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Cubism was an artistic movement developed between 1907 and 1914, born in France and led by Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque and Juan Gris. It was called cubism because it was said that the paintings were composed of small cubes. Cubism wonders, too, the problems of volume and break with tradition spaces. Su renaissance and impressionist is total, and looking for new pictorials space for your characteristics forms. One
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Assault suspect extradited to SF without change in city's sanctuary policy
The Department of Homeland Security has apparently backed away from its demand that San Francisco make an exception to its sanctuary city policy so that a Tunisia national accused of rape could be extradited from Canada.
Mohamed Ben Azaza, 39, was booked into San Francisco County Jail at 12:43 a.m. Tuesday. He's being held without bail on four felony counts, including rape by use of drugs, sexual battery — masturbation, and rape of an unconscious person.
Azaza is accused of raping an unconscious, intoxicated woman he picked up while working as a driver for a ride-hailing company. A no-bail warrant for his arrest was issued in June, and he fled to Canada, where he was arrested, officials said.
Last week, Homeland Security said it wouldn't extradite Azaza from Canada unless San Francisco relaxed its sanctuary city policy, which sharply limits local law enforcement's ability to communicate with federal immigration officials.
The district attorney's office had been seeking approval from the Board of Supervisors to communicate with federal immigration officials if Azaza posted bail, was acquitted or if the district attorney couldn't find probable cause to continue the prosecution.
The supervisors were scheduled Tuesday to consider relaxing the sanctuary policy only under those conditions — and only in Azaza's case — so he could be brought to San Francisco to stand trial, but the matter no longer required their input.
"The D.A.'s office confirmed that this ordinance is no longer needed and asked us to table the item," board President Norman Yee told his colleagues when the item came up on the agenda.
Several supervisors expressed concern that, despite being narrowly written, the ordinance could have served to weaken the city's sanctuary policy, which is intended to ensure that immigrant communities can cooperate with law enforcement without fearing deportation.
Several supervisors were poised to begrudgingly accede to Homeland Security's demands, but expressed obvious frustration at the district attorney's office.
"We will not play games with you, Mr. Trump, any more. And do not bring these ordinances to us any more, D.A.," Supervisor Hillary Ronen said. "I will refuse to consider a resolution like this ever again."
Last week, Supervisor Shamann Walton was adamant that the board didn't even have to take up the issue in the first place.
"We know a heinous crime was committed — but the D.A. should be ashamed of themselves for bringing something to us, which, in my opinion, is not in the jurisdiction of this body," Walton said Tuesday.
"Asking us to violate our sanctuary policies is something that should never happen again. I hope we never see a request like this come up again, because a precedent like this could be irreversible."
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment late Tuesday.
Azaza is due in San Francisco Superior Court at 9 a.m. Wednesday for arraignment.
San Francisco Chronicle staff writers Evan Sernoffsky and Trisha Thadani contributed to this report.
Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: email@example.com Twitter: @domonicfracassa

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Local News Stories
'Clean Waterways Act' is just a start
In signing the bill, the governor should be clear about what the bill does and doesn't do, writes an environmental activist.Howard L. Simon
Column - Tampa Bay Times, April 13, 2020
Gov. Ron DeSantis will soon sign what the Legislature, in an example of clever marketing, has labeled the "Clean Waterways Act," Senate Bill 712. Will he give us straight talk about the limited advances in this legislation or will he take a victory lap?
Legislative leaders deserve credit for a comprehensive approach to our water problems. The 111-page bill addresses agriculture, using biosolids as fertilizer, oversight of septic tanks, wastewater treatment systems, enhanced penalties and other issues. But comprehensive is not the same as effective. Addressing pollution at its source means that the rules should be as tough for agriculture as on leaking septic tanks and outdated municipal sewage treatment plants.
Although "Outstanding Florida Springs" watersheds are substantially polluted by excess nitrogen and phosphorus from agriculture, SB 712 is light on enforcement and too reliant on voluntary best management practices.
Click here to read the full story.
Indian River County to build nutrient removal facility to protect lagoonMike Winikoff
Hometown News, February 6, 2020
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY - Indian River County has received a $650,000 grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for construction of the $8,705,000 Moorhen Marsh Low Energy Aquatic Plant System to remove nutrients from farm waters before discharge into lagoon.
The project seeks to mitigate the impacts on the Indian River Lagoon from large discharges of nitrogen and phosphorus into the watershed. According to grant documents, "the increased nutrient loading can contribute to algal blooms and reductions to the Indian River Lagoon's water quality, impacting aquatic flora and fauna."
The facility will use aquatic plants, specifically water lettuce, to absorb and remove dissolved nutrients from the North Relief Canal.
"Approximately 6,300 acres contribute stormwater runoff and groundwater seepage into the North Relief Canal," the grant work plan says. The project will reduce nitrogen and phosphorous pollution in the Indian River Lagoon.
Click here to read the full story.
Miami Is the "Most Vulnerable" Coastal City Worldwide
In the next two decades, sea level rise, storm surge and winds will chew away at Florida's $1 trillion economy, a new report warnsDaniel Cusick
E&E News, Scientific American, February 4, 2020
Florida's next two decades could be more disruptive than any period in its history as climate change threatens the state's 8,500-mile coastline and chews away at its $1 trillion economy.
New modeling by Resources for the Future, a nonpartisan economic think tank, reveals that "100-year floods" could occur every few years rather than once a century in many locations, endangering an additional 300,000 homes, 2,500 miles of roadways, 30 schools and four hospitals.
Miami will also become "the most vulnerable major coastal city in the world," RFF said, with hundreds of billions of dollars in assets under assault from winds, storm surges, coastal flooding and sea-level rise.
"The sheer numbers of people who will feel direct climate impacts in their lifetimes is very, very significant, and it points to why public policies are necessary right now to start reducing the risks," said Daniel Raimi, a senior research associate at RFF and lecturer at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.
Click here to read the full story.
Disappearing oysters could spell trouble for environment, economyBriona Arradondo
WTVT Tampa Bay, February 6, 2020
CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. - Oysters are a common menu option at restaurants, but researchers at the University of South Florida found they are disappearing from the Gulf Coast, negatively impacting the environment and economy.
USF researchers said wild oysters in Crystal River are shrinking – now a third smaller than before compared to oyster shells from hundreds of years ago.
"Whenever these oyster populations are decreasing in size, that tells us that they're close to collapse and they won't take much more," said Greg Herbert, an associate professor at USF's School of Geosciences.
Herbert worked on a study published Wednesday in Biology Letters that shows how oysters in the Big Bend area, once thought to be pristine, and are disappearing.
"What our study does is that it tells us the Big Bend is in much more dire condition than previously realized," said Herbert.
While doing the study in 2014, researchers said the Apalachicola oyster industry collapsed.
Herbert said some factors contributing to the loss of the oyster industry include sea level rise and the amount of water being drained from estuaries for development.
Click here to read the full story.
Florida's chief science officer doesn't mince words on climate change, says humans need to reduce carbon emissionsZac Anderson
The Florida Times-Union, February 5, 2020
"Ultimately we're going to have to reduce carbon emissions to reduce warming and its effects," Florida Chief Science Officer Thomas Frazer said Tuesday before a speech in Sarasota.
Florida's new chief science officer spoke about the need to reduce nutrient pollution that is contributing to water quality problems and reduce carbon emissions that are warming the planet during a swing through Sarasota Tuesday.
Gov. Ron DeSantis created the position of chief science officer shortly after being sworn in, and University of Florida professor Thomas Frazer is the first person to hold the job.
Frazer, who has a PhD in biological sciences, primarily has been tasked with addressing water quality issues, which he described during a speech to The Argus Foundation Tuesday as "probably the most pressing problem in our state."
But Frazer also made it clear that climate change is a big problem that needs to be addressed, and reducing carbon emissions is critical. That's a message that has not been heard out of the executive branch in Florida in nearly a decade.
Click here to read the full story.
Legislators dilute proposal to inspect Florida's farms, septic tanks
Environmentalists say Florida faces a water quality crisis. But lawmakers are watering down rules to tackle fertilizer runoff.Mary Ellen Klas
Tampa Bay Times, January 23, 2020
TALLAHASSEE ?— A day after the state's top forecaster announced that demand for fresh water in Florida will exceed supply in five years and Everglades restoration is years behind schedule, a Senate committee watered down a bill aimed at giving the state more tools to regulate agricultural runoff and septic tanks.
The bill, SB 712 by Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Indialantic, puts into law some of the recommendations of the Blue-Green Algae Task force, a panel of five scientists appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to propose policies for combating the algal outbreaks that closed beaches and sapped tourism.
The governor's task force recommended the state conduct more rigorous monitoring and testing of the fertilizer runoff into Lake Okeechobee, more storage of the polluted water before it is released into the lake from the north and tighter control of the septic systems that leak harmful nutrients into the ground.
Mayfield said her primary focus is to get communities to convert from septic systems to sewer. Her bill would allow DEP to set up a 50% matching grant program to encourage local governments to convert sewage connections from septic tanks to sewer systems and enact other wastewater improvements.
Click here to read the full story.
County's new weapon against invasive plants: A goat herdBy Sue Cocking
Veroo Beach 32963, December 19, 2019
Indian River County's latest weapon in its longstanding war to reclaim conservation lands from invasive plants like Brazilian pepper is friendly, cute, cuddly – and effective.
It has managed to devour most of a dense forest of pepper trees covering five acres of former citrus grove west of Vero Beach just since August. At the same time, it has done a number on other exotic vegetation at the county-owned site, gobbling up guinea grass, Caesar weed, Peruvian primrose willow, and a bush called Turk's Turban.
The secret weapon is a herd of goats tended by goatherder Steven Slatem, who recently started a company in Melbourne that deploys the animals wherever needed to chow down on pesky plants. Indian River County is one of Slatem's first customers.
Brazilian pepper – the chief invader on county lands and throughout Florida – was introduced to the Sunshine State in the late 1800s as an ornamental plant. It now covers more than 700,000 acres across the state, competing for food and water with native plants.
< ahref="http://www.vb32963online.com/STORIES%202019/DECEMBER%202019/VB32963_Countys_New_Weapon_Against_Invasive_Plants_A_Goat_Herd_Issue51_121919.html" target="_blank">Click here to read the full story.
We need biosolids-dumping rule that actually protects our watersOpinion, Bob Solari, IR County Commissioner
TCPalm.com, August 7, 2019
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has responded to the environmental problems caused by the dumping of Class B biosolids on Florida pastures with the establishment of a Biosolids Technical Advisory Committee, followed with a draft of proposed new rules covering the land application of biosolids.
The immediate first impression of the proposed rules is that it is more heavily weighted to preserve the waste-producers' ability to dump biosolids on Florida lands than it is to protect our environment, particularly the waters of the state of Florida.
The present rule appears to be focused on ensuring that biosolids management costs for municipalities are reduced, and not that the waters of the state of Florida are protected. This is something that our citizens cannot accept. They may not understand the ins-and-outs of biosolids and the rule-making process, but they know when something stinks — and the proposed rule stinks.
Click here to read the full opinion.
St. Sebastian River still in trouble, despite cleanup effortsSue Cocking
VeroNews.com, May 23, 2019
Of the eight tributaries that flow into the troubled Indian River Lagoon, the St. Lucie River gets the most attention as a waterway in desperate need of cleanup. But the St. Sebastian River, which draws far less scrutiny, has serious water quality problems of its own.
Six years ago, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection declared parts of the river "impaired" due to depleted oxygen and high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus that feed destructive algae blooms.
Tim Glover, president of Friends of the St. Sebastian River [sic] who lives in Micco on the river's north prong, says he hasn't seen any improvement since then, despite major cleanup efforts.
"I'd say there's been a degradation," Glover said. "Fishermen don't get the kind of catches that they used to. There have been oyster die-offs over the years."
Dr. Grant Gilmore, founder and chief scientist at Estuarine Coastal and Ocean Science, Inc., said he did not spot a single fish during a recent visit to the north prong where he's been sampling fish for decades. What's more, "the whole bottom was covered with cyanobacteria; all the vegetation they depend on was gone," he said.
"Water quality isn't where we want it," said Dr. Duane DeFreese, executive director of the Indian River Lagoon Council. "The river . . . has many stressors – stormwater run-off, septic systems, fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides. A lot of work needs to be done to restore water quality to have the St. Sebastian River a healthy river like we used to remember it."
Click here to read the full story.
Sebastian residents pepper council with questions about herbicides used to kill weeds in Elkham CanalJanet Begley
Press Journal, April 25, 2019
SEBASTIAN — Residents are still upset about city contractors spraying RoundUp and other glyphosate-based herbicides to kill weeds in and around the Elkham Canal.
For the second council meeting in a row, residents concerned about the continued use of glyphosate-based herbicides spoke during Wednesday's public input session, urging the town to move more quickly on an alternative plan.
RoundUp in particular has been the subject of some 11,200 lawsuits that tie its use to the development of cancer. In March, a California jury ruled Roundup weed killer caused cancer. The case was only the second to go to trial in the United States, according to Reuters news. Its maker, Bayer, denies allegations that glyphosate or Roundup cause cancer.
On April 10, council members directed City Manager Paul Carlisle to outline the current process by which the city keeps the canal waterways and banks clear of weeds and to research and bring forth any alternatives to the plan.
Click here to read the full story.
Lagoon scientist gets grant to seek federal protection for endangered fish speciesSue Cocking
VeroNews.com, April 3, 2019
Vero Beach marine scientist Dr. Grant Gilmore says he is finally making significant progress in his long-term effort to have a dozen species of fish that reproduce only in three tributaries of the Indian River Lagoon protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Gilmore, founder and chief scientist at Estuarine Coastal and Ocean Science, Inc., has received a $30,000 grant from Martin County commissioners to petition the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to add three freshwater fish species to the endangered list – the Bigmouth Sleeper, Opossum Pipefish and Swordspine Snook.
The only North American breeding waters of these three species are the Loxahatchee, St. Lucie and St. Sebastian rivers.
He said all 12 of the fish are imperiled by toxic cyanobacteria blooms, herbicides and pesticides that wash into waterways, and competition for food and habitat from non-native fish species.
"The reason they're endangered is we're killing our fresh waters in this state," Gilmore said. "These fish are really dependent on very specific locations and habitats and are very vulnerable to our efforts to eradicate what's around them."
Click here to read the full story.
Florida: Republican 'green governor' seeks to reverse predecessor's legacyRichard Luscombe
The Guardian, January 23, 2019
Barely a week after positioning himself as the new champion of Florida's polluted waterways and beaches, the new Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, is facing an early test of the environmental credentials that have put him at odds with his predecessor, Rick Scott.
Scott, elected as a US senator in November after two terms in Tallahassee, has a long record of campaign contributions from the sugar industry and was accused by environmental groups of favouring industry over ecology in numerous policy decisions.
DeSantis has called for the mass resignation of Scott's hand-picked team of water policy managers, after they defied his request to delay awarding an eight-year land lease extension to the sugar industry giant Florida Crystals in the fragile Everglades wetlands. The land, south of Lake Okeechobee, is earmarked for a $1.6bn clean-water storage reservoir that DeSantis wants completed within four years, to hasten restoration of the state's famous River of Grass.
"Our water and natural resources are the foundation of our economy and our way of life in Florida," DeSantis said in announcing a $2.5bn package of environmental improvements. "The protection of water resources is one of the most pressing issues facing the state."
Click here to read the full story.
When it comes to saving Florida's environment, DeSantis gets it — so farCarl Hiaasen
Miami Herald, January 11, 2019
Gov. Ron DeSantis got lots of attention when he focused on the environment for a handful of paragraphs during his inauguration speech last week.
The unusually optimistic reaction shows that Floridians who hope to preserve a few precious pieces of this remarkable place are starved for hope and desperate for leadership.
DeSantis began his green passage with an understatement: "Our economic potential will be jeopardized if we do not solve the problems afflicting our environment and water resources."
In truth, Florida's economy won't merely be "jeopardized" if we don't clean up our act; it will be strangled. Witness the crushing impact of the marathon red-tide outbreak and blue-green algae blooms upon businesses in coastal communities. That was a harrowing, nauseating, tourist-repelling glimpse of the future.
But, unlike his predecessor, DeSantis seems to grasp that it's a serious long-term challenge, not a fleeting scientific anomaly-turned-political inconvenience. "The quality of our water and environmental surroundings are foundational to our prosperity as a state," DeSantis said. "It doesn't just drive tourism; it affects property values, anchors many local economies and is central to our quality of life.
Click here to read the full editorial.
Restoring Florida's dammed waterways
Florida's natural waterways have suffered from centuries of industrialised interventionDrew Maglio
Ecologist, October 22, 2018
Another sweltering summer descended upon Southern Florida in 2018, bringing with it a toxic green plague - yet again.
Expansive algae blooms have become a bi-annual occurrence in recent times marring both of Florida's once pristine coasts, but there has never been a lost summer like 2018. It is now October and "red tide" still lingers on Florida's West Coast, while simultaneously closing beaches on the East Coast.
Florida's ecosystems have been largely destroyed over the last hundred years due to haphazard development of the state, which disregarded (and continues to disregard) potential repercussions.
River of grass
In the twenty-first century, Floridians are left to attempt to reconnect and reanimate what was once congruous and alive through managerial means similar to those employed by our forebearers. If we fail in this restorative endeavour, a slow but certain death awaits.
Florida's natural topography was seen by industrial-age settlers as something that needed "improvement" by "reclaiming land from the mucky jaws of Florida's natural landscape.
Click here to read the full commentary.
Microcystin bacteria blamed for dog's deathDonald Rodrigue
Hometown News, September 27, 2018
STUART — Not only has Martin County served as ground zero for the blue-green algae plague flowing in from Lake Okeechobee, but now the City of Stuart and its environs are also seeing a rash of canine illnesses and at least one death resulting from the polluted water entering the St. Lucie River Estuary.
The issue came to light Sept. 10 after newly-sworn-in Stuart Commissioner Merritt Matheson made two motions addressing the algae problems the city has faced since the discharges began early this summer. The commissioner asked city staff to create an online letter template so residents could send uniform messages "not only to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District, but to all elected officials deemed necessary" with their concerns about the algae-laden water. His second motion that evening was for city staff to schedule a time period soon for a showing of a film on the dangers of such algae he found on the www.toxicpuzzle.com website so all city staff and members of the public could be better informed on the issue.
Click here to read the full story.
County commissioners back ban on new conventional septic systems beachside, near lagoonDave Berman
Florida Today, September 25, 2018
Brevard County commissioners unanimously backed a major overhaul of the county's septic tank rules in an effort to reduce harmful nitrogen and phosphorus from going into the Indian River Lagoon.
The vote is seen by many environmentalists as a significant step in efforts to improve conditions of the lagoon, and another sign that county commissioners are serious in addressing the problem.
In the first of two required votes, commissioners on Tuesday night approved an ordinance to ban installation of new conventional septic tanks throughout Brevard County's beachside barrier island areas and on Merritt Island, as well as within mainland areas that are near the lagoon.
Under the plan, installation of new "nitrogen-reducing septic systems" that cut nitrogen emissions by at least 65 percent would be allowed in these areas. These tanks cost thousands of dollars more than conventional systems, but better protect the environment.
Click here to read the full story.
Toxic Algae Seeps Into Florida Congressional RacesGreg Allen, All Things Considered
National Public Radio, September 7, 2018
On Florida's St. Lucie River, east of Lake Okeechobee, locks and a dam hold water before it races downstream to the estuary on what is known as Florida's Treasure Coast.
But looking out over the river, Stephen Davis with the Everglades Foundation sees signs of trouble. "There's a pretty substantial mat of the blue-green algae we see floating on the surface," the wetland ecologist says. "As soon as these gates are open, the water will pass out into the estuary."
Peter Girard with the environmental group Bullsugar.org says, "You can smell it before you see it. And of course, heading into the holiday weekend, you had beach closings around the inlet up and down the Treasure Coast."
For months now, mats of algae from Lake Okeechobee have been flowing down the river, bringing toxins that can affect people and animals. In beach communities east of the lake, the algae have had a big impact on tourism and businesses.
With more toxic algae blooms on Florida's west coast and a red tide algae bloom causing massive fish kills in the Gulf of Mexico, water quality is increasingly having a big impact on key midterm races in Florida. While Democrats tend to be more outspoken on environmental issues, Republican candidates are also speaking up because they're feeling the heat.
Click here to read the full story.
The Lagoon was once an aquatic wonderland
Bringing the Lagoon back to healthWilliam To, guest columnist for the Marine Resources Council
Florida Today, August 31, 2018
Once upon a time, the Indian River Lagoon was the image of vacation snapshots and postcards. Lush mangroves lined the shore, while boats and docks floated above swaths of unbelievably clear water, as if suspended over the sandy, grassy bottom of the lagoon.
Growing up on the water in Titusville, Laurilee Thompson a local fisherman and co-owner of Dixie Crossroads restaurant, remembers a vibrant, close-knit community blessed by an extraordinary degree of natural beauty.
"In the 1960s," Thompson recalls, "a stroll down any dock was like wandering over a giant aquarium. Even though it was more than 10 feet deep out there, the water was so clear that you could see the fish swimming right up to your boat."
As the fifth generation of a local fishing family, Thompson knew the bounty of the lagoon firsthand. She spent summer days roaming through its waters, catching everything from snook, red fish and trout to arrow crab and shrimp in the lush seagrass. The lagoon was a life source for the locals and a major attraction for visitors and fisherman from all over the world.
Click here to read the full story.
Florida's Beaches and Waterways Devastated by Unprecedented Algae OutbreaksAnne Weir Schechinger, Senior Analyst, Economics
AgMag, Environmental Working Group, August 31, 2018
An unprecedented environmental catastrophe is striking Florida's storied beaches, lakes and rivers this summer. Outbreaks of three separate strains of harmful algae are killing fish and other marine animals, threatening public health and devastating recreation and tourism.
Along southwest Florida's Gulf Coast, an outbreak of a type of toxic algae called red tide prompted Gov. Rick Scott's declaration of a state of emergency in seven counties this month. Lake Okeechobee and two rivers that are important sources of drinking water were hit with outbreaks of toxic blue-green algae that, in June, covered almost the entire lake, leading to another emergency declaration. And this week, the Gulf Coast was struck by another outbreak of bright-green algae feeding on the rotting fish killed by the red tide.
Algal outbreaks can occur naturally, but they are also triggered when chemical pollution runs off into waterways from farms and other sources. The outbreaks – technically not algae but photosynthetic bacteria, or cyanobacteria – can harm people's health and even kill pets. As EWG has reported, they're a growing problem across the U.S., probably because too much fertilizer and manure is washing off farm fields, combined with hotter weather caused by climate change.
Florida waterways have long been plagued by algae, but this year's outbreaks are some of the worst in history.
Click here to read the full story.
Dead in the WaterDavid Conway
Florida Sportsman, August 22, 2018
In the last seven years under Gov. Rick Scott and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, the state hobbled water quality management mechanisms that had been helping Lake Okeechobee. The work of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and water management districts included water testing, creating regulations and enforcing water quality standards, and overseeing major agreements for the improvement of Florida's water quality to limit the nutrients flowing into Lake O—nutrients linked to blue green algae and likely to coastal red tide. However, the Scott administration's willful resistance to regulations and its blind eye to the scientific study of the sources and causes of the algae blooms and red tide have evidently contributed to the plague of pollution in Florida's waters.
First, some good news. Ever since nutrient loads in the nine Florida watersheds around Lake Okeechobee became a matter of scientific study in 1972, testing, regulations and best management practices were put in place to limit and control the flow of these nutrients from farms, ranches and residential districts. Lawsuits helped to enforce the regulations along the way, like the suit in the late 1970s that forced changes to limit the amount of backpumping from the Everglades Agricultural Area into Lake O. With better standards, regulations and practices in place, came encouraging results. By 2005, total phosphorus loads to Lake O and total nitrogen loads to Lake O all began a decline.
Then came Gov. Rick Scott, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam and Matt Caldwell (elected to the Florida House in 2010 and now running for Comm. of Agriculture). Scott began to dismantle the programs, standards and agencies whose purpose was to monitor and improve Florida's water quality in its watersheds, rivers and Lake O, all of which flow into our oceans. Since 2011, when Scott got into office, the critical measures of phosphorus load and nitrogen load into Lake O started to increase, and they are all still on upward trends.
In a letter dated April 22, 2011, the Scott administration's first Sect. of FDEP filed a petition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to "withdraw its [EPA's] January 2009, determination that numeric nutrient criteria are necessary in Florida. It [the petition] also requests that EPA restore to the state its responsibility for the control of excess nutrients, including the pursuit of nutrient criteria.
The Scott administration's legislative moves, with Putnam as Sect. of Ag, amounted to a campaign to end any federal oversight of water standards and to disband prior agreements meant to improve water quality coming out of Lake O.
Click here to read the full story.
The heaviest lionfish ever caught in the Atlantic was speared off the Florida KeysBrett Clarkson
Sun Sentinel, August 15, 2018
It was only 3 pounds and change, but for a lionfish that's huge. Record-setting, in fact.
Florida wildlife officials say the spiny, stripy specimen caught by diver Timothy Blasko in the Florida Keys has set the record as the heaviest lionfish ever caught in the Atlantic Ocean.
Blasko speared the "large invader" on August 6, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Lionfish, despite having a scary name, aren't very big. The one caught by Blasko, which he snagged while diving at Tennessee Reef in the middle Keys, weighed in at 3.10 pounds, according to a Facebook post on the commission's Reef Rangers page.
But they've been exacting a huge toll on coastal waters in Florida, mainly because they're not supposed to be here in the first place. Native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, they have no known predators on this side of the world. So they go on multiplying and eating native species and generally altering the ecosystem.
"Females release two gelatinous egg masses of about 12,000 to 15,000 eggs each," according to the commission. "These masses float and can drift for about 25 days. Lionfish can spawn every four days in warmer climates."
Lionfish were reportedly first spotted in South Florida waters in 1985, off Dania Beach. How they got here isn't fully known, but one of the theories is that they were released from home aquariums.
Click here to read the full story.
Florida beaches littered with dead sea turtles; scientists blame red tideMadeline Farber
Fox News, July 26, 2018
Nearly 100 sea turtles — many of which are endangered — have washed up on southwestern Florida beaches since October. More than half of that number were dead. Marine scientists are now blaming the mass mortality on the current red tide bloom, which has been the longest, continuous bloom in more than a decade, officials said this week.
In total, 91 sea turtles have washed up on Sanibel and Captiva beaches since October 2017, 58 of which were dead, according to the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.
And 50 of the 91 have been found on beaches in June and July alone. That's compared to the yearly average of 30 to 35, Kelly Sloan, a sea turtle researcher at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation on Sanibel, told the News-Press.
"It's really disheartening," she added.
Click here to read the full story.
Florida Racks Up Second Worst Eco-Enforcement In 30+ Years
Scott Pollution Forgiveness Paints False Picture of Compliance with No Follow-UpPress Release, July 23, 2018
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
Tallahassee — During the seven years under Governor Rick Scott, environmental enforcement has hit a modern nadir, with 2017 registering some of the most anemic results on record, according to a new analysis released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The upshot is that not only is Florida's environment bearing a greater pollution load, but also its Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is losing revenue as well as its capacity to monitor--let alone deter--eco-offenses.
Apart from the 2017 results in isolation, the Scott record shows a deep, across-the-board nosedive in virtually every enforcement category. ...new cases opened, penalties collected, and other enforcement measures are all down more than three-quarters since Scott took office.
Click here to read the full press release.
Editorial: Judge backs voters on land conservationSarasota Herald Tribune, June 29, 2018
In a recent ruling, a circuit court judge effectively advised the Florida Legislature that it cannot implement a constitutional amendment any way that its members see fit.
Good for the judge.
Good for Floridians — in this case, the overwhelming majority of voters who in 2014 supported Amendment 1, which was simply titled "Water and Land Conservation — Dedicates funds to acquire and restore Florida conservation and recreation lands."
Environmental groups challenged the Legislature's implementation of the amendment, which was endorsed by 75 percent (4.2 million) of those who voted on the measure. Amendment 1 was approved by 78 percent of voters in Sarasota County and 76 percent in Manatee County.
In other words, the water and land conservation amendment won in a landslide.
The amendment had several key requirements, and was proposed and adopted because the Legislature and governor failed to perform....
Click here to read the full editorial.
Questions loom over state environmental spending after surprise court rulingBy Bruce Ritchie
Politico, June 19, 2018
TALLAHASSEE — Some environmentalists are claiming that Friday's decision by a judge on state environmental spending was a huge victory against legislators who "thumbed their noses" at the will of the voters.
But some other observers say the ruling involving 2014's Amendment 1 raises many more questions about current state spending that can't be answered until a written order comes out — or even possibly after appeals are heard.
State Circuit Judge Charles Dodson said Friday he agreed with the arguments by one environmental group that spending under the measure is supposed to go towards land purchased after 2015.
A written order expected in the coming weeks could shed light on whether hundreds of millions of dollars being spent each year on Everglades restoration, beach restoration and springs projects is at risk.
"This could be a historic moment for Florida," said Pepper Uchino, a former staff director of the state Senate environmental committee. He said the courts could decide how narrowly to restrict both spending under the 2014 amendment along with the Legislature's ability to interpret such ballot measures in the future.
Click here to read the full story.
Florida lawmakers wrongly diverted money meant for conservation, judge rulesBy Jim Turner
Orlando Sentinel, June 15, 2018
TALLAHASSEE — State lawmakers failed to comply with a voter-approved constitutional amendment to buy and preserve environmentally sensitive lands, a judge ruled Friday.
Leon Circuit Judge Charles Dodson sided with environmental groups in the lawsuit centered on whether lawmakers defied the 2014 Florida Water and Land Conservation Initiative by improperly diverting portions of the money to such expenses as staffing. Legislative leaders have repeatedly disputed such allegations as they continued to make such budget allocations.
Attorney David Guest — representing the Florida Wildlife Federation, the St. Johns Riverkeeper, the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida, the Sierra Club and Florida Wildlife Federation President Manley Fuller — called Dodson's Friday bench ruling a "100 percent victory."
"The people of Florida voted with a firm, clear voice. And the court said today that counts," Guest said after the hearing. "The Legislature has to comply with the law like everybody else."
Fred Piccolo, a spokesman for House Speaker Richard Corcoran, called the ruling a "clear abuse of judicial authority."
Click here to read the full story.
Nathaniel Reed, icon of Everglades protection, dies at 84. He co-wrote the Endangered Species ActBy Alex Harris
Miami Herald, July 11, 2018
Nathaniel Pryor Reed always had a passion for the underdog, and in his six decades of fiery activism, he found no better cause than Florida's environment.
The lanky outdoorsman was behind some of the most significant environmental movements in the state, as well as the nation: He co-wrote the Endangered Species Act, secured bipartisan support for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, played a role in halting construction of the world's biggest airport in Big Cypress Swamp and helped establish a national park in Biscayne Bay.
He founded 1,000 Friends of Florida in 1987 as a watchdog organization for the state's runaway growth, and throughout his life loudly campaigned for the preservation of his beloved Sunshine State.
Reed was old money, raised both on an exclusive island resort in Martin County his father used his oil fortune to buy in the 1930s and in suburban Connecticut. On Jupiter Island, he brushed shoulders with Roosevelts and Bushes, but even as a child he could always be found with a fishing pole in hand or raising butterflies. He used his wealth to take small planes across Florida, wherever there was an environmental battle to be fought.
Click here to read the full story.
World Health Organization deems Blue Cypress Lake toxic algae bloom very highly hazardousTyler Treadway
TCPalm.com/Treasure Coast Newspapers, June 14, 2018
A blue-green algae bloom in Blue Cypress Lake in western Indian River County is highly toxic, according to the Ocean Research & Conservation Association in Fort Pierce.
A sample from the bloom tested Wednesday contained the toxin microcystin at a level of 4,700 parts per billion, ORCA founder and lead scientist Edie Widder said Thursday.
The World Health Organization considers microcystin levels higher than 2,000 parts per billion to be "very highly hazardous" in recreational contact.
Microcystin can cause nausea and vomiting if ingested and rash or hay fever symptoms if touched or inhaled. Drinking water with the toxins can cause long-term liver disease.
Blue Cypress Lake visitors and nearby residents should make sure their pets don't drink lake water, Widder said.
Click here to read the full story.
Friends of St. Sebastian River to get lowdown on Indian River Lagoon May 22May 2, 2018
TCPalm.com - Luminaries
The long anticipated Indian River Lagoon Report Card is on the verge of being released after two years of compiling, summarizing and grading data, followed by an extensive peer review.
The 156-mile-long lagoon is suffering from years of nutrient pollution. From north to south, efforts are underway to pinpoint causes for the declining health and fix them. The Report Card presents a condensed view of the current health of the lagoon and is expected to be updated annually.
The first public presentation of the Report Card in Indian River County is May 22 at a meeting of the Friends of St. Sebastian River. Guest speaker is Dr. Leesa Souto, who is overseeing the development of the Lagoon Report Card as executive director of the nonprofit Marine Resources Council.
Click here to read the full story.
Rare Florida jewel, Blue Cypress Lake, sickens with pollutionKevin Spear
Orlando Sentinel, April 11, 2018
While Florida has spoiled multitudes of lakes, Blue Cypress has been widely revered as an icon of natural enchantment, ringed by swamp trees, patrolled by ospreys and secluded seemingly from pollution.
But since last summer, authorities have documented a surprising spike in contamination at the large lake 70 miles south of Orlando that spawns Central Florida's biggest river and future water source, the St. Johns.
The suspected culprit at Blue Cypress Lake is byproducts from municipal treatment of sewage.
Pollution levels have risen sharply, said John Hendrickson, supervising scientist at the St. Johns River Water Management District. "One of the things that jumps out at you is the utilization of biosolids."
Biosolids are left over at a treatment plant after bacteria decompose human waste into sludge fertile with nitrogen and phosphorus compounds.
Rarely drawing public awareness, biosolid sludge is a costly bane of cities and counties that operate sewage plants and one of Florida's most vexing and environmental challenges.
Click here to read the full story.
Not again: Dreaded fish kill begins in BrevardJim Waymer
Florida Today, April 10, 2018
Puffers, mullet, catfish and other scaly carcasses dotted the surface of northern Sykes Creek on Tuesday, reminiscent of the Indian River Lagoon's worst known fish kill two years ago.
A state fish kill hotline this week fielded about a dozen reports, citing from 25 to 50 puffer fish, red drum, sheepshead, mullet, catfish and flounder in the Sykes Creek area near Ulumay Sanctuary. And fish have also been seen gasping for air this week in the Cocoa Beach area, said Capt. Alex Gorichky of Local Lines Charters on Merritt Island.
Fish kills often defy predictions, biologists say. But, with more cloudy weather on the way this week, prospects have grown of another mass fish die-off, like the "fish-pocalypse" the Space Coast saw in 2016.
"I wouldn't be surprised to see it get worse," said Duane DeFreese, executive director of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary ?Program. "It's very hard to predict."
Click here to read the full story.
IRNA Magazine - The Lagoon IssueMarch 2018
Click here to view the Indian River Neighborhood Association's March 2018 magazine - "The Lagoon Issue," and be sure and check out "The Wild St. Sebastian River" article on page 5.
Vero Beach neighborhood now Florida-friendly to save Indian River LagoonTyler Treadway
Press Journal/TCPalm.com, March 23, 2018
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — There's a different kind of "keep off the grass" rule at The Pointes section of The Moorings community on the barrier island.
The neighborhood of 39 condominiums and six cottages along the Indian River Lagoon has ripped up more than 5,000 square feet of grass and replaced tropical plants — some of them invasives — with 3,600 and counting Florida native and Florida-friendly plants.
The move will help save the lagoon from fertilizer runoff and grass clippings, both of which feed algae blooms. It also will save the residents money because the native plants require less water, less fertilizer and less maintenance.
"I'm over the moon about this," Edie Widder, founder and lead scientist at the Ocean Research & Conservation Association in Fort Pierce, said of The Pointes' project. "Wouldn't it be great if The Pointes was the starting point for people doing this all up and down the lagoon?"
Click here to read the full story.
Florida Conservation Voters Applauds the passage of Senator Bradley's SB 370 as it moves to floor of Florida SenateJonathan Webber, Deputy Director
Florida Conservation Voters, January 11, 2018
Today, Senator Rob Bradley's Senate Bill 370 – Land Acquisition Trust Fund passed through the Senate Appropriations Committee. This was the bill's final committee stop and it now heads to the floor of the Senate.
Florida Conservation Voters strongly supports SB 370 and applauds Senator Bradley's unequivocal efforts to shepherd this bill through the legislative process. FCV also supports the addition of Amendment 697130, which further refines the type of expenses that may be funded using monies set aside in the Land Acquisition Trust Fund, bringing the state's budget one step closer to honoring the will of the voters.
Click here to read the full press release, or to learn more about the Florida Conservation Voters.
Perspective: A picturesque calendar of ranches shows why the state needs to preserve wild FloridaBy Carlton Ward Jr., special to the Tampa Bay Times
December 19, 2017
These photographs may be the most important I've made in nearly 15 years focusing on Florida ranches. The reason is that all the properties featured are priorities for conservation that could be lost to development if the state of Florida doesn't take action to protect them. It was a great honor to visit these spectacular places and spend time with landowners and workers who are doing their part to save wild Florida. Now it's time for state lawmakers to do their part.
Click here to view the full story and photos by Carlton Ward Jr.
Hurricane Irma: Gov. Rick Scott's Superstorm
Florida's governor is the perfect example of how U.S. leaders fail to meet the challenge of our lifetimeBy Jeff Goodell
Rolling Stone, September 20, 2017
Hurricane Irma cut a wide swath of devastation, but it also created a new media star: Rick Scott. During the deadly storm, the 64-year-old Florida governor was a ubiquitous presence on cable TV, the kind of high-profile make-or-break moment that defines a political career (see George W. Bush, Hurricane Katrina). And so far, Scott has come out looking like Gen. Patton standing tall against Mother Nature.
Whoever designed the universe must have a twisted sense of humor. It would be hard to cast a more unlikely hero than Scott for this catastrophic event. In fact, Scott's triumph is its own kind of catastrophe, one that says a lot about why the politics of climate change and disaster relief are so screwed up in America.
Politically, Scott is Trump without the bluster and the golf clubs. On climate change, Scott refuses to acknowledge its existence. During his 2014 campaign, whenever the subject came up, he would shrug and say, "I am not a scientist" – as if that absolved him of any responsibility for thinking about the risk posed to millions of people in the state he proposed to run.
As governor, Scott has done everything he can to do nothing. He made sure the state of Florida contributed zero dollars to Miami Beach's $400 million plan to improve storm drainage. He took more than $1 million from Big Utilities, who tried to stop rooftop solar power in Florida, which could help reduce carbon pollution. He effectively dismantled the Florida Energy and Climate Commission, which had been assembled by Scott's predecessor, Charlie Crist, to help Florida officials think strategically about climate adaptation. As Kathy Baughman McLeod, a conservation expert who served on the commission, told the Washington Post, "There is no state leadership on climate change in Florida, period."
Click here to read the full story.
A First-ever Effort to Restore Indian River Lagoon's Vanishing SeagrassAmy Green
WMFE, November 7, 2017
A first-ever effort is underway to replenish the ailing Indian River Lagoon's seagrass with new grass raised in an onshore nursery.
The seagrass was planted a year ago near the Merritt Island Airport, where a restoration was underway. It had been raised nowhere near the Indian River Lagoon, in a Tampa-area nursery.
Environmental advocate Laurilee Thompson, who also owns Titusville's Dixie Crossroads restaurant, says recent monitoring shows the one-acre bed is thriving.
Click here to read the full story.
Our water supply is in perilBuddy McKay and Bruce Kaster
The Gainesville Sun, June 9, 2017
Our water supply is being severely depleted as a result of action by the state agency that is charged to protect our water resources. The St. Johns River Water Management District has modified the minimum flows and levels (MFLs) that are intended to protect Florida's water bodies from significant harm caused by excessive withdrawals of water. They are rules with the power of law.
The water management district recently adopted an outrageous emergency MFL rule for Silver Springs and the Silver River. The MFL rule does not protect the springs or the river. It was intentionally designed to allow increased groundwater withdrawals, just when another major inappropriate water permit is under consideration for Frank Stonach's Adena Springs/Sleepy Creek property.
This MFL is contrary to well-established science and inconsistent with the district's past well-reasoned studies. The current plan is fake science that has been manipulated by the district to obtain a desired effect to benefit a few at the expense of the public.
You may wonder how this could have happened. Quite simply, Gov. Rick Scott packed the district board with big business cronies who apparently have no regard for protection of our water resources and then fired district scientists whose reports were not favorable to unrestricted permitting.
Click here to read the full special report.
An Apex Predator Returns2>


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I had been waiting for the knock on the door of my small office, especially after hearing the elevator open less than 10 feet away. The young married couple came in, we greeted each other in the culturally appropriate fashion, and they took a seat in the only two chairs available for guests.
After some small talk about family, church, work, and studies, we got to the purpose of their visit. They had been married long enough for the novelty to have subsided, and for them to find out things about the other that they had not expected. I asked questions; they felt comfortable enough to freely paint the picture, as well to ask for my counsel. They were looking for help.
I opened one of my desk drawers, pulled out several medicine sized bottles, and told them I had a solution for them. For a month, they should each take one of the small tablets from each bottle, and then return to see me. They were surprised that this was my recommendation, doubly so when they looked at the labels on the bottles – Patience, Grace, Love, and Joy.
As you are reading this, you may be asking, "What kind of approach is this for problems in interpersonal relationship? He really didn't do that, did he?" You can relax. The fact is that what I have described is a fictional approach, one that neither you nor I would practice. . . . or would we???
Unfortunately, this is exactly what we do when we mentally separate the moral virtues of God from God Himself. We may say things like, "I sensed God's grace in such and such situation". . . . "God's love invaded my soul as I saw those suffering children". . . . "God gave me an extra dose of His patience when my co-worker insulted me". . . . "The joy of God was on the faces of those who had just understood who Jesus truly is."
BUT, the four virtues just mentioned have no existence independently from God. We experience these virtues as we experience God Himself. We experience God as we hunger and thirst after Him. God offers to live Himself in us and manifest Himself through us. He doesn't give us a small pill of His love (or other virtue) as if it could be separated from Him, telling us to come back to his office in thirty days so He can fine tune the dosage.
God doesn't have a cabinet of spiritual medicine. He is the medicine, personalized!!


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The Shaw Festival production of Me and My Girl: Directed by Ashlie Corcoran was a sheer delight. Well-paced, effectively staged it held my attention from beginning to end – even through the repeated curtain calls. Great songs helped – though only a few of them are that well-known: The Lambeth Walk & Leaning on a Lamp Post – thanks to my English heritage they had some resonance.
A cracker-jack ensemble dances, sings, moves sets with clockwork precision. Lead Michael Therriault as Bill Snibson brings a great sense of fun plus a Tommy Steele glint to his role of the commoner who gets turned into a Lord. As Sally, his girl friend Kristi Frank is fresh, fun & believable. Élodie Gillett's Jacquie Carstone is sexy, predatory & sweet at the same time. Jay Turvey's Parchester with his very Gilbert & Sullivan-esque theme song "The Family Solicitor" managed to steal the scene every time it was used.
Parker Esse's choreography was also scene-stealing thanks to an amazing ensemble who shifted from energetic Broadway hoofing to tap with ease. I loved the Lamp Post dream ballet. It was clear that everyone was enjoying the show. They loved to dance, to sing, to entertain & the audience was drawn in to the show & kept captivated to final bow. Highly recommended.
Like my pictures? I post lots on Tumblr


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This And That.
Getaway With It.
I Feel Like I'm Dying.
It Could Be Mine Too.
She knocked on his bedroom door and no one answered. It was already half past nine when she got to his almost empty house, the notes on the fridge reminding her that the folks were out for the weekend. Slowly pushing the door open, she was welcomed by a hanging cardboard with an arrow hastily painted on it. It was pointing towards the ceiling but when she lifter her head, there was nothing there, except for the brown marks drawn by the leak on the roof.
She looked around, trying to find any traces of him and there was none. It started to worry her, after realizing that it was beyond unusual for him to message "i need u 2nyt. pls drop by the haus asap… i mean, f u can. tnx!", especially on a Friday, when he's supposed to be out getting wasted with friends.
And then she heard a familiar sound- the strumming of a guitar, and it dawned on her that it was coming from the rooftop.
"Is he being emo again?", asked her, while rolling her eyes. She has gotten used to his bouts of self-pity and depression, where he'd sulk in the corner of his room and do a CSI or Scrubs or House marathon. But this time, it's different because he actually went on the roof and played the guitar. He was only 14 when he attempted to learn the instrument.
The rooftop was an unchartered territory for her. After thinking long and hard of ways to get on the roof, she finally decided to let it go and take the fire exit ladder, which she never even knew existed. And on her last step, she looked up and saw what would be her "true-love snapshot", according to Mitch Albom.
He was seated on a plaid mat, hopelessly and tragically playing his guitar and wearing his favorite already faded "I SURVIVED SAGADA" shirt. The 2 lit candles, she recognized, were from the altar in the living room. He prepared chips, a thermos of hot chocolate and bought a box of cake. She loves cake.
Barefoot, she walked up to him and gave out a hearty laugh.
"Stop laughing at me!", he said with that half-pout, half-smile expression that just drives her nuts.
"I'm not laughing at you, I'm just… laughing. Period. Is it a crime to laugh now?"
"Hey, you gotta admit. You didn't expect this."
She smiled, nodded and sat beside him.
"What's the event? It's not our anniversary, not our monthsary, not my birthday, not your birthday."
"Well, nothing, really. I just thought I'd be cheesy and Dawson-ish for a night."
"Dawson-ish. I like that. But you were never the sensitive Dawson, Mr. Pacey-Wacey, and let us not even go there."
He laughed for a bit and then got quiet.
"Do you really want to know what and why?", he said, looking down on his feet. "Three years ago tonight, something happened."
She quickly tried to recall any monumental thing that might have occurred on February 27 three years prior but she was caught at a dead end.
"You happened."
Her heart tightened as he said that and she fought any urge to cry. They were never an emotional couple. No dramas, none of those scenes that make-up those melancholic Korean movies. She felt like she was being locked in that time, in that minute and everything was but surreal.
"I was on this rooftop, smoking, the night after I submitted my final thesis papers. And just out of nowhere, like a light bulb moment, it dawned on me that I wanted you. I wanted to be with you. After all that you've done, I just thought you deserve to hear it from my lips."
He was looking straight ahead, as if lost in his own words while she inched her way to his side and rested her head on his shoulder. A few more minutes of crickets, breeze and silence, he felt the wetness on his shirt brought about by the streaming tears from her eyes.
"Hey, baby! C'mon, let's drink the choco before it gets cold. Also, they ran out of Dunhill Frost so I just got you Morris instead." and just like that, he snapped both of them out of that WB teen series moment.
"You do know I've upgraded, right? I don't smoke Philip Morris anymore."
"Okay, fine. I got reds. You want reds? Yes? No? I thought so…"
Their lovely night was spent munching on junk food, drinking Ovaltine, smoking cigarettes, playing cards, singing random 90's pop songs and talking about life in general. Occassionally, they would cuddle, wrapped up in a blanket and in their PJ's, watch the stars in their glory.
"Thank you, God.", she whispered under her breath. "I'll never trade this for anything."
And with his arms around her body and her head on his chest, they both closed their eyes and drifted away to the music playing on his iPod. "I'll stop the world and melt with you…", sang Jason Mraz.
Kring's dream date. It could be mine too. =)
Just Fine.
If you've been plurking, please add me up HERE.
If not, what the hell are you waiting for! Start plurking now! Lol.
FYI: Plurk is a relatively new service that is very similar to twitter. You have 140 characters to explain to people what you are doing, you can copy and paste video/img links, and you can also have "fans" (followers on twitter) that can stalk you…I mean follow your updates. Plurk does have a few things that twitter doesn't such as Karma points and a "friend" status. Karma points are awarded based on your network activity, this means your and your friend's activity on Plurk. The more you and your friends use Plurk, the more karma points you get. Karma points then give you access to little emotion icons that are found in popular chat programs such as aim. --- Source
Skimberlee, Skimberloo.
So anyway, I decided to make my new hosted blog a different one from all of my other blogs. After brain-storming on what category I should focus on, I've finally decided to settle with something that I really love, and that would be nothing less than... [*drum roll please*] FOOD -- in big bold letters. Now you can laugh out loud.
Seriously, I wanted to have a techie blog, but that's a total boohoo. How can I write about something I don't even have. As they say, practice what you preach. So that lead me to the idea of running a food blog, because Dude, [*don't dare laugh*] there's nothing better I know than the super good and the not-so good food around. Now you can laugh again.
Ugh. Whatever this whole thing would take, I'm still super over-whelmed that someone offered me free hosting. I mean, it's not everyone in this blogosphere would be offered something like this. Some people just feels good when they give something in return. Kevin is simply sparing about 30USD for good hosting of my soon-to-be FOOD BLOG, you know.
And by the way, that reminds me, I really
To Or Not To.
I'll keep you posted, guys!


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our website is still live with standard or deferred delivery. - The return period is extended by 90 days. - One purchase at Roseanna means four ways to help those in need with 'Un Rien C'est Tout', a French foundation that promotes four causes.
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Office wear is meant to be formal. For men, it includes a crisp suit, a neat shirt and a tie to complete the look. But this does not mean that men cannot experiment with their dressing style. In fact, since the twentieth century workplace attire codes have relaxed increasing the available dress options.
The latest fashion trends for office outfits are conventional yet stylish in their look. Designers have started paying attention to the smallest details We've rounded up the latest fashion styles for men with regards to office wear.
Strictly Formal –
A business suit will never go out of fashion. It looks smart and neat. A matched three or two-piece suit with a tailored jacket, vest and slacks is appropriate for most business occasions. It can be in dark blue, grey or black. You can team a business suit with a white shirt, a matching tie and pair of polished shoes. In this attire, you are well-dressed for an interview or any business event.
Casual Fridays –
Khakis and cotton trousers are acceptable as office wear. Khakis complement a collared or a button-down shirt. Since it is a casual day, you can forego the tie and cufflinks. Jeans and a graphic T-shirt are casual, but not business casual. You can carry a sport coat or a jacket. Over dressing is always better than undressing because it allows you to blend into different scenes effectively.
After-office Party –
After-office parties can be either with friends or business associates. Many-a-times, you have to head off immediately after work with no time to change. Therefore, what you wear in the morning should be suitable for work and at the same time should be comfortable for your evening outing. In this case, you can experiment with the fabrics of clothing. Instead of a blazer in pure cotton, you can choose a blazer made of cashmere or enhanced wool.
Playing with colors –
Although modern office dress codes border on the line between formal and casual, you cannot show up at office in a bursting yellow blazer. You can add a pop of color to your outfit by choosing a colored or patterned tie and shirt.
From Top to Toe
Your business attire is incomplete without a few necessary accessories. This list includes shoes. Wearing flip-flops and open-toe shoes to work is not acceptable even on business casual days. Leather shoes, either the lace-up pattern or slip-ons, are an appropriate choice. The color of your shoes should complement your outfit. Also, they should be clean and polished.
If you wear socks, choose a matching color. Dark colored socks are a universal choice. Your socks should be of an ideal length and should not show any skin when you sit. Calf-length socks are the safest option here.
As we wrap up, we would like to give you a small tip. Business casual means wearing something that is relaxed both in its look and its feel. Wrinkled and grubby clothes do not qualify. Hence, wear clean and neat clothes.


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by: Tam Ging Wien
- Forecast Error? Or Is There Something Really Fishy Going On?
In the past 2 weeks, I have received many feedback and comments with regards to my analysis on the NetLink Trust. It generated many thought provoking discussions and alternate views on the offer. Many thanks to various contributors, readers and commenters as they have certainly brought about diverse and interesting perspectives on the IPO.
For those who were had applied, I offer my best regards and hope you receive your targeted allotment!
In the many discussion threads with regards to NetLink Trust IPO, one observant reader pointed out a "flaw" (he didn't really say it was a flaw, he merely just raised a simple question) in my analysis and contacted me about it. He pointed out that the earnings per share (EPS) shown in the Income Statement is only 1.14c and 1.70c respectively for FY2018 and FY2019. If this is true, how could NetLink Trust pay out a 4.4c Distribution per Unit (DPU) when its EPS is only 1.14c?
Below is a screenshot from Page 42 (Sheet 51 on the PDF) of the prospectus with the EPS information shown.
Source: NetLink Trust Prospectus
Before we go any further, I would also like to point out that in the prospectus, 2018 is a "Forecast Period" while 2019 is a "Projection Year". Which means that the numbers found for 2018 is only for a partial year while for 2019 is for a full financial year. The Forecast Period 2018 is assumed to be from 01-Aug-2017 till 31-Mar-2018 as per my understanding of the prospectus screenshot from Page 41 (Sheet 50 on the PDF).
Source: NetLink Trust Prospectus
Therefore to obtain the figures for FY2018, one has to annualize it. To simplify the annualisation, we could just divide by 8 and multiply by 12 since the figures are only for 8 months (August to March). The annualized FY2018 EPS is calculated to be 1.71c instead of 1.14c.
Well, the revenue in the profits for FY2018 didn't suddenly drop, it was simply because of pro-rating. But with a 1.71c and 1.70c EPS, it still doesn't match up to the expected 4.4c DPU forecast.
But wait, how was the annualized 4.4c dividend forecast obtained?
Based on the introductory pages (Sheet 6 on the PDF) of the prospectus, the following chart was shown. Based on the offer price of 81c and the forecasted annualised yield of 5.43% and 5.73% for FY2018 and FY2019 respectively, we can derive the forecasted DPU of 4.40c and 4.64c respectively.
Source: NetLink Trust Prospectus
The math on both the income statement and the forecasted distribution yield certainly checks-out, no errors here!
Is this a forecast error? Or is there something fishy going on in this IPO?
Actually, there really isn't much of a mystery in this one. It is actually quite common for EPS and distribution amounts not to match up in both REITs and business trust. In fact, quite a number of REITs and business trust show losses in the income statements but still able to pay good dividends. And it's really got nothing to do with any financial slight-of-hand, let me explain.
The answer lies in the difference in the accounting treatment accorded to companies, business trust and REITs. REITs are short for Real Estate Investment Trust which is really a highly specialized form of a business trust. NetLink Trust as its name implies is a business trust and not a company.
Business Trusts are very similar to listed companies in that both run and operate business enterprises. However a Business Trust is a commercial entity that operates a business venture but is set up with a trust structure, as opposed to a corporate structure. Unlike a company, is not a separate legal entity and is established under a trust deed.
Business Trust is managed by an appointed Trustee-Manager for the benefit of unitholders. Building on the foundations of a trust, the Trustee-Manager legally owns the business' assets and is responsible for the management these assets to the benefit and best interest of the unitholders.
In the case of NetLink Trust, the Trustee-Manager is NetLink NBN Management Pte. Ltd.
I have prepared a diagram below showing a typical structure of a business trust.
Typical Structure of a Business Trust
Investors (or more correctly called unitholders) of a business trust benefit in the form of cash distributions or dividends. Business Trusts are allowed to pay distributions to investors out of their operating cash flow. This is unlike companies, which can only pay dividends out of accounting profits. Understanding this is key to explaining the discrepancy between the EPS and DPU forecast.
The income statements includes many non-cash income and expenses which doesn't affect the actual cash flow. Non-cash income for example is revaluation gains from their assets or associates. Non-cash expenses for example are depreciation, amortisation or revaluation losses. While these affects the income in the Income Statement, these non-cash components do not affect the cash flow allowing them to payout more dividends than their income.
Referring to the Income Statement above again, notice that there is a large component of $97,136k and $153,456k depreciation expenses? There is also another non-cash amortisation of intangible assets of $6,669 and $10,004 respectively for 2018 and 2019? Due to the asset heavy nature of NetLink Trust, these non-cash components weight down on its earnings.
Because of this reason, studying the income statements of a business trust does not give investors the full story with regards to the benefits and distributions that they will enjoy. Therefore a separate distribution statement is usually prepared. For NetLink Trust, this can be found in the IPO prospectus Page 82 (Sheet 91 on the PDF) which I have prepared a screenshot of below. Referring to this statement will better reflect the distributions that unitholders will be receiving.
Source: NetLink Trust Prospectus
Notice the large component of depreciation, amortization of intangible assets and non-cash finance cost are being added back to the profits before tax? Making various other adjustments, we arrive at the forecasted distributions.
Annualising this distribution of $113,333k for 12 months and dividing it by the total number of units gives us 4.40c!
Therefore, businesses which are asset heavy and have high initial capital expenditure but offer stable future cash flows over the long term are suitable candidates to be set up as Business Trusts for tax efficiency purposes and higher distribution yields. NetLink Trust certainly fits this criteria!
For the benefit of simplifying all the information above, below is a table that summarises the differences between a business trust and listed companies.
Business Trusts
Listed Companies
Legal Structure
Created by a trust deed. Is not in itself a legal entity
Incorporated under the Companies Act. Is in itself a legal entity
Trustee-Manager has legal ownership of business assets
Company has legal ownership of business assets
Trustee-Manager both owns and manages business assets
Managed by Board of Directors and appointed Management Team
Governed by Business Trusts Act
Governed by Companies Act
No requirement to distribute dividends
No requirement to distribute dividends
Dividends may be distributed from operating cash flow
Dividends must be distributed from accounting net profits
May determine a dividend policy to distribute a percentage of operating cash flow
May determine a dividend policy based on a payout ratio
Depreciation & revaluation exercises have NO impact on payout as payout depends on operating cash flow
Depreciation & revaluation exercises affect payouts as payouts are restricted to accounting profits
Generally dividends are not taxed as Business Trusts already pays income taxes under the one-tier corporate income tax system
Generally dividends are not taxed as the company already pays income taxes under the one-tier corporate income tax system
Examples listed on SGX
This was certainly an educational post!
Wishing the very best to all applicants of the NetLink Trust IPO! I'll probably cover the balloting results in a short post once the results are out.
For the first time, ProButterfly.com will be conducting a webinar entitled The Investment Opportunity of a Decade. We will be looking at the macro-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the financial markets. We will discuss our views of the current market rally and why we think this is not The Great Depression II. We will then conclude with our investment thesis that Year 2020 is the investment opportunity that will only come once in a decade.
To register for this webinar, click on the banner below:
Meanwhile, do also check out the book REITs to Riches: Everything You Need to Know About Investing Profitably In REITs available at all major bookstores around Malaysia and Singapore. To purchase the eBook (PDF) copy, navigate to http://aktive.com.sg/store/reits-to-riches/.
If you have enjoyed this article and would love to learn more about ready and understanding financial statements of listed companies, head over to some of our popular education series:
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Edgewood Manor staffers honored
PORT CLINTON — Edgewood Manor Health and Rehabilitation Center announce the recipients of Covenant Care Second Quarter Awards.
They are Vicki Wood, restorative aid/STNA was recognized for with the Ohio/Iowa region teamwork award; Andrew Ward, director of dietary services received the Covenant Care Best Food Presentation Award Second Quarter 2015; and Carolyn Legg, director of activities was awarded the Midwest Quarterly Creative Activity Award.
Read or Share this story: http://ohne.ws/1RqYlgf


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text: Error saying "Your Google Account is not linked with a YouTube channel." I always upload our camtasia videos to our business youtube channel. I uploaded one about 30 minutes ago and it worked fine. Tried to upl... mortgagemark, 1 year ago Last reply: OdatNurd, 2 months ago 4 4 me toos 14 14 replies Problem


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My little helper bringing me data into VR. Last 4 quarters of revenue displaying on a desk as a component. The goal is for you
Category: radicalvr
Unboxing my new @HTCVive today
I'm all in with VR and AR. So excited that my Vive was shipped a month early. Maybe I should cancel my Oculus order because
Work in Progress: Scale and New Objects for Data in #virtualreality
Working on some new textures on the chart objects. So hard to get scale right in #virtualreality
Looking for a Unity3D software engineer
I'm working on a revolutionary virtual and augmented reality product and am looking for a part-time Unity3D developer. It will turn into a full-time position
Creating VR/AR business intelligence components on your virtual desk
Okay, I'm actually getting better at this VR/AR development stuff. One of the features I want when I'm in my virtual business world is the
Using VR/AR for Business Intelligence. My adventures in development
After spending a few months over the summer learning Unity3D, I'm beginning my development of data visualizations within VR/AR. I'm fortunate that both Oculus Rift
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text: Ben Stansall/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images At A Glance Brexit Briefing: Michael Gove Enters Leadership Race; Boris Johnson's Bid Collapses 6:42 am EST Jul 1, 2016 By Stephen Fidlerconnect share We have just witnessed the most extraordinary week in British politics possibly since World War II, with both leading national political parties in utter disarray. The June 23 vote to leave the European Union was always expected to bring uncertainty to the economy and financial markets. And it did. But the scale of the political fallout was mostly unforeseen. It started with almost immediate backtracking on some of the promises of the Leave campaign. By the end of the week, the political waters seemed to have closed over Boris Johnson, the former Mayor of London and short-lived favorite to be the next British prime minister. Meanwhile, on the other side of the English Channel, Prime Minister David Cameron attended his last European summit, and the 27 other members met without a British prime minister for the first time but assuredly not the last. Below, we sum up an unforgettable week. You'll also find our Brexit coverage in one place, here. To Read the Full Story Subscribe Sign In


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Airbus Group announced that it plans to test an autonomous airborne taxi prototype for one passenger by the end of 2017. The aviation giant sees flying taxis as the next logical step in urban transportation, and hopes ultimately to develop a network of these vehicles that can be hailed with an app in the style of car-sharing services.
Part of the company's Urban Air Mobility division, the production vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle would use multiple tilt-rotors to take off and land like a helicopter, but fly more like a propellor-driven airplane. Full design schematics have not been released, but it is likely that the first prototype vehicle will use four rotors, possibly looking more like Ehang's quadcopter-style drone, which is currently in flight testing, than the aircraft pictured above.
"One hundred years ago, urban transport went underground, now we have the technological wherewithal to go above ground," Airbus CEO Tom Enders said at the DLD digital tech conference in Munich, as reported by Reuters. In addition to flying a single-passenger demonstrator by the end of the year, Enders said Airbus hopes to have a production aircraft for short flights developed by 2021.
As the world's largest manufacturer of commercial helicopters, not to mention a wide variety of civil and military planes, Airbus seems well situated to lead the way in developing a self-flying taxi for the city of tomorrow. Still, realizing a production "flying car" by the early 2020s is a lofty goal, especially considering that Airbus is committed to making these vehicles 100 percent electric. If we see a prototype fly before the year is out, we'll start getting ready to hail a sky taxi.


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James Eagalwulf
James Eagalwulf est un rappeur résidant à Londres, né en 1987. Auteur de poêmes, chanteur, rappeur, compositeur, bidouilleur graphique et volcan creatif, il a déjà a son actif une foule de collaborations diverses dans des styles trés variés, du hip-hop pur et dur à l'ambient, en passant par le spoken words, la jungle ou le métal.Sa route a croisé celle de nombreux artistes americains, allemand, anglais ou français, dont Doz1jeE et Cyesm. Il nous a semblé évident que James devait faire partie plus formellement de l'aventure Good Citizen Factory, car son engagement artistique est aussi évident que son talent d'écriture et d'interprëtation.
Au travers d'un premier projet signé avec Doz1jeE, James nous ouvre les portes grinçante d'un univers sombre et inquiétant, mais dont il maïtrise les moindres recoins. Il est ici, et il faudra le suivre. La route sera sans doute pavée de surprises…« I smiled into a murky mirror and saw a calamity frowning back. It was a representation of my emotional wounds and scars, but also a sign of the bitter reality that is my broken world. I was staring into my divided soul, loving and hateful, breathing within an obscure and contorted shell – so fragile, yet still unable to shatter despite every fall. There was a hidden beauty, isolated within a state of trauma, peering remarkably through the darkness. I came to realise my endless woe was like a black-winged angel, securing me and supplying me with triumphant qualities, but in doing so it encased me within a pitch-black nightmare. For some, I could make the darkness beautiful through broken silence and a wave of self-expression. However, my own perspective was further becoming cloudy and my tainted reflection was bonding with my face. An eventual smile for animosity was proving real as my emotions and identities collided. It was unscripted insanity, though normality is generally far from stable and sane. The calamity that was once my reflection was becoming something touchable, coursing through my tattered veins and speaking through my lips. The agony was becoming wholesome and admirable, shaping my masochistic being to defeat my isolation and numerous disorders. A child of misery, I finally realised my fight with torment was one I could never win, for it was in fact, all along, my suffering that would ever ensure my victory within a weeping world. If ever I am to smile without finding a calamity smiling back, I am no longer a man with words to express and it is at that point, as a writer, that I would become nothing more than useless and hopelessly lifeless – a pitiful failure in the mouth of shapeless dust. I am James Eagalwulf, a philosophical Agnostic and self-expressive writer from London, UK, born in Southeast London in 1987. I am an advocate of intricate and expressive material and do the best I can to share this through my work. »


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With over 25 years' experience, we are proud to be one of the UK's leading law schools. Trusted by some of the most influential law firms. Driving innovation in legal training. Our courses focus on your employability. Developing your skills as a lawyer. Giving you the edge to secure a training contract or pupillage. So you're ready to embrace the demands of practice from day one.
The LPC
If your goal is to become a solicitor, our LPC provides the best possible preparation. It is authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
We focus on your employability. Taught through simulated client portfolios, you will gain the in-depth legal knowledge, commercial awareness and practical skills employers are seeking. We focus on the skills and the knowledge you need to secure a training contract.
Why Choose BPP University Law School?
- Learn from qualified lawyers who can help develop your legal career, with links to firms and in-house teams at every level
- Explore the practice areas that align with your career goals, through our wide range of electives
- Get ahead of the competition with our cutting-edge Legal Technology Innovation and Design optional module
- Enhance your professional skills and commercial awareness through additional skills workshops during our Employability Week
- Top up your LPC to a full Master's degree at no extra cost by completing two additional business modules or one practitioner-focused project*
- Expert support with training contract applications, mock interviews and CV advice from our Careers Service
- Gain practical legal work experience by advising real clients through our award-winning Pro Bono Centre
- Access unique coaching, mentoring and placement opportunities through our partnership with Aspiring Solicitors, with employers including Reed Smith, American Express and Network Rail**
Get all the guidance you need to start your legal career journey at our Getting Ahead events and Virtual Open Evenings. Speak to lawyers and tutors, get practical employability advice and experience a taster session. Register your place.
*T&C's apply. **Subject to meeting the eligibility criteria for Aspiring Solicitors services.
Fees & Funding
Postgraduate funding – incorporating our LPC, the LLM Legal Practice (Solicitors) qualifies for a postgraduate loan of up to £10,906
Law scholarships – we support the brightest future legal talent, from all backgrounds
Future Finance – you can borrow between £2,500 and £40,000 to pay tuition fees and living expenses for higher education in the UK*
*Please note that we act as a credit broker to Future Finance and are not responsible for providing the loan or assessing your eligibility for a loan. Further details of eligibility requirements, interest rates and other key terms of the loan are available by visiting the Future Finance website.
If English is not your first language and you do not hold an honours degree that was delivered in English, you will be required to provide certified proof of ability in written and spoken English to at least IELTS 6.5 (overall) or equivalent with a minimum of 6.0 in each module.
We focus on your employability. Taught through simulated client portfolios, you will gain the in-depth legal knowledge, commercial awareness and practical skills employers are seeking.
Specialist careers advice
Our specialist careers service is available to you for support and guidance from the moment you accept your place until up to 12 months after you complete your studies with us.
With our one-to-one support, we give you the edge when it comes to enhancing your legal career. You'll have everything you need including access to our vacancies database, advice on filling out application forms, intensive interview coaching, employer research and networking opportunities.
BPP Pro Bono Centre
Gain hands-on legal experience by volunteering for a project with our award-winning Pro Bono Centre. Opportunities are available at all our study centres.
96.5% of our full-time and part-time postgraduate law students have secured employment or further study.*
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Alleged Drunk Driver Arrested After Fatally Striking Cyclist
Police in Hardin County arrested a man in the early hours of Thursday, September 20 for allegedly hitting and killing a cyclist while driving drunk. The accident happened shortly before 4 a.m. on Thursday near the intersection of US 31W (aka North Dixie Boulevard) and Bullion Boulevard.
According to state troopers, a preliminary investigation revealed that 24-year-old Charles Montgomery was riding his bicycle in the southbound emergency lane when he was struck by a car also traveling southbound. The driver of that car, 58-year-old Brian Casey, allegedly kept driving for roughly one mile before stopping.
Montgomery was pronounced dead at the scene. Casey was brought to Hardin Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
When Casey was released, he was arrested and charged with DUI, second-degree manslaughter, and leaving the scene of an accident/failure to render aid with death or serious injury.
Legal Recourse For Families of Drunk Driver Victims in Kentucky
Attorney contributor Brian Kent of CrimeVictim.Attorney represents the victims of alcohol-related accidents in civil court. We've asked him to share some information on the legal options available to drunk driving victims and their families:
The victims of drunk drivers and the families of those who have been killed by drunk drivers often decide to file personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits against the driver. Additionally, Kentucky and many other states have "dram shop" laws which allow third parties, such as bars and restaurants, to be held liable for serving alcohol to the individual who caused the drunk driving accident.
Dram shop laws vary by state. According to Kentucky's dram shop law, alcohol vendors can be held liable for alcohol-related accidents and injuries if the vendor provided alcohol to someone who was already intoxicated at the time of serving, and that person then goes on to cause an alcohol-related accident with injuries or deaths.
If you or a family member was injured or killed in an accident with a drunk driver, you can learn more about your legal options by speaking with an experienced DUI victims lawyer.
The Intersection of US 31W and Bullion Boulevard
- Columbus, Ohio – Genesis Hospital Doctor Austin Kosier, Church Youth Director Christian Gibson Among 104 Arrested in Child Sex Abuse Sting - October 1, 2019
- Modesto, California – Kempo Karate School Owner Carlos Loya Sentenced to 29 Years for Sexually Abusing Students - September 24, 2019
- Kansas City, Missouri – Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph Names Clergy Accused of Sex Abuse - September 10, 2019


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Bhubaneswar: Twin City Commissionerate Police has made extensive security arrangements for Odisha Assembly's monsoon session beginning tomorrow.
"Extensive security arrangements have been made. The objective is to maintain foolproof security. To thwart any move by agitators to force their entry into the Assembly," said Director General of Police (DGP) Dr. R P Sharma after conducting a review of the security arrangements.
A three-layer security ring has been put in place at the Assembly premises for the monsoon session, police sources revealed.
A total of 31 platoons of security personnel will be deployed to provide security cover to the Assembly, the sources added.
As many as 100 officers will be deployed for the purpose apart from deployment of Quick Response Team (QRT) and armed police personnel, the sources claimed.
Sources said while 60 CCTV cameras have been installed for surveillance purpose, two control rooms have been set up to monitor security arrangement.
The DGP accompanied by Director Intelligence Wing, Twin City Police Commissioner and other senior police officers inspected the security arrangements.


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Product reviews on agriculture management, cat litter, pest control, diatomaceous earth and industrial products.
See what customers have to say about our products.
Diatomaceous Earth
Agriculture Management
Hear what customers have to say about our various ag management products.
"I have 10, 12 x 12 stalls and use it every day. I scrape away the wet shavings (down to the mat) and sprinkle about 2 cups of Stall Dry on the pee spot. Cover it up and that's it. It really takes away the awful ammonia smell. Love the product!!"Jan M.
"I've been using Stall Dry for years. It keeps my goat house smelling clean and sweet and also keeps down lice and fleas on my goats. My livestock guardian is a mini donkey who waits every day for me to put the stall dry down. Then he flops down in it and gives himself a good dusting. A great product doing a great job. Thanks."Randi A.
"I have been using Sweet PDZ for years. The last time I went to purchase some, they were out and gave me a bag of Stall Dry instead. I was not too happy, since I was a dedicated PDZ customer…but I needed something and took it. I WAS THRILLED! It did everything Sweet PDZ does and Then Some! It really helped to reduce the Flies! SD not only took care of the ammonia & flies but the shaving dried out too & lasted longer. I became a believer and went back and bought all of the rest of the Stall Dry they had."Kathy F.
"I have used Stall Dry for years. It is the best product out there. My horse stalls NEVER have any odor after using it. As odd as this sounds, I have actually received compliments that my stalls have no odor or flies…I am so impressed with your product."Laura C.
"I have been using Stall Dry for 18 years now. I raise Nubian Dairy Goats and I love using your product every week when I clean out the barn, it really does a great job."Kathy J.
"One of our horses is exceptionally clean in her stall. She won't mess up her nice fluffy bedding and prefers to go outside, even in freezing weather, to do her business. The other, in contrast, does everything in her stall regardless of the weather. She's lazy and has earned the nickname "Pig" for her habits. Victoria Feeds – The Horse & Hound in Lindsay, Ontario, Canada recommended Absorbent Products Ltd. Stall Dry for our situation. We bought the 40 pound bag which was around $13.00 Cdn without taxes.
Likes: This is a miracle product. We had a hard time controlling the ammonia smell in the one horses stall no matter what products we tried in the past. I applied some Stall Dry, as per the bags instructions, and voila – the ammonia smell was gone almost immediately!
Dislikes: There's nothing I dislike about Stall Dry. The claims the company has made about this product seem true to me. The only thing I could recommend would be that they include a scoop in the bag, but it's not a huge deal. (I think we all have small containers laying around we could use to scoop the product out).
Quality: Composed of a natural blend of diatomaceous earth and clay in granular form (similar to cat litter). Neutralizes ammonia and controls odour and moisture. There's also a subtle scent added (the company describes it as "minty-woody"). Reduces bedding costs, improves your animals comfort and saves on labour. Safe to use on dirt, wood, concrete, metal and rubber surfaces because it's non-caustic and non-toxic. I found the company website to be excellent and provide a great deal of information about all of their products. The layout is clean and easy to navigate and I found what I was looking for right away.
Summary: An awesome product – I wish we'd found it sooner!"Katie W.
Pet Care
See customer product reviews for our pet care products.
"Thank you for your wonderful cat litter. One of my cats is very picky about dyes and smells. It took a long time and many tries to find a litter she will use. She loves your Kozy Kitty and so do I. Since a friend told me about your litter, I am passing it on to other cat owners that have the same problem. Keep up the fantastic work."Khristen H.
"Hi there just wanted to say I love Kozy Kitty!!!"Isobel D.
"I must extend my great appreciation for your WC Cat litter!!! You've made probably what I think, is the best one ever (been a cat owner for over 40 years). It's light weight for us, pleasant non-smell for the felines, reasonably priced (in fact CHEAPER than nearly ALL)… just outstanding & many thanks!!!"Sheila G.
"Love the product — please don't ever discontinue.
I recommend your product to every cat owner I meet. I volunteer at a local SPCA shelter and am trying to get them to switch over to Wundercat as it makes cleaning the litter boxes so much easier."Cathy U.
"Hello your cat litter is brilliant! Our senior cat uses her litter box alot; the clumping clay cat litter would turn to cement when wet. I would feel sick cleaning her box. I was searching for something better; I spied your pine pellets at Wal-Mart. They work SO WELL!! Her box turns to sawdust; it's painless to clean and the laundry room smells nice; like pine; even when the box needs changing. I am so impressed I am telling everyone who has a cat!! AND I was so happy to see it's made here in BC! Great job."
Pest Control
Product reviews for our pest control products.
"Golden Ears Farm (Chase, BC) encountered a high mite load in our laying hens in the spring. It was impacting the overall vitality and egg laying for our hens. It was to quite a severe state by the time we contacted Barry at Absorbent Products to discuss options. After utilizing DE-cide around the coops and in the laying boxes our mite levels are now undetectable. Thank you so much to Absorbent Products! I hope that DE-cide will be more widely available in our area soon — it has become a part of our ongoing practice to care for our laying hens."Golden Ears Farm
Let us know how our products are working for you! Submit your product reviews below.


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Senior Software Engineer/DevOps
More than 10 years of systems and network administration. Strong understanding of TCP/IP stack of network protocols. Local and remote systems administration and maintenance. Cloud and bare-metal virtu...
DevOps 10 years +39 AWS Azure Python Jenkins Bash Microsoft Access MySQL PostgreSQL Elasticsearch Firebird Memcached Redis MS SQL Server Powershell ARM PyCharm Assembler Linux Unix Windows Drupal Joomla! Kubernetes OpenStack Git KVM ESXi TeamCity virtualBox Zabbix Docker Kibana Nagios REST API CircleCI GitLab Scrum Kanban Waterfall
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Updated: 30 Dec 2019
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