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Interview: Tron Legacy's Cutting-Edge Director Joseph Kosinski
by Alex Billington
December 16, 2010
No matter what happens this weekend he's going to be known forever as the man who brought back Tron 28 years later. Not only did he bring back Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner, he created a stunning new world, just like Steve Lisberger did in 1982, then he brought on Daft Punk for a score unlike anything we've ever heard. His name is Joseph Kosinski (above) and believe it or not, this 36-year-old filmmaker is directing his first feature-length film, and it's called Tron Legacy. After three years of waiting, I finally got to speak with Joe, as he's known, on phone about all things Tron Legacy. This is a good one guys, you must read on!
I remember first hearing about this guy, Joseph Kosinski, after Comic-Con 2008 when his first test trailer was unveiled. Who was he? How did a first-time filmmaker direct something that looks this amazing? Well, its now been three years and tomorrow Kosinski's first giant leap into Hollywood finally hits theaters. It's awesome, I've seen it, twice, and it still amazes me seeing the mesmerizing, beautiful, digitally badass world that Kosinski created. It was an honor to talk with him and I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else thinks of Tron Legacy this weekend. Without further ado, let's get into my interview with Joseph Kosinski.
So how's it going? You're on a big tour, right?
Joe: I am. I just got back from a two week around the world trip, and now I'm up in San Francisco.
Cool. I want to start, actually, at the very beginning and ask, how did all this begin? At what point in your life did you say, "I'm going to make the sequel to Tron, and this is what it's going to look like"?
Joe: Well, it started with a meeting I had with Sean Bailey, a producer on the movie, over three years ago — the summer of 2007. And it was just a general meeting, just the two of us talking, and it was very casual. He said Disney's been kicking around the idea of Tron for 10 or 15 years. He's like, "What would your approach be?"
And I said I'd be interested in… I hadn't seen the movie in a long time; I saw it as a kid. I remembered how distinctive the look, and the feel, and the style, and the spirit of the original film was, that was something I wanted to preserve. I wanted to embrace that look and not try to complete something completely different. Like, you know, not kinda compete with the mainstreams, but go back and embrace that original film and figure out a way to evolve it forward; evolve it forward 28 years with the idea that this world has been sitting on a server for 28 years, disconnected from the rest of the world. And I wanted to make the place feel real. I wanted it to feel like we took these 3D cameras into this world and shot it from the inside. So, you know, I made a test clip for the studio, and that was kind of the first step.
Do you have a background in tech? Are you a computer nerd, so to say? What is your passion for the Tron world? Where does that all come from?
Joe: You know, yeah, I had a pet Commodore in 1982 which I had to program in Basic.
Joe: So that's where it started. But more than that, it was reading books and seeing movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Blade Runner, and 2001 as a kid and loving the idea of kind of going to this other universe. And I think the ambition of this film was to try to make a film, in my mind, the way that Tron did in 1982.
Yeah. What kind of ideas did you originally have from the start that you knew you needed to stick with all the way through? Was it 3D from the start? Was it get Bridges back?
Joe: It was all of those things. It was, first of all, Jeff Bridges, continuing that story and getting him on board, shooting a true 3D film shot with 3D cameras and finished in true 3D, none of this conversion. And this was two years before Avatar came out, so this isn't something like… This is something that was conceived to be 3D from the very beginning.
And once we started talking story, this idea of CLU was fascinating, and this idea of being able to tell a story that no one had told before. And this relationship between a character and a version of himself at 35 was, to me, a new type of story and felt like a great reason to kind of be ambitious in terms of the technology and try to push it further than it had been pushed before.
In opposition to that question then, what are the biggest changes you guys have made since the original point of development? What are the biggest evolutions you've seen in your development process?
Joe: Well I think, you know, at some point we had to scale the story down a little bit. I mean, I think we tried to be ambitious. We created a giant story, and probably, we had more story than we could fit in a two hour film. So at some point we had to kind of scale it down and make sure that the father/son story wasn't getting overrun with all these other big ideas we had.
So, you know, it's been an iterative process, but I think in the end I'm glad we made those tweaks and kind of made sure that the father/son story was at the core of this film.
Did Disney give you guys complete freedom to create the world, and every story beat, and all the characters? How much did Disney let you guys go wherever you wanted, so to say?
Joe: Yeah, they were extremely supporting from the very beginning. From the beginning, they said, "We want you to push Disney with this movie." So I felt like I had the freedom to kind of push it visually, push it sonically, you know, push the story. And at no point did I feel kind of restricted by the Disney brand.
Everyone always talks about how they're trying to be family oriented, and yet Tron Legacy is a darker film for not only lighting and technical reasons, but just for more… it's not the kind of typical Disney story we think of, which I think is why everyone comes up with a question like that or has that in their mind when they're thinking about this. But, at the same time, you still, as you said, created a world that is exactly what you wanted to deliver in the end.
Joe: Yeah. I mean I think the fact that… You know, we did promise them a father/son story at the heart of it, so I think that's what makes this a Disney film, is it's a film about human relationships even though it's set in this kind of dark, fantastical kind of world.
One of my favorite parts is just the design of every different element, from the costumes, which everyone talks about, to the vehicle design, to the set design. To start, where were the inspirations from all of this coming from? Was it just pulling together a creative team that has a lot of great ideas to help create all of this? How did all of this come from nothing into what it is? How did the light cycle evolve and so on?
Joe: Well, it was a tremendous amount of work. I spent a year and a half designing this film before we even shot anything. You know, it started with my memories of the first film. I sat there with Steve Lisberger and he showed me all the original sketches from the first film that Syd Mead and Moebius did.
And yeah, my background is in design -- for me, the challenge of creating this world from scratch is one of the things that I really loved about the opportunity. I got to pull together my dream team of designers from all over the world, people from outside the film business. I had an excellent product designer in Darren Gilford who also comes from a design background, an automobile design background.
So yeah, I got to assemble this incredible team, and I got them all to start thinking one mind. The whole world's been created by Kevin Flynn, so for me, they'd be creating an entire world. You know, costumes, architecture, vehicles. All feeling like they had to come from the hand of one man, to me, was an incredible challenge and something I really enjoyed about the process.
Did you get any input from Bridges or anyone else from the original besides Steve Lisberger?
Joe: Yeah. Bridges was part of the script process in developing the character of Flynn from the very beginning. So there's a lot of Jeff's ideas in Flynn's character.
I want to talk a bit about this being your first feature film, your use of practical effects versus digital effects, and green screen and CG, and how.. I think what everyone says about Tron is how we have a completely digital computer world, yet a lot of it is built practically — the costumes with the light and the sets.
I was on the set in Vancouver and you had an entire club. And the only thing missing was the world outside the windows, basically, which is something rare for this world. Can you talk about your balance between those and where you determined it was necessary to go full-scale?
Joe: Yeah, I mean for me it was important that this world feel as real as possible. So I wanted to build everything that we could possibly build, and I also wanted to make sure the actors had as much to work with as possible. You know, I wanted them to feel surrounded by the grid. I didn't want this to a blue screen movie.
So I built as much as I could. And obviously, there's sequences where you can't build anything, like the light cycles or a lot of the disc course. I mean those are just locations that you could never film at 1000… You know, there's nowhere on Earth you can go to shoot scenes like that. So hopefully the line between what's real and what isn't is blurred and people aren't able to kind of… to them it all feels real. That was the goal.
If I can ask, what are your thoughts on 3D moving forward? It's sort of a big topic of debate with Avatar's success and moving forward from this point with Tron. Do you think we'll see more of it? Is the key to being shot correctly like the way you guys have done? What are your thoughts on 3D?
Joe: Yeah, well I think it makes sense for certain films. I hope that people appreciate the fact that we shot this film in 3D and finished it in 3D and it's at true 3D movie. There's no conversion. I think for films that take you to another world, or for films that require the most immersive experience possible, I think 3D makes a lot of sense. I don't think it makes sense for every movie. But I do hope the people who decide to make a 3D film that they do it properly and in the highest quality way possible, like we did with this one.
Great. [laughs] That's what I want, too.! Let's hope that everyone does that.
Joe: Yeah, yeah. We'll see.
Well thank you for your time. I really appreciate it. I'm glad I got to talk to you.
Joe: Thanks Alex.
Thank you to Disney and Joseph Kosinski for arranging the interview, I'm very glad I got to talk with him and I'm excited for Tron Legacy to hit theaters. Be sure to see it this weekend!
Above: Garrett Hedlund, Steve Lisberger, Jeff Bridges and Joseph Kosinski on the set.
5 Comments
Friggin amazing picture that last one. Pumped up for Tron: Legacy!!!
Andy on Dec 16, 2010
honestly...i was expecting someone older...good on him
Jericho on Dec 16, 2010
Interesting interview. Although it concerns me that they sacrificed story and seem to have spent more time on the visuals. The first movie had this problem too. I guess it's a tough one to balance.
insert coin on Dec 16, 2010
Nice interview Alex. Saw the movie tonight and really enjoyed it!
Andreas Climent on Dec 18, 2010
Wow, amazing to hear the story behind a movie with such stunning visuals. I particularly love the house that Kevin Flynn lived in.
@DanoSongs on Jan 14, 2011
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The European Conference on Object-Oriented Programming (ECOOP), July, 2008PDF
Multi-tasking, managed runtime environments (MREs) for modern type-safe, object-oriented programming languages enable isolated, concurrent execution of multiple applications within a single operating system process. Multi-tasking MREs can potentially extract high-performance on desktop and hand-held systems through aggressive sharing of classes and compiled code, and by exploiting high-level dynamic program information.
We investigate the performance of a state-of-the-art multi-taking MRE for concurrent program execution. We find that due to limited support for multi-tasking and performance isolation in the memory management subsystem, multi-tasking performs poorly compared to a production-quality, single-tasking MRE. We present MTM²: a comprehensive memory management system for concurrent multi-tasking. MTM² facilitates performance isolation and efficient heap space usage through on-demand allocation of application-private regions. MTM² mitigates fragmentation using a novel hybrid garbage collector that combines mark-sweep with opportunistic copying. Our evaluation shows that MTM² improves overall performance, scalability, and footprint for concurrent workloads over state-of-the-art, multi- and single-tasking MREs.

subset: commoncrawl


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This is my response to Asexuality Archive's question.
See the full tumblr post and look through the "notes" for all of the "Reblogs" with many different perspectives and comments, too.
He said:
Before you knew what asexuality was, how did you think about or describe the collection of feelings that you later recognized as asexuality? What were some of the things that you sensed were different? What were some of the questions you had about the way you were? If you looked for answers using a search engine, what were some of the search queries you used?
I have an idea for a new section for my site that comes at things from that angle, from the point of view of the ace that doesn't know what asexuality is. It's still sort of fuzzy. I've got about 85% of what I want to talk about, but it's still missing a clear picture of the other 15%, something that connects all the pieces. Basically, I want to reach out to the undiscovered/pre-identified asexuals, using the words and phrases they'd use and the thoughts they'd be having.
So, before you understood that you were ace, how did you think about things?
And someone else answered, and I reblogged and replied too. I realized I said enough for it to be a whole blog post… so I'm posting my tumblr response here too.
"I figured sexual attraction would come, but I thought I needed to pass some milestone, whether it was age or experience. I had other things to do"
I really thought I was "just" inexperienced, although as time went on, I started experiencing more and more cognitive dissonance about it: https://luvtheheaven.wordpress.com/2015/12/01/why-i-should-have-accepted-the-truth-that-im-asexual-sooner/comment-page-1/#comment-542
After I did know that asexuality existed, search terms I used were things like "Do asexuals not like kissing?" because I hated making out/kissing with tongue, the only kind of kiss on the mouth I've ever tried, and I thought it might be a sign that I was asexual. But what I found were all these asexuals saying "Can I still be asexual even if I like kissing?" so I felt more lost, like it must be that the guys I was kissing just weren't "my type" sine EVERYONE, even asexuals, liked kissing.
If, @redbeardace , you had a search term like "Are there other people out there in the world who don't like kissing?" or "Do some people like sex, but not kissing?", that would've been the kind of thing I was wondering about then and searching for (wondering if I might like sex when I tried it in the future, even if I hated kissing.). Other asexuals could use, "Do some people like kissing, but not sex?", lol.
Other things I started wondering about was if I might be demisexual/might just need to wait out being with my boyfriend for long enough to "fall in love" before I could really give up on the idea that I was "normal". I didn't want to be asexual. If I didn't know the words, I would've probably done the same thing, and I might've searched "how long until you enjoy kissing?" or "how long until you're ready for sex?" or "how long until something your partner does gets you aroused/turns you on?"
Because, well, I have zero sex drive/libido/ability for arousal. http://luvtheheaven.tumblr.com/post/128500834127/non-libidoism-asexuality-aka-i-have-never-had
And I thought, I wondered, about hormone imbalances or about being stupid and about how maybe I was getting aroused and didn't recognize it for what it was, or that I needed just the right trigger, needed to touch myself or be touched in just the right way, and then I'd experience what it was like to be "turned on". I saw that hormone imbalances usually have other pretty obvious symptoms I didn't have. I searched about a lack of or "no sex drive" or "low sex drive" in women and all I found were the types of things like, idk, what Flibanserin interviews talk about now. Older, married women not feeling interested in sex anymore, finding it hard to get in the mood, etc, and found that it's normal for sex drive to decrease with age. But I was in myyoung 20s! Not that age yet!And even in my teens I hadn't ever had a sex drive that I knew of!
I read this article: http://www.scarleteen.com/article/advice/what_if_i_never_want_or_feel_ready_for_sex and I really don't like how they say it's "unlikely" you'll turn out to be asexual, (okay their exact phrasing is:
…most people, in a lifetime, will want to engage in at least some of them and will feel ready for at least some of them at some point.
But while that's true for most people, it's not true for all people. Some folks really don't ever want to have some kinds of sex or even all kinds, because they just don't feel those desires or don't feel the desire to enact them.
but whatever)
because it made me doubt myself, doubt that that could be my identity, for longer. "What if I never feel ready for sex" seems like a search term more asexuals would use than non-asexuals, although maybe not, but either way @hellyeahscarleteen made it seem like there is such a low chance that asexuality is the answer, that you shouldn't bother "worrying" about the fact that asexuality might be your answer, about figuring out if you're asexual or not, in fact the word asexual isn't even mentioned in the text there, only indirectly told people about asexuality being a possibility in the link under "Don't feel those desires or don't feel the desire to exact them". It brushed off asexuality as a potential comfort to the asker of the question, and instead focused on all of the things in life you can do instead of sex, and idk, while I like the post overall, I know at the time it almost made me feel worse about myself, when I was confused and searching for answers and wondering myself "if I'm 23 years old and have a great boyfriend and I'm not ready YET, will I EVER be?"
They have these posts on a similar topic, too:
(see the second question here, especially, since sex isn't enjoyable for the advice-asker, an aspect many asexuals could probably relate to) http://www.scarleteen.com/article/advice/im_not_readybut_am_i_just_overthinking_it
Anyway… I guess I had a lot of thoughts on this topic. I'm looking forward to your page meant for asexuals who don't know the word yet! It's important, for sure.


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Submit A Blog Today
I'm sure there are plenty of people in the community that have done great things, but nowhere to share it! The site is open to members of the technical community to submit current and future blog posts. Our end goal is to introduce people into the blogging space, boost community participation, and share valuable knowledge together. In the first month, there were 4 new contributors who have never posted before and the site received over 60k views in that time!
In the future we plan on adding an "About Us" section that will highlight our most active contributors.
Remember to add your name, website, and twitter handle at the end of your submitted posts.
Great topics are SCCM, Intune, Azure, AutoPilot, O365, Windows 10, Active Directory, Power-shell, etc.
Reach out to me on Twitter @SCCMF12TWICE or via email at firstname.lastname@example.com


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After you are admitted and before the program begins, UCSB Professional and Continuing Education will e-mail you further instructions about the program. In order to prepare for your enrollment here at UCSB, read the following roadmap to learn more about the steps for program participation:
- Review your course options.
- Apply and enroll in International Student Programs.
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- Submit your list of proposed courses.
- Clear your course prerequisites and enroll in courses.
- Complete the online orientation.
- Be there for your program start at UCSB.
- Attend your selected classes and enroll in courses.
- Join activities and get involved on campus.
We here at UCSB Professional and Continuing Education hope you enjoy your studies with us!


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Gold Price Drops as Oil Rally, ECB Stimulus Lift Stocks
The gold price retreated on Friday, after hitting a fresh one-year high, as higher oil prices and the ECB stimulus measures helped U.S. stocks to move sharply higher.
Gold of April delivery dropped 1.1% to $1,258.80 a troy ounce at 11:15 a.m. on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract had hit a new 52-week high of $1,287.80 earlier in the session.
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Over the past five sessions, gold, silver, platinum and copper have all been in red territory. Palladium, on the other hand, has gained 3.2%.


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About LahainaOn the northwest coast 22 miles from Wailuku, Lahaina was once the whaling capital of the mid-Pacific. The warm waters are a haven for humpback whales, which come from the Arctic to mate and bear their young off the coasts of Maui, Moloka'i and Lāna'i. From December through May the whales, now protected from hunters, can be seen swimming and leaping.
The town name, which means "cruel sun," comes from a description by a Hawaiian chief with a balding pate who was trekking across the mountain slopes behind the village. Today Lahaina bustles with tourists who come to browse the countless souvenir shops, clothing boutiques and art galleries lining Front Street, the town's main drag. Lahaina also boasts the highest concentration of restaurants and bars on the island. Street parking is scarce, but there are several pay lots in the area; watch for signs along Front Street.
The fertile land and abundant freshwater springs so appealed to Kamehameha the Great that he established his capital on Maui after his conquest of the islands. Hawai'i's first constitution was drafted in Lahaina in 1840. The 1859 courthouse near the harbor, built with coral and lava blocks taken from the ruins of Kamehameha III's rarely used palace, was declared the finest government building in the islands at the time.
Hale Pa'ahao (Stuck-in-Irons House) on Prison Street was a wooden jailhouse surrounded by a thick wall built from coral and lava blocks from the demolished Old Fort 1852-53. Its primary use was to hold drunken sailors until they were bailed out by their captain. The 1834 Baldwin Home at the corner of Front and Dickenson streets contains furnishings, photos, medical books and records from the missionary era.
Other historic structures are the 1828 Waine'e Church, said to be the oldest stone church on the islands, and the 1831 Lahainaluna High School, considered the oldest secondary school in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains. The school contains Hale Pa'i, a coral-block print shop where the first Hawaiian-language newspaper was printed.
Maui Theatre, at 878 Front St., features a 75-minute theatrical production called "'Ulalena." The word refers to a wind that is unique to Maui and a twilight rain that is red and yellow in color. Traditional Hawaiian chants, sounds and dances combine with acrobatic feats and haunting music to tell the history and legends of Maui. The show begins with the stories of the islands' mythic creation as well as the various people who reached them, including Polynesians, Capt. James Cook and more recent inhabitants. Portrayals of mythology, village life, Hawaiian monarchy and nature are featured. Special effects, lighting and surround sound add to the experience. Phone (808) 856-7900.
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Things to Do Atlantis Adventures: Atlantis Submarines Maui
Warren & Annabelle's Magic Show
Lahaina, HI
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Now available from adidas Originals is the newly reissued White/Metallic Gold/White Vapor colorway of the Grand Slam OG.
Decked out in white leather with an off-white nubuck mudguard, the kicks come lined in brown leather with a matching tongue, metallic gold hits on the heel tab and Three Stripes branding and the brand's plug cushioning system, which allows for a changes to the midsole density for a customized fit and comfort level.
The adidas Originals Grand Slam OG is now available from afew.


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Professor Jonathan Lichtenstein
Jonathan Lichtenstein's play, 'The Pull of Negative Gravity' won an Edinburgh Fringe First for, 'innovation and outstanding new stage writing'. It transferred from the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh to Off Broadway- New York (59E59) and has had productions in Germany, Australia and Florida. His play, 'Memory , by Theatr Clwyd Cymru also transferred to New York, (59E59) with further productions in London , Cardiff, and Chicago. His play 'Darkness' performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 2011. He has had two attachments at the National Theatre where he developed the play, ' Rig 83' as well as commissions from The Sherman Theatre, the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, and Theatr Clwyd in Wales. His book, 'The Berlin Shadow- Living with the Ghosts of the Kindertransport' , will be published in August 2020 by Scribner. (Simon and Schuster) in the UK, Little, Brown in the U.S.and Suhrkamp in Germany. It is currently being translated into Italian, German, Dutch and Danish. He was the writer on , 'Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer' where he worked with the dancer Shane Shambhu. His radio plays (produced by BBC Radio 4) are 'Moving the Scrolls' and 'Human Rights. He welcomes research on contemporary theatre, writing for theatre, Melanie Klein, as well as autofiction and memoir
BA Leeds
University of Essex
Director of the Centre for Theatre Studies, Literature, Film and Theatre Studies, University of Essex (7/1996 - 2014)
Other academic
Head of Department, University of Essex (7/2011 - 7/2014)
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
Dramatic Structure (LT913)
Theatre Making: Autobiography (TH142)
Theatre Production and Technology (TH145)
Tragedy and Theatre Writing (TH243)
Independent Practical Theatre Project (TH831)
Independent Theatre Studies Project (TH836)
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Theatre Studies
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 20/12/2018
Books (3)
Lichtenstein, J., (2021). L'ombra di Berlino. Vivere con i fantasmi del Kindertransport. Mondadori. 8804737050. 9788804737056
Lichtenstein, J., (2020). The Berlin Shadow: Living with the Ghosts of the Kindertransport. Scribner. 978-1471167270
Lichtenstein, J., (2020). Skyggen Fra Berlin. Kristeligt Daglads Forlag. 9788774674672
Media (2)
Pretty, J., Dixon, M., Tearne, R., Oliver, S., Shaheed, A. and Lichtenstein, J., Louder than Words Podcast: Migration. Audio
Lichtenstein, J., The Balance of the Mind. Video
Other (8)
Lichtenstein, J., Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer' - (previously titled, 'My Inside Playground' )
Lichtenstein, J., (2020).The Balance of the Mind -(script),University of Essex
Shambhu, S. and Lichtenstein, J., (2017).My Inside Playground,Lakeside Theatre, University of Essex
Lichtenstein, J., (2011).Darkness,Edinburgh Festival
Lichtenstein, J., (2011).Yarico and Inkle,New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich
Lichtenstein, J., (2009).Requiem,Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds
Lichtenstein, J., (2006).The Pull of Negative Gravity,Nick Hern Books
Lichtenstein, J., (2006).Memory,Nick Hern Books
Grants and funding
The Journey in Reverse: A work of prose-fiction with photographs
Leverhulme Trust
+44 (0) 1206 872221
5NW.6.8, Colchester Campus


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The Romanian NGDO Plaform – FOND is launching a call for applications that targets consultants/ research experts, with the purpose of conducting a research on "Donor-CSO relationship in the Black Sea Region", with the support of the CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness – CPDE.
The research has the following objectives:
- Providing a mapping of donors active in the Black Sea Region and their funding programmes available for civil society organisations (CSOs) in this region (both European, regional or international). Foreign funding as well as local funders (donations) and philantrophy sector must be particularly taken into consideration;
- Assessing the level of accessibility of the funding for CSOs in the Black Sea Region, as well as identifying the main obstacles CSOs face in accessing funds;
- Analysing the donor – CSOs relationships in the Black Sea Region in terms of (but not limited to): existing consultation mechanisms and their accessibility; taking in consideration CSOs feedback on funding strategies and priorities; degree to which existing funds cover the needs of CSOs; what other needs are not being covered; frequency of project vs. programme-based funding and their influence over the financial sustainability of CSOs; challenges CSOs face when interacting with donors and vice-versa etc.
- Gathering recommendations from CSO representatives on the improvement of the access to funding;
- Analysing how both an improved access to funding, as well as a balanced donor-CSO relationships can contribute to the creation of an enabling environment for civil society and lead to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (particularly SDG 16 and SDG 17).
The applicant must include a financial offer together with all other requested documents, as part of his/hers application, taking into consideration the objectives of the assignment, the tasks to be performed and deliverables requested. Please note that the financial offer must include all costs related to the field visits mentioned in Section III.Tasks to be performed.
The quality/ price ratio will be taken into consideration in the selection process.
Required skils:
- At least 3 years of experience in relevant research, particularly focused on civil society organisations;
- Proficiency in English;
- Experience of working in multicultural contexts;
- Excellent interpersonal skills;
- Excellent planning and prioritisation skills;
- Proven ability to adapt the methodology to challenges and opportunities emerging during the research;
- Proven ability to multitask and work under tight deadlines.
Would be considered an advantage:
- Knowledge of the context and dynamics specific to the Black Sea Region, experience in working with civil society organisations and/or donors active in the Black Sea Region.
We kindly ask those interested to read carefully the Terms of Reference.
The application procedure consists of two stages:
I. Initial selection
Interested candidates must send the following application documents by e-mail: email@example.com, until the 5th of February 2018, 5:00 PM Romanian time (GMT+2):
- Motivation letter (in a separate document);
- Two relevant research samples (one preferably on a subject related to civil society) – to be used only for the selection process;
- Research plan & proposed methodology (including a calendar of activities);
- Proposed financial offer for the assignment.
Candidates accepted for the interview stage will be announced the results on the 7th of February 2018.
II. Interview
The interviews will take place between 8th and 9th of February 2018, with the possibility of organising the interviews via skype.
This research is part of the European Regional Work Plan 2017-2018, implemented by the Romanian NGDO Platform – FOND, with the financial support of CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness – CPDE as part of the project "Enhancing Civil Society Role in Development Partnerships Post-2015".


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The AAA-CPA is a member of Synergy Summit, a nonprofit collaboration among the leadership of the major accounting, legal, and financial service organizations in the United States. Together, these groups represent more than 200,000 lawyers, accountants, financial advisors, philanthropic gift planners, and insurance and other professionals. Synergy Summit helps bring quality estate, financial, and charitable planning information and services to the public through multi-disciplinary partnerships and projects.
Member organizations:
- American Academy of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants
- American Bar Association – Real Property, Trust and Estate Law
- American Bar Association – Tax Section (Estate and Gift Tax Committee)
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants-PFP Section
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants-Tax Section
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
- National Association of Estate Planners and Councils
- Partnership for Philanthropic Planning
- Society of Financial Service Professionals
Programs and public education projects supported by Synergy Summit include:
- Financial Literacy Month – April
- Elder Law Month – May
- National Estate Planning Week – October
Did You Know…
It is estimated that over 120 million Americans do not have current estate plans to protect themselves and their families in the event of sickness, accidents, or untimely death. The 2004 Roper poll commissioned by the American Institute for Certified Public Accountants found that two-thirds of Americans over age 65 believe they lack the knowledge necessary to adequately plan for retirement, and nearly one half of all Americans are unfamiliar with basic retirement tools.


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Hello and welcome to TheXVerse.com.
My name is Mike Hill. My passion is not with bingo the game, but reviews. I write reviews about many different things, and this site is where I post all my bingo reviews. I have been in the reviewing business for over 12 years and expect to be here for many years to come.
I hope you all enjoy my reviews and find them useful.
If you have any questions, please contact me.


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The Internet of Things – Entrepreneurship with Technology
The second University of Northampton Internet of Things 3-day event will be held on February 4th and 5th, and March 4th, and will be dedicated to Smart Transportation. Respected speakers, from across the industry, will be presenting in a number of workshops that will aid participants to create their own "start up" in technology. Students from all academic levels and staff from across the University will blend in the development of a technology startup.
Google Digital Garage, Transport Systems Catapult, Parallel Wireless and Augmented Vacancies will join the Changemaker Hub, The Enterprise Club and the Computing Department of the University of Northampton.
Students can use this opportunity to start working on their final year dissertations based on real life technology business development ideas that will be discussed in this event and we would like to invite our colleagues to encourage attendance.
Please register here if you would like to attend or see the website for the agenda and speakers.
Posted on February 1, 2017, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.


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Fall is underway and the leaves aren't the only things that change colors. Every season, there are new shades of lipstick. Below is a look at some of the fall's hottest lip colors.
The packaging alone is to die for. Not to mention the fact that it's a matte collection in stick format. They're available at Sephora, and have a great selection of shades that go along with the season's trendiest looks.
Girlactik Beauty Matte Lip Paints
Matte lipsticks have been all the rage this past year. Girlactik lip paints come in cute bottles colored in the shade you're purchasing so you don't need to open it or look at a tester.
Tarte Cosmetic's Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint And Crayons
Tarte's Tarteist line of lip paints and crayons are super pigmented with every kind of pink, purple,and burgundy a girl is looking for in the fall. The Tarteist line is a definite winner for the season and shades have names like cray-cray, hangry, and yaassss, which is what you'll think when you try the line.
Gerard Cosmetics Lipsticks
Gerard Cosmetics has a long line of makeup options, like their recent product the Slay All Day Setting Spray, which keepss your makeup in place, but it's their lip products that are the real winner. They have over 20 shades in cute gold tubes.


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Where We Work
See our interactive map
The Dominican Republic is reinvesting $6.2 million into its health sector, thanks to a Ministry of Health payroll analysis that revealed 10,000 ghost workers, or individuals who receive salaries but no longer work for the ministry. The ministry is using the annual savings from its ongoing payroll clean-up to hire new health workers, increase salaries for doctors and nurses by 10%, and raise health workers' retirement benefits from 60% of their last salary levels to 100%.
The IntraHealth International-led CapacityPlus project worked with the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Health to reform its payroll and create more transparent budgeting practices. The 10,000 ghost workers revealed through this process represented about 30% of the ministry's budget.
These annual savings are helping the ministry to improve HIV and other health services, eliminate user fees, motivate and retain health workers, and invest in other health sector reforms, such as a better procurement process for HIV testing kits and antiretroviral drugs.
Already, newly hired health workers are increasing access to health services in their communities, thanks to the freed-up funds:
On December 22, the US Agency for International Development's Global Health Bureau named this collaboration between CapacityPlus and the Dominican Republic one of its Top Ten Health Systems Strengthening Cases, choosing it from among more than 145 submitted cases. Read the winning case studies at https://hssglobalcall.hsaccess.org/top-cases.
Funding for the IntraHealth-led CapacityPlus project comes from the US Agency for International Development.
Also read:
So we organized a visit for the Moroto team to see the Mbale Center to learn more about the @MinofHealthUG's mandat… https://t.co/SHYXqDVvmV


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The third cell phone? Sixth scarf? Tenth perfume? Next time you are looking for a gift, go to the time-rather-than-stuff store instead of buying the same old boring things. You will find inspiration and something totally unique there: time spent together.
Or get ideas
Wishes can be displayed in the Gallery


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Tattooing a newborn's ear?!
Due to the countless hours spent holding, snuggling and nursing my twincesses, a strange phenomenon that caught my attention when my older two were babies, has reappeared.
Yes, it's the ear imprint.
Whaaat? Whaaat you say?
Now, just to clarify, in case the headline has you concerned that this post is about babies having THEIR ears tattooed... It is not. Phewww!
Surely I'm not the only one who has experienced this baby-ear-imprint phenomenon and finds it super cute?!
Y'know, the imprint of your newborn's tiny little ear left on your arm (usually when your arm is or has 'gone dead' from holding bub for too long in the same position).
With each of my four babies the ear-imprint-on-mum's-arm scenario has occurred numerous times.
I can also remember seeing somewhere a photo of a mum who actually had the imprint of her bub's ear tattooed in the same spot on her arm as a reminder of those precious moments spent nursing her baby (holding or breastfeeding). (Would love to track down that pic).
Not sure I'd go as far as a tat, but just had to get a photo this time when I remembered how it's something that has captured my attention with each of my bubs.
This time around, as I'm usually tandem feeding my twins in a football hold on a twin breastfeeding pillow (that I've hired from the local Multiples Club I am a new member of), the opportunity for an ear imprint doesn't occur as often as with my singletons.
Mainly just if I'm feeding one of the twins on her own.
Did the ear imprint interest you/ did you ever notice your bub's ear imprint?
Or am I just soooo sleep deprived & delirious that my mind is spending waaay too much time overthinking such things? ;-)
LIKE Gold Coast Mum on Facebook:
6 comments
Nope, not crazy, I too love the ear imprint. I always have a thing about making sure bub's ear isn't squished in the crook of my arm while he's feeding :-)ReplyDeleteReplies
Saaame Kate! I always make sure of that too - hate it when their lil lobes are folded ;-)Delete
I only breastfed each of my 4 Children for a short time, but I do remember their ear imprints on my arm. Most of the time though, it was very hot & I would place a cloth over my arm so their head would not stick tomy arm. LOLReplyDelete
I don't remember the earprint on my arm, I do remember bubs ear being folded over and stuck to their own head though! :)ReplyDelete
Yes, I remember that well. It's lovely :)ReplyDelete
Yep you are definitely overtired and going a wee bit cray cray - hee hee - BUT you are also right, I forgot about that too. You are dong a superb job super mum! x EmReplyDelete
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A leader in the aquarium and marine research communities, Mystic Aquarium has produced significant advances in the marine sciences. Learn more about our laboratory and field research that's working to promote healthy oceans of biodiversity and sustainable resources for current and future generations.
Laboratory Research Projects
Although much progress has made, there is still much information to be gained on the marine mammal immune system. Many of the reagents that are available to study the immune system of terrestrial mammals cannot be used to investigate the marine mammal immune system. Our research team has focused on studying the bottlenose dolphin and beluga whale immune systems and have developed dolphin and whale-specific tools and reagents to characterize the cetacean immune system. These include molecular probes, functional assays, and cell markers. Mystic Aquarium scientists are also cloning genes of interest from marine mammals. Cloning genes enable the comparison of immune sequences between marine mammals and humans and/or other terrestrial mammals to gain insight into the evolution of these important proteins and the immune system. By studying the immune system of marine mammals we may also gain important information on the human immune system.
Mystic Aquarium scientists are studying hormones or chemical messengers in the blood that play major roles in metabolism, reproduction and adrenal response in beluga whales. Feces, saliva, and more recently exhaled breath have been used in many species to monitor hormonal activity and Mystic Aquarium scientists are investigating the feasibility of measuring hormones in saliva, blow and feces of belugas as an alternative to blood collection. The goal is to transition the techniques to sample free-ranging whales such as obtaining breath samples from endangered whales to determine reproductive and health status.
Mystic Aquarium scientists determined whether circulating levels of total thyroxine (tT4), total triiodothyronine (tT3), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) are subject to biological and environmental influences as a function of age, sex, or season in aquarium belugas and if these hormones reveal any significant metabolic adaptation in wild beluga whales.
To date, because no accurate ranges exist for reference, thyroid hormones in beluga whales have been poorly explored and under-utilized. The data gained from this project is an important first step in our understanding of thyroid hormones in this species. This research provides baseline T3, T4, and TSH levels for thyroid health monitoring and comprehensive health assessments in both aquarium-maintained and wild belugas.
Mystic Aquarium scientists are developing molecular tests to identify genes that play a critical role in marine mammal health. Investigations of these markers in both blood and skin can reveal important information such as health consequences of exposure to environmental stressors e.g. chemical or noise pollution. Mystic Aquarium scientists are also investigating the feasibility of skin as a health assessment tool through this study, since for free ranging marine mammals skin can be obtained through remote biopsy.
Brucella, a bacterial pathogen known for centuries for its devastating reproductive and general health effects in humans and livestock, is now recognized in marine mammals. Limited knowledge is available on its full physiologic effects in marine mammals. Though similar to terrestrial origin brucellosis, marine origin Brucella infection will likely act as a significant factor in low conception rates and increased spontaneous abortion and stillbirth rates in marine mammal populations. Marine origin Brucella is also zoonotic, thus poses a threat to humans who come into close contact with marine mammal body fluids and tissues, such as researchers, veterinarians, and animal care specialists.
To appreciate the potential for health problems associated with marine origin Brucella, we must understand the magnitude of the problem in marine mammal populations. Past studies involving marine mammal brucellosis have used traditional livestock diagnosis methods, and the results are frequently inconsistent. Thus this disease has likely been under-diagnosed in marine mammals, and the true impact of infection has not been properly accounted for in studies that seek to document significant causes of population decline in marine mammal populations. The diagnosis of marine Brucella exposure in humans uses techniques similar to those in veterinary medicine, likely repeating the problem of under-diagnosis.
Scientists at Mystic Aquarium use multiple diagnostic tools, including culture, PCR, and newly developed serological studies to improve our knowledge of the past and present prevalence of marine origin Brucella exposure/infection and its effects in both wild and marine mammals in professional care.
In recent decades there have been increasing reports of marine mammal strandings and disease leading to questions over whether human activities are negatively impacting marine mammal health. There is concern that human activities may serve as stressors, interrupting adaptations to diving in marine mammals and leaving them more susceptible to injury and disease. This has highlighted the need to further understand the relationship between marine mammal health, environmental challenges, and human activities.
Mystic Aquarium scientists are studying how marine mammal immune cells function during diving and how additional stressors may alter this function, thus impacting marine mammal health. Blood samples are exposed to simulated dives using a small pressure chamber, and the response of immune cells to changes in pressure are measured. Blood samples are also being obtained from Aquarium whales after diving with activity and without to determine the impact on the immune system and health.
Beluga whales are important ambassador residents of public aquaria throughout the world, holding the torch for the conservation of Arctic ecosystems in the face of climate change. To ensure that public aquaria can share that conservation message with visitors for decades to come, public aquaria cooperate to encourage breeding of resident whales to develop aquarium populations in an environmentally sustainable way. However, there are many unknowns to the mating systems of beluga whales, especially behaviorally: The repertoire and sequence of courtship behavior and vocalizations are unknown; it is unknown how animals signal interest, receptiveness, or readiness to mate to potential partners; it is unknown how courtship behaviors influence hormonal staging for reproduction and pregnancy or how hormonal state influences courtship and reproduction behavior; and it is unknown how mate choice is expressed or exerted behaviorally. Mystic Aquarium scientists and collaborators are addressing these knowledge gaps by observing behavior and recording vocalizations of courting and breeding whales in aquaria; and by tying those behaviors to known reproductive stages as measured by reproductive hormonal cycles. Uncovering the secrets of the beluga mating system will be useful to wildlife managers in making management decisions to support breeding behaviors among wild populations of belugas.
The marine aquarium industry is bustling: 1.5 to 2 million people worldwide keep marine aquaria, trading up to 57 million individuals and 2,100 species of fish, invertebrates, and corals annually, and supporting a trade that has an annual worldwide economic impact of up to $330 million. However, 98 – 99% of marine species for the aquarium trade are wild-caught, posing potential threats to overfishing of wild populations and capture-related damage to marine habitats. Mystic Aquarium scientists are contributing to the research and development of aquaculture techniques of marine ornamental species working in partnership with the Marine Science Magnet High School, Groton, CT. These approaches will empower the industry to aquaculture a broader range of species, thus working toward a more sustainable hobby and industry.
Pacific walruses live in the Bering and Chuckchi Seas. Like many Arctic species, their lives depend on sea ice, and is where the walruses rest, give birth, and nurse their calves. However, sea ice is disappearing as a direct result of global climate change – threatening the survival of this unique species. Less sea ice means that the walruses have to perform many of these activities on land where human disturbance can trigger deadly stampedes, trampling over each other as they flee into the Arctic waters. The impact of these changes is unknown. At the Mystic Aquarium research laboratory we are validating tests to measure the response to chronic stressors by using fecal samples collected noninvasively from walruses housed at other U.S. zoos and aquariums. Studying walruses under human care will allow us to collect baseline hormone data that will contribute to our knowledge of walrus physiology with the ultimate goal to monitor stress levels in wild walrus and contribute to their conservation and management.
Chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease of amphibians caused by the fungal zoospore Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). This disease occurs worldwide and has been responsible for dramatic declines in amphibian populations, with some populations suffering complete loss. Connecticut DEEP has confirmed the presence of Bd in frog and toad populations throughout the state; however, there has been limited sampling of the newly emerging Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) in local species.
This project employs Citizen Scientist volunteers to conduct amphibian surveys in a variety of wetland habitats throughout Northeast Connecticut. During these surveys, project participants will assist staff in the collection of samples to be tested for the presence of Bd and Bsal to further conservation of amphibian species in the region. Samples will be collected from the diverse amphibian species found in the region, including the eastern red-backed salamander, spotted salamander, American bullfrog, and wood frogs. Assessing the prevalence of chytrid in the area will help in early identification of threats to amphibian biodiversity and to minimize potentially disastrous population loss.
While chytridiomycosis can be devastating to many amphibian populations, some species seem to be more resistant to infection. What makes these amphibians more protected than others remains unknown. One possibility may be the bacteria that live on their skin, which collectively make up the skin microbiome. By utilizing the same swabbing technique for chytrid monitoring, we can analyze these bacterial populations to determine if certain groups of bacteria may be responsible for resistance to this disease.
With this combined approach, we can further conservation of amphibian species in the region and beyond.
African penguins are found in South Africa, Namibibia, and a handful of small islands off the southern coast of the continent. African penguins are critically endangered with less than 22,000 breeding pairs left in the wild. Initial declines were caused by harvesting their nests which are made of guano and can be used for fertilizer. Today, African penguins are threatened by multiple stressors, such as food shortages, oil spills, and climate change. When an animal (or penguin) encounters a stressor they respond by releasing hormones known as glucocorticoids into the blood stream. This stress response results in various behavioral and physiological changes that allow the animal to focus its energy on escaping the "stressor". This is both beneficial and necessary for survival, however chronic release of these hormones can have negative effects, including reduced immune function, reproductive activity, and survival. These circulating hormones are eventually broken down and their metabolites are are excreted in the feces as fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM), making ideal biomarker for measuring the response to stressors. Chronic stress has also been shown to disrupt the bacteria that live in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and make up the GI microbiome. In some animals, a decrease in the types of different bacteria that inhabit the GI tract have been linked to poor health
Fecal sampling is a noninvasive technique that can be applied to a variety of situations where traditional blood sampling is not possible, and FGM analysis has been used to measure chronic stress in many wildlife populations. By using fecal samples collected from the African penguins at Mystic Aquarium, we are learning how these hormones change throughout the year as the penguins transition through their natural lifecycle (breeding and molt). We are also investigating the relationship between FGM levels and what types of bacteria live in the gut of African penguins, as well as determining is certain types of bacteria are necessary for penguin health.
The ultimate goal of this research is to apply this combined approach of monitoring elevated GC levels and disruptions in the GI microbiome in wild penguin colonies under different stressors, thus targeting and playing a key role in conservation strategies.
Research in the Field
Mystic Aquarium has partnered with Arctic Watch Wilderness Lodge on Cunningham Inlet in Nunavut, Canada, to help protect the wild beluga whale population through research and education. A world-class beluga observation site located 500 miles north of the Arctic Circle, late Mystic Aquarium Scientist and Research Director Dr. David St. Aubin conducted research studies on belugas in Cunningham Inlet for many years and this is the first time people are studying this whale population since 1999. Since that time, the climate has changed dramatically, allowing increased ship traffic in the Northwest Passage. No one knows how this affects the belugas and if the beluga population is growing, shrinking or stabilizing.
In July 2012 and 2013 Mystic Aquarium's scientists conducted research at Cunningham Inlet to look at the feasibility for long term beluga studies in this area, initiate observations and collect data on the hundreds of wild belugas that make Cunningham Inlet their home for six weeks each year.
Mystic Aquarium scientists have also conducted research on wild belugas in Point Lay and Bristol Bay, Alaska, in order to determine the environment's effect on beluga health and compare health information with endangered beluga populations worldwide.
Climate change, pollution, offshore oil and gas exploration, and other human factors are challenges for whales in the wild and pose potential threats to Alaska's beluga populations. In the fall of 2008, beluga whales in Cook Inlet were listed as critically endangered. This project aims to establish baseline health measurements of wild belugas with studies of live capture-released belugas in Point Lay and Bristol Bay, AK via satellite tracking, blood sampling, and sample collection. Moreover, samples and natural history data are collected from whales taken during native subsistence hunts. Establishing baseline health measures of belugas in the wild before further oil and gas exploration and development, impact of climate change, etc. is critical. Usually it is too late e.g. after an oil spill to understand impacts since baseline levels of contaminants, pathogens, etc. were not available. This study enables us to gather information on belugas over time and reveal health status of belugas under different environmental pressures. Data can eventually be compared with information on the endangered Cook Inlet beluga population. Human health impacts are also studied given that native peoples consume the beluga for food. For the first time ever, in collaboration with National Geographic, a critter cam (camera placed on a beluga) was placed on a wild beluga to get footage of beluga behavior.
Through this project an educational exchange program was established in which high school students from Point Lay, AK and Mashantucket tribal students from southeastern CT assist the scientists in the field with collection of data and then travel to Mystic Aquarium to participate hands-on with the analysis, participate in the Aquarium's other educational programs and spend time on the Mashantucket Reservation.
This project seeks to further investigate current health status in Chukchi Sea and Bristol Bay belugas and initiates steps to study how stressors impact beluga health; furthermore, the project develops baseline data for future studies, and broadens public awareness of current threats for belugas in the wild.
Snapping Turtle Health Assessments: Partnering with National Geographic, the Tributary Mill Conservancy in Old Lyme, CT and Dr. Tobias Landberg, Acadia University, Mystic Aquarium scientists are studying the behavior of snapping turtles in different types of habitats by deploying crittercams or small cameras on their backs. Before release, measurements are taken on each turtle and the blood sampled for health assessment. Immune function and contaminant levels are being investigated. The research is to help protect the snapping turtle and their habitat as well as provide information that may impact human health.
Influenza is a globally important pathogen leading to significant morbidity and mortality which has implications for both wildlife and human health. The coastal environment provides an interface between marine and terrestrial habitats where avian reservoirs of influenza collide (sea ducks, gulls, and shorebirds) and overlap spatio-temporally with marine mammals, providing an opportunity for interspecies transmission of influenza virus. The repeated infections in marine mammals during the last 30-40 years in New England and the associated sampling and laboratory studies have been the foundation of our understanding of influenza in marine mammals. However, the infection and/or exposure to influenza viruses in marine mammal populations outside of these mass mortalities and in other parts of the world remain limited. Therefore, this project seeks to develop collaborations with researchers and rehabilitation networks in order to collaborate in sample collection and laboratory analysis that will work on a continuous, multiyear, and long-term (5-10 year plus) project to assess the role of influenza exposure to marine mammal health.
Understanding the role that marine protected areas can play in both conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity is a key element for managing fisheries and other human uses of the ocean. While much information is available for tropical coral reefs, kelp forests and similar shallow water habitats around the globe, fewer studies have been conducted in deep water outer continental shelf environments, where most commercial fishing activities take place. Mystic Aquarium scientists and collaborators carried out a 12 year study of the recovery of seafloor communities and patterns of habitat use by fishes at Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Maine. Interestingly, rocky habitats have to yet to fully recover from fishing disturbance, even after 12 years. While some species of economic interest and ecological importance depend on rocky habitat for survival, especially when young, the need to conserve such places remains steeped in controversy. The results of this work and related studies provide critical pieces of information to make decisions regarding habitat protection.
The behavioral ecology of piscivores (fish-eating fish) is being studied at Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary to better understand the interactions that link predators and prey. Previous studies from Mystic Aquarium scientists and colleagues found that foraging by fish predators in the water column actually enhanced feeding opportunities for fish predators that hunt on or near reefs. For example, groups of greater amberjack, Spanish mackerel, and great barracuda were observed using coordinated hunting behaviors, both within and among species, when preying upon mixed schools of juvenile tomtate (a small bottom fish) and round scad (locally known as "cigar minnows"). These hunting behaviors drove schools of small fish closer to reef habitats on the bottom and created feeding opportunities for bottom-dwelling scamp and gag grouper. The scientists reasoned that rather than competing for food resources, the behaviors of these fishes may result in more feeding opportunities for all. The current project expands on these initial observations and combines several methods of observing fish behavior and distribution to get an improved "picture" of the interactions between species and to understand if such interactions are different inside and outside a protected area. The primary goal of this work is to determine the importance that these types of behavioral interactions have in local food webs.
Management and effective policy making for deep-sea corals in both national and international waters is hindered by fragmented knowledge of patterns in the distribution and abundance. To date, most deep-sea coral presence data has been from research and exploration programs directed at other target species. In the past decade plus, occupied submersibles and remotely operated vehicles have been directed to investigate locations chosen specifically for the high probability of finding deep sea corals. Despite this work, we still don't know the extent of corals, or most deep-sea species, around seamounts, throughout canyons, and in other precipitous features found on outer continental shelves and in the deep ocean. This knowledge is critical for considering how to balance human activities such as fishing and minerals exploration with conservation. Research projects have assessed the utility of AUV technology to conduct coarse-grained surveys for management, have focused on mapping the distribution of deep-sea corals in the northern Gulf of Maine, an area that probably is the last refugia for such animals in the region after a century of fishing with mobile gear such as trawls, and submarine canyons and seamounts here off the northeast US which led to the first National Monument in the Atlantic Ocean in 2016.
Understanding how natural resources are distributed is critical for sound management. The State of Connecticut, the State of New York, and the U.S. Environmental Protection (USEPA) agency have multiple mandates to preserve and protect coastal and estuarine environments and water quality of Long Island Sound while balancing competing human and energy needs with protection and restoration of essential ecological function and habitats. Maps of the ecological resources in the Sound will greatly aid in addressing management needs. A multi-year ecological mapping program has been implemented to produce such maps. A pilot project focused on the Stratford Shoals region, to develop field and analytical approaches to produce maps that are both user-friendly and user-useful.


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El Paso Electric Donates $30,000 to Community Foundations for COVID-19 Response, Relief
PRESS RELEASE: March 30, 2020
El Paso Electric Donates $30,000 to Community Foundations for COVID-19 Response, Relief
El Paso, TEXAS – To support our region during this pandemic, El Paso Electric announces a $30,000 donation to the COVID-19 response funds created by the El Paso Community Foundation, the Paso Del Norte Community Foundation, and the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico. Each foundation will receive $10,000.
"While COVID-19 continues to alter our daily lives, our dedicated and hardworking employees remain committed to providing safe and reliable energy as our region comes together to mitigate the impacts of this virus," shares EPE Interim CEO Adrian J. Rodriguez. "As the provider of electricity for West Texas and southern New Mexico that powers hospitals and health care facilities, government entities, emergency response centers and hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses, we fully recognize the philanthropic role in supporting crisis response efforts for the communities we serve."
"The Paso del Norte Community Foundation is incredibly grateful for the generous contribution El Paso Electric has made to the COVID-19 Fund," states Tracy Yellen, CEO of the Paso Del Norte Community Foundation. "El Paso Electric is a tremendous community partner and as they have done many times before, they're demonstrating philanthropic leadership and helping to support some of the most vulnerable populations during this stressful and challenging time for everyone in our community."
In response to the growing financial need throughout southern New Mexico, the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico and United Way of Southwest New Mexico have initiated an inaugural joint fund that will support nonprofit organizations within this region.
"Our community – locally and abroad – is facing a level of adversity that is nearly unmeasured by any previous world-wide event, which is why our response as a people needs to be united and powerful," shares Amanda Morales, executive director for United Way of Southwest New Mexico.
"For the first time in each of our organizations' history, we have partnered to create the 'not-for-profit emergency fund' to amplify our support across southern New Mexico," said Terra V. Winter PhD, president and CEO for the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico. "El Paso Electric's donation to the fund provides the philanthropic leadership our community needs to help overcome this adversity."
EPE will also be matching 50% of all monetary contributions made by the utility's employees to the community foundation of their choice.


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A Great Movie's Misleading Message
The magnificent new Churchill movie, DARKEST HOUR, easily counts among the year's best, but a crucial scene sends a message the real Sir Winston would have hated.
In the movie, the Prime Minister wavers over starting peace talks with Hitler, and on the way to a cabinet meeting, wanders into the Underground-London's subway. He asks the opinions of ordinary Englishmen in his car, and—only when they tell him to keep fighting at all costs—does he convey that message to Parliament in the famous, "we shall fight on the beaches" speech.
It's a touching sequence, but totally misleading: Churchill never rode the Underground, and never shared the comforting, populist notion that leaders should take direction and inspiration from the common man. Like Reagan, Thatcher or Lincoln, he knew that great leaders must provide inspiration and direction to the masses, not the other way around.
That's a role today's leading figures must learn, and embrace.


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South Sound Running is excited to announce that they will be starting Tri-Weekly runs.
In addition to their weekly Pub Run (Learn More), these weekly runs will start Monday, July 10th, and happen every Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting at 6 o'clock at the Point Ruston South Sound Running Location.
3-mile and 6-mile mapped routes, all ability's welcome, no membership or registration required
Read more about South Sound Running


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Ever since its release the Pokemon GO servers have been going up and down. Its needless to say that the game's launch has been anything but smooth. There are numerous connection errors plaguing Pokemon GO right now and fans are in a constant flux of asking if "the servers are down or not".
The game is also reportedly under the sights of several hacker groups, one of which claimed responsibility for a recent downtime.
There's an easy way to check if the game's servers are facing issues or if it's your connection. As the game is mostly played outside, you're most probably using mobile internet which isn't the most reliable.
Use DownDetector which has a dedicated page for Pokemon GO. The page features various information including if currently the server is up or down, what time are people facing the most issues and downtime history among others.
If the above website isn't for you; then try this, this or this.
Pokemon GO is available now to play on Android and iOS devices.


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beginnings pre-K
about the program:
Beth graduated from Elizabethtown College with a degree
in Elementary Education. She has been the director of
Graceful Beginnings Pre-K since 2004.
Philosophy of the Program
Graceful Beginnings Pre-Kindergarten is a church-based preschool for children ages 3-5 who are planning to enter kindergarten. This school seeks to prepare children to begin elementary school by advancing skills in the areas of social and interpersonal skills, self-help skills and independence, academics, spiritual life, learning readiness, language, aesthetics, and motor development. We believe that all children, especially those of the preschool age, learn best through experiencing and manipulating materials, so our goal is a child-centered, hands-on curriculum. Students will be actively engaged in activities to teach letters, numbers, colors, shapes, basic reading skills, and name recognition through the use of centers and manipulatives.
Each week, we will focus our learning around a specific theme, usually one that integrates science, social studies, or the Bible. Within this, students will have opportunities to learn math and basic reading skills. Graceful Beginnings will use a "Plan-Do-Review" system, where students will be responsible for discussing and setting forth plans for their center and play time, engaging in those activities that they choose, and reviewing what was learned and discovered during that time. This keeps students accountable for their choices, which we feel is vital.
What we expect of parents…
Get/remain involved in your child's development in the classroom and at home
Meet and develop relationships with teachers and maintain contact with them about your child
Trust that we are providing the education we feel is best for your child
Consistency in your child's attendance
Provide a healthy snack for both classes about every other month
What you can expect from us…
The most attention and the best education we can provide for your child
Feedback about your child's growth and progress
An environment where your child will interact with other students, learn more about him/herself, and begin to understand what it means to be a student
A predictable schedule each day that includes most or all of the following: morning circle, math and literacy centers, music, crafts, snack, physical activity, and journal time.
Goals and Objectives of Graceful Beginnings Curriculum
Our vision is to "build solid foundations" for children as they enter their educational career that will last, at least, for the next 13 years! We want children to learn letters, numbers, shapes, and how to color inside the lines, but we also want them to have a desire for learning, enjoy school, get along with others, and be kids! Our philosophy is that children learn best when engaging all of their senses, so we do our best to teach by having the children watch/see, hear, move, and touch. If we are learning the letter Ss, rather than complete a worksheet, we will skip while singing words that begin with the letter Ss. We will slither like snakes while saying the /s/ sound. We will write the letter S in sand. All of these activities teach the letter Ss while keeping the kids moving, allowing them to be creative, and using multisensory (more than one sense) strategies.
We also use a variety of group strategies to reinforce concepts, so children will learn in a large group environment (circle time, story time, shared reading) as well as small groups or individually (centers, math games, kidwriting, etc). While new concepts are taught by a teacher, many of our centers and games are child-directed, so children will be exploring and learning on their own or with a buddy.
Listed are some of the goals that we want children to reach before they enter kindergarten. While all children develop at different rates, we will do our best to facilitate learning in each child. Do not be alarmed if you see less progress in your child than in others; many of the skills focused on at this age are very much developmental, so your child may not be physically or mentally ready for a particular skill.
Social and Interpersonal Skills
Students will develop good relationships with peers and teachers by sharing, using kind words, and working together.
Students will focus more on others by helping teachers and peers and displaying caring attitudes.
Self-Help Skills and Independence
Students will gain independence by learning to complete tasks independently and help others.
Students will make choices about how to spend their time and explain why.
Students will participate in the passing out, collecting, and organizing of materials.
Students will develop and implement problem-solving skills.
Early Literacy
o Students will identify and write most letters of the alphabet and say their sounds.
o Students will become familiar with a wide range of books.
o Students will recognize, write, and spell their names.
o Students will recognize up to 15 words, including names.
o Students will participate in kidwriting, where they will begin to learn the mechanics of writing (left to right, top to bottom, spaces between words, punctuation, etc) and listen for sounds in words.
o Students will identify shapes and numbers and write or draw them.
o Students will count to 30.
o Students will engage in activities that involve collecting, building, counting, comparing, and sorting.
o Students will learn the meanings of position words such as under, over, and behind.
o Students will complete patterns with two pictures (AB and AABB) and three pictures (ABC)
Science/social studies
o Students will engage in activities based around a theme for each week. Students will learn about themselves, their families, and their friends, as well as their senses and bodies.
Spiritual Life
Students will learn about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit through Bible lessons and music.
Students will pray before snack, thanking God for their food and other blessings.
Learning Readiness
Students will follow directions, learn to work cooperatively and independently, develop an attention span, develop self-control, and stay on a task until it is completed.
Students will enjoy school, have fun, and develop a desire to learn new things.
Students will verbally communicate with teachers, parents, and peers.
Students will increase their vocabularies.
Students will sing songs and recite nursery rhymes, poems, and fingerplays in order to improve speech, fluency, and vocabulary.
Students will use a variety of materials (markers, paint, crayons, etc.) to create original work.
Students will participate in music activities, such as singing, playing instruments, or doing finger-plays.
Students will participate in dramatic play activities.
Students will respond to music through physical movement.
Motor Development
Students will improve gross motor skills such as hopping on one foot, running, climbing, swinging, and ball handling.
Students will improve fine motor skills such as writing, cutting, and pasting.
Ways we accomplish those goals…
Letter of the week—recognizing and naming the letter, producing its sound, writing it
Shape of the week/Number of the week—recognizing and naming the shape or number and writing or drawing it
Calendar time—counting, number recognition, patterns, reading left to right
Nursery Rhyme of the month—rhymes, speech and language, letters, prereading skills, art, music…(I could go on and on about how much can be taught through nursery rhymes!)
Journals/Kidwriting—learning to draw "parts" of things (Ex.—a person has a head, body, arms, legs, face, etc.), drawing pictures, using a variety of colors, drawing the setting and characters, listening for sounds in words, spelling words by listening for sounds and matching letters to those sounds.
Crafts—expressing ourselves, learning to use art supplies such as markers, paints, crayons, glue sticks, glue bottles, scissors, and glitter.
Games—learning all of our skills and concepts while moving and getting our whole bodies involved in the process!
And many, many more ways! Everything we do has a PURPOSE!
Meet our Director Beth Zechman,
and her family: Aaron, Maya, Macie and Madelyn


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When Emily Dickinson died in 1886, she was unknown outside the circle of her family and friends. After her death, her sister Lavinia found the cache of nearly 1,800 poems and sought an editor who could decipher the confusing manuscripts and put them into publishable form. Though the poet never met Mabel Loomis Todd face-to-face, their correspondence afforded Todd the insight she would later need as she and her daughter Millicent Todd Bingham shaped Dickinson's literary legacy.
For author Julie Dobrow, the story of Mabel's and Millicent's lives and their integral role in editing and publicizing Emily Dickinson's poems, and shaping the myth of the so-called Belle of Amherst, has been waiting in the archives. Now, in After Emily: Two Remarkable Women and the Legacy of America's Greatest Poet, the full story behind Mabel and Millicent's work is finally revealed.
Join us for a reading and book-signing with Julie Dobrow. After the reading, stay for refreshments and have your book signed by the author! Books will be available for purchase. This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required.
Erin Connolly, Ph.D., professor and department head of plant sciences at Penn State University, will discuss "Molecular Mechanisms of Iron Uptake and Compartmentalization in Plants."
Current estimates indicate that ~3 billion people suffer from iron deficiency and plant foods serve as the principal source of iron for most people. In addition, ~30 percent of the world's soils are considered iron-limiting for plant growth. Improving iron uptake and partitioning in plants could therefore have dramatic effects on plant and human health. Research in the Connolly Lab focuses on the molecular mechanisms of micronutrient uptake and trafficking in plants. We are particularly interested in the mechanisms that underlie the delivery of iron to mitochondria and chloroplasts. In addition, we have a long-term goal of elucidating the mechanisms that function to maintain iron homeostasis in plants.
Join us for a public lecture by Stephen C. Finley, associate professor at Louisiana State University. Finley is a member of the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies at Louisiana State and is the director of the African & African American Studies Program.
This presentation will argue that making theoretical sense of UFO (what the Nation of Islam calls the "Mother Wheel") discourses in the Nation of Islam and-- indeed --Louis Farrakhan's own UFO narrative are necessary to make sense of the ultimate significance of race, "gender" and sexuality in the religion. More specifically, the religious meaning of women's embodiment in the Nation of Islam is refracted though the meaning of Farrakhan's own body, which is not intelligible outside of his UFO narrative. In short, wheels, wombs and women are inextricably bound in the Nation of Islam.
This event is generously supported by the Amherst College Department of Religion and the Willis D. Wood Fund.
Alexander Semyonov will discuss "Breakup of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union: Similarities, Dissimilarities or a Continuum of Imperial Transformations."
This talk addresses the tectonic shift in thinking about empire and nation in contemporary historical writing and, in particular, the critique of the teleological assumption of ubiquitous transition from empire to nation-state as the vector of modern history. The talk summarizes the recent literature on the problem of diversity in the moment of breakup of the Russian empire and Soviet Union, advances diachronic comparison of two historical events, and suggests an alternative framework of imperial transformation that captures the horizons of expectations of political actors during the reform processes in the Russian empire and Soviet Union and the persistence of the problem of diversity in the post-imperial political arrangements.
Semyonov is a historian of modern Russian history, his research interests include political and intellectual history, history of empire and nationalism. He is also interested in the emerging field of global history and dialogue between new imperial history and global history. He has published on the intellectual and political history of Russian liberalism and liberal imperialism, the history of political reforms and revolutions, the first Russian parliament in the early twentieth century and the history of Russian social sciences and their global connections. Since 2000, he has been a co-founding member of the editorial board of Ab Imperio: Studies of New Imperial History and Nationalism in the Post-Soviet Space.
The talk is sponsored by the Amherst Center for Russian Culture, the Georges Lurcy Lecture Series at Amherst College and the Lucius Root Eastman 1895 Fund at Amherst College.
Governments and journalists tell us that though Chernobyl was "the worst nuclear disaster in history," a reassuringly small number of people died (44) and nature recovered. Yet, drawing on a decade of fine-grained archival research and interviews in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, this talk uncovers a much more disturbing story—one in which radioactive isotopes caused hundreds of thousands of casualties. Scores of Soviet scientists, bureaucrats and civilians documented stunning increases in cases of birth defects, child mortality, cancers and a multitude of prosaic diseases, which they linked to Chernobyl. Worried that this evidence would blow the lid on the effects of massive radiation release from weapons testing during the Cold War, international scientists and diplomats tried to bury or discredit it. A haunting revelation of how political exigencies shape responses to disaster, Kate Brown's Manual for Survival makes clear the irreversible impact on every living thing not just from Chernobyl, but from eight decades of radiation from nuclear energy and weaponry.
Catherine Pfaff of Queen's University will deliver the final colloquium of the semester, titled "Symmetries, Groups & How They Interact."
Abstract: "The symmetries of a polygon form a group. This group acts on the polygon by rotating it and flipping it. This basic idea of studying a group as symmetries of an object extends far beyond polygons. Through a myriad of colorful pictures, I will introduce the notion of a group, some of my favorite examples and then examples of the interplay between these groups and various geometric objects. No advanced mathematical knowledge will be assumed, and of course we will also play with doughnuts!"
Refreshments will be served at 4 p.m. in Seeley Mudd 208.
Wen-Juan Ma, Ph.D. and postdoctoral research associate at Amherst College, will present "Evolution of Homomorphic Sex Chromosomes, Sex-Biased Gene Expression in the Common Frog."
"My research focuses on the fields of evolution and genomics of sex chromosomes and mating-type chromosomes, sex determination, as well as evolution of asexuality (especially induced by the bacteria Wolbachia). To understand the evolution and genomics of sex chromosomes and sex determination, I have used a broad range of non-model organisms, including invertebrate haplodiploid parasitic wasps, vertebrate amphibians, angiosperm plants and parasitic plant anther smut fungi, using various approaches in combination of fieldwork, experimental crosses, common garden experiment, molecular genetics and comparative genomics. Previously, my work on genomics of homomorphic sex chromosomes in the common frogs was investigating of evolutionary signatures of early stage of sex chromosome evolution, such as transcriptional degeneration, feminization of X chromosomes, dynamics of sex-biased gene expression throughout development and among adult tissues. The results revealed that sex-biased gene expressions were not enriched in sex chromosomes, no transcriptional degeneration occurred and no Faster-X (sex chromosome) evolution evolved, suggesting the canonical model of sexual antagonistic selection might not play a critical role at least in amphibian sex chromosome evolution. Currently, I am using comparative genomics approach to investigate temporal degeneration of non-recombining mating-type chromosomes in a series of anther smut Microbotryum fungi species."
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Office of Human Resources at Amherst College are proud to offer a complimentary event featuring guest speaker, Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., the President and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management.
"The Role of Diversity and Inclusion in Human Resource Practices" will be presented in Cole Assembly Room in Converse Hall, located on the Amherst College campus. This is a complimentary event and a grab-n-go lunch will be provided at the end of the event.


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Medical Benefit Plans
Foundation Health Plan
National General
National General has been a very popular plan since is came out. Their price is often times lower than competitors, and has equal-to or better benefits than most!
Cardinal Choice Plan
The Cardinal Choice Plan is a go-to for customers who need a "Guarantee Issue" option. They have the same Dr. Network as the others and a great price!
Health Protector guard
united healthcare
United is a very popular Brand name company. They have multiple options to choose from. Take a look to see if they are right for you!
Care access
Independence holdings company
IHC has a great plan, and multiple "add ons" to make their plans customizable. Check them out to see if their plans are right for you!


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The port city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands is the country's second largest city and boasts an absolutely awe-inspiring collection of architectural masterpieces.
From breathtaking commercial buildings and innovative spaces to medieval treasures, Rotterdam is an ever-expanding metropolis which unsurprisingly hosts the International Architecture Biennale and the Netherlands Architecture Institute. Here are just a few of the city's many construction masterpieces.
Completed in 1984 according to designs by the award-winning Dutch architect Piet Blom, the Kubuswoningen or Cube-Houses are 40 small dwellings shaped like titled cubes, each perched on concrete pillars.
The effect of the design gives the impression of architectural 'trees' bunching together to form a forest. Each cube comprises of three floors and a panoramic viewing gallery and Blom envisioned a safe and peaceful community set apart from the bustling city below.
Nieuwe Luxor Theatre
Named the country's most beautiful theatre by several publications, the Nieuwe Luxor Theatre boasts a riverside façade painted scarlet red as a nod to the delightful red of traditional stage curtains, but the true masterpiece lies within.
With plenty of expansive staircases, glass columns, and breathtaking viewpoints, the Nieuwe Luxor Theatre was completed in 2001 from designs by Bolles + Wilson and offers unparalleled views of the River Maas.
Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk
As Rotterdam's only example of Gothic architecture, the Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk is one of the few remaining pre-modern buildings in in the city.
Originally constructed in the mid-1400s, the church was restored in the 1950s – long before the rise of real money online pokies – after it sustained damage from bombings during WWII.
While the building is spectacular as a whole, there are certain points of interest which must be mentioned, particularly the copper choir screen completed in 1715 and the ornate doors designed by Manzù in 1968.
Witte Huis
Standing at 45 metres high, the Witte Huis was completed in 1898 and is considered the Netherland's first 'skyscraper'.
For many years the Witte Huis was the tallest office building in Europe and was constructed in an attempt to live up to architectural innovations of the United States.
Upon visiting New York, designers Gerrit van der Schuijt, Herman van der Schuijt and Willem Molenbroek were inspired to create the Witte Huis after encountering the city's Art Nouveau style.
Van Nelle Factory
Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004 for its contribution to 20th century industrial architecture, the Van Nelle Factory is a former tea, coffee, and tobacco factory.
Completed in 1931 and designed by J.A. Brinkman and L.C. van der Vlugt, the Van Nelle Factory boasts huge windows, light metal framework and a streamlined shape which provides the space with a spacious, airy feel.
Rotterdam Market Hall
The perfect combination of fun and functionality, the Rotterdam Market Hall is an incredible space which offers offices and 200 apartments while playing host to an expansive market hall.
The exterior arches in the shape of a horseshoe over the market place and the entirety of the inner archway is covered with massive murals by artists Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam.


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This short film is a collaboration between video artist Belinda Ackermann, dancer Julie Havelund, and myself. I created audio from recorded sounds made in and around the Siobhan Davies dance studio in London, where Julie performed her dance; there are also some sounds from the park near where I live on a sunny afternoon.
About the piece
Independently conceived movements, images and sounds overlap like translucent layers, a narrative of displaced times and places – a private glint of sunlight, a chattering midday park, a church façade in a cloudy city. Notes from a Meeting flickers between these varied times and locations, inspired by notions of density, proximity, abstraction and the possibilities of playful exchanges in the process of making.
This project grew from a simple curiosity about the unconscious act of casting a shadow, and how it might transform, vanish and reappear in another format. Choreographer & Dancer Julie Havelund | Sound scape Jacob Thompson-Bell | Video Artist Belinda Ackermann.
JTB May 2013


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I made a playlist on Spotify this week, with some scary creepy music.
The music I picked isn't usually associated with Halloween (except for "Red Right Hand" and "Goo Goo Muck," but I picked out some of the darkest, most unsettling songs I could think of.
No "Monster Mash" this year – trust me, I love that song, but that's for another Halloween playlist.
It's a dark world inside this music – stabbings, murders, monsters, and whatever it is Lux Interior is going to do to us.
This is a test-drive for the Spotify playlist; please let me know if it doesn't work, or tries to get money out of you, or steals your car.
Tomorrow we return to happy shiny music that's just bursting with joy.