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Archives for May 2016
How much does the City spend on debt?
This is a question my office gets from time to time, usually around budget discussions or the tax deadline. While this information is public and does not appear to be… [more]
Who's driving the bus?
You may have been watching what has been discussed at City Council meetings recently and wondered, "Why are they talking about THAT?" Lowering speed limits throughout the city, building bike… [more]
It is more than broken…
The recently released employment engagement survey results for the City of Edmonton showed more than half of City employees have little to no confidence in our senior management to deliver… [more]
How broken we are
Speaking to a senior business leader recently, we both came to the conclusion that we are in the worst economic recession of our professional lives. The wholesale departure and destruction… [more]
Edmonton Transit – The Re-design…to what?
One of the primary services available to all citizens in Edmonton is public transit. With a budget over $358 million dollars and more than 2000 employees, if Edmonton Transit is… [more]
Park Benches, Evictions, and Bus Route Re-Design
In recent weeks, several City administrative decisions have left many of us scratching our heads. First, there was the whole fiasco around the memorial benches. Deciding to charge past purchasers… [more]
Proposed Playground Zone Changes
I have received a great number of phone calls and emails from my constituents that are voicing their concerns over the lack of common sense the City has applied to… [more]
The Edmonton Disadvantage
There comes a time where taxes and regulations get to a point where it just breaks your back. Conversations in Council often revolve around Urban Sprawl, but I'm more worried… [more]
Bike lane measurement lacking
I love the potential of bike lanes. With a capability of moving so many people per hour, how could we not want to embrace that? They work in other cities,… [more]
Under Construction
I am so thrilled to have been re-elected to serve the constituents of Ward 11! Thank you to everyone who supported. I am looking forward to working with you on… [more]
Tweddle Place ATCO Construction Notice
CONSTRUCTION NOTICE REF: G73180 Tweddle Place SMR Dear Homeowner & Valued ATCO Customer: We are writing you on behalf of ATCO to inform you about the upcoming Steel Mains… [more]
Meyonohk Utility Work-91 Street and 28 Avenue
Tweddle Place Neighbourhood Updates
Ward 11 Updates
Hello All, There are a few things going on in Ward 11 I'd like you to be aware of: The Redevelopment of Mill Woods Town Centre will be going to… [more]
"No way to run a railroad" – The LRT and The Valley Line
Photo Credit "No way to run a railroad": A phrase used to express one's discontent with the lack of organization by the administrators of a project or venture. Quote Credit… [more]
What Happened to Our Business Community?
"Let the people know the facts, and the country will be safe." Abraham Lincoln, 1861. 16th US President. (1) Business Can't Vote… …But, what if they could? What would… [more]
Valley Line Update (Winter 2016/2017)
Please click the Link for the TransEd Valley Line Concept Renderings
Storm Water Funding Announcement
News release For immediate release New infrastructure projects in Edmonton combat heavy rains and flooding Project in Mill Woods will protect residents and their families from rainfall disasters Edmonton, Alberta,… [more]
Canada Post Standing Committee Presentation
On October 17, 2016 I presented to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canada Posts operations. I shared the thoughts below: I speak to you not only as a citizen… [more]
Maple/Oaks Ridge ETS Update
Memorandum October 21, 2016 Reference No.: 220920566-003 (ET) To: Councillor Mike Nickel Edmonton City Councillor, Ward 11 From: Andrew Gregory A/Director of Customer Service Development Subject: Route 306 Fall Extension… [more]
Are we Beyond our Capacity to Pay?
When you look at the total budget for the City of Edmonton and visualize the portion each citizen is responsible for, property taxes do not make up the whole picture…. [more]
Trees and the Valley Line LRT
Trees and the Valley Line LRT TransEd approaches construction along the Valley Line LRT route with great care and regard for both the environment and the protective measures put in… [more]
Treading Water
As many of us know Edmonton Northlands in its current state cannot survive. The race track, Rexall Place, the Expo center and all its other holdings are now at… [more]
August Mill Woods Double Barrel Project Update
August 9, 2016 Scope of Work The project scope includes: Installing approximately 3,390 m of new storm trunk sewer along the alignment (as shown on Attachment 1) and connecting existing… [more]
83 Street Valley Line Short Cutting Mitigation
As Construction begins on the Valley Line LRT, I will do my best to give you as much information as possible. As a proactive measure, here is the information from… [more]
Inside the Black Box of City Hall
One of the first lessons they teach you in Political Science 101 is that government is like a black box. We put things into the box, like tax dollars… [more]
FOIP Inquiry
On July 12, 2016 I made a motion regarding FOIP in City Council. Please click Here to see the wording of my inquiry. See the Provincial FOIP Regulations as well.
TransEd Valley Line LRT Update
Valley Line LRT Construction — Trail Closure Louise McKinney Riverfront Park and Henrietta Muir Edwards Park EDMONTON, AB — June 14, 2016 – Construction is… [more]
2016 Road Safety Improvements
Please see the update below regarding where Road Safety Improvements are scheduled for 2016. The Improvements to Ward 11 are in blue. Right turn cut-off modifications scheduled for 2016 Intersection… [more]
The State of Ward 11
When I first took the job as City Councillor I was expecting a nice quiet term working with my old friends from my old neighborhood. As usual in politics, the… [more]
Herbicide Ban
The City of Edmonton has a herbicide ban in place to eliminate non-essential use of herbicides on city-owned land. However, there are exemptions that allow for their use. Herbicides may… [more]
ATCO Gas- Argyll Mains Replacement Project
Beginning next week ATCO Gas will be replacing Mains in the Argyll neighbourhood. ATCO Gas continuously replaces natural gas distribution facilities across the province to ensure and maintain a high level of safety, service… [more]
Valley Line Update
VALLEY LINE BULLETIN UTILITY WORK ON 83 STREET AND 80 AVENUE Beginning on Monday, April 25, traffic will be restricted or reduced in areas near 83 Street and 80 Avenue…. [more]
Mill Woods Double Barrel Replacement Project Update
Scope of Work Converting the existing double barrel sewer into a sanitary sewer line and install a new storm trunk to support the flood mitigation program for the Mill Woods… [more]
Valley Line TransEd Booth
Visit the new TransEd LRT Booth located in the Citadel Theatre to learn about the Valley Line LRT! Open Monday- Friday 9:00am-3:00pm and Saturdays 10:00am-4:00pm E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Phone:… [more]
Donnan Arena Update
I have heard the concern regarding the closure of the Donnan Arena in King Edward Park. Below is an update provided by the department detailing the situation. "It has come… [more]
A Lesson in Incompetence
A Lesson in Incompetence: Mill Woods Double Barrel Drainage Project This past Friday, City Council finally received answers to a very long standing issue. This issue has been a… [more]
Call for Public Art: Valley Line
VALLEY LINE BULLETIN PUBLIC ART SELECTION OPPORTUNITIES The Edmonton Arts Council (EAC) invites individual members of the communities adjacent to the Valley Line LRT to participate in public art selection for… [more]
ETS Bus Service Changes
ETS mid-winter bus service changes start Sunday Schedule changes improve six routes This Sunday, February 7, schedule changes for six bus routes take effect. ETS customers are encouraged to check… [more]
Mark This Day!
Make sure you mark this day in history, as the price of a barrel of oil is worth about 4 heads of cauliflower. That is what my wife tells… [more]
85 Street and 23 Avenue Construction Update
As part of the Mill Woods Double Barrel project, a contractor will be measuring ground settlement along 23 Avenue on the two west bound lanes between 85 Street and 91… [more]
City of Edmonton and Syrian Refugees
For information on how the City of Edmonton will be welcoming the refugees, please visit this link: COE Welcoming Refugees
Lifting the Heavy Burden
As we continue to move through the municipal budget, I am reminded of the quote from Ovid who in 23 B.C. said "abundance has made me poor…" These words ring… [more]
PSA: Robberies in/near Mill Woods
Police seek public's assistance in locating personal robbery suspect believed to be targeting women For Immediate Release:24-Nov-2015 @ 1:54 PM MRU #:15R160 The Edmonton Police Service is seeking the public's… [more]
85th Street and 23 Avenue Construction Update
November 10, 2015 Scope of Work The project scope includes installing approximately 3,390 m of new storm trunk sewer along the alignment as shown on the Attachment 1, and connect… [more]
Leefield/North Millbourne Town Hall
Join me on Tuesday, November 17th to discuss City issues in the Lee Ridge, Richfield, Tweedle Place, and Michaels Park Neigbhourhoods.
I find that there are times in this job that make it difficult to keep perspective. For instance, it was frustrating to experience the numerous audits that have shown… [more]
Valley Line Bulletin
Please view the attachment below for information regarding the Valley Line LRT. Valley Line Bulletin_ Houses to be moved-Updated_Dates
Taxi Cabs and Uber: What Really Matters?
George Bernard Shaw once wrote: "If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you'd best teach it how to dance". Given what happened at City Council, it… [more]
Millwoods Traffic Disruption
Traffic Disruption Notification Turn restriction, 23 Avenue and 85 Street Edmonton, September 23, 2015 – Starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, September 25, there will be only right turns allowed… [more]
You're Invited to a Mill Creek Public Information Session
Please follow the link for the details on Thursday, September 17th's Public Information Session regarding the Mill Creek End of Pipe Treatment Project Public Notice – Mill Creek End… [more]
The Metro Line: More than Just a Train Wreck
The Metro Line: More than Just a Train Wreck This picture first caught my eye back in the 1990's; it was in the office of a major insurance… [more]
85 Street and 23 Avenue Construction Update
Scope of Work The project scope includes installing approximately 3,390 m of new storm trunk sewer along the alignment and connect existing sewers to the new trunk. The four major… [more]
Coffee with Mike Nickel
Join me tomorrow morning at the Scona Starbucks (10380 78 Avenue) for a Coffee!
Knottwood Road Update
If you live in Millwoods, you may have noticed that there has been an increase in detours and road construction in the Knottwood Road area. The most recent interruption should… [more]
The Infill Cauldron
"What Is Going Wrong with Edmonton's Infill Housing?" Since the beginning of this City Council's term the Mayor and several other members of Council have made infill housing one of… [more]
Fear is the Mind Killer
"Fear is the mind-killer." -Frank Herbert Dune As The NDP slowly take over the reins of power in the province of Alberta there is a growing chorus of fear beginning… [more]
Front Yards in Bloom 2015
Front Yards in BloomEdmonton check out Councillor Mike Nickel and our latest video for the 2015 Edmonton "Front Yards in Bloom." You can nominate a neighbour, friend, or family member… [more]
King Edward Park Town Hall Tomorrow!
I will be hosting a Town Hall Meeting for the King Edward Park Neighbourhood tomorrow at Donnan School. Please come out to discuss any community based questions or concerns you may… [more]
Coffee with Councillor Nickel
I want to hear from you! If you live in the Ritchie, King Edward Park, Avonmore, Hazeldean, or Argyll areas join me Saturday, May 23rd at the Tim Horton's in… [more]
Coffee with Councillor Nickel
I want to hear from you! If you live in the Milhurst, Leefield, Lakewood, North Milbourne, Woodvale, or Knotwood areas join me this Saturday at the Millwoods Tim Hortons (by… [more]
The Edmonton Straitjacket
A straitjacket is defined as follows: strait·jack·et (strāt'jak'ĕt) "A garment like device with long sleeves that can be secured to restrain a violently disturbed person."(1) For those who are unfamiliar… [more]
Coffee with Councillor Nickel
I want to hear from you! If you live in the Ritche, Hazeldean, King Edward Park, Avonmore, or Argyll areas join me this Saturday at the Tim Horton's in the… [more]
The Red Tape of Sisyphus
One of the shortcomings politicians tend to have is a belief in their own cleverness. In Greek mythology, King Sisyphus was known for his excessive pride and arrogance. This led… [more]
Ward 11 Drainage Projects Update
For your information below is a provincial news release announcing projects approved under the Alberta Community Resilience Program (ACRP). The City submitted five projects (that met program eligibility) last fall… [more]
Mill Woods Skate Park
Update: A large portion of the previously closed Mill Woods Skate Park reopened Friday afternoon. An initial assessment of the park occurred in the fall of 2014. The findings of… [more]
Mill Woods Double Barrel Project- April Status Update
Scope of Work The project scope includes installing approximately 3,390 m of new storm trunk sewer along the alignment as shown on the Attachment 1, and connect existing sewers… [more]
Coffee with Councillor Nickel
I want to hear from you! If you live in the Milhurst, Leefield, Lakewood, North Milbourne, Woodvale, or Knotwood areas join me this Saturday at the Millwoods Starbucks to chat… [more]
Avonmore Town Hall Questions and Answers
On Tuesday, March 24 I held a Town Hall meeting at Avonmore School. Here are some of the questions that were asked. Valley Line LRT Why is 83rd Street… [more]
102 Ave Bridge Project/Groat Road Closure Update
Crane in position to begin attaching girders today Over the weekend the City of Edmonton finalized its stabilization strategy to secure the buckled girders on the 102 Avenue Bridge Replacement… [more]
Buses Replace LRT Service March 21 and 22 Weekend
Edmonton Transit buses will replace all LRT service at times this weekend to allow for testing of the new signalling system. LRT service will be restored in time to take… [more]
102 Avenue Bridge/Groat Road Update
Crane in place; City modifying parking bans The large support crane needed to stabilize the buckled girders on the 102 Avenue Bridge Replacement Project is now erected on site. The… [more]
Economic Oracles ?????
Pythia the oracle at Delphi, was said to be infallible[1]. Croesus, the king of Lydia, proclaimed Pythia to be the most accurate prophet, so he graced her with… [more]
Bike Lanes, Dog Parks, and …Freeze Ways… Oh My!
Did someone drop a house on me? Oh…wait…that was just the snow drift falling off my roof onto my head. I have to say I am truly proud of Edmontonians… [more]
Dante's (Political) Inferno
In Dante's "Inferno"—the first part of his epic poem—fortune tellers are destined to travel through eternity with their heads on backwards, unable to see the road ahead as a repercussion… [more]
Let's Be Real
With the recent drop in Alberta's economy, along with announcements of a 5.7% tax increase, and a recent City Council pay raise many Edmontonians are becoming frustrated. When we look… [more]
Free Fall??????
I think we can all get behind the idea of lower gasoline prices and if air fare and other transportation costs go down as a result, that has to a… [more]
Drainage Construction All Year Around
Drainage construction all year around For many of you who travel 23rd Avenue, you will have noticed (and are probably dismayed at) the constant construction in and around the… [more]
Have your say on the City's 2015 Budget! – Here is your chance!
Share your views on the City of Edmonton's proposed 2015 Budgets. Edmontonians are invited to a Non-Statutory Public Hearing on the 2015 Operating Budget, the 2015-2018 Capital Budget, and the… [more]
City Council is heading into budget deliberations once again. I like to think of it as annual warfare where two sides fight it out, and those sides are the WANTS… [more]
Major Projects Update 3rd quarter 2014
John Fry Park Pavilion Approved Budget: $4,250,000 Opening Date: Quarter 4, 2014 Status: Construction has been delayed due to material fabrication issues. Construction is 75% complete. Mill Woods Library, Seniors… [more]
Budget 2015 Deliberations Questions
Well as we head into Budget warfare… oops I mean deliberations, I thought I should share with you the questions I have submitted to the City of Edmonton Administration to… [more]
My Fundraising MAZE for YESS had gotten National Press!!
You may have heard in the media that I have (with the help of some wonderful sponsors: Crystal Glass Canada Ltd. ENMAX and Shipper Supply) taken over a room at… [more]
Construction Notice – Tweddle Place Living Wall Demonstration Project
Construction Notice — Tweddle Place Living Wall Demonstration Project Project Overview The City of Edmonton will be installing a living wall demonstration project. The living wall is a visual and… [more]
2014 Free Admission Day
Once again, the City of Edmonton is proud to host the annual Free Admission Day on Sunday, September 28 from 10 am to 6 pm. Free admission day is the… [more]
Edmonton's Top Blooms
This year's winner of Edmonton's most beautiful front yard went to a homeowner in Delwood (7802-132A Ave) Second Place was 16020-110 Ave (Mayfield) Third Place 12216-136 Ave (Kensington) The Community… [more]
Mill Woods Road School Zones
The school zones will be installed on local and collector roadways around all schools with elementary grades. Mill Woods Road (including east and south potions) is designated as a collector roadway… [more]
FAQs re: School Zone Reinstatement
FAQs re: School Zone Reinstatement Weren't there already school zones in Edmonton? I've seen the signs. School zones have not been used in Edmonton since the 1970s. There were phased… [more]
RE: City of Edmonton's Review of the Municipal Government Act
RE: City of Edmonton's Review of the Municipal Government Act On behalf of the Urban Development Institute-Edmonton Region (UDI-ER), we would like to share our concerns with the City… [more]
Major Capital Projects in Ward 11
John Fry Park Pavilion Approved Budget: $4,250,000 Opening Date: Late summer 2014 Status: Construction is approximately 40% complete. A delay in material delivery has extended the construction date. Mill Woods… [more]
Construction on Your Streets – Update
66 Street: 23 Avenue- Whitemud Drive 91 Street: Whitemud Drive – 63 Avenue 50 Street: 23 Avenue – 13 Avenue Wagner Road: 75 Street – 86 Street 91A Street: 41… [more]
Celebrate Canada Day in Mill Woods!
Time: 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. Come to Mill Woods Park (66 St. & 23 Ave.) and join in on the free family activities including hay rides, a petting zoo, carnival games, bouncy… [more]
So tell me…what do you think?
The difficulty in finding a balance between public expectations and operational reality in conducting meaningful, useful and relevant consultations about civic projects is displayed in stark detail in the City… [more]
Flood Mitigation Projects in Mill Woods and Southwest Edmonton
Many of the planned projects are in the North Millbourne neighbourhoods of Tweddle Place, Michael's Park, Lee Ridge and Richfield. A complete schedule of planning, in progress and completed flood mitigation… [more]
Richie in the Summer!
Richie Summer Community BBQ – Friday, June 20th 6-9pm Celebrate summer with some food, fun and friends! A great way to find out whats happening and be a part of… [more]
Who has the best blooming yards in Edmonton?
Nominations for the Front Yards in bloom opened May 20, 2014 The largest of its kind in Canada, Edmonton's Front Yards in Bloom program honours residents who are making our… [more]
Edmonton in Bloom Photo Scavenger Hunt
Welcome to the Edmonton In Bloom Photo Scavenger Hunt Contest! Here is the first Mystery Location. Think you know where this picture was taken? Want to enter the contest? Visit… [more]
2014 Construction on your Streets – Ward 11
Street Lights 50 Street: TUC – Whitemud Dr. 51 Avenue: 93 St. – 75St. 42 Avenue: 97 St. – 99St Active Modes (Pathways and Sidewalks) 28 Avenue: Parsons Rd. –… [more]
We are going to experience a little turbulence…
It began as a lofty vision: Transform the noisy, carbon-centric City Centre Airport into a green, eco-friendly, state-of-the-art community that will be an example for and the envy of the… [more]


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Grove City has a number of upcoming events to kickstart the holiday season.
Grove City has a number of upcoming events to kickstart the holiday season.
The Grove City Town Center will host annual Mistletoe Market and Winter Lights Parade on Saturday, Dec. 1. The market will be from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The parade will kick off at 7:30 p.m.
Beginning at 6 p.m., the city also will be hosting other activities, including an ice sculptor on Grant Avenue; choirs caroling outside city hall; reindeer at Civic Place; horse-drawn wagon rides for a monetary, food or toy donation; and visits from Santa.
Parents can take photos of their children with Santa or receive one for a $5 contribution to T.W.I.G. 184 benefitting Nationwide Children's Hospital.
Donations of money, food or personal hygiene products for the Grove City Food Pantry and of toys and gift cards for the Jackson Township Firefighters for Kids holiday toy program also will be collected on the southeast corner of Park Street.
This is the fourth year of the Mistletoe Market, said Grove City Town Center executive director Andy Furr. The event is a good chance for people to get some holiday shopping down and enjoy some good food, he added.
"It was originally designed to help bring people down to the Town Center," he said. "It's a nice, family fun day."
The market will feature feature handmade-craft vendors as well as food trucks.
"We've got 23 vendors right now," Furr said on Nov. 15. "Our maximum capacity is 36."
Returning to the market this year are ceramics class students from Grove City High School. They will be selling hot chocolate and coffee in handmade mugs with the proceeds going toward Autism Awareness. This is the group's second year at the market.
"We're very proud to have those folks down here for a very charitable cause," Furr said. "We've already had people asking if they'll be coming back this year."
Other craft vendors in the market include lotions, soaps and skin products from Live Love Dew; seasonal arrangement and gift baskets from Wendy Rohr; products from Rodney Eakins' World of Wonders; vintage jewelry and glass stands from Christie Laffin; and more.
Food vendors include Sue Terre's Food Affair, Paddy Wagon and My Place or Yours food truck.
The market also will feature live entertainment in the city council chambers throughout the day. Performers include Ukulele Cowboy Society, Christy Angeletti and Jeff Reed.
The parade route will remain unchanged from previous years, Furr said.
The parade will begin at Park Street Intermediate School; proceed north on Wilbur Avenue, west on Columbus Street, south on Broadway and east on Park Street; and ending back at Park Street Intermediate.
As of Nov. 15, there were 13 entries signed up for the parade, including the marching bands of Central Crossing, Grove City and Grove City Christian high schools.
"We'll get quite a few more," Furr said. "At last year's parade, the rear end of the parade actually touched the front end."
Applications for the parade are open through Nov. 24, and the entry fee is $35, with the proceeds going toward the Grove City Food Pantry.
There are two rules for decorating parade floats, Furr said: no Santa or Mrs. Claus, and they must be lit.
"Folks go all out and light them up quite nicely," Furr said. "It's always been impressive."
The Grove City Arts Council hosts its Christmas Art Market and Exhibit in the City Hall lobby from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum will offers a historic view of the holidays including decorations, musical instruments and contests from 5 to 9 p.m.
More information about the events is available online at grovecitytowncenter.org and grovecityohio.gov.
During the festivities, drivers are asked to show extra caution when driving near the road blocks and on Kingston Avenue behind Park Street Intermediate School due to increased pedestrian traffic.
A number of streets will be closed including:
Park Street west of Broadway to Front Street beginning at noon Friday through 6 p.m. Sunday; Broadway, south of Grant Avenue to north of Grove City Road, and Park Street, from Broadway east to Arbutus Avenue, from 4 p.m. through 9 p.m. Saturday; and Park Street west of Haughn, Wilbur Avenue, Columbus Street from Wilbur Avenue west to Broadway and Broadway from Columbus Street south to Grant Avenue from 7:15 p.m. to the end of the parade.

subset: commoncrawl


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✉ Joanne Stolte, HonPSA, MPSA, EFIAP, HonS4C·
The International Understanding Through Photography (IUTP) award annually recognizes an accomplished photographer whose images and their presentation have clearly contributed to the advancement of understanding among people. It honors living photographers whose work has had a unique impact on the world by focusing attention or changing perceptions. The recipient need not be a member of PSA.
The International Understanding Through Photography (IUTP) Committee is composed of five PSA members appointed by the President. The IUTP Committee reports to the President.
ABOUT PSAThe Photographic Society of America (PSA) is a worldwide organization for anyone with an interest in photography. Founded in 1934, the Society is for casual shutterbugs, serious amateurs, and professional photographers.
PSA has members in over 80 countries. Individual and photo organization memberships offer a wide variety of services and activities: a monthly journal; online photo galleries; image evaluation; study groups; courses; competitions; an annual conference; opportunities for recognition of photographic achievement and service; and discounts on photography-related products and services. To learn more about PSA and its activities, visit About PSA.


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Browse our collectibles database, check out our blog, track your own collection & wantlist, go shopping and find information about whatever you collect. Action figures, posters, even event tickets from famous shows - and if it's not here, you can add it. Powered by collectors for collectors, hobbyDB is all about community. Add any collectible you like, and help cultivate this growing resource for collectors!


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A "Disposable" Epic Shot On A Cell Phone/
Les Ongles (The Nails) by Clement Deneux was the Grand Prize Winner at the Disposable Film Festival 2012 where I got to be a judge for the second year in a row. It has great fun with a handful of trends in popular filmmaking -- the cell phone shot party that goes out of control among them -- but always with a very unique bent. I look forward to see what Clement does next.


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Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology
versión On-line ISSN 1445-7377
versión impresa ISSN 2079-7222
Indo-Pac. j. phenomenol. (Online) vol.13 no.2 Grahamstown abr. 2013
Christopher R. Stones
This final edition for 2013 comprises five theoretical papers, ranging from an explication of a longitudinal phenomenological research methodology, through to exploring the experiential identity transition from being a practising psychologist to an academic psychologist, while another paper approaches the teaching of phenomenology through the notion of 'mindfulness'. This edition also carries papers dealing with the implications of patients' lived space in a hospital setting as distinct from being within the context of one's own home, in addition to a therapy case-study on retrospective reflections of a client's posttraumatic stress disorder. The final paper of this edition is a review of a book dealing with holistic counselling.
The first paper in the present IPJP collection of manuscripts is by Heidi Woll and is concerned with the use of a 'process diary' technique as a specific methodological approach to be used when one is concerned with longitudinal research. The value inherent in this paper is not only its historical review of the use of diaries in social and health research but also that Woll's paper provides a particular set of methodological steps to be used when developing a process diary approach to research. Moreover, a range of situations is suggested where the process diary approach is best able to provide rich in-depth material for the researcher. Woll concludes with commentary on the ethical challenges that may be confronted when using the 'process diary' approach in longitudinal phenomenological research.
The second paper in this edition employs an interpretive phenomenological analysis method to explore the experience of practicing clinical psychologists entering academia. The authors (Graham du Plessis, Larise du Plessis and Carol Saccaggi) are practicing clinical psychologists who decided to track their own transitional process as their identities gradually shifted from being independent practitioner to institutional employee within an academic setting. The basis of their research was not solely independent reflection but emerged from in-depth focus group discussions and reflections. For any psychologist considering entering academia, this paper is well worth solid consideration.
Remaining within the academic arena, Ian Owen ('Using Mindfulness as a Teaching Aid for Phenomenology') argues that when it comes to teaching, there is nothing more useful than a demonstrable technique that shows the evidence to which the scholarship refers. Owen's paper explores the meditation technique of 'mindfulness' as a teaching aid, suggesting that the material being taught is enabled and brought to life in a deeply meaningful way so that teaching is more than simply an absorption of theoretical ideas but rather is embedded in the lived experience of the material being taught. The thrust of Owen's paper has to do with setting the scene for understanding differences between Husserl and Heidegger and, importantly, understanding phenomenology in general within the broad field of qualitative psychology.
'Getting to Know Patients' Lived Space' (by Annelise Norlyk, Bente Martinsen and Karen Dahlberg) explores the patient's experience of lived space in hospital and at home. Their paper strives to understand the existential meaning of the changed lived space for the patient when in hospital and when in one's familiar home-based lived space. At home, the patient might tend to feel protected and safe whereas, by contrast, in hospital the primary concerns tend to be related to complex institutional power structures and specific social conventions such as the expectation of needing to be a good patient and so on. Importantly, argue the authors, the combination of illness and general discomfort may adversely influence the patient's experience of home so that the lived space of a sanctuary can change to feelings of being left on one's own, burdened by too great a responsibility for one's own health and healing when at home.
The motivation for conducting this research is the increasing healthcare focus on encouraging patients' self-monitoring at home, and the importance for healthcare professionals to recognize that patients' wellbeing is greatly influenced by the nature of the experiential spatial aspects in both the hospital and home.
The final paper in this edition is a phenomenological-hermeneutic case study of a patient who initially presented with panic disorder, and how the therapy developed as the initial meaning of the panic presentation deepened as its roots in the traumatic memories of childhood emerged. Entitled 'From Panic Disorder to Complex Traumatic Stress Disorder: Retrospective Reflections on the Case of Tariq', David Edwards provides an extensive exposition of how the case was conceptualised within schema-focused therapy and how the research was able to proceed using a strong phenomenologicalhermeneutic approach to uncover the meaning structures that were gradually elucidated over the course of therapy.
This edition is brought to conclusion with a book review by Steve Edwards on a work written by Patricia Sherwood entitled 'Holistic Counselling: Through the Shadow to Compassion'.
I wish to end this editorial by thanking not only the authors who submitted their works to the IPJP for consideration, but also the many Editorial Board members and other reviewers who unstintingly committed their time and expertise to ensure an ongoing publication of high quality, informative and interesting papers in the broad arena of qualitative and phenomenologically based research.
The lifeblood and soul of this journal owes its existence to the joint commitment of authors and reviewers.
Gratitude to all concerned!
Referencing Format
Stones, C. R. (2013). Editorial. Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, 13(2), 2 pp. doi: 10.2989/IPJP.2013.13.2.1.1175 [ Links ]
About the Author
Professor Christopher Stones, previously of Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa and currently Professor of Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Johannesburg, has enjoyed a lengthy academic and research career, in the course of which he has taught in the areas of physiological, clinical, forensic, social, and research psychology. He is Vice-President of the South African Association for Psychotherapy and past Chairman of the South African Society for Clinical Psychology. Editor-in-Chief of the Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology since 2003, he is also on the editorial panels of two other online journals. Using both natural scientific quantitative methodologies and phenomenological approaches, Professor Stones's research interests are in the areas of identity, attitudes and attitude change, phenomenological praxis and methodologies, abnormal psychology and psychotherapy, spirituality and religious experience, in all of which areas he has published extensively. An Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, with which he is also registered as a Chartered Psychologist, Professor Stones is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as both a research and a clinical psychologist, and conducts a part-time clinical practice with particular focus on adolescents, young adults and families, as well as offering long-term psychotherapy. In addition, he is regularly called on to serve as an "expert witness" in medico-legal (civil and criminal) court proceedings, and to contribute as a consultant in the field of forensic investigation. E-mail address: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Major Section: EVENTS
Examples: (deflabel interp-section :doc ":Doc-Section ...")where
General Form: (deflabel name :doc doc-string)
name is a new symbolic name (see name) and
is an optional documentation string (see doc-string). This
event adds the documentation string for symbol
name to the
doc data
base. By virtue of the fact that
deflabel is an event, it also
marks the current history with the
name. Thus, even undocumented
labels are convenient as landmarks in a proof development. For
example, you may wish to undo back through some label or compute a
theory expression (see theories) in terms of some labels.
Deflabel events are never considered redundant.
See redundant-events.
See defdoc for a means of attaching a documentation string to a
name without marking the current history with that name.


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Officials say a Connecticut man and his daughter are in good health after getting lost on a Vermont mountain.
State police say 59-year-old George Young and his 20-year-old daughter, MacKenzie Young, of Weston, Conn., were hiking Worcester Mountain on Saturday with the intention of hiking to the top and the coming down the Pinnacle Trail to Stowe.
Authorities say the pair missed the turn to the Pinnacle Trail and ended up on Hunger Mountain. They called for help about 7:20 p.m. when they began having trouble seeing the trail and trail markers.
Four rescuers from the Stowe Mountain Rescue team hiked up the mountain and found the hikers shortly before midnight. They reached the bottom of the mountain at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday.


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Saturday, May 31, 2014
Craft Fair Booth
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Working as an intern at GRN gives you hands-on experience in the non-profit world. Whether you are grassroots organizing, doing research, building our communications strategy, or analyzing policy, you'll be having a real impact on protecting and restoring the natural resources of the Gulf of Mexico. And, saving the world!
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- September 20, 2019, 04:39:39 AM
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eRing creates a field of wireless electricity around your Christmas tree. This enables the first ever, wirelessly powered ornaments and with it, infinite possibilities.
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The Trader of Stories: Bell's Heart is another new released point and click type adventure game by Marek Rudowski and Pastel Games team which is also creator of The Great Kitchen Escape, and The Great Living Room Escape games and many more. Help Myosotis find a new story in a mysterious little town. Become a Trader of Stories. Click to interact with scene objects and people. Good luck.
Please use spoilers to give hints:[ SPOILER="Name of spoiler"]Enter text here.[/SPOILER]
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President Barack Obama's speech yesterday morning signals an important shift in the administration's thinking on energy.
The president has not abandoned his previous emphasis on transformative technology and reducing demand for oil, nor should he.
But he appears to have elevated the role of oil and gas production in his strategy by emphasizing its importance within a comprehensive approach.
This is smart thinking and smart politics, but he now faces big challenges in translating his vision into policy. He will also struggle to follow through in the face of inevitable opposition from both the left and the right.
Obama continues to face an uphill battle to get his clean energy agenda passed by Congress. Pairing it with a push for expanded production may help win Senate allies and mobilize public pressure. But getting any package that requires new spending through the House remains tough. The president will need to keep up the heat and hope for a lucky break. At a minimum, though, he has positioned himself to be able to blame House Republicans for intransigence if they fail to support his broad energy agenda.
The president will also incur challenges on the left. Last year, when he proposed to expand offshore drilling, environmental groups chafed; those who supported the move did so because they saw it as part of a possible compromise on cap-and-trade. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill, soon after, convinced them that their initial instincts were right. They will be wary of backing him this time around.
This may not cause the president problems in Congress--most of his supply agenda can move forward through executive action. But it could endanger Obama's strategy on natural gas, which appears to be an important part of his vision. The president's strategy appears to be aimed at forestalling an ugly and unproductive clash between industry and environmentalists by forging a responsible and constructive approach to shale gas development. For that to work, though, both sides must be willing to go along.
To be sure, the speech wasn't perfect. The president's warm words for expanded production were not matched with policy detail. His talk about forcing oil companies to drill existing leases or give them up may win applause, but it will have little if any material impact on U.S. energy security. And while cutting U.S. oil imports by one-third in about ten years is a laudable, reasonable, and ambitious goal, it is important to remember that it will still leave the United States vulnerable to the vagaries of the oil markets a decade hence.
On the whole, though, the president should be applauded for embracing the importance of responsible oil and gas production within a comprehensive energy strategy, even though he still must translate that into real policy. It is now his opponents' turn to show similar farsightedness by supporting serious efforts to cut oil demand


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Discovering Report Class / Service Class Correspondences
MartinPacker 11000094DH Visits (10043)
It's possible I've written something about this before: My blog is so extensive now it's hard to find out exactly what I've written about (and I'm going to have to do something about that). I say "written something " because I know for sure I haven't written about the SMF record field I want to introduce you to now. Previously If when you send me... [More]
Drawing The Line
MartinPacker 11000094DH Visits (13889)
You'd think it would be pretty simple to draw a line. Right? This post discusses an enhancement I'd like to make to my current reporting - and I'm pretty sure that technically I can do it. The question is whether I should . Consider my current "Memory by address space within Service Class" graph. Here's a sample: And here's what I think I might like it to look like: Obviously the line's... [More]
Would You Like More WLM Information In DB2 Accounting Trace - And How Would You Use It?
MartinPacker 11000094DH Comments (3) Visits (17395)
I was lucky enough to be in Silicon Valley Lab for DB2 BootCamp last week. There I ran into a DB2 developer I've worked very successfully with in the past - John Tobler. (He's the guy I look to for questions and issues with DB2 SMF data.) We had a good discussion about something I'd personally like to see in DB2 Accounting Trace - more WLM information - and this post is as a result of this... [More]
What's In A Name?
MartinPacker 11000094DH Visits (11534)
This is the post I was going to write before the discussion that led to CICS VSAM Buffering arose. It's about getting more insight into how WLM is set up and performing than RMF Workload Activity Report data alone allows. I recognise some of this can be done with the WLM policy in hand. But this is about an SMF-based approach. (The piece you can't do with SMF is discerning the WLM classification... [More]
zAAP and zIIP Delay
MartinPacker 11000094DH Comments (3) Visits (10950)
I was going to start this post with an apology. But, as any sensible blogger would, I left it a few days to write this. Now I realise that there's a wider point than the "I was wrong" one. (But I was wrong - in a way that I think many other people might've been wrong too.) So let me talk about two things in this post: zAAP and zIIP Delay. How I came to be wrong and what we can all... [More]
Batch Capacity Planning, Part 2 - Memory
MartinPacker 11000094DH Visits (12347)
I can't believe it's been almost a week since I wrote Batch Capacity Planning, Part 1 - CPU . Where did the time go? Re-reading it I'm struck by the overwhelming theme of Batch's unpredictability and lumpiness. This is true of memory, as well, but to a much lesser degree. Why to a lesser degree? Well, in most systems I look at the memory usage is mostly fairly constant and dominated by big... [More]
zAAP and zIIP Revisited (At Last)
MartinPacker 11000094DH Comments (6) Visits (15880)
It's been an awfully long time since I wrote When Good Work Doesn't Go To zIIP / zAAP Heaven . And too long since I posted anything at all. In fact I had a bunch of posts in my brain until this morning when a customer asked me a question which turned into this blog post. (Those posts are still in my brain and will probably see the light of day eventually, including one based on a customer... [More]


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[Cross posted from Sixteen Small Stones]
Today marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of "The Origin of the Species" by Charles Darwin. If you've followed my blog for a significant time you know that I have doubts about the compatibility of Darwinism and the belief in God as the Creator.
I remember as a high-school biology student, in addition to various other evolutionary facts, our teacher showed us the famous Heackel drawings of the developmental stages of embryos. He made us all memorize the phrase "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny." And he insisted that it was a scientific "fact" that proved that Darwin's theory was undeniably true. It was all very convincing and I believed him. As a faithful member of the LDS church I reasoned that "evolution" was simply the device which God employed to bring to pass the creation. This was in 1989 and little did I know that the "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny" hypothesis had, even then, been long discredited.


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After 12 years of doing visual effects for movies like "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" of Roman Polanski´s "Oliver Twist", Alex Broeckel found his passion for illustration. Since then, he has worked for clients from advertising, TV or the game industry and is happy about the variety and challenge that every new project has to offer.
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Yearbook Information
Senior yearbooks are available from Mrs. St. Andre', yearbook sponsor, when the books arrive in the fall. Best time is between 10:55 A.M. - 12:30 P.M. Her contact information is (318) 549-5505 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Or you can email senior counselor Mrs. Raley and she will make arrangements to hold the book in her office if you can't be here during the "best time." -- firstname.lastname@example.com
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Haughton High appreciates our alumni! We invite all alumni and their families to attend Homecoming activities. Get details in the Homecoming section (also under the "Community" tab).
HHS alumni are also invited to register, get reunion information, and stay in touch with other classmates by clicking on this link.
Alumni Comments
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"I made this on a double cassette deck in my bedroom in either late 95/early 96. I suppose this was me trying to live out my fantasies of being a DJ in the vein of The Invisible Scratch Pickles or The X-ecutioners or whoever. Also I harbored secret fantasies of DJing at raves but there was no chance of that happening. I didn't know how to scratch, nor could I afford a sampler. So instead I did this using only the pause button to make fake samples/loops. No samplers were used in the making of this tape. Source material taken from various LP's, cassettes, and a few CD's. Very low tech. Very mid 90's.
It now serves as an unintentional time capsule and as a document of a tiny slice of my teens. Requires patience as it doesn't really get cooking until around 7 or 8 minutes in. It's mostly of interest to those I tagged because either their music is used in it or they may remember that brief moment in time in Los Angeles when some of us had one foot in the Jabberjaw/hardcore punk world and the other in the rave scene. Kind of a weird undocumented hybrid sort of thing.
It's an at times distasteful world in which the likes of This Heat lives next door to Kraftwerk, Miami Bass, The Frogs, Kiss, The Magic Pacer, Land Of The Loops, various comedy albums, Pigmeat Markham, Kid N Play, Aphex Twin, Jungle Brothers, Brainiac, Eric B. & Rakim, MC Hammer, Tower Of Power, God Is My Co-Pilot, Korn, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Biz Markie, De La Soul, Run DMC, Fugazi, Warren G, Led Zep, Lee Perry, some Sebadoh side project whose name I forget, Chemical Brothers, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Martin Lawrence stand up, The Locust, Public Enemy, L.L. Cool J, Tortoise, The Crimson Curse, Soul Oddity, Megadeth, Rush, The Republic Of Freedom Fighters, Universal Order of Armageddon, Alec Empire, Silver Apples, Pearl Jam, Native Nod, Mantronix, Orbital, Beck, Boogie Down Productions, Clikatat Ikatowi, Sir Mix A Lot, The VSS, Trans Am, DJ Shadow, Komeda, Satisfact, DJ Mark The 45 King, Body Count, Aretha Franklin. Bollywood soundtracks, Los Cincos, Squarepusher, Anthrax, Dio, Luke Vibert, Audio Two, Atari Teenage Riot, Ice T, The Sea And Cake, Sleepytime Trio, Antioch Arrow, Ice Cube, etc.
In short, a really fucked array of sounds you'll never hear sandwiched together anywhere else more than any sort of showcase of would be skillz." – Jimi Hey


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The World Cup is coming to Bangladesh for the first time. The 2011 tournament is also expected to be the most competitive tournament in over a decade. As many as five teams can claim a reasonable shot at winning the Cup, and traditional minnows such as West Indies and Bangladesh have all had impressive successes in the last few months. The author has attempted to preview and predict how the first round will play out.
World Cup 2011 Preview
by Asaad Wahid
Published: 15th February, 2011
The World Cup is coming to Bangladesh for the first time. The 2011 tournament is also expected to be the most competitive tournament in over a decade. As many as five teams can claim a reasonable shot at winning the Cup, and traditional minnows such as West Indies and Bangladesh have all had impressive successes in the last few months. I have attempted to preview and predict how the first round will play out. It will indeed be one of the joys of cricket to see how the real tournament unfolds.
This years World Cup, the 10th such tourney, will be hosted in the Subcontinent for the third time. A total of 10 full-member nations of th ICC plus four qualifiers will compete for cricket's highest accolade. The ten Test playing countries are Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, England and the West Indies. The qualifiers came through competing in the 2009 World Cup Qualifiers (formerly called the ICC Trophy). Afghanistan and Scotland narrowly missed qualifying for the 2011 World Cup when they finished 5th and 6th, respectively, at the 2009 World Cup Qualifiers. As it is, that is a bit unfortunate since Afghanistan have clearly shown that they are probably just as good as Ireland (who finished first) and are well better than Canada, the Netherlands, and Kenya (the other three teams who made the World Cup ahead of the Afghans). But there isn't much to worry, as the Afghans are sure to qualify for the 2015 event.
The teams have been split into two groups of seven, with each team playing the other six in their group in a round-robin format. The top four sides from each group advance into the quarterfinals, etc. Thus, every team has plenty of matches to play.
Group A (Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Canada, Kenya)
1.  Sri Lanka
The 1996 World Cup champions are a team in flux, sort of. Gone are the legendary likes of Jayasuriya and Vaas. That kind of production and skill are impossible to replace, let alone so quickly. But what Sri Lanka has in their favor are familiar conditions (they play 5 of their 6 group games at home), a resolute leader in Kumar Sangakkara, and a culture of utmost professionalism. With the likes of Nuwan Kulasekara and Dilhara Fernando, the Lankans have a competent new ball attack. Rangana Herath might not be a quality spinner, but Ajantha Mendis' game-breaking wizardry can never be ruled out. And we still haven't talked about the genuine world class talents of Tilkaratne Dilshan and Lasith Malinga. All in all, Sri Lanka are a very balanced side, and doubly so when playing at home. I have them finishing atop of Group A, possibly without losing a single match.
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 49 won, 37 lost
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 3rd
2.  Australia
The Aussies lead the way with four World Cup trophies in their chest (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007), including an unprecedented three-in-a-row. They would love to make that four successive championships, however this is the first time in decade they will go in without any guarantees. Their recent form is not at all inspiring, yet they can still thrash anyone on their day. Captain, Ricky Ponting, is the only warrior remaining from the 1999 champion squad. He will be joined by Shane Watson at the top of the order, with the likes of Mike Hussey and Michael Clarke shoring up the middle order. In Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, and Shaun Tait, the Australians boast the fastest trio of pacers in the world, and if Tait returns to the 50-over game with the blistering effectiveness of 2007, the Aussies will be more than a handful to even the best teams. I think they'll take the number two spot in the group, although they could realistically be anywhere in the top 3.
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 65 won, 29 lost
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 1st
3.  Pakistan
Turmoil. If there was one word to sum up what Pakistan cricket has been about for the past 5 years, that would be it. Pakistan cricket has endured a lack of security at home, the suspicious death of a head coach, infighting within the team, generalized ineptitude by the brass, fixing allegations, and a terrorist attack against the visiting Sri Lankan team in 2009 to name just some of the things that have gone down in recent memory. Yet Pakistan remains a team which can never be counted out; though they should certainly progress to the quarter finals, they could finish anywhere from 2nd to 4th in the group. While there batsmen might look clueless at Test level, they are more than capable at the limited overs formats. Younis Khan returns to lead a largely inexperienced batting corps boasting such talents as Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal, and Asad Shafiq. The bowling will surely miss suspended pacers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, however, the combination of Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, and Abdur Razzaq will be left to lead what will still be a top-class ODI fast bowling attack.
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 40 won, 37 lost
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 6th
4.  New Zealand
The Black Caps somehow pull far more than their weight in the international sports arena. They often gotten as far as the semi finals, but have never won a World Cup. New Zealand will be the most well prepared non-subcontinent team in this tournament with series in all three host countries in the months leading up to the World Cup. However, they have struggled mightily in those matches. Out of their last eighteen matches, they've won just thrice, and lost thirteen games, including a 4-0 beatdown at the hands of Bangladesh, and 5-0 thrashing against a second-string Indian outfit. Nevertheless, they should fall no further than this. Daniel Vettori epitomizes the side he leads: no flamboyance, little prodigious talent, but plenty of substance and skill. Much will be expected from the troubled-yet-exciting Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, and rookie teen Kane Williamson along with the always-explosive Brendon McCullum. The bowling has plenty of experience with Kyle Mills, Daryl Tuffey, Vettori, Jacob Oram, and all rounder Scott Styris. I predict the Kiwis to sneak into the quarter finals, but no further than that.
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 32 won, 35 lost, 1 tied
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 7th
5.  Zimbabwe
There doesn't seem to be too much optimism surrounding this African bunch. Temperament and technique seem to be eluding their batsmen, with the exceptions of Craig Ervine and Regis Chakabva. That a sloppy Bangladesh side was still able to trounce them 3-1 a few weeks ago shows just how much work the Zimbabweans have ahead of them if they want to cause some noise. They will feel that their multi-pronged spin attack (an offie, a leggie, and a left armer), consisting of ex-captain Prosper Utseya, Graeme Cremer, and Ray Price will thrive in the subcontinent. Two of their pacers, Christopher Mpofu and Shingarai Masakadza look to be competent, if unspectacular, but that is enough on the dusty pitches of the subcontinent. The performance of captain Elton Chigumbura is worse than merely worrying, and although Prosper Utseya is doing his best all-rounder work of late, Zimbabwe simply has too many holes in their batting lineup to offer any serious ambitions of going past the initial stage. Zimbabwe are heading in the right direction, and they are without doubt leagues better than they were four years ago, and they might have a shot at beating New Zealand with their spin attack.
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 22 won, 44 lost
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 11th
6.  Canada
There is probably not a whole lot separating Canada from Kenya at the moment, but the men from the Great White North are probably looking forward to the World Cup more as a chance to see where they stand in relation to the world's best than an actual chance to win a championship. They have some players who have dominated at the Associate and World Cricket League Division 1 levels, in Ashish Bagai and Umar Bhatti. At this point, Canada will defintely target a win against Kenya, and possibly one against Zimbabwe too, but its not unlikely that they head home without a win under their belts.
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 9 won, 18 lost
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 14th
7.  Kenya
The Kenyans have had a rough few years and it doesn't seem like things will change anytime soon. They've been comprehensively beaten by a local Gujarat side during a warm up tour to India. If they can't handle an inexperienced Indian state side, what shot do they have against the world's best? That they even qualified for the World Cup is perhaps a surprise since they've managed to lose games to pretty much any team they played. Having said that, they will be pleased to have beaten Afghanistan 2-1 at home recently, although the same margin against unrecognized Uganda in December highlights the inherent problems with the current lineup. Kenya will no doubt be thanking the stars that Steve Tikolo decided to come out of his retirement, in addition to the return of talented youngsters Seren Waters and Tanmay Mishra. On the bowling front, Thomas Odoyo will do an honest job, however there ain't nothing else to write home about. Kenya will definitely keep their sites on the matchup with Canada, but a win is far from guaranteed. Zimbabwe too, look like a team that is now several levels ahead of their fellow Africans, and Kenya should be motivated to try and avoid the probable embarassment of finishing last in the group.
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 11 won, 28 lost
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 13th
Group B (India, South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland, Netherlands)
1.  India
India have recovered splendidly from the disaster of the 2007 tournament. That debacle forced a change in the composition of the entire team. MS Dhoni has brought life and fight into the captaincy, and the addition of batsman like Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir, and Murali Vijay means that India can threaten any score on any given day. Of course there is Virender Sehwag, and Sachin Tendulkar - fresh off a world record 200 not out - to make things even more exciting. The only concerns are that a bowling attack of Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Praveen Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, and some part time spinners will likely take more than its fair share of stick over the course of the the tourney. Nevertheless India are always favorites to win the whole damn thing, and while I'll stop short of that prediction, I think they should win the group, though they'll get some stiff challenges.
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 69 won, 42 lost
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 2nd
2. South Africa
The Proteas will be trying desperately to shake of their "chokers" tag. The stage is set perfectly to that end with the most wide open World Cup in recent memory. South Africa are one of the three or four teams that can realistically hope to take the Cup home, and much will rest on the blade of the bearded Hashim Amla. His form over the past year has been simply transcendant, and he will take a total liking to the subcontinent wickets. The batting looks supremely formidable with Graeme Smith leading from the front and the ever-present Jaques Kallis hulking up the middle order. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel are without doubt the finest pair of Test quicks on earth, but will they cause the same level of damage with a white ball in hand?Â
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 48 won, 22 lost
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 4th
3. England
England will be boosted psychologically by retaining the Ashes (more important than the World Cup in the opinions of some). However, over the past two years, the Brits have actually cared about limited overs matches, and as a result have been winning impressively. They struggled with injuries during a 6-1 loss to Australia, and if they're healthy they could make some serious noise this spring. However, they have almost no time to catch their breath and have been on the road since early November of last year. They are the reigning Twenty20 World Champs, and with Eoin Morgan in the middle, no tight situation seems too nervy. It will be interesting to see what kind of bowling attack England goes with. Their historically Test-savy players have historically not garnered many ODI accolades. My picks would be to go with Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad, and Tim Bresnan to bowl quick alongside the best spinner in the world, Graeme Swann.Â
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 38 won, 40 lost, 1 tied
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 5th
4. Bangladesh
Perhaps I'm just a partial fan with my biased views but it appears as though Bangladesh is finally rising to become a force to reckon with. The inexplicable losses to weaker sides still fester, which is why match-ups with Ireland and the Netherlands - teams who have beaten Bangladesh in their most recent encounters - will be anything but foregone conclusions (good for ticket sales and TV ratings!). That said, Bangladesh might just be going into their first major tournament as more than the proverbial "banana skins" that they've been satisfied with being.
Bangladeshis are well aware, that unlike 2007, a singular victory against a higher seeded team may not be enough to advance to the quarter-final round. There are plenty of group matches, and its rather unlikely for any of the Test nations to finish the tournament winless apart from the minnows. That being said Bangladesh will like their chances in the tougher of the two groups.Â
The opening match of the tourney is against India at Dhaka. The Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium is looking world class at long last, and Bangladesh have started making this new venue feel like home. Bangladesh have 18 wins and 18 losses overall in Mirpur since they moved there in late 2006, and are 6-14 against top-ranked sides. I think Bangladesh have a 50-50 shot at winning this game, even though the Indians are probably the team to beat. Bangladesh control all the intangibles, and the only thing in India's favor is their obvious strength on paper. It will be important for Bangladesh to bowl first if they win the toss, as India is most vulnerable when setting up a total with the pressures of a championship hanging in the balance. If Tamim Iqbal can bat for 20-25 overs then Bangladesh will always be in the hunt. India will no doubt target him first and foremost, because the other match-winner, Shakib al Hasan bats too low down the order to swing a match all by himself. I don't expect much of a threat from India's pacers, but the spin attack of Harbhajan Singh, Ravichandra Ashwin, and Piyush Chowla will be the prime threat. Singh and Ashwin, being off-spinners, will be especially threatening as Bangladesh has a predominantly left-handed batting lineup. While bowling, Bangladesh must contain Virender Sehwag and the only way to do that is to dismiss him early. Sehwag is especially strong on driving length deliveries and so the Bangladesh openers will do well to keep the cherry on a length, possibly a tad bit shorter and attempt to square him up by moving the ball inwards off the seam. Although he batted in the middle order last World Cup, the legendary Tendulkar has scored the vast majority of his record 17,000 plus career runs as an opener and will most probably open alongside Sehwag. Tendulkar is a master batsman, and getting him early will mean that Bangladesh must take advantage of his tentativeness before he gets set. This will likely push Gautam Ghambir to one-down, and I would love to see Shafiul Islam and Rubel Hossain pepper him with the short ball. Forcing him to cut or pull may cost runs, but will also force the ball into the air creating chances. Shafiul has a knack at moving balls away from left handers and his battle with Gambhir will be crucial.Â
The Indian middle order will be rock solid with rookie Virat Kohli likely to come in at number four, and Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, and MS Dhoni round out the top seven and they can all play paralyzing knocks on any given day. Bangladesh must build pressure and do so early on. Early wickets are essential because as much as the Indians have matured, they still cave into pressure, especially Tendulkar. I think Shakib al Hasan must continue to attack the Indians regardless of the situation and be prepared to chase anything in the neighbor of 300 if batting second. If Bangladesh bowls and fields well, there is no reason why we cannot limit India to around 300 runs.Â
Ireland should be a far simpler request, although underestimating anyone can cost a team dearly in such an important tournament. If Bangladesh sticks to the basics, they should win with ease. There is no need to get a rush of blood and attempt to blast a score of 400 if batting first. I'm not worried about the bowlers as our left arm spin should strangle the life out of the Irish. Young Paul Stirling is perhaps the finest cricketer outside of the Test arena, and his skipper William Porterfield is experienced and capable. Several Irish players play professionally for English counties, and that alone should be reason enough to not be complacent. Nevertheless, I'd be shocked if Ireland pull of this upset, despite the fact that they're now 2-0 against Bangladesh in global tournaments.
The West Indies are the only major side yet to be beaten by Bangladesh in the 50-over format. Bangladesh has swept a weakened Caribbean side 3-0 back in 2009, and has beaten the first string side in the T20 World Cup in 2007, and I think we should win this tough match-up in Dhaka. The West Indies batting relies on the trio of Chris Gayle, Shivanrine Chanderpaul, and Ramnaresh Sarwan. Young Adrian Barath is a bright talent and Brandon Nash cannot be ignored down the order, but its the Windian bowling that is really the source of their woes. Kemar Roach has blinding pace, by apart from that, there isn't much to fear from this bowling attack. Apart from England's Graeme Swann, there isn't another class spinner in Group B, and WI might be caught a bit off guard against Bangladesh's vaunted spin attack. If Bangladesh avoid silly mistakes they really should be able to beat West Indies unless some Caribbeanite plays a blinder of an innings.Â
England are a side that will be tough to predict, although they are as strong as ever. They defended their Ashes title, and done it emphatically - crushing Australia by an innings margin in 3 games in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. They're also the defending T20 World Champs. Long a laughingstock in the limited overs circuit, the England team has re-invented their ODI outfit to match their traditional strength in Tests. Despite these facts, their injury-hit squad suffered a big defeat to Australia on the eve of the World Cup.
Although England swept the 3-match series there early last year, Bangladesh will counter with the fact that Eoin Morgan's match-winning century should never had happened except for a blown LBW call at Chittagong. However, Bangladesh did clinch their maiden win against the Poms at Bristol a few months later in a see-saw engagement that will go down as one for the ages. Hence its not presumptous at all to guess that is an interesting battle. It will feature two of the best spin bowlers in the world in Graeme Swann and Bangladesh captain Shakib. It will be a classic battle between Kevin Pietersen's chronic struggles against left arm spin, and Bangladesh's never-ending army of left arm spinners. Overall, I put my money on England to come through victorious here, but it should go without saying that Bangladesh can beat any team in the world if they come together as a unit.Â
The game against Netherlands, on paper Bangladesh's easiest assignment, offers yet another potential "banana-skin" for the hosts to slip on. Having already been beaten in their only official encounter, Bangladesh will definitely feel some extra pressure and this will delight the Dutchmen. Just as the Ireland game, this is one which Bangladesh shouldn't lose, and although guarantees can never be made, any mishaps will be brutally received by the local public. Think tar and feathers.Â
I fully expect Bangladesh to overwhelm the Dutch, but the players to watch out for are pretty obvious. Ryan ten Doeschate is an all-rounder of true class, and the Dutch also have a solid batsman of Polish origin (whose last name I couldn't spell with all the time in the world) in Eric Szwarczynski.Â
Bangladesh close out the group stage back in Dhaka with a game against perennial contenders, South Africa. South Africa will be battle-hardened after a grueling series at home against India, and with the likes of Hashim Amla tearing into bowling attacks, Bangladesh will have their hands full. They will be motivated by their massive 67-run victory against South Africa at Georgetown, Guyana four years ago. The key battle will be between Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal and South Africa's twin speedsters, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. South Africa will likely have plans in place to try and thwart any heroics from Mohammad Ashraful, who has three fifty-plus scores against them, including a match-winning return of 87. While the South African bowlers aren't as threatening in one-dayers as they are in Tests, a bowler like Steyn can never be fully accounted for. His pace, control, aggression and movement has proved to be a headache to the greatest batsmen, and should he get a chance to bowl with any sort of assistance in the pitch or air, he could be lethal. While their batting is first-rate, with Graeme Smith, Jaques Kallis, AB de Villiers, and JP Duminy; South Africa are probably the biggest chokers in clutch situations. If South Africa goes into this game needing to win or needing a certain score to progress, they will most likely crumble under the pressure.
To conclude, I think Bangladesh has every chance, and is even expected by all fans and most critics alike, to win enough games to advance to the quarters. From there onwards, as Shakib has said "anything can happen," and if the stars align, and Bangladesh meets any team from Group A for a QF clash in Dhaka, well then, anything can happen.
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 28 won, 52 lost
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 8th
5. Â West Indies
The West Indians have been through a lot and have fallen far from the juggernauts they were through most of the 1960s-80s, a period in which they won the first two World Cups and made the first three Finals. They will be lead by a man under pressure, Darren Sammy, who many believe does not deserve his place in the side. As always opening batsman Chris Gayle will look to get them off to a flying start, and with the likes of Adrian Barath and Shivanarine Chanderpaul, the Windies must always be counted as dark horses. All eyes will be on the return of Guyana's star, Ramnaresh Sarwan. The bowling will be an area of concern as none of their frontline men have much experience of bowling in the subcontinent. However, my pick is that Kemar Roach will not only lead the wickets column for the Windies, but he might send a few batsman to the emergency room as well.
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 22 won, 42 lost
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 9th
6. Â Ireland
Ireland have long ruled supreme over all the minor cricket playing nations, a position held previously by Kenya. Recently however, Afghanistan has been pushing at the Irish and making numerous cases for their war-torn land. The Irish will certainly wish for their luck to drive home the point that they should be considered for Test status. They have solid players, many of whom play for English county sides, and thus are the only professional team outside the top 10 nations. The captain William Porterfield provides both youth and experience, and with talented batters like 20-year-old Paul Stirling, the Irish cannot be counted out of making an upset. Ed Joyce returns to the side, after playing for England, and if that isn't enough to convince one of his abilities, keep in mind he's scored over 10,000 runs in First Class cricket. The bowling will led by the 6 foot, 7 inch seamer, Boyd Rankin who will be remembered for causing many problems against Bangladesh and Pakistan with the sharp rise his height provides him. All in all, the Irish are a team which is not terribly far behind the lower ranked Test countries like Bangladesh, West Indies, or New Zealand, and they might very well be on a par with Zimbabwe, if not ahead.Â
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 24 won, 15 lost
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 10th
7. Â Netherlands
The Netherlands have a few players of class, most notably their Essex allrounder, Ryan ten Doeschate. They will be inspired by two important victories of the very recent past: their upset over England in the 2009 World T20 tournament and their felling of Bangladesh in Glasgow the very next summer. It will still be tough for the Dutch to win a game and they are the only team that has never played an international in subcontinent conditions before. This should count against them. Nonetheless, they could upset the Irish and any other team not paying them due attention.
ODI record since 2007 World Cup: 15 won, 12 lost
ODI Rank as of Feb 6, 2011: 12th
About the author(s): Asaad Wahid is a distinguished member of Banglacricket forum and he goes by the nick al Furqaan.
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September 2000
The fossil fish Priscacara liops found in sediments dating from the Eocene epoch (55.8 ± 0.2 to 33.9 ± 0.1 mya) in present day Green River, a tributary of the Colorado, USA. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Scientific understanding requires both facts and theories that can explain those facts in a coherent manner. Evolution, in this context, is both a fact and a theory. It is an incontrovertible fact that organisms have changed, or evolved, during the history of life on Earth. And biologists have identified and investigated mechanisms that can explain the major patterns of change.
Patterns in Nature
The field of evolutionary biology seeks to provide explanations for four conspicuous patterns that are manifest in nature. The first three concern living species, whereas the fourth relates to fossils.
- Genetic variation. There is tremendous genetic diversity within almost all species, including humans. No two individuals have the same DNA sequence, with the exception of identical twins or clones. This genetic variation contributes to phenotypic variation — that is, diversity in the outward appearance and behavior of individuals of the same species.
- Adaptation. Living organisms have morphological, biochemical, and behavioral features that make them well adapted for life in the environments in which they are usually found. For example, consider the hollow bones and feathers of birds that enable them to fly, or the cryptic coloration that allows many organisms to hide from their predators. These features may give the superficial appearance that organisms were designed by a creator (or engineer) to live in a particular environment. Evolutionary biology has demonstrated that adaptations arise through selection acting on genetic variation.
- Divergence. All living species differ from one another. In some cases, these differences are subtle, while in other cases the differences are dramatic. Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) proposed a classification that is still used today with slight changes. In the modern scheme, similar species are grouped into genera, similar genera into families, and so on. This hierarchical pattern of relationship produces a tree-like pattern, which implies a process of splitting and divergence from a common ancestor.
- Fossil species . Fossils are the mineralized remnants or impressions of once-living organisms. Many fossils, such as trilobites and dinosaurs, belong to groups that no longer exist on the face of the Earth. Conversely, many modern species appear similar to other fossils, yet fossils of the modern species are absent from rocks of corresponding ages. The age of the Earth is estimated to be about 4.5 billion years, with the earliest bacterial fossils about 3.5 billion years old. Fossils from around 550 million years ago (the Cambrian period) show a diverse assemblage of multicellular animals.
Evolutionary biology provides a scientific framework for understanding the changes that have occurred since the first life forms arose on Earth several billion years ago. Biochemists, geologists, and physicists seek natural explanations for the origin of life on Earth. While progress has been made in this area, the origin of life remains an interesting, but unanswered, question.
Mechanisms of Evolution
Biological evolution results from changes over time in the genetic constitution of species. Genetic changes often, but not always, produce noticeable changes in the appearance or behavior of organisms. Evolution requires both the production of variation and the spread of some variants that replace others.
Genetic variation arises through two processes, mutation and recombination. Mutation occurs when DNA is imperfectly copied during replication, leading to a difference between a parent's gene and that of its offspring. Some mutations affect only one bit in the DNA; others produce rearrangements of large blocks of DNA.
Recombination occurs when genes from two parents are shuffled to produce an offspring, as happens regularly in sexual reproduction. Usually the two parents belong to the same species, but sometimes (especially in bacteria) genes move between more distantly related organisms.
The fate of any particular genetic variant depends on two processes, drift and selection. Drift refers to random fluctuations in gene frequency, and its effects are usually seen at the level of DNA. Ten flips of a coin do not always produce exactly five heads and five tails; drift refers to the same statistical issue applied to the transmission of genetic variants across generations.
The principle of natural selection was discovered by Charles Darwin (1809-1882), and it is the process by which organisms become adapted to their environments. Selection occurs when some individual organisms have genes that encode physical or behavioral features that allow them to better harvest resources, avoid predators, and such relative to other individuals that do not carry the same genes. The individuals that have these useful features will tend to leave more offspring than other individuals, so the responsible genes will become more common over time, leading the population as a whole to become better adapted.
- The process that many people find most confusing about evolution is speciation, which is not a separate mechanism at all, but rather a consequence of the preceding mechanisms played out in time and space. Speciation occurs when a population changes sufficiently over time that it becomes convenient to refer to the early and late forms by different names. Speciation also occurs when one population splits into two distinct forms that can no longer interbreed. Reproductive isolation does not generally happen in one generation; it may require many thousands of generations when, for example, one part of a population becomes geographically separated from the rest and adapts to a new environment. Given time, it is inevitable that two populations that live apart will diverge by mutation, drift, and selection until eventually their genes are no longer compatible for successful reproduction.
Evidence for Evolution, and its Significance in our Lives
It is impossible to review all the evidence for evolution in a short article such as this. However, the following offers a sample of the kinds of evidence that have been discovered and confirmed repeatedly by scientists. These examples also illustrate the importance of this evidence for science and society more generally.
- Evidence from fossils. Based on myriad similarities and differences between living species, evolutionary biology makes predictions about the features of ancestral forms. For example, numerous features indicate that birds are derived from reptilian ancestors. By contrast, these data reject the possibility that birds were derived from other groups, such as flying insects. Scientists have discovered fossil birds with feathers and legs like modern birds, but which also have teeth, clawed digits on their forelimbs, and a tailbone like their reptilian ancestors. Fossils are especially important evidence for evolution because, with little effort, each of us can use our eyes and minds to observe and interpret the dinosaur and other ancient fossils in public museums.
- Evidence from genetics. The genomes of all organisms contain overwhelming evidence for evolution. All living species share the same basic mechanism of heredity using DNA (or RNA in some viruses) to encode genes that are passed from parent to offspring, and which are transcribed and translated into proteins during each organism's life. Using DNA sequences, biologists quantify the genetic similarities and differences among species, in order to determine which species are more closely related to one another and which are more distantly related. In doing so, biologists use essentially the same evidence and logic used to determine paternity in lawsuits. The pattern of genetic relatedness between all species indicates a branching tree that implies divergence from a common ancestor. Within this tree of life, there are also occasional reticulations where two branches fuse, rather than separate. (For example, mitochondria are organelles found in the cells of plants and animals. Mitochondria have their own genes, which are more similar to genes in bacteria than to genes on the chromosomes in the cell nucleus. Thus, one of our distant ancestors arose from a symbiosis of two different cell types.) The genetic similarity between species, which exists by virtue of evolution from the same ancestral form, is an essential fact that underlies biomedical research. This similarity allows us to begin to understand the effects of our own genes by conducting research on genes from other species. For example, genes that control the process of DNA repair in bacteria, flies, and mice have been discovered to influence certain cancers in humans. These findings also suggest strategies for intervention that can be explored in other species before testing on humans.
- Evolution in action. Evolutionary change continues to this day, and it will proceed so long as life itself exists. In recent years, many bacterial pathogens have evolved resistance to antibiotics used to cure infections, thereby requiring the development of new and more costly treatments. In some frightening cases, bacteria have evolved resistance to every available antibiotic, so there is no longer any effective treatment. In the case of HIV, which causes AIDS, significant viral evolution occurs within the course of infection of a single patient, and this rapid evolution enables the virus to evade the immune system. Many agricultural pests have evolved resistance to chemicals that farmers have used for only a few decades. As we work to control diseases and pests, the responsible organisms have been evolving to escape our controls. Moreover, scientists can perform experiments to study evolution in real time, just as experiments are used to observe dynamic processes in physics, chemistry, and other branches of biology. To study evolution in action, scientists use organisms like bacteria and fruitflies that reproduce quickly, so they can see changes that require many generations.
Evolutionary biology is a strong and vigorous field of science. A theoretical framework that encompasses several basic mechanisms is consistent with the patterns seen in nature; and there is abundant evidence demonstrating the action of these mechanisms as well as their contributions to nature. Hence, evolution is both a theory and a set of established facts that the theory explains.
Like every other science, there is scientific debate about some aspects of evolution, but none of these debates appear likely to shake the foundations of this field. There exists no other scientific explanation that can account for all the patterns in nature, only non-scientific explanations that require a miraculous force, like a creator. Such super-natural explanations lie outside of science, which can neither prove nor disprove miracles. Science provides us with a compelling account and explanation of the changing life on Earth. It should also remind us of our good fortune to have come into being and our great responsibility to ensure the continuity of life.
© 2000, American Institute of Biological Sciences. Educators have permission to reprint articles for classroom use; other users, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com for reprint permission. See reprint policy.