious threat to the regime's power and there are many reports of Christians being publicly executed, tortured or imprisoned indefinitely simply because of the discovery of their faith.
It is estimated that there are at least 200,000 underground Christians and up to 400,000 to 500,000 believers secretly practicing their faith in North Korea. At least a quarter of the Christians are imprisoned for their faith in political prison camps, from which people rarely get out alive, according to an Open Doors local source.
"It is certainly not a shock that North Korea is No. 1 on the shame list for the sixth year in a row," said Carl Moeller, President/CEO of Open Doors USA. "There is no other country in the world where Christians are being persecuted in such a horrible and systematic manner."
In second place behind North Korea is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia where fundamentalist Wahabbi Islam dominates society and oppresses believers. Under the kingdom's strict interpretation of Islamic law, apostasy (conversion to another religion) is punishable by death if the accused does not recant.
Following close behind in third is Mideast neighbor Iran. Although Christians are officially recognized as a religious minority, believers regularly face discrimination and persecution.
Islam is the predominant religion in six of the top 10 countries: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Maldives, Afghanistan, Yemen and Uzbekistan.
This year, several countries moved up in the list including Bhutan (No. 5, up from No. 7), but mainly due to Somalia and Yemen's decrease in persecution.
Afghanistan also rose from No. 10 to No. 7 due to the South Korean Christian hostage drama last summer as well as other events that contributed to its worsening persecution status.
Two new countries were added to the 2008 list: Uzbekistan at No. 9, up from No. 11, and China at No. 10, up from No. 12 last year.
Three of the top 10 countries – North Korea, Laos and China – have communist governments. Bhutan is the only Buddhist country on the list.
Improvement in human rights occurred in Somalia (from No. 4 to 12), Vietnam (from No. 8 to 17), Burma (from No. 19 to 25), Ethiopia (from No. 37 to 43) and Colombia (from No. 43 to 50).
The World Watch List ranks countries based on the intensity of persecution Christians face for actively pursuing their faith. The list is compiled based on answers to 50 questions covering various aspects of religious freedom from Open Doors' indigenous contacts, field workers and persecuted believers.
Open Doors encourages Christians to join its prayer campaign for North Korea and participate in North Korea Freedom Week, April 27 - May 3.
2008 World Watch List
1. North Korea
2. Saudi Arabia
3. Iran
4. Maldives
5. Bhutan
6. Yemen
7. Afghanistan
8. Laos
9. Uzbekistan
10. China


text: Trustus patrons: A friendly reminder that we have switched our ticketing service, so you will need to create a new account to purchase tickets if you have not done so already. To redeem previously purchased Flex Passes, please call the box office at 803-254-9732 or email [email protected]. Mobile users: Please be aware that you will only be able to select the section where you want to be seated. If you wish to select specific seats, please use a desktop or call our box office at 803-254-9732


text:
Study shows rapid warming on the West Antarctic ice sheet
- Date:
- December 23, 2012
- Source:
- Ohio State University
- Summary:
- In a discovery that raises further concerns about the future contribution of Antarctica to sea level rise, a new study finds that the western part of the ice sheet is experiencing nearly twice as much warming as previously thought.
- Share:
In a discovery that raises further concerns about the future contribution of Antarctica to sea level rise, a new study finds that the western part of the ice sheet is experiencing nearly twice as much warming as previously thought.
The temperature record from Byrd Station, a scientific outpost in the center of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS), demonstrates a marked increase of 4.3 degrees Fahrenheit (2.4 degrees Celsius) in average annual temperature since 1958 -- that is, three times faster than the average temperature rise around the globe.
This temperature increase is nearly double what previous research has suggested, and reveals -- for the first time -- warming trends during the summer months of the Southern Hemisphere (December through February), said David Bromwich, professor of geography at Ohio State University and senior research scientist at the Byrd Polar Research Center.
The findings were published online this week in the journal Nature Geoscience.
"Our record suggests that continued summer warming in West Antarctica could upset the surface mass balance of the ice sheet, so that the region could make an even bigger contribution to sea level rise than it already does," said Bromwich.
"Even without generating significant mass loss directly, surface melting on the WAIS could contribute to sea level indirectly, by weakening the West Antarctic ice shelves that restrain the region's natural ice flow into the ocean."
Andrew Monaghan, study co-author and scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), said that these findings place West Antarctica among the fastest-warming regions on Earth.
"We've already seen enhanced surface melting contribute to the breakup of the Antarctic's Larsen B Ice Shelf, where glaciers at the edge discharged massive sections of ice into the ocean that contributed to sea level rise," Monaghan said. "The stakes would be much higher if a similar event occurred to an ice shelf restraining one of the enormous WAIS glaciers."
Researchers consider the WAIS especially sensitive to climate change, explained Ohio State University doctoral student Julien Nicolas. Since the base of the ice sheet rests below sea level, it is vulnerable to direct contact with warm ocean water. Its melting currently contributes 0.3 mm to sea level rise each year -- second to Greenland, whose contribution to sea level rise has been estimated as high as 0.7 mm per year.
Due to its location some 700 miles from the South Pole and near the center of the WAIS, Byrd Station is an important indicator of climate change throughout the region.
In the past, researchers haven't been able to make much use of the Byrd Station measurements because the data was incomplete; nearly one third of the temperature observations were missing for the time period of the study. Since its establishment in 1957, the station hasn't always been occupied. A year-round automated station was installed in 1980, but it has experienced frequent power outages, especially during the long polar night, when its solar panels can't recharge.
Bromwich and two of his graduate students, along with colleagues from NCAR and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, corrected the past Byrd temperature measurements and used corrected data from a computer atmospheric model and a numerical analysis method to fill in the missing observations.
Aside from offering a more complete picture of warming in West Antarctica, the study suggests that if this warming trend continues, melting will become more extensive in the region in the future, Bromwich said.
While the researchers work to fully understand the cause of the summer warming at Byrd Station, the next step is clear, he added.
"West Antarctica is one of the most rapidly changing regions on Earth, but it is also one of the least known," he said. "Our study underscores the need for a reliable network of meteorological observations throughout West Antarctica, so that we can know what is happening -- and why -- with more certainty."
This research was funded by the National Science Foundation.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Ohio State University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- David H. Bromwich, Julien P. Nicolas, Andrew J. Monaghan, Matthew A. Lazzara, Linda M. Keller, George A. Weidner, Aaron B. Wilson. Central West Antarctica among the most rapidly warming regions on Earth. Nature Geoscience, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/ngeo1671
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text:
Fly Away Snow Goose by Juliet Waldron and John Wisdomkeeper
In the early 1950's four 1st Nation's children are taken to the Indian Residential School in Ft. Providence, NWT. Two believe this will be a good thing. The other pair are older, almost grown, and so far they've avoided white man's school. On a visit to town, however, they are captured by Indian Agents. A winter of suffering and abuse follows, for the school's mission is to "Kill the Indian inside the child." Sascho, the oldest boy, makes a plan to escape. They will have to travel 800 kilometers through wilderness, living off the land, always hoping to reconnect with their nomadic family before the snow flies again. Based on actual stories of residential school survivors, "Fly Away Snowgoose" is a "Walkabout," an adventure rich in danger, beauty, mystery, courage and love.
[Read more…] about Fly Away Snow Goose by Juliet Waldron and John Wisdomkeeper


text:
It's not just bingo. It's Zingo!, a matching game that encourages pre-readers and early readers alike to match the pictures and words to their challenge cards. The Zingo! Zinger dispenses tiles and fun as young minds quickly race to be the first player with a full card and yell "ZINGO!" With two levels of play, this matching game builds language skills through fast-paced play.
From Thinkfun, for ages 4+


text:
Assessment |
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Methods |
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Professional items |
World psychology |
Biological: Behavioural genetics · Evolutionary psychology · Neuroanatomy · Neurochemistry · Neuroendocrinology · Neuroscience · Psychoneuroimmunology · Physiological Psychology · Psychopharmacology (Index, Outline)
- For the physiology of cells see: cell biology
- For a list of cells of interest to psychologists see: Cells (disambiguation)
The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living, and is sometimes called the building block of life.[1] Some organisms, such as most bacteria, are unicellular (consist of a single cell). Other organisms, such as humans, are multicellular. (Humans have an estimated 100 trillion or 1014 cells; a typical cell size is 10 µm; a typical cell mass is 1 nanogram.) The largest known cell is an ostrich egg. In 1837 before the final cell theory was developed, a Czech Jan Evangelista Purkyně observed small "granules" while looking at the plant tissue through a microscope. The cell theory, first developed in 1839 by Matthias Jakob Schleiden and Theodor Schwann, states that all organisms are composed of one or more cells. All cells come from preexisting cells. Vital functions of an organism occur within cells, and all cells contain the hereditary information necessary for regulating cell functions and for transmitting information to the next generation of cells.[2]
The word cell comes from the Latin cellula, meaning, a small room. The descriptive name for the smallest living biological structure was chosen by Robert Hooke in a book he published in 1665 when he compared the cork cells he saw through his microscope to the small rooms monks lived in.[3]
Each cell is at least somewhat self-contained and self-maintaining: it can take in nutrients, convert these nutrients into energy, carry out specialized functions, and reproduce as necessary. Each cell stores its own set of instructions for carrying out each of these activities.
All cells have several different abilities:[4]
- Reproduction by cell division: (binary fission/mitosis or meiosis).
- Use of enzymes and other proteins coded for by DNA genes and made via messenger RNA intermediates and ribosomes.
- Metabolism, including taking in raw materials, building cell components, converting energy, molecules and releasing by-products. The functioning of a cell depends upon its ability to extract and use chemical energy stored in organic molecules. This energy is released and then used in metabolic pathways.
- Response to external and internal stimuli such as changes in temperature, pH or levels of nutrients.
- Cell contents are contained within a cell surface membrane that is made from a lipid bilayer with proteins embedded in it.
Some prokaryotic cells contain important internal membrane-bound compartments,[5] but eukaryotic cells have a specialized set of internal membrane compartments. Material is moved between these compartments by regulated traffic and transport of small spheres of membrane-bound material called vesicles.[6]
Anatomy of cells[]
There are two types of cells: eukaryotic and prokaryotic. Prokaryotic cells are usually independent, while eukaryotic cells are often found in multicellular organisms.
Prokaryotic cells[]
- Main article: Prokaryote
Prokaryotes differ from eukaryotes since they lack of a nuclear membrane and a cell nucleus. Prokaryotes also lack most of the intracellular organelles and structures that are seen in eukaryotic cells. There are two kinds of prokaryotes, bacteria and archaea, but these are similar in the overall structures of their cells. Most functions of organelles, such as mitochondria, chloroplasts, and the Golgi apparatus, are taken over by the prokaryotic cell's plasma membrane. Prokaryotic cells have three architectural regions: appendages called flagella and pili — proteins attached to the cell surface; a cell envelope - consisting of a capsule, a cell wall, and a plasma membrane; and a cytoplasmic region that contains the cell genome (DNA) and ribosomes and various sorts of inclusions. Other differences include:
- The plasma membrane (a phospholipid bilayer) separates the interior of the cell from its environment and serves as a filter and communications beacon.
- Most prokaryotes have a cell wall (some exceptions are Mycoplasma (bacteria) and Thermoplasma (archaea)). This wall consists of peptidoglycan in bacteria, and acts as an additional barrier against exterior forces. It also prevents the cell from "exploding" (cytolysis) from osmotic pressure against a hypotonic environment. A cell wall is also present in some eukaryotes like plants (cellulose) and fungi, but has a different chemical composition.
- A prokaryotic chromosome is usually a circular molecule (an exception is that of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease). Even without a real nucleus, the DNA is condensed in a nucleoid. Prokaryotes can carry extrachromosomal DNA elements called plasmids, which are usually circular. Plasmids can carry additional functions, such as antibiotic resistance.
Eukaryotic cells[]
- Main article: Eukaryote
Eukaryotic cells are about 10 times the size of a typical prokaryote and can be as much as 1000 times greater in volume. The major difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes is that eukaryotic cells contain membrane-bound compartments in which specific metabolic activities take place. Most important among these is the presence of a cell nucleus, a membrane-delineated compartment that houses the eukaryotic cell's DNA. It is this nucleus that gives the eukaryote its name, which means "true nucleus". Other differences include:
- The plasma membrane resembles that of prokaryotes in function, with minor differences in the setup. Cell walls may or may not be present.
- The eukaryotic DNA is organized in one or more linear molecules, called chromosomes, which are associated with histone proteins. All chromosomal DNA is stored in the cell nucleus, separated from the cytoplasm by a membrane. Some eukaryotic organelles also contain some DNA.
- Eukaryotes can move using cilia or flagella. The flagella are more complex than those of prokaryotes.
Prokaryotes | Eukaryotes | |
Typical organisms | bacteria, archaea | protists, fungi, plants, animals |
Typical size | ~ 1-10 µm | ~ 10-100 µm (sperm cells, apart from the tail, are smaller) |
Type of nucleus | nucleoid region; no real nucleus | real nucleus with double membrane |
DNA | circular (usually) | linear molecules (chromosomes) with histone proteins |
RNA-/protein-synthesis | coupled in cytoplasm | RNA-synthesis inside the nucleus protein synthesis in cytoplasm |
Ribosomes | 50S+30S | 60S+40S |
Cytoplasmatic structure | very few structures | highly structured by endomembranes and a cytoskeleton |
Cell movement | flagella made of flagellin | flagella and cilia made of tubulin, lamellipodia |
Mitochondria | none | one to several thousand (though some lack mitochondria) |
Chloroplasts | none | in algae and plants |
Organization | usually single cells | single cells, colonies, higher multicellular organisms with specialized cells |
Cell division | Binary fission (simple division) | Mitosis (fission or budding) Meiosis |
Typical animal cell | Typical plant cell | |
Organelles |
Additional structures |
Subcellular components[]
All cells, whether prokaryotic or eukaryotic, have a membrane that envelops the cell, separates its interior from its environment, regulates what moves in and out (selectively permeable), and maintains the electric potential of the cell. Inside the membrane, a salty cytoplasm takes up most of the cell volume. All cells possess DNA, the hereditary material of genes, and RNA, containing the information necessary to build various proteins such as enzymes, the cell's primary machinery. There are also other kinds of biomolecules in cells. This article will list these primary components of the cell, then briefly describe their function.
Cell membrane: A cell's defining boundary[]
- Main article: Cell membrane
The cytoplasm of a cell is surrounded by a plasma membrane. The plasma membrane in plants and prokaryotes is usually covered by a cell wall. This membrane serves to separate and protect a cell from its surrounding environment and is made mostly from a double layer of lipids (hydrophobic fat-like molecules) and hydrophilic phosphorus molecules. Hence, the layer is called a phospholipid bilayer. It may also be called a fluid mosaic membrane. Embedded within this membrane is a variety of protein molecules that act as channels and pumps that move different molecules into and out of the cell. The membrane is said to be 'semi-permeable', in that it can either let a substance (molecule or ion) pass through freely, pass through to a limited extent or not pass through at all. Cell surface membranes also contain receptor proteins that allow cells to detect external signalling molecules such as hormones.
Cytoskeleton: A cell's scaffold[]
- Main article: Cytoskeleton
The cytoskeleton acts to organize and maintain the cell's shape; anchors organelles in place; helps during endocytosis, the uptake of external materials by a cell, and cytokinesis, the separation of daughter cells after cell division; and moves parts of the cell in processes of growth and mobility. The eukaryotic cytoskeleton is composed of microfilaments, intermediate filaments and microtubules. There is a great number of proteins associated with them, each controlling a cell's structure by directing, bundling, and aligning filaments. The prokaryotic cytoskeleton is less well-studied but is involved in the maintenance of cell shape, polarity and cytokinesis.[7]
Genetic material[]
Two different kinds of genetic material exist: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). Most organisms use DNA for their long-term information storage, but some viruses (e.g., retroviruses) have RNA as their genetic material. The biological information contained in an organism is encoded in its DNA or RNA sequence. RNA is also used for information transport (e.g., mRNA) and enzymatic functions (e.g., ribosomal RNA) in organisms that use DNA for the genetic code itself.
Prokaryotic genetic material is organized in a simple circular DNA molecule (the bacterial chromosome) in the nucleoid region of the cytoplasm. Eukaryotic genetic material is divided into different, linear molecules called chromosomes inside a discrete nucleus, usually with additional genetic material in some organelles like mitochondria and chloroplasts (see endosymbiotic theory).
A human cell has genetic material in the nucleus (the nuclear genome) and in the mitochondria (the mitochondrial genome). In humans the nuclear genome is divided into 46 linear DNA molecules called chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome is a circular DNA molecule separate from the nuclear DNA. Although the mitochondrial genome is very small, it codes for some important proteins.
Foreign genetic material (most commonly DNA) can also be artificially introduced into the cell by a process called transfection. This can be transient, if the DNA is not inserted into the cell's genome, or stable, if it is.
- Main article: Organelle
The human body contains many different organs, such as the heart, lung, and kidney, with each organ performing a different function. Cells also have a set of "little organs," called organelles, that are adapted and/or specialized for carrying out one or more vital functions. Membrane-bound organelles are found only in eukaryotes.
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Diagram of an endomembrane system |
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Cell functions[]Cell growth and metabolism[]
Between successive cell divisions, cells grow through the functioning of cellular metabolism. Cell metabolism is the process by which individual cells process nutrient molecules. Metabolism has two distinct divisions: catabolism, in which the cell breaks down complex molecules to produce energy and reducing power, and anabolism, in which the cell uses energy and reducing power to construct complex molecules and perform other biological functions. Complex sugars consumed by the organism can be broken down into a less chemically-complex sugar molecule called glucose. Once inside the cell, glucose is broken down to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a form of energy, via two different pathways. The first pathway, glycolysis, requires no oxygen and is referred to as anaerobic metabolism. Each reaction is designed to produce some hydrogen ions that can then be used to make energy packets (ATP). In prokaryotes, glycolysis is the only method used for converting energy. The second pathway, called the Krebs cycle, or citric acid cycle, occurs inside the mitochondria and is capable of generating enough ATP to run all the cell functions. Creation of new cells[]
Cell division involves a single cell (called a mother cell) dividing into two daughter cells. This leads to growth in multicellular organisms (the growth of tissue) and to procreation (vegetative reproduction) in unicellular organisms. Prokaryotic cells divide by binary fission. Eukaryotic cells usually undergo a process of nuclear division, called mitosis, followed by division of the cell, called cytokinesis. A diploid cell may also undergo meiosis to produce haploid cells, usually four. Haploid cells serve as gametes in multicellular organisms, fusing to form new diploid cells. DNA replication, or the process of duplicating a cell's genome, is required every time a cell divides. Replication, like all cellular activities, requires specialized proteins for carrying out the job. Protein synthesis[]
Cells are capable of synthesizing new proteins, which are essential for the modulation and maintenance of cellular activities. This process involves the formation of new protein molecules from amino acid building blocks based on information encoded in DNA/RNA. Protein synthesis generally consists of two major steps: transcription and translation. Transcription is the process where genetic information in DNA is used to produce a complementary RNA strand. This RNA strand is then processed to give messenger RNA (mRNA), which is free to migrate through the cell. mRNA molecules bind to protein-RNA complexes called ribosomes located in the cytosol, where they are translated into polypeptide sequences. The ribosome mediates the formation of a polypeptide sequence based on the mRNA sequence. The mRNA sequence directly relates to the polypeptide sequence by binding to transfer RNA (tRNA) adapter molecules in binding pockets within the ribosome. The new polypeptide then folds into a functional three-dimensional protein molecule. Cell movement or motility[]Cell has the ability to move spontaneously during the process of wound healing, immune response and cancer metastasis. The fastest moving cells in the human body are the spermaculi, which enter and exit through the penis. This was proven when Professor Julia Ertmann of UCLA observed changes in the reproductive spermaculi in a lab environment (circa 2005). For wound healing to occur, white blood cells and cells that ingest bacteria move to the wound site to kill the microorganisms that cause infection. A the same time fibroblasts (connective tissue cells) move there to remodel damaged structures. In the case of tumor development, cells from a primary tumor move away and spread to other parts of the body. Cell motility involves many receptors, crosslinking, bundling, binding, adhesion, motor and other proteins.[8] The process is divided into three steps - protrusion of the leading edge of the cell, adhesion of the leading edge and deadhesion at the cell body and rear, and cytoskeletal contraction to pull the cell forward. Each of these steps is driven by physical forces generated by unique segments of the cytoskeleton. [9][10] Origins of cells[]
The origin of cells has to do with the origin of life, and is one of the most important steps in the theory of evolution. The birth of the cell marked the passage from prebiotic chemistry to biological life. Origin of the first cell[]
In a gene-centered view of evolution, life is regarded in terms of replicators—that is DNA molecules in the organism. In this paradigm, cells satisfy two fundamental conditions for the evolution of complexity. If freely-floating DNA molecules that code for enzymes are not enclosed in cells, the enzymes that benefit a given replicator (for example, by producing nucleotides) may do so less efficiently, and may in fact benefit competing replicators. If the entire DNA molecule of a replicator is enclosed in a cell, then the enzymes coded from the molecule will be kept close to the DNA molecule itself. The replicator will directly benefit from its encoded enzymes. Biochemically, cell-like spheroids formed by proteinoids are observed by heating amino acids with phosphoric acid as a catalyst. They bear many of the basic features provided by cell membranes. Proteinoid-based protocells enclosing RNA molecules may have been the first cellular life forms on Earth. Some amphiphiles have the tendency to spontaneously form membranes in water. A spherically closed membrane contains water and is a hypothetical precursor to the modern cell membrane composed of proteins and phospholipid bilayer membranes.[11] Origin of eukaryotic cells[]The eukaryotic cell seems to have evolved from a symbiotic community of prokaryotic cells. It is almost certain that DNA-bearing organelles like the mitochondria and the chloroplasts are what remains of ancient symbiotic oxygen-breathing proteobacteria and cyanobacteria, respectively, where the rest of the cell seems to be derived from an ancestral archaean prokaryote cell – a theory termed the endosymbiotic theory. There is still considerable debate about whether organelles like the hydrogenosome predated the origin of mitochondria, or viceversa: see the hydrogen hypothesis for the origin of eukaryotic cells. Sex, as the stereotyped choreography of meiosis and syngamy that persists in nearly all extant eukaryotes, may have played a role in the transition from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. An 'origin of sex as vaccination' theory suggests that the eukaryote genome accreted from prokaryan parasite genomes in numerous rounds of lateral gene transfer. Sex-as-syngamy (fusion sex) arose when infected hosts began swapping nuclearized genomes containing coevolved, vertically transmitted symbionts that conveyed protection against horizontal infection by more virulent symbionts.[12] History[]


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Experts estimate that as many as 42% of websites may have been impacted by Google's Medic update that dropped mid-summer. And, as with so many Google algorithm changes, it came out of nowhere, leaving a wake of destruction.
Did you see your own company website's ranking plummet as a result of the Medic Update? Here's what you need to know to determine if you were affected and how to fix damage from the medic update.
Were You Impacted By Medic Update?
Do you want to know the truth? You very likely were impacted in some way even if you didn't feel the brunt of it. It's known as the "Medic Update" because it disproportionately affected health-related websites early on. But as the waves continued to roll, other industries and sites felt the aftermath:
- Fashion
- e-Commerce
- Local businesses
- Affiliate marketing websites
- Among others
Chances are that you fall into one of these categories. If you saw your search engine rankings dip — even slightly — in August 2018 with little to no recovery, you've very likely felt the wrath of Medic. Like many updates, it's rolling out in sections so the decline may not be over.
While it never feels good to see your website lose ground in Google searches, know that Medic continues Google's goal of elevating the highest authority websites which can best answer a searcher's query. These are the ones that deserve those coveted top spots on page one.
If you take steps to adapt to the Medic Update, you have the potential to outrank the many websites that don't. You could actually come out better than you were before when you learn how to fix damage from the medic update.
Step 1: Align Content with Searcher Intent
Before websites were impacted by the medic update, searching for a product or service may have sent you straight to a sales page. But this doesn't reflect the modern buyer's journey. Google knows that. This appears to be at least one thing that this algorithm change attempted to rectify.
70% of the buying decision is made before a person reaches a sales page. The Medic updates reflect this by pulling up more informational pages that help a potential customer make that decision.
If your website strategy largely revolved around the end of the buyer's journey (sales), it's time to put more focus on helpful content like blog posts, videos and interactive tools on your website.
Step 2: Utilize Google Shopping Ads
Ad clicks don't directly impact your search engine ranking. But they do help you stay top of mind and build brand awareness over time when combined with a comprehensive brand awareness strategy. Google shopping ads have enjoyed a 47% increase in visibility year over year.
Don't blame Google. It's one of the main ways they make money. Increasing you pay per click (PPC) marketing budget will help you take advantage of this increased visibility and restore organic ranking indirectly.
Step 3: Check Your Link Profile
The number and quality of inbound links is still a known ranking factor. Relevant links from high authority websites help establish with Google that your company has an authoritative website. But Google search is getting smarter every year. It can more easily spot unnatural links that were likely purchased or otherwise unscrupulously acquired to manipulate your ranking. The aftermath for sites using questionable link-building strategies was swift and brutal.
It's time to revisit your links using Google Search Console and more advanced link analysis tools like AHrefs, SEMrush or Moz.
Look for links coming from low authority and spammy websites. Disavow them using Google Disavow Tool.
Step 4: Be Clear About Ownership
Do you have a sneaky agenda for your website? You probably don't. But some websites do. They leave it unclear who owns the website. For example, a business could create what appears to be a 3rd party review website and then review their own products. That's not full disclosure.
Learn how to fix damage from the medic update on sites where ownership is unclear. Add your contact information to every header or footer. Or create a detailed "About Us" and "Contact" page. Make sure every page on any owned site has a link to these pages.
Step 5: Build Credibility
Some of those most impacted by medic update was giving health advice when it was unclear what credentials they had to do so. But this applies to any industry.
Consider adding a full, short bio on each blog post or informational page. Clearly, state the education and/or experience that qualifies the person to write and publish this content.
Remember E-A-T with every piece of content you produce. That's…
- Expertise – Your content demonstrates that you're an expert in your field and you have the credentials to prove it.
- Authoritative – Being authoritative is more about outside recognition. Do others in your industry recognize you as an authority? This may come in the form of reviews, links to your website, awards or ratings from organizations like BBB, Pulitzer or JD Power. Showcase this social proof of your authoritativeness on your website and work to get more recognition off-site.
- Trustworthiness – Trustworthiness comes in many forms. For one, you should be careful with the facts you communicate on your site. Stretching the truth or failing to cite sources doesn't evoke trust. Second, trustworthiness comes in the form of your physical site. Your site is secure (HTTPS), easy to navigate and looks professional.
Step 6: Do Historical Optimization
Have you learned a lot about how to build a better website over the years? Most businesses have. There was a time when you could fairly easily rank low-quality content that wasn't mobile-friendly or on a fast-loading page. But those days have passed.
You may have content on your website that is so far below your current standards, that it should be removed from the site. But you're also likely to find pieces of content that would be excellent if you:
- Make them a little longer – the average blog post on page one is now over 1000 words. In some industries its over 2000.
- Beef up the content – Thin content that doesn't really add value doesn't rank well. Add real value, not fluff.
- Get rid of ungrammatical keyword usage – Google hasn't used "exact match" keywords for some time. Google disregards unnecessary words and even many prefixes and suffixes when ranking websites. Keywords like "Luxury furniture Houston" that can't grammatically fit in a sentence should be changed to "luxury furniture in Houston." If the content used keywords unnaturally or every 100 words, find a synonym.
- Interlink – Content should link out to some reliable websites and interlink with one or more other relevant pages on your website.
- Connect with the target audience – Did your hook fall flat? Did people bounce off your website? Then you may need to evaluate how you're connecting with that audience.
- Visuals – Pages that have more relevant images rank better.
If you're not doing these things in current content, then it's time to update your website.
How to Fix Damage from the Medic Update
The Medic Update hit a lot of websites hard. But the good news is that when you adapt by applying these 6 steps, you can come out on top. To learn more about marketing, follow our blog.


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How One Man Wiped Out His Debts and Achieved the Life of His Dreams
- Get Everyone on Board
- Reduce Your Interest Rates
- A Plan for Debt Repayment
- Get a Rope
- Snowflaking
- Five Steps for Today
- I sat at the kitchen table flipping through the mail, seeing bill after bill after bill. I tore open a couple of them immediately, wanting to see the terrible news in its full glory. I began to calculate what I could afford to pay and what I could not, I began to quickly realize that the pile of bills I just received not only wouldn't be covered by the current balance of my checking account, but that my next paycheck would not cover them either—and that was if I spent absolutely nothing on food, gasoline, or anything else. I sat there completely stunned for a moment; then I got up and went into my son's room, closed the door behind me, and sat down in the rocking chair across from his crib. He was so tiny lying there, less than six months old, and sleeping so peacefully there without a worry in the world. As I watched him lie there, gently breathing, emotions poured through me. Guilt. Shame. Embarrassment. Pain. I was failing this wonderful little boy, this child who had already brought incalculable joy into my life. He relied on me for everything, and because of my poor decision-making and my selfishness, I was letting him down. I closed my eyes and didn't realize at first that I was crying, almost uncontrollably. My wife came in and put her arm around me. Eventually my sobbing woke up my son, who also began to cry. Sarah held us both.
- April 2006
Let's make no bones about it: High-interest debt is a prison of your own making. Financial writer Michael Mihalik puts it quite simply: "Debt is slavery."1
Debt increases your risk while at the same time decreasing your opportunities. If you accumulate debt, an unexpected negative event in your life has much more impact than if you were debt free. Similarly, debt often causes you to pass up positive opportunities in your life, such as a job offer or an incredible bargain on a car.
I believe deeply in a debt-free lifestyle. The only additional debt you should ever incur is a home mortgage and, if you do have a mortgage, it should be paid off as quickly as possible. The greatest personal freedom you can have occurs when your monthly bills are as low as possible, and there's no better way to accomplish that goal than to get rid of your debts—all of them.
It sounds like an impossible goal. I know that when I was stuck in an overspending lifestyle, it seemed impossible for me, as well. When I finally realized that I needed to make a change, I still didn't believe it was really possible.
Then, in the course of about three years, we paid off $21,000 in credit card debt, $2,600 in additional consumer debt, $6,600 in car loans, and $17,000 in student loans. Along the way, our financial status became so secure that I was able to walk away from my full-time job and follow my dream of being a full-time writer, giving me an incredibly flexible schedule and much more time to spend with my children.
To put it simply, three years of focused debt repayment completely changed our lives. I have a new career. I have a new home. I have a much more stable marriage. I'm no longer scared at night about our financial position. I no longer dread getting the mail.
Debt was a prison, and we escaped.
How exactly did we do this? Here's a step-by-step guide describing exactly how we managed to extract ourselves from this precarious debt situation and put our lives in a whole new place.
Get Everyone on Board
We've all heard the horror stories. One spouse secretly racks up $20,000 in credit card debt, while the other one saves and scrimps. One partner talks about the large amount of money in the bank, while in truth there's not much saved at all. Married couples fight—and even separate—because one partner spends with reckless abandon while the other partner is constantly cleaning up the mess and working to keep the couple above water.
In each of these cases, the same problem rears its ugly head: The people in the household are on different pages with regard to the plan for long-term financial security. To put it simply, if you and your partner are not in agreement with your long-term plans, actions on behalf of those long-term plans are useless.
The best opening step in this journey is to simply sit down with your partner and do two things. First, identify the big goals that you have in common. Where do you want to be in five years? Do you want to have children? Do you want to have a nicer home? Do you want to have a different career? Figure out what you both want out of life. From there, look at your financial state—your debts and your income level. What needs to change for those dreams to come true? Don't get bogged down in the specifics at this point—instead, the point is to recognize whether or not you're both open to making changes in your life to achieve the dreams you share.
Remember, actions speak louder than words. Quite often, people will give lip service to the initiative of their partner, but won't make any real change to their own behavior. If this happens, there is a much deeper trust issue in your relationship, one that will require a lot of communication—and perhaps some counseling—to solve. You will not find financial, personal, or career success until you address it.
If you find yourself in this type of situation, move your focus from fixing your finances to fixing your relationship. Take some time to carefully evaluate the entire state of your relationship. Communicate calmly with your partner—don't let emotions run the day. Seek counseling and build a relationship based on trust where you both feel safe expressing your viewpoints and are able to work through disagreements in a rational and healthy fashion.
Without that, you will not be able to work together for a brighter future.


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Lower Job Classifications Mean Lower Premiums
To keep their premiums at the lowest cost each year, it's not unusual for businesses to seek job classifications with lower ratings. Workers' Compensation guru, David Leng, explains in his book, Stop Being Frustrated and Overcharged Year After Year by Your Workers' Compensation Program, this practice can actually backfire. He cites the case of a commercial building contractor that wanted to prevent an insurance company from adding a roofing classification to his policy. The roofing rate was double the other classes and with a 1.38 experience modifier, the contractor's premium would have gone up 38.1%. Since the Experience Mod is computed based on three complete years of loss data ending one year prior to the effective date of the rating period, this would have a negative impact for four years and he felt it would put him out of business.
Leng analyzed the situation and found the contractor had been doing roofs for a number of years, so it was highly unlikely the insurance company would change its position. Therefore, he pursued another route – asking the rating bureau to have the experience modifier recalculated to take advantage of the higher expected losses. It was critical to have this applied retroactively to prevent the significant increase in premium. When the contractor provided the payroll for the past four years adjusting for the roofing classification, it was determined that the experience modifier would have been close to 0.85 rather than 1.38.
Leng uses the analogy of a playground seesaw: claims on one end and expected losses on the other. "By having the payroll placed in an incorrect and 'lighter' classification, it made the expected losses 'lighter,' which had the negative effect of causing the contractor's actual losses to appear to be 'heavier' or worse than they actually were and to go 'out of balance' and end up over 1.00."
The result: they were able to work with the state bureau and insurance company and redo past audits, without any additional premium owed. And the modifier was recalculated to 0.844 going forward. The company was in a much more competitive position and had one of its most profitable years. Additionally, the premium with the roofing classification was less than 2.5% higher than it would have been without the roofing classification and the higher experience modifier.
Lesson learned: The premium is all about claim costs and your modifier will balance out things in the end.