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A landmark report was launched a few weeks ago by Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE), Laggard to Leader: How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity.
Laggard to Leader is at its heart a response to the oft-heard arguments that Australia is too small for our actions to make a significant difference to global warming, but it is much more than that. The report debunks Australia's claims to be taking meaningful action at home and in UN climate talks. It comprehensively outlines a whole different way of thinking about the role of individual countries in climate change than that of the Australian government and political elite. It challenges the economic excuses for inaction. And it proposes an innovative set of bold actions Australia should take to make a real difference.
The report is professionally presented but accessible, as it is mostly written in plain language. It sometimes seems to confuse CO2 with CO2-equivalent, but its arguments are convincing.
The report begins by summarizing the urgency of the climate crisis and contrasting it with the lack of achievement in international negotiations. Humanity must rapidly phase out fossil fuels and other sources of greenhouse gas emissions, leaving the vast majority of the planet's fossil carbon in the ground. The UN climate talks have gone on my entire life, but far from negotiators' constant claims they are making progress, global fossil fuel CO2 emissions have risen by 50% since 1990 (and Australia's emissions by 30%). The Kyoto Protocol has been sabotaged by offsets and creative accounting, and Canada has gotten away with completely flouting its obligations. Despite agreeing in 2010 to take urgent action to limit global warming to <2°C (a target which climatologists now realize is itself quite dangerous), countries' national emissions targets do not remotely add up to that global objective, and the world remains on track for a catastrophic multiple degrees of warming. Most recently in Durban, they agreed to negotiate a global agreement that would not be implemented until 2020. But as the Australian government's own Climate Commission says, this is the critical decade.
As the negotiations currently stand, the best-case outcome will be far too little far too late. BZE argue therefore we cannot rely on the UN process and its associated top-down model of climate action, which they describe as "Treaties, Targets, and Trading". The aim of Treaties, Targets, and Trading is for all countries to agree a global binding treaty in which national emissions targets add up to achieve a safe global objective, and countries may trade pollution rights. (Laggard to Leader skips an important nuance here: this is Australia's particular view of the ultimate aim of climate talks, as advised by Ross Garnaut.)
In accordance with UN accounting, Australia is generally considered responsible only for emissions occurring within its borders. The problem is we do not yet have a global framework in which national targets add up. Thus we need to look beyond our domestic emissions to a larger "sphere of influence", which also encompasses emissions from the burning of fossil fuels we export and the manufacture of products we import. Global trade means countries have overlapping spheres of influence. This shared responsibility makes more sense from an ethical and practical point of view.
A sphere of influence analysis reveals Australia is far from a minor player. Australia's domestic emissions in 2011 totaled 540 million tonnes of CO2e, the 15th largest of 195 countries and highest per capita in the OECD. But they are dwarfed by our exported emissions: 800 million tonnes CO2, third largest in the world after Saudi Arabia and Russia. We are the biggest coal exporter, controlling 27% of the global market, and the 4th biggest LNG exporter. Our domestic-plus-exported emissions are the 6th largest in the world. (The report does not attempt to calculate Australia's imported emissions.) As co-author Fergus Green said when launching Laggard to Leader: "Saudi Arabia is the king of oil, Russia is the king of gas, and Australia is the king of coal."
But it is the planned exponential growth in Australia's fossil fuel exports that is truly staggering. BZE estimate our exported emissions could rise to 1.8 billion tonnes by 2030. According to my calculations they could be up to 3 billion tonnes by 2020, quadrupling in a decade to five times Australia's domestic emissions, twice Saudi Arabia's exported emissions, and a huge proportion of allowable global emissions. Australia has the power to decide whether this happens.
The report does a good job of explaining the ineffectiveness of Australian climate policies. The carbon price does not cover exported emissions and does not significantly raise the price of coal mining, so cannot affect the fossil fuel export boom. It aims to cut domestic emissions by a mere 5% by 2020 (and 80% by 2050). But it will not even do that, because it allows polluters to buy almost unlimited international offsets, as well as Australian land-based offsets. Treasury projects domestic emissions will actually rise until the mid-2030s then fall back to today's level by 2050. Australia has always relied on cheap, dubious offsets and argued for them in global climate talks. Laggard to Leader rightly characterizes offsets as part of a "'least-cost abatement' mentality" that "privileges more risky and less effective forms of abatement and undermines efforts to deploy renewable technologies that are essential for Australia's urgent decarbonisation task" (p. 24).
Insofar as it intends to make emissions cuts domestically, the Government relies on the dangerous diversion of gas as a transition fuel, while hoping its pipe dream of carbon capture and storage (CCS) will become feasible so Australia can make real emissions cuts after 2035. Little support is provided for renewable energy. As a fossil fuel, gas is part of the problem, not the solution. Leaked emissions of methane could make it worse than coal. Either way, new investment in gas would divert investment away from renewables and lock in fossil fuel infrastructure for decades, leading to dangerous global warming. CCS is unlikely to be feasible in the timescale in which decarbonization is required. In summary, the Government fails to recognize the need to phase out fossil fuels.
Indeed, BZE argue the federal and state governments are actively encouraging fossil fuel mining and export industries with "expansionist" policies. They point out the federal government "facilitates" projects that it considers of "strategic significance" by fast-tracking them through approval processes. Federal and state governments spend billions of dollars on fossil fuel subsidies, dwarfing the money spent on climate action. (Though not mentioned in the report, the Government spends billions "compensating" polluters for the carbon price, which in the case of coal power plants has actually increased their profitability.) Laggard to Leader concludes Australia is currently doing more harm than good.
Laggard to Leader systematically deconstructs the Australian Government's ideology of climate action avoidance and proposes to replace it with one of climate activism. In particular, it proposes a new way of thinking about the role of countries in climate action, which they call Cooperative Decarbonisation (CD). The differences with Treaties, Targets, and Trading are summarized in this handy table:
Treaties, Targets & Trading
Cooperative Decarbonisation
Evolution of international cooperation
One solution or multiple
One comprehensive solution / "grand bargain"
Multiple solutions each of which is partial
Locus of power (ideal)
Centralised institutions
Polycentric (multiple centres of power)
Focus of policy model
GHG emissions per se
Economic and social processes that directly and indirectly cause GHG emissions
Policy mechanism
Legally binding treaties, emissions reduction targets and emissions trading
Wide array of general and specific policies and measures
Dominant mentality
Managerialist, technocratic, legalistic, coercive
Systems thinking, problem-solving, structural change, cooperative
Focus of each country
Technical compliance with legal liability to achieve domestic emissions target / "lowest cost abatement"
Decarbonising each economic sector through whatever means at their disposal, unilaterally and through cooperation with others
Outcome of each country's efforts
Mutually exclusive efforts (each country assumes responses will add up to precise target)
Overlapping efforts (each country cannot assume responses will add up so must take individual or shared responsibility for all emissions within sphere of influence)
Underlying ethical principles
Fair shares based on equal per capita entitlements; modified by historical responsibility for emissions and capacity to pay ("common but differentiated responsibilities")
Fair shares based on emissions within sphere of influence; modified by special responsibilities (based on scope of sphere of influence, capacity to pay, capabilities for climate solutions and leadership capacity)
CD is "a practical, problem-solving approach to the decarbonisation of every emissions-intensive economic and social process across the globe, within the timeframe necessary to preserve a safe climate, driven by national leadership, and accelerated through international cooperation" (p. 35). It focuses on bottom-up unilateral and bilateral actions and activism, as opposed to continuing to seek a perfect top-down solution through multilateral negotiations which are currently deadlocked. It argues willing countries should lead beyond their obligations, using every means at their disposal to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions within their sphere of influence, and pressure and help others to follow in their footsteps.
I am of two minds about this alternate model of climate action: I think it has the greatest potential of all the ideas in Laggard to Leader, but it is also where I have the greatest reservations. BZE's enthusiasm for bilateralism is in some ways reminiscent of the rhetoric and strategy of US climate negotiators, which led to the debacle in Copenhagen and the failing current regime of inadequate voluntary pledges. Earlier this year I argued the following:
The US approach – bilateral, voluntary, and bottom-up – will not work. Bilateralism is a dead end because the countries with highest emissions have lowest ambitions. Voluntary action leaves the door wide open for governments to break or fake their targets. And bottom-up pledges mean ambition will be determined by politics, not science. We need a top-down approach which decides on a global target of 2°C, 1.5°C, or preferably 350 ppm and divides it up among all nations.
I still essentially agree with what I said then. Treaties and targets (though not so much trading) is the right paradigm to pursue within UN talks. A global problem requires a global solution, and actions taken in the CD paradigm cannot be guaranteed to add up to a safe outcome.
That said, I also agree with BZE that "whether it is desirable or not, the bottom-up approach is the reality – for now and for the foreseeable future […] we have to make bottom-up work" (p. 34). We cannot sit and wait for the UN process to decide our future. In the absence of global agreement, willing countries should not limit themselves to pursuing a top-down treaty but instead do everything they can to change the world from the bottom up.
However, I don't agree with BZE's emphasis on bilateral cooperation over UN negotiations. We need to pursue both approaches: we need radical unilateral action in order to catalyze a multilateral agreement, yet we must not abandon hope of a binding global treaty as voluntary bottom-up action will not be enough. The report does acknowledge this to an extent: "achievements in each paradigm should ultimately make success within the other more likely" (p. 37). As well as leading unilaterally and bilaterally, Australia should also take a leadership role in multilateral talks, by taking on an ambitious binding target for 2017 and playing a constructive role instead of a destructive one.
What form should action outside the UN process take? Bilateral cooperation will not work if it follows the US-style strategy of blocking progress at UN climate talks while making well-publicized but meaningless voluntary agreements outside them. I am thinking of the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APP), which was little more than a publicity stunt by the biggest delayers (the US under Bush and Australia under Howard) to appear to be taking action outside Kyoto. Of course, BZE are clearly arguing for a bilateral process that, unlike the APP, aims to rapidly decarbonize its sphere of influence – bilateral activism instead of bilateral avoidance. Still, we should remain wary of bilateral negotiations between major players, which have never before resulted in ambitious action.
Ironically given its name, I'm more comfortable with the unilateral aspects of Cooperative Decarbonisation than its bilateral aspects. I agree that in an imperfect world we need to use a range of measures instead of putting all our eggs in the targets-and-trading basket. I agree we should do everything we can to decarbonize our sphere of influence, instead of merely implementing an inadequate target. I agree we must focus on structural economic change instead of cutting emissions at least cost. I agree we should penalize laggards with border tax adjustments and suchlike. These ideas are simply reason undistorted by the short-sighted obsessions of so-called "economic rationalism".
CD's sector-by-sector approach also has some advantages. Unlike Treaties, Targets, and Trading, it acknowledges not all tonnes of CO2e are equal: different types of emissions result from different economic processes and play different roles in the climate system. On the other hand, progress on secondary issues must not come at the expense of progress on the most urgent and important challenge: phasing out fossil fuels.
Laggard to Leader may be an imperfect vision for international negotiations, but it is an excellent blueprint for how Australia should act in the absence of a global treaty. It argues Australia has a responsibility to act because our sphere of influence is enormous, our historical emissions are the world's 14th highest, and our per capita emissions are extremely high. We are also extremely wealthy and have vast renewable energy resources. Our leadership in the wrong direction gives us power to lead in the right direction: we are capable of changing global energy markets. Such leadership is in our national interest as it would tangibly reduce the likelihood of catastrophic global warming, as well as establishing Australia as a leader in zero-carbon technologies.
BZE argues Australian leadership can be compatible with international equity, if we act first and assist developing countries to follow us (a principle we have already agreed to in UN climate talks). In response to the argument that Australia must continue exporting fossil fuels to end poverty, they point out solar PV is cheaper in many off-grid regions, the external costs of fossil fuels are not accounted for, and climate change will hit the poorest people hardest. In any case, "without climate stabilisation at safe levels, all other progressive goals of international policy would become unattainable" (p. 47).
Laggard to Leader outlines a two-pronged approach Australia should take to address both our domestic emissions and our fossil fuel exports. A key way unilateral action by Australia can make a global difference beyond our sphere of influence is by changing the relative prices of energy technologies (ie. making renewables cheaper and fossil fuels more expensive). Renewable energy technologies are already becoming cheaper, but need further investment to bring down their costs faster. In particular, emerging technologies need government support to bridge the "valley of death" in which costs exceed available capital. It is investment in deployment that has driven down the prices of wind and solar PV. Though we should invest in all stages between R&D and maturity, above all we need deployment. The effect will be to lower the price of renewable energy technologies and increase their rollout everywhere.
The report outlines how Australia can rapidly decarbonize its domestic economy, drawing on BZE's preexisting Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan (they are working on plans for other sectors). It argues Australia can and should increase investment in commercial deployment to at least $15 billion per year, rising to $37 billion per year, to transition to 100% renewable energy over a decade. This high upfront cost would pay itself back over time. We should focus particularly on scaling up high-potential emerging technologies like concentrated solar thermal, which has the storage capacity to provide power around the clock. We could use our domestic actions as leverage to drive coordinated deployment of zero-carbon technologies around the world.
Internationally, Laggard to Leader advocates actions which Australia can take to break the deadlock and put fossil fuel phaseout on the global agenda. It argues the federal Government should impose a moratorium on new fossil fuel projects, as a first step toward phasing out fossil fuel mining and exports entirely. This moratorium should be announced in an international forum and immediately implemented. The report argues Australia should then launch urgent international negotiations and commission an expert report on a global fossil fuel phaseout, while demonstrating we are committed to leading and helping poor nations follow in our footsteps. A similar approach has been applied to other unethical products – for example, Australia prohibits the export of asbestos, though there is a global market for it.
Coal is currently in oversupply, and coal prices are expected to fall during the critical decade despite climate change policies (!). An Australian phaseout would at least help to prevent coal prices from falling. Other countries cannot immediately scale up supply to replace Australia: in some places it can take a decade to start a new coal mine and build associated railways and ports, and there is a grassroots movement against coal exports in the US. Australia's fossil fuel reserves are about equal to the amount that can be safely burned, so leaving them in the ground would make a significant difference.
Furthermore, "the symbolic impact of the world's top coal exporter and fastest growing LNG exporter exiting the fossil fuel business should not be underestimated" (p. 81). BZE argues international norms, even if they are not legally binding, can be very effective at pressuring countries to conform to ethical standards. At the moment, the norm is to dig up and burn fossil fuels. Australia phasing out its exports would help to create a new norm of leaving fossil fuels in the ground, where emissions are only acceptable in the context of a rapid transition to a zero-carbon economy.
The Australian Government equates fossil fuel interests with the national interest. Obviously this is wrong in the long term, but BZE argues it is also highly dubious in the short term. Only 0.3% of Australian jobs are in coal mining (and no jobs would be immediately lost from a moratorium). The majority of mining industry profits either go overseas or benefit only a small minority of Australians. The mining boom is driving up the Australian dollar and thus destroying other industries. And contrary to popular belief, the mining sector did not prevent a recession, but in fact went into recession itself in 2009.
Most importantly, the fact that most fossil fuels are unburnable implies the global economy contains a "carbon bubble". The valuation of fossil fuel companies is based on the assumption that their reserves will be burned. If we wish to avoid unimaginable global catastrophe, that bubble must burst. When it does, those reserves will become stranded assets and the companies' value will plummet. Environmentally unsustainable investments are ultimately also economically unsustainable.
Laggard to Leader is a very insightful report. Despite some reservations about Cooperative Decarbonisation, I think it gets most things right. Governments need to start thinking about greenhouse gases not like accountants trying to hide their excesses to get out of doing anything, but like activists trying to get something done. Australia cannot continue to use UN negotiations, flawed accounting, and weak domestic policies as an excuse for inaction. We must recognize the true enormity of our sphere of influence, and accordingly take bold ambitious actions inside and outside the UN process. As the report concludes (p. 91): "If you care, you lead."
So far, the response to the report has been mostly deafening silence. The Australian Government is currently in the pocket of the fossil fuel industry and will not take action without massive public pressure. Therefore we need to publicize the arguments of Beyond Zero Emissions as widely as possible.
All Australians should read Laggard to Leader.


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White openwork pattern with red flowers, in the form of heart on a black background
Vector Illustration.EPS-10; Main files and "fully editable": Ai; EPS; PDF formats (with minimum Adobe version CS). Additional format: TIFF; PNG; JPEG. Smart Object of the key.80-80, 590-700
The composition of flowers, beads, curves and leaves Can be used as postcard, the item is for decoration, change color,and location details creating new designs

subset: commoncrawl


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For a few days it proudly flew, nudged between Syria and Tajikistan, amid rows of national flags festooning London's Regent Street as the city prepares for the Olympics. Suddenly, for reasons unknown, but easily guessed at, it was pulled down, leaving a sad gap in the otherwise festive display of global fraternity.
Granted, the Republic of China (ROC) flag is for many people not a national flag but rather a symbol of a regime that imposed itself on Taiwan after World War II, one that, furthermore, unleashed decades of repression on its people. And yet, despite all the hardships, it now stands as the most readily recognizable symbol of nationhood for all Taiwanese.
Yes, it was first woven as the symbol of a political party in China; and yes, it officially stands for the ROC, but over the years, through the long process of democratization and national consolidation, both the ROC and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) have become part of the fabric that makes Taiwan what it is today. For people outside Asia who know little about this region's convoluted history, nothing more immediately distinguishes Taiwan from the People's Republic of China (PRC) than the ROC flag.
The reaction among Taiwanese worldwide to the removal of the flag on Regent Street testifies to the strength of that symbol. Hours after it was taken down, online social networks and blogs exploded with "before and after" pictures of the street, accompanied by expressions of anger and indignation. Thousands of people — mostly young Taiwanese — mobilized, providing contact information about the civic organization that is responsible for the site, writing letters and visiting the location to take pictures of themselves holding the flag.
With very few exceptions, all referred to the flag as standing for Taiwan, not the KMT or the ROC, and reaffirmed their pride in being Taiwanese, which confirms the view that the once-exogenous flag has been rehabilitated into an indigenous one. Though it took over Taiwan, the ROC has since been absorbed by it, resulting in a symbiotic relationship that continually redefines itself and gives Taiwan its identity.
The strong reaction among Taiwanese, though prompted by disheartening political realities, is encouraging. For one, it debunks the claim that young Taiwanese today are apolitical and cannot be bothered with the future of their homeland. It shows us that on fundamental issues of justice, young Taiwanese will not sit idly by. It also tells us that despite their busy lives (several of those who mobilized are graduate students scattered all over the world), they know who they are and will not countenance anyone telling them otherwise.
One young Taiwanese living in the US could not have put it more bluntly, saying: "Fuck that de facto shit," referring to Taiwan's sovereign status.
Another offshoot of this incident is that it demonstrates yet again that despite currently stable relations in the Taiwan Strait, the 23 million Taiwanese continue to live under a shadow that prevents them from exercising their rights as citizens of the world. China's "goodwill" and "peaceful" cross-strait relations remain contingent on Beijing seeing no true expression of Taiwanese statehood, irrespective of the venue. It has since been confirmed that the flag incident on Regent Street was the result of complaints by Chinese representatives, accentuating China's refusal to acknowledge the existence of Taiwanese as a people.


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World Series 2013: 'Case closed' on Lester/Vaseline controversy
BOSTON—If you're a neutral fan, the kind who has spent the week trying to determine whether it would be better for a meteor to hit Fenway Park or Busch Stadium, the World Series has begun in just the perfect way, with a flubtastic blowout followed by whining about cheating.
All the talk on Thursday, a day after Jon Lester struck out eight St. Louis Cardinals over 7 2/3 shutout innings in the Boston Red Sox's 8-1 victory in Game 1, was about whether the left-hander was so successful because he was doctoring the baseball.
This wasn't just idle fan chatter, either. The source of the cheating accusation was Cardinals minor league pitcher Tyler Melling, who took to Twitter on Wednesday night to ask, "Jon Lester using a little Vaseline inside the glove tonight?" As controversy swirled on Thursday, the tweet was deleted, which obviously removed it from the Internet and all human consciousness forever. Never happened.
First of all, let's get the basics out of the way: Major League Baseball reviewed video and issued a statement clearing Lester of any wrongdoing.
"They've issued their statement," Red Sox manager John Farrell said triumphantly in his pre-Game 2 press conference. "They basically consider this a closed case."
Added Cardinal skipper Mike Matheny: "It's a dead issue."
If that's not enough for conspiracy theorists — after all, MLB has a vested interest in claiming a clean game — Brown University neuroscientist Dan Brooks, the world's leading expert on Pitch F/X tracking technology, told WEEI that there was no evidence whatsoever that Lester's pitches were doing anything out of the ordinary.
Even if you dispute Brooks' findings, because after all, Brown is in Rhode Island, well behind the borders of Red Sox Nation, and the logo for brooksbaseball.net uses a very familiar-looking "B," there's an important consideration to be made here: not one single member of the Cardinals at the major league level made a peep about what Lester was doing.
"I didn't notice anything different out there," Cardinals outfielder Shane Robinson said Thursday.
Fenway Park was built in 1912, but it is equipped with computers and video technology, and during games, players can look at video of their at-bats. So can coaches and other staff members. Nobody saw anything out of the ordinary about Lester's pitches during Game 1, at least nothing enough to alert an umpire. The Cardinals have 25 active players, a manager, seven coaches, and multiple inactive players, including savvy veterans like Chris Carpenter, Rob Johnson, and Jake Westbrook. Sixty-plus eyes on the diamond, and nobody saw anything from Lester worth raising a stink about.
In 2006, the Cardinals had Detroit Tigers left-hander Kenny Rogers checked for a brown blob on his hand. In 1986, the Mets were mystified by Mike Scott, and there was the indelible image of Keith Hernandez grabbing a baseball, looking for a scuff mark, and solemnly nodding his head.
There are three possible explanations for nobody on the Cardinals griping about Lester. One is that nobody had any suspicions about Lester doing anything wrong. It also is possible that Lester is such an excellent cheater, he could get away with it under World Series-level scrutiny, and only maybe be caught by the eagle eyes of a minor leaguer on the Internet. The third explanation is that the Cardinals do not want to draw any attention to their own malevolent methods of preparing baseballs by bringing up Boston's habits.
The Cardinals would never do that, though. It's not the Cardinal Way. If there's one thing that everyone knows, it's that the Cardinals play the game The Right Way, so don't even think about that for a moment. Except, well, you know, Cardinals pitchers have admitted in the past that they mix resin with other substances to get a better grip on the ball, including Game 1 starter Adam Wainwright.
There's one more possible explanation here: After spending the NLCS berating the Dodgers for their immaturity, red-clad protectors of righteousness in baseball need some red meat of wrongness to sink their teeth into. Bad news for Game 2, though: there could be major controversy when it's revealed that Cardinals starter Michael Wacha is not actually related to Fozzie Bear.


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Kentwood Real Estate has released the company's comprehensive real estate statistics for February 2018 for single-family homes, luxury residences, Greenwood Village, Cherry Hills Village, the City of Denver, and the Cherry Creek neighborhood. Kentwood's latest report shows that luxury single-family home sales increased 51.8 percent in February compared to the same period in 2017 with 85 closed sales, while luxury condo sales increased a whopping 600 percent with seven total sales compared to February 2017.
There is currently a total of 619 million dollar residential and condo listings in the metro Denver area, with Kentwood Real Estate holding a significant market share with 78 million dollar listings. Closed sales volume for luxury residences was $122,064,639 in February, while closed sales volume for luxury condos was $10,477,221, a 466.3 percent increase compared to February last year. Following are details for February 2018.
Average Sales Price for Luxury Residences in
February Decreased 9.1 Percent to $1,436,055 While Average Sales Price for Luxury Condos Decreased 19.1 Percent to $1,496,746
The average sales price for single-family luxury homes decreased 9.1 percent in February to $1,436,055. Average days on the market decreased 22.1 percent to 113. Highest sold price was $5,100,000. There are a total of 567 active residential listings.
Luxury condominium sales in February averaged 66 days on the market, which was a decrease of 17.5 percent over February 2017. The highest sold price was $2,500,000. There were 52 active luxury condominium listings. Closed sales volume year over year was $23,815,221, a 154.8 percent increase over last year, while the average sales price year over year increased 1.9 percent to $1,587,681.
Market Recap for The Villages Shows Average Sales Price Decreased 8.8 Percent to $1,701,514
Kentwood Real Estate's latest real estate market statistics for Cherry Hills Village and Greenwood Village for February show the average sales price decreased 8.8 percent over last February to $1,701,514. Closed sales decreased 36.4 percent over February 2017. The highest sold price in February was $3,459,000, while the average number of days on the market decreased 65.9 percent to 57. Closed sales volume was $11,910,600, a 42 percent decrease over February last year. Average price per square foot was $397 for a 7.2 percent decrease over last February.
Currently there are 58 residential listings and 24 land listings in Cherry Hills Village and Greenwood Village. Kentwood Real Estate enjoys a 23 percent market share with 19 active listings.
Average Residential Sales Price for Cherry Creek Neighborhood Increased 49.7 Percent in February
The average residential sales price for homes in Denver's Cherry Creek neighborhood increased 49.7 percent to $1,340,300 compared to February 2017, according to data gathered by Kentwood Real Estate. The average number of days on the market in February decreased 24.3 percent to 53, with closed sales volume totaling $13,403,000 for a 113.8 percent increase over February last year. Closed residential sales increased 42.9 percent to 10. The highest sold price was $3,200,000.
Condominium sales for Cherry Creek totaled six in February, which was unchanged over February 2017, with an average sales price of $455,250. The highest sold price was $1,318,000. Closed condominium sales volume was $2,731,500 in February, 31.1 percent increase over February last year. Average days on the market for February was 45, which was a 28.6 decrease over last year. There are currently 162 residential and condominium listings in Cherry Creek, with Kentwood Real Estate holding 84 active listings.
Kentwood Real Estate Holds Strong Market Share in the City of Denver with 86 Active Listings
There is currently a total of 475 detached listings and 606 attached listings in the City of Denver, with Kentwood Real Estate holding 86 active listings. Closed sales for detached residences totaled 400 in February, a 2.8 percent increase over the same period last year. Closed sales volume was $167,352,808, a 21.9 percent increase over last February. Average sales price was $418,382 for an 18.6 percent increase, and the highest sold price was $2,500,000, an increase of 35.1 percent. Average days on the market for detached residences was 142, an increase of 140.7 percent.
Closed sales for attached homes totaled 473, which was an increase of 3.5 percent from last February. Closed sales volume was $255,108,135, an increase of 17.7 percent. The average sales price for attached residences was $539,341, and the highest sold price was $3,200,000, an increase of 67.5 percent over February 2017. Average days on the market for attached homes in February was 24, which was a 33.3 percent decrease from the same period last year.
"The city of Denver is off to a record selling season," said Carrie Wernecke, a leading Broker Associate with Kentwood City Properties. "With inventory at a record low, the city of Denver's average sales price is up 12 percent since January 2018. The new average sales price in Denver is currently $532,308. We are seeing the average days on the market go down and it appears that the bidding wars are already in full swing."


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LaCantina Doors launches New Builder's Program
- August 20, 2013
- Posted by LaCantina Doors
San Diego, CA (August 19, 2013) Designed specifically to meet the needs of developers and production home builders, LaCantina Doors announces the launch of the company's new Builder's Program.
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Tim Kelting, Sales Manager commented, "we understand the needs and requirements of the production home builder and this new program allows us to service them more effectively and provide real value." Kelting added, "our new Builder's Program allows the developers and home builders to capitalize on the growing trend of indoor and outdoor living solutions with the best and most innovative folding door in the market."
About LaCantina Doors
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If the Oscars is the stodgy patriarch of all award shows, then the Film Independent Spirit Awards is the cool kid in the family portrait.
So what better way to celebrate the Spirit awards' 25th anniversary show than with a late-night party theme and newly announced Eddie Izzard hosting?
The irreverent Izzard is a particularly inspired choice as ceremony master. "He has all the right credentials -- unpredictable sense of humor, originality and he's just hilarious," Dawn Hudson, executive director of Film Independent tells Popcorn Biz. "And he has a real love and knowledge of film."
U.S. & World
"We've talked about Izzard for a few years now. It's a matter of matching the right host at the right time. This year it finally worked."
The show will air live on the IFC channel the Friday before the Oscars (March 5), with the usual honoring of the indie vibe and the Spirit tradition of open bars "like every ten feet," says Hudson. But even as the Jameson is flowing, she promises no Izzard muzzle or restrictions."There are no ground rules, other than just show up," she says. "And no censoring."
As per tradition, the event still takes place in a tent, but the location has been moved from the Santa Monica beach to downtown Los Angeles. And the timing of the event has moved from its traditional pre-Oscar Saturday lunch to Friday night at 8 p.m. EST.
"It's going to be a late night party show." says Hudson.


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I am in NYC having a ball and chatting it up with lovely people and talking to anyone who will listen about Congo. While I'm gone, I'm letting my gal Michelle borrow my bloggy audience. Michelle is doing some really awesome things for the Pole Pole Foundation that operates in Congo. Pole Pole does environmental work in DRC and puts locals to work. And while my passion is orphans in Congo, I know that an organization like Pole Pole that is good for the community, is also AWESOME at keeping families in tact. Because healthy communities= healthy families. So without further adieu, we interrupt the regularly scheduled programming for a special message from Michelle!
Hello Everyone!
My name is Michelle DeJardine. Megan has been awesome enough to let me temporarily take over her blog so that I can tell you all, her amazing readers, about an organization based in eastern DRC that I really care about.
I am not sure how many of you have read A Thousand Sisters by Lisa Shannon (if you haven't, go get that book!) but if you have, you may remember an individual named "Eric" who worked at a National Park in eastern DRC called Kahuzi-Biega. He discussed conflict minerals and had a Gorilla memorial wall that really moved Lisa because it was the only memorial she had ever seen in DRC. Lisa changed his name to "Eric" in the book for his own safety but his real name is Dominique.
Dominique was born and raised in DRC near the National Park and when he was 20 years old, he, with other staff members of the park, founded a non-profit organization called Pole Pole Foundation (which means Slowly Slowly but Steady). Dom could see that the communities on the outskirts of the park were really struggling. Most of these individuals are pygmies, who are often ostracized by other Congolese people (much like Native Americans/Canadians). He was also seeing that these communities were causing some environmental problems for Kahuzi-Biega from cutting down trees and poaching highly endangered animals for bush meat and selling poached animals to gain some form of income. The communities were also extremely illiterate with no opportunities to go to school or send their own children to school. So Dom and many of the Kahuzi-Biega park staff decided to make a change.
It has been 18 years since Pole Pole Foundation was formed and since then it has built three schools around the park- two are elementary schools, one high school. The high school students are taught everything you would expect but there is also a large focus on conservation – many of these students will follow in their father's footsteps to become park rangers at Kahuzi-Biega. Their environmental education program has been extended to 21 existing schools around the park. Currently, 728 children are registered in Pole Pole's kindergarten and primary schools and 147 students are studying agro-forestry and conservation at the high school. Pole Pole has created sustainable jobs for women in these communities as women are one of the main focuses of the organization. Women have learned how to sew ranger uniforms, they receive goats and chickens, they provide the food that the children at the schools eat (making sure that these kids do not have empty stomachs as they try to learn) and women whose husbands have been killed while protecting the park from poachers also receive micro credits and training so they can support their children. Six literacy centers were also launched to teach adults to read and write Swahili and they also learn about conservation. Thanks to Pole Pole, 1.5 million trees have been distributed and planted around the park. Individuals who used to poach animals such as leopards, rare forest elephants, the highly endangered Eastern Lowland Gorilla, which exists no where else in the world, have been trained to create wood carvings of the very animals they used to poach, using trees they grew themselves. These carvings are then sold to tourists, people visiting the park and internationally (I own a beautiful Gorilla carving!).
Now, I know that these facts do not necessarily pull at the heart strings. Westerners have a tendency to think that because DRC is facing SO many problems, why should anyone care about the environment, animals and communities living around Kahuzi-Biega? I will try to explain how I feel in regards to this.
Pole Pole is not an organization run by a celebrity. It is not a trendy organization. It was not founded by anyone in the Western world… but it has been there, helping these communities, before the war started in 1994 when the Western world didn't even know what DRC was, and 18 years later it is still going strong. This organization is based in and thrives on the idea of hope. Kahuzi-Biega is ground zero for the conflict in DRC. When Rwandan refugee's fled by the thousands over the boarder into Congo, it was Kahuzi-Biega where they decided to call home. Now 18 years later, many of the refugees have left, but the militias that were hiding amidst them have stayed and are living in the park – attacking the villages outside of the park, looting Pole Pole head quarters, stealing things from the schools, creating a feeling of unrest. But Pole Pole and its founders bravely push back against this – they solve every problem, they dedicate their lives to these communities, they give structure in times of chaos, they give people a sense of purpose and empowerment, they don't give up. There is a reason why Pole Pole Foundation stands for "Slowly Slowly but Steady". This organization is going to be around for generations. It has seen DRC come into war and it will see DRC reach the other side and become a peaceful, thriving country. Pole Pole and its founders know that there is no quick fix to solving the problems in eastern DRC. It takes years of dedication and commitment. It puts individuals like Dom and his own family, who could leave the area if they wanted to, right in the middle of the conflict, because he refuses to let their home, Kahuzi-Biega, and the communities around it, be wiped out because of a war that had nothing to do with them in the first place. Militias are mining in the park, destroying the land, destroying the second largest basin rainforest in the world, behind the Amazon, and wiping out entire populations of some of the most beautiful species of animals in the world. It is these species of animals that will most certainly draw tourism to eastern DRC when the conflict is over. I personally cannot stand the idea of DRC losing all of its natural beauty because of this war. I am so grateful to know that there are people like Dom and organizations like Pole Pole Foundation working so hard in DRC, risking their lives daily, to protect Kahuzi-Biega National Park, which is a World Heritage Site and the communities living around it.
So here is where you guys come in. I asked Megan to help me with this cause through her blog because I have seen what you, her readers, have done before to help DRC. I am organizing a 10km Run/Walk for Pole Pole Foundation fundraising event for August 21st 2010. Each person who participates in the event must raise $100 in sponsorships. I currently have 9 runners including myself. Now I know most of you would not be able to attend the run (it is in Barrie, Ontario Canada – I can picture all of you collectively saying "where the heck is that?!) but one thing I have learned since starting the Run/Walk is how many people in the States (and elsewhere) want to help causes based in DRC. So I put a PayPal link on my own blog so individuals anywhere in the world can donate to support the Run/Walk for Pole Pole Foundation. If any of you are able to, please consider donating to support the Run/Walk. 100% of the proceeds go to Pole Pole Foundation. If you are not able to donate please think about spreading the word about the Run/Walk by posting info about it on your facebook accounts and letting people know about my blog and how they can donate.
There is one neat element to all of this. I will be receiving a few small Gorilla carvings made by the men in the wood carving program. These are being shipped to me in the next few weeks and I am going to have an extra one to give to one lucky person on this page! I am following suit with Megan's other draws so how this will work is: If you donate to the Run/Walk through my blog, please let me know by saying "donated" in the comments section of this blog entry. If you are not able to donate but have posted info about the Run/Walk on your facebook or your own blogs, please write "posted" or something along those lines in the comment section. If you do both, please say "did both!" Posting on your blog/facebook page is worth 1 point. Donating is worth 2 points. Donating and re posting is worth 3 points. I will enter all of your names in a hat based on the points (the more points the better chance of winning) and after the run (August 21st) I will draw a name and you will win a hand carved Gorilla, made specifically for the event you helped support, by a carver in Pole Pole Foundations carving program! A small piece of DRC!
I cannot post a picture at the moment because the carvings are still in DRC (the guys are working so hard on them!) but as soon as I get them I will see if Megan would mind posting a pic!
Thank you so much for reading this very long blog entry and for supporting the Run/Walk for Pole Pole Foundation. I cannot explain how much I appreciate it!
To donate to support the Run/Walk via PayPal please visit my blog at:
If you would like to see the events page on facebook please visit: http://www.facebook.com/michelle.dejardine#!/event.php?eid=126635997369742&ref=mf
To learn more about Pole Pole Foundation please visit:
If you would like to read about how I decided to do the Run/Walk for Pole Pole Foundation, please read my guest blog entry at Letters to Congo:
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!
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by Brian DeCandia, sports information graduate assistant
MORROW, Ga. – The No. 26 Georgia College women's tennis team (12-7, 7-4 PBC) dropped their second match in as many days at No. 12 Clayton State University (10-5, 7-3 PBC) Monday, 7-2.
The Bobcats fell behind the Lakers 3-0 in doubles. May Johnson (Sydney, Australia) and Michelle Lingner (Dunwoody, Ga.) played out of the No. 1 doubles spot for the first time this season but were defeated by Viktoriya Semyrodenko and Ivana Krommelova, 8-5. Kayla Barksdale (Augusta, Ga.) partnered with Kim Lochner (Neu-Isenburg, Germany) for the first time as well this season and fell to Katie White and Marie Cercelletti, 8-1.
In third doubles, Lisa Setyon (Paris, France) and Kelly Edwards (Roswell, Ga.) dropped their bout to Martina Dedaj and Jessica Budd, 8-2.
With senior Bertille Lion (Lyon, France) out, Johnson stepped into the No. 1 singles position for only the second time this season but was downed by Semyrodenko, 6-1, 6-1. Barksdale got GC's first win of the day beating White in a three set marathon, 6-4, 2-6, 10-6. Lochner was toppled by Krommelova, 6-0, 6-3.
Setyon got GC back on track as she snuck past Cercelletti in the No. 4 spot, 6-1, 2-6, 10-5. With that victory she improved to 14-3 on the season and is undefeated in the fourth slot, 2-0. Lingner lost in a heartbreaker at five singles to Dedaj, 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 10-3. Edwards ended the day for the 'Cats losing out to Budd in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.
Up next, the Bobcat women travel to Brenau University for a non-conference matchup Thursday, April 7 slated for a 2 p.m. start.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, back-to-back winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.


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Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd.
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Monday April 15th in Newmarket
Wednesday April 17th in Richmond Hill
905-883-8300 or 416-798-3600 ext. 5100
Success in real estate sales requires proper training and
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Grand Opening Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd. Newmarket
Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd. hosted an open house to celebrate the opening of their new office location at 10735 Yonge St. in Newmarket Friday. The celebrations commenced at noon with various Sales Representatives, Brokers, Management, Support Staff, Members of the Community and Town of Newmarket ...


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Mind-Blowing Master-Bath Showers
Turn your master suite into a spa-worthy retreat by adding an upscale shower nestled within a stunning surround
Get ready to revel in today's hottest bathroom amenity: the shower. More than a curtained tub enclosure, today's showers feature marble surrounds, intricate tile mosaics, gleaming fixtures, glass walls, and room enough for two. Check out these master bath showers that make a big splash with both style and service.
Shown: Pink-toned Breccia Aurora marble columns add an extra blush of color to a glass-walled shower clad in white subway tiles from Crossville. On the back wall, English Bronze showerheads from Rohl are centered on New Ravenna's "Irene" tile from the Talya collection. The shower floor wears Calacatta Gold Extra marble flooring—also from Crossville.
Design: Matthew Quinn and Clay Snider
See more of this dramatic showhouse bathroom.
Refined Retreat
Positioned behind a sleek soaking tub, this two-person steam shower helps create an elegant bathing area at the center of the room. Frameless glass shower walls welcome natural light from windows on either side, showcasing a custom mosaic-tile mural on the surround's back wall. With its Blue Celeste-marble-tile center, the mural complements an elegant tiled "rug" that grounds the freestanding tub. Two rain-style showerheads pair with vintage-style handheld sprays to give each bather an ocean of spray options.
Architect: King Brown
Design: Kimberly Jamerson and Angela Otten
Privately Posh
Part of a lakefront house dressed in English Country style, this room with a view includes a luxurious shower with polished-nickel fittings, a tiled bench, and a slip-resistant mosaic-tile floor. Leaded-glass windows add a vintage flavor to the new room. A nearby towel warmer keeps linens toasty, while the honed limestone floor warms toes with a radiant heating system. See a close-up on the next slide.
Design: Moe Draz
Sumptuous Tile Style
The shower surround's distinctive tilework includes ceramic field tiles, 3x6-inch ceramic subway tiles, crushed-glass liner tiles, and a listello tile border designed with three colors of water-jet cut limestone. Dark grout adds definition as well as the look of age. The shower's fittings include an exposed thermostatic system with a rain-style showerhead and handheld shower.
Design: Moe Draz
Bold and Beautiful
More living room than lav, this side of the master bath boasts a spacious marble-framed shower standing behind a settee upholstered in glazed linen. Plus, the double-entry shower's showpiece tile mosaic is double framed in tile just like a piece of fine art. At ground level, bold Walker Zanger floor tiles from the Studio Moderne collection create a riveting show. The scale of the large-format tiles "is a response to the size of the room," says designer Shazalynn Cavin-Winfrey.
Design: Shazalynn Cavin-Winfrey
High Contrast
Homeowner Kate Gilman wanted her apartment "to feel more industrial, but with traditional elements," recalls designer Jenny Wolf. The designer delivered, starting with 10-inch wide reclaimed wood planks that extend into the bath—where custom-designed steel-and-glass doors open to reveal an oversized shower stall clad in white subway tiles. Dramatic black walls make the pale shower surround a dramatic destination. The custom Nero Marquina basket-weave shower floor with Carrara dots is from Waterworks.
Design: Jenny Wolf
Angling for Compliments
Tucked into an alcove, this shower sports a green-subway-tile surround and a glass door that makes the space feel bigger than it looks. A delicate green-and-white vine trellis pattern designed by decorative painter Andrea Torrens accents the surrounding walls—helping to visually link the bath to an adjoining green bedroom. The wall and shower tiles are by Barbara Barry for Ann Sacks.
Design: Douglas Graneto
Elegant Escape
This master bath may look housebound, but it's designed for the homeowners to take advantage of a lush landscape—even while in the shower. That's because the marble-lined shower's arched opening faces a similarly shaped window overlooking the backyard. "When you step out of the shower, you really feel like you're outdoors," says homeowner Andrea Leshem.
Design: Theresa Sterbis and Janet McCann
Pattern Play
Forget those rules about not wearing stripes with plaid—or in a situation involving an interior, mixing and matching different tile patterns. In this masterful shower design, a geometric mosaic tile wall creates a visual focal point next to an elegant wall of veined marble. Bronze fixtures play nicely with both tiled walls. A temperature control system offers preset water temperature and pressure to bathers.
Design: Ann Sneed
Natural Beauty
Although they're new, this bathroom's interior walls wear wide-plank, rough-hewn cedar—a nod to the Colorado home's 140-year history. Most walls (in the house overall) were painted white, but the bathroom's sink wall was stained to mix up the look. Large tiles mimic cedar cladding in the shower, where a pebble-tile mosaic floor adds rustic appeal as well as a slip-proof surface. "We wanted a mix of clean polished surfaces with rough textural finishes," says homeowner Allison Dodge about her renovated home. "It's still a rustic little cabin, but it's been modernized a bit."
Architect: Janet Sutterly
Desert Oasis
A cool neutral palette and expansive glass wall help this two-person shower feel open and airy—a welcome feature for a home located within Arizona's Sonoran Desert. Up near the ceiling, a trio of square windows showers this space with natural light—without compromising privacy. Down front, matching glass doors open to a surround decorated with Moroccan-inspired wall tiles, and miniature mosaic tiles on the curved bench and floor.
Design: Suzanne Biers Harrington
Serenely Stylish
Architect Rosalind Young chose large-scale limestone tiles to create a neutral framework for this master bath—which features a spa-quality steam shower in addition to sleek rectilinear wood fixtures. A crystal-clear glass enclosure shows off the back wall's many niches for sundries and starfish. "We opted for large-format 24×24-inch tiles so there are fewer joints between tiles," Young says. "This creates a look that is seamless and uncluttered—definitely more restful for the eyes."
Design: Architect Rosamund Young
Softly Southwestern
Designer Caroline Tyler DeCesare created this master bath to be a refuge that echoes the colors and textures of the Arizona landscape. Venetian plaster walls and travertine tiles in the shower surround stand in for sandy foothills, for example. Splashes of turquoise—such as the tiles lining the shower entry—keep the sunny bathroom from feeling scorched. The quatrefoil-shape tiles making up the wainscoting were hand-painted by Tabarka Studio in Scottsdale; they read more geometric than floral while fostering a Mediterranean feel. "Southwest style is greatly influenced by Mediterranean design," DeCesare says. "The tile is a beautiful example of that overlap,"
Design: Caroline Tyler DeCesare and Kelsey Hunzeker
Five-Star Retreat
Knowing how much his clients loved upscale hotel suites, designer Matthew Quinn realized that only the best materials would do for their own home. So when designing the master bath, he used Calacatta Gold marble on all sides of the walk-in shower. Medium-size wainscoting tiles give way to smaller tiles above the interior molding and on the floor, keeping the scheme unified but still interesting. "I found the multiple shapes, sizes, and patterns of the same stone to be very pleasing to the eye," says homeowner Aaron Wilson. Antiqued brass shower fixtures are modernized by their angular profiles.
Design: Matthew Quinn and Todd Bienz
Historic Haven
Part of a Napa Valley Showhouse held at Caldwell's Vineyard, the master bath in the main house is designed to connect with the property's history. Design partners Leslie Kalish and Gayle Lekson installed wainscoting and prominent moldings to reflect the status and age of the historical Victorian farmhouse. But they also included amenities such as a steam shower lined in industrial-chic Reclamation tile (a Crossville product that mixes concrete and wood looks in a porcelain tile) to speak to modern luxury. "We wanted the space to feel restful, peaceful, and connected to that setting," Kalish says. "... and the stunning tile hit just the right note."
Design: Leslie Kalish and Gayle Leksan
Shimmering Surfaces
Like it's lined with water droplets, this shower surround is covered in thousands of shimmering mosaic tiles that beckon bathers inside. The frameless glass door stands behind partial walls of Carrara marble with antiqued mirror inserts that reflect a marble-clad tub on the left and a polished-chrome stand on the right. Matching marble flooring creates a waterproof transition between the shower and the dark-stained wood that covers the rest of the bathroom floor.
Design: Fern Santini
Pamper Yourself
This master shower's decadent nature begins with Noir St. Laurent polished marble—a stunning chocolate-brown stone threaded with caramel and cream. But other features are equally indulgent. The 8x6-foot shower is large, but not drafty, and its four showerheads provide a wraparound flow of warm water. There's even a hot-water-heated towel bar inside the shower stall—strategically positioned to keep towels toasty warm yet away from the spray. Outside the enclosure, a two-way fireplace (shared with the bedroom) and heated floors keep barefoot bathers comfy.
Design: Nancy Burfiend
Easy-Going Elegance
Casa Bianca Turkish white marble and glass encase this generously sized shower, which features two showerheads, a bench, and a high round window that allows a glimpse of the sky. Furnishings and artwork elevate the comfort level of the rest of the room, making it a place to kick back and share a glass of wine. A round ottoman from O. Henry House in High Point, North Carolina, softens the space.
Design: Chad Goehring and Dee Simmons
Steamy Oasis
Designer Mary Jo Fiorella found room for a spa-worthy steam shower by removing a closet in this Silicon Valley home. The now-spacious shower includes two benches, two storage niches, and multiple showerheads to provide each spouse plenty of room to groom. "I always want to give everybody their own space," Fiorella says. "It keeps people happy." The polished-nickel fixtures include a ceiling-mount rain showerhead in the center, two regular showerheads (one by each bench), and a hand-held shower. Steam can be summoned at the touch of a button. Taupe mosaic tiles on the ceiling and floor—as well as inside the niches—were installed with white grout to emphasize their Moroccan silhouette and add an exotic flair next to white subway tiles. The floor is crafted from honed-marble floor tiles with gray, taupe, and ivory striations.
Design: Mary Jo Fiorella
Simply Luxurious
Sometimes it takes a village to create the perfect sanctuary. Or at least a team of designers. Elizabeth Elliott came first, working with the architect and builder to design a walk-in shower wearing dramatic crown molding and statuary marble walls. She chose polished-nickel fittings to flatter the stone with a warmth chrome can't offer, as well as a floor covering of marble mosaic-tiles that dazzles without looking overly busy. Interior designer Stacia Dunnam infused the mostly white space with personality by painting the walls gray and bringing in artwork, beachy accessories, and custom seating. "The details are simple but luxurious," Elliott says. "They make the room feel that no expense has been spared."
Architect: Chris Brandon
Builder: Andrew Patterson
Design: Elizabeth Elliott and Stacia Dunnam
Gorgeous Glory
Moroccan influences dominate this home's master bathroom, an artistic outcome of the homeowners' global travels. It's impossible to overlook the shower's keyhole entrance trimmed in wood. Or the mashrabiya-effect panels on the ceiling and door. And it's especially hard to miss the vibrant zellige tilework—a technique in which glazed hand-cut tiles are assembled to create a geometric pattern. The homeowners, Bob and Mia Matthews, even hung a painting they picked up in Casablanca. "Traveling to Morocco when we were designing the house was huge," Mia says. "Being able to touch the tile, for instance, to feel the materials where they live, was important. These things give the house great authenticity. It feels like it's been here a long time. There's a soul to our home."
Design: Frank de Biasi
Tile Style
Interior designer Sherry Hart used a mix of tiles in this master bath shower to add visual interest. Porcelain floor tiles resemble weathered planks while offering easy-to-clean durability underfoot. The shower surround's large striated tiles add a bit of contemporary flair. Hart lined the shower niches with dark glass tiles for subtle contrast (she also used them on the wall behind the nearby soaking tub). "Even though we used three different tiles in a small space, they all complement each other nicely," she says. A frameless glass enclosure gives the corner shower a sense of spaciousness, while showcasing the tile design.
Design: Sherry Hart
Window Seat
Sunlight streams through the oval window set into a Calacatta Gold marble-clad shower. The oval shape is one of several decorative motifs repeated throughout the home to subtly connect spaces. The master bath is topped with a dramatic oval tray ceiling. In the dining room, an oval ceiling recess hovers over Klismos-style chairs and a curvaceous chandelier. Even the kitchen islands wear bas relief oval designs on their end panels. "There is a big difference between rooms that are matchy-matchy and those that are cohesive," says designer Stephanie Wohlner. "In a home of this size, subtly repeating elements ties everything together."
Architect: Michael Hershenson
Design: Stephanie Wohlner


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I guess I wasn't aware of how deeply down a people could be held.
In her fearless defense of lynching victims and African Americans' right to due process, Wells often bucked the backward conventional wisdom of the era. When she began her campaign against lynching in the late 19th century there wasn't consensus among African Americans that lynching was worthy of a national social justice movement, nor was there agreement about the terroristic sexual politics that motivated white lynch mobs.
There wasn't a consensus to oppose lynching? It's a good thing Ida B. Wells was there to fight the fight.


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2013 TCAP Results
Overall District Growth
- Scores increased for the majority of districts in almost every subject, showing major gains, particularly in STEM subjects.
- District proficiency levels revealed major improvements in math skills.
- Nearly 30 districts across the state saw double-digit gains in Algebra I, some gaining over 25 percentage points.
- More than 50 districts saw double-digit gains in Algebra II, some reporting growth over 40 percentage points.
- More than 115 districts showed improvement on math scores in grades 3-8.
- The majority of districts across the state narrowed the achievement gap for black, Hispanic and Native American students in the majority of subjects.
Overall State Growth
- Following the implementation of Race to the Top, Tennessee has seen three consecutive years of overall growth on the TCAP.
- Nearly 91,000 additional students are at or above grade level in all math subjects now, as compared to 2010 (73,400 in 3-8 math, 7,800 in Algebra I, and 9,800 in Algebra II).
- Nearly 52,000 additional students are at or above grade level in all science subjects, as compared to 2010 (50,100 in 3-8 science, 1,600 in biology).
- Economically disadvantaged students (those who receive free or reduced-price lunch) grew at a faster rate in 2013 than their peers.
- Some gaps between black, Hispanic and Native American students and their peers also decreased.
- More than 10,000 additional students took the regular TCAP in 2013 instead of a modified special education assessment, in an effort to increase rigor for all students.
Achievement data for all Tennessee schools: School-Level Achievement Data
District-level data for Grades 3-8 and High School can be viewed and downloaded from the State Report Card.
Grades 3-8
- For the first time since standards were reset, more than 50 percent of students are on grade level in every TCAP subject.
- More than 73,000 additional students are on grade level in math, and nearly 27,000 in reading since 2010.
- Students made gains on 22 of 24 tested subjects.
- Math scores grew by 3.5 percentage points.
- The proficiency rates in 3-8 science grew by more than 2 percentage points.
- Reading scores grew by 0.4 percentage points.
High School
- Students made major gains in high school STEM subjects of science and math:
- 8.7 percentage point gain in Algebra II
- 6.4 percentage point gain in biology
- 5 percentage point gain in Algebra I.
- Students made gains on six of seven End of Course exams.
- Nearly 18,000 more students are proficient in Algebra I and II since 2010.
- Proficiency rates increased by about two percent in English I and English III, but moved backward about one percentage point in English II.


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We have tried and won a myriad of cases: from business and commercial cases to conflicts involving the giants of U.S. industry; from patent and federal trade cases to murder cases where lives hung in the balance; from personal injury cases to civil rights cases that changed the legal landscape. We are ready to be your lawyers, your "or else."
We are among the most experienced, talented and decorated trial lawyers in the state of Minnesota. Each of our named partners is a fellow of The American College of Trial Lawyers, which is widely regarded as the preeminent professional organization for trial lawyers in North America.
Robert Bennett has been named an "Attorney of The Year" by Minnesota Lawyer six times. Steve Gaskins, Robert Bennett, and Andrew Birrell have all previously been named "Super Lawyers." Robert Bennett and Andrew Birrell have been named as one of Minnesota's top 100 Super Lawyers three times. Andrew Noel, Paul Dworak and Katie Bennett have also been named an "Attorney of the Year" by Minnesota Lawyer. Andrew Noel, Paul Dworak, and Katie Bennett have also previously been recognized as "Rising Stars."
Our practice areas are diverse, and with that diversity we bring experience and perspectives to the table that you will not find elsewhere. Whether you are a national corporation looking for representation on sophisticated matters across the country or an individual with a dire problem right here at home in Minnesota, we have a lawyer that is ready to provide you with unparalleled counseling and advocacy. The lawyers at our firm do many different things, and we excel at all of them.
Click the button below to contact us today!


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|"They are also unimpressed by the Golden Globes."
I've always wanted to participate again, but I'm always flummoxed. How do I come up with ONE thing I love about this city that I love SO MUCH.
Inevitably, after the deadline to volunteer passes, I think of something. And of course, I've thought of that something this year.
One thing I love about Louisville: Louisville is full of funny people.
Google the "funniest actor in Louisville." The top search result leads to my boyfriend. (Who, in my humble opinion, also deserves the title "best laugh in Louisville" and maybe even "most unsung altruist in Louisville.") Sometimes, when I mention that to someone – "you know, my boyfriend's been called the 'funniest actor in Louisville'– people will respond: "Well, IS he?"
And the answer, I think, is yes. He also happens to be a very funny person when not in character. It's what drew me to him in the first place. And it's one of the many things that keeps me psyched about loving him on a day-to-day basis.
I gravitate toward funny people. I like to think that I'm a funny person myself. But the people I love most in the world– and in this city– are the people who make me laugh hardest and longest.
And it's not just the "expected" people; I spend a lot of time with actors and performers and writers and "public figures," and it's not surprising that they're quick with a quip.
It's my friend who graffitis her Twitter pictures with images of cats.
It's the fact sometimes I will lose whole hours at work because my co-workers (all of whom are my "superiors" at work, so I feel justified in playing along) get on a roll with funny stories.
It's my favorite mom and our friends rewriting the rulebook for the Montessori school her daughter attends.
But no joke, the funniest thing I've seen all year is local twitter humorist "Brokey McPoverty" (best handle ever!) and her #RespectableHipHop meme.
I have to admit, I follow then unfollow Brokey all the time. She's a prolific tweeter, and sometimes when she's on a roll, it is pure gold. And sometimes I'm so busy that her prolificness is just too much for my feed, and I pull the plug.
But after this most recent "roll," I may never pull the plug again.
From her blog:
Last night, much of Twitter united to reclaim and rewrite our favorite less-than-progressive rap and hip hop lyrics. It was a beautiful thing.
It all started when I was listening to 2 Chainz, which I do when there's no one around to judge me for it, and I thought about the line "She got a big booty, so I call her big booty." I thought to myself, really? You can't find a more inventive nickname than that? This is what's passing for a rap lyric these days? Then I thought to myself–how fucking rude. You strip her of her name–her entire identity–and refer to her by her ass?? Inappropriate, 2 Chainz. Not cool at all. So, I revised it for him.
Then figured, why not help out some other misguided hippety hop rappers, too. Thankfully, Twitter joined in on the campaign and what we got was a few of the most hilarious hours of tweets I've seen in awhile. Not putting all of them here was tough, but here are some of the best.
I laughed so hard I hurt myself. That's the best kind of ouch in the world.
We have a lot of "professionally funny" people here in Louisville. We're lucky to have the Comedy Caravan and The Bard's Town. I'm not too broken up about the loss of The Improv on 4th Street Live! because we have these two homegrown venues. We have the Louisville Improvisors and Le Petomane Theatre Ensemble. Hunter S. Thompson was funny. Muhammad Ali was and is hilarious at times.
There's Kentucky for Kentucky and Lebowski Fest. And we're about to host Pee Wee Over Louisville.
Joseph Ley's, Why Louisville, even the recently-departed and WAY-controversial Lynn's Paradise Cafe: funny stuff.
We're a funny town. We're a smart town. And I love that so often I will meet a new person and think: "Wow, that's the funniest conversation I've had in...."
In what? A week? Maybe? At most?
I love that Louisvillagers makes me laugh. For all the right reasons. Y'all are funny, funny people. Thank you for entertaining me.


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I have to start this post off by saying congratulations to the Class of 2011! You did it!
Post University's graduation on May 7 was a wonderful event. The weather was beautiful, the campus looked spectacular in full springtime bloom, and the air was filled with the excitement of recognizing an important milestone in the lives of more than 500 Post University graduates who are now looking forward to embarking on the next great chapter in their lives.
Although not all of our graduates were able to make it to our 121st commencement, we had a great showing, with about 400 grads coming to walk in front of their family and friends. Special congrats are in order for our undergraduate co-valedictorians, William Anton Jens of Watertown, Conn., and Matthew Ouellette of Bristol, Conn., who were photographed as part of the RepublicanAmerican's coverage of Post University's graduation.
We also snapped some photos ourselves, and you can view our slide show here. See if the camera caught you!
For the second consecutive year, we videotaped graduation via a live video feed for those who were not able to attend in person. Watch our blog for the video footage.
You also can browse our graduate profiles to learn more about some of Post University's graduates' journeys. If you filled out a graduate profile, share it with family, friends, and anyone else who's helped you along the way!
To all my fellow Class of 2011 graduates, I wish you the best of luck. Please stay in touch!


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I'm sitting on a rowing machine but instead of staring at a line of exercise bikes in the local gym I'm gazing at two squirrels frisking in the grass. Beyond them are ducks paddling on a lake fringed with willow trees. I'm at a free outdoor gym in North London's Broomfield Park and if there's a heaven for fitness junkies, this is it.
Anyone who's ever used an indoor treadmill knows there's a big difference between exercising indoors and doing it in a natural environment – the enhanced sense of wellbeing that comes with fresh air and a green space is huge. With an outdoor gym like this one you get the same effect.
Gyms like these are appearing in parks all over the world - in Europe, the US and South Africa, as well as Australia. A 2010 study of outdoor gyms found there were more than 60 in Sydney alone.
There are big advantages to fresh air gyms. Number one is they're free so lack of money for gym membership is no barrier to accessing equipment to improve muscle strength or cardiovascular fitness. They're also great for anyone who feels intimidated by regular gyms and that includes older people who can really benefit from getting stronger – the day I used the Broomfield Park gym the mix of ages included some over-70s. Thirdly, combining exercise with natural environments can be a mood-booster. We already know that exercise can improve mental health and there's also growing evidence that being in green spaces helps, too.
Are there downsides? Weather is the main one - outdoor rowing machines don't beckon on rainy days. Not all outdoor gyms are in shady spots, either, so it's smart to use them in the cooler parts of the day and cover up with hat and sunscreen. And although the equipment should have clear instructions showing you how to use it safely, there's no one to show you how to get the most out of it - so I got some tips from an expert, Dr Jarrod Meerkin, a spokesperson for Exercise and Sports Science Australia, the professional organisation of exercise physiologists.
His advice is to go for equipment that uses large muscle groups in the legs and upper body. If there's a step or a low bar, use it to do lunges to strengthen bottom and thigh muscles. Keeping your back straight, put one foot forward on the step and then lower your back leg until it's almost on the floor. Don't let your front leg go over your toe. Repeat six to 15 times (depending on how strong you are), and switch to the other leg.
A rowing machine will improve cardiovascular fitness as well as upper and lower body strength, while using a chin up bar will target the muscles of the upper back and biceps. Don't let the idea of chin ups daunt you, says Meerkin – you can begin with a modified version to get you started.
"Along with a high bar for doing regular chin ups, there's often a lower bar that you can reach without your feet dangling off the ground," he says. "You can grasp it with your palms facing you, shoulder width apart. Slide your body under the bar then pull yourself back up with your legs off the ground. As you get stronger you can progress to a full chin up."
With no trainer to urge you along, it's up to you to work harder as you improve - but there are ways to do that, Meerkin says.
"You can gradually increase the number of times you do a circuit of the equipment, you can combine a circuit with a jog around the park – and you can download a mobile app with an interval training program that can help you get fitter or stronger by alternating 'sprints' of intense exercise with working out at a slower pace."
Have you used an outdoor gym yet?


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FAYETTE CROSS: Fayette's top girls turned in fast times at the large Tiffin Invitational cross country event Saturday as the Eagles went up against some strong competition.
Melani Seiler turned in the best place for Fayette, finishing 67th in the varsity girls race with a time of 21:27. Jill Stuckey followed with another good time, taking 74th at 21:40.
Other teammates were Liz Maginn (131st, 22:51), Sarah Kovar (175th, 23:56), Maddie Maginn (209th, 24:43) and Ashtyn Baker (257th, 26:22).
In the boys race, Dalton Goeltzenleuchter placed 181st at 19:32, followed by Ian Schrock (192nd, 19:44), Cole Burkholder (245th, 21:49), Nathan Seiler (239th, 21:31), Jared Wagner (211th, 20:20), Dylan Aschemeier (231st, 20:51) and Dylan Stannard (261st, 23:06).
Fayette junior high boys placed third overall, led by Casen Burkholder (6th, 12:11) and Austin Lopez (11th, 12:26).
Other Eagles finishers were Alex Jaramillo (29th, 13:08), Christian Suarez (34th, 13:14), Bryce Conklin (49th, 13:33) and Jerad Seiler (63rd, 13:47).
Fayette's girls placed fifth: Kaela Seiler (19th, 13:38), Haley Perdue (20th, 13:39), Kelsey Fruchey (28th, 14:05), Alexis Fruchey (54th, 14:44) and Taylor Griffiths (69th, 15:05).
FAYETTE GOLF: Fayette's Riley Martin enjoyed the home course Sept. 30, blazing across DeMor Hills for medalist honors with a 37.
Dusty Lantz wasn't far behind at 40 strokes to help lead the Eagles to a 178-197 BBC victory against Edon.
Jon Boesger was next at 50, followed by Zayne Colegrove and Matt Storrs who each carded 51s. Alec Hylander finished at 54.
Edon's top scorer came through with 46.
MORENCI CROSS: Morenci's Luke Spaulding turned in his best time ever at Hudson's course Sept. 6 with an 18:20 to place fifth overall at the Hudson Invitational.
His brother Jake was next for the Bulldogs at 19:32 in 13th place, followed by Reagan Stowell (21st, 20:28) and Spencer Elliott (34th, 22:19).
Addison's Stephan Biggs won the race with a time of 16:50.
Morenci's Tatyana Pless placed second in the girls race at 22:15, far behind the winner, Shaley Albaugh from Hillsdale Academy who finished at 19:51.
Mariah Gillen took ninth at 24:20, Taylor Baugh was 26th at 27:19 and Mary Margaret Hollstein placed 43rd at 35:44.
With only four runners in each race, the Bulldogs didn't post a team score.
MORENCI FOOTBALL: Of course it had to happen on the longest road trip of the season.
After making the 80-mile drive to Whitmore Lake (0-3), Morenci's football team faced a long series of weather delays.
By the time the Bulldogs (2-1) walked off the field for the final time, with a 33-14 TCC victory, it was nearly 11:30 p.m.
There was never more than a drizzle when the players were on the field, said coach Taz Wallace, but every new flash of lightning took players off the field for 30 minutes.
"It was a sloppy game," Wallace said, "but we went out there and got it done. We did some good things."
The Bulldogs also made some mistakes and one of those led to a Whitmore Lake touchdown. One incident was a blown assignment and the other resulted from a wrong line-up.
"Those are the things you have to eliminate," he said. "We still need to improve."
Morenci scored on its first possession of the game when quarterback Cody Powell hit Austin Sandusky for a 56-yard pass play. Kendrick Taylor kicked to make it 7-0.
The Trojans matched that early in the second quarter with their own 56-yard pass play, but Morenci added two more touchdowns—both by Max Gautz—before halftime.
After a Whitmore Lake fumble, Gautz traveled 39 yards on the next play.
With time running out in the half, Gautz crossed the goal line from one yard out with just 15 seconds on the clock. Taylor kicked the PAT on both scores for a 21-6 lead.
The Trojans closed the gap to 21-14 on a touchdown run and conversion pass late in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs pulled away in the fourth.
Morenci's defense did the job for the next score when Gemonte Gibson moved in to grab a Trojan pass and race 55 yards to the end zone.
"We put pressure up front and the quarterback threw the ball up," Wallace said.
With two minutes to play and the Trojans facing a fourth-and-43 situation, a bad snap gave Morenci the ball. Sandusky ran the next play for a 15-yard touchdown to make it 33-14.
Although Morenci was the clear leader on the scoreboard, Whitmore Lake nearly tallied as many yards rushing, finishing with only four yards less. The Bulldog defense socked the Trojans with a loss of 71 yards for a total of 77 yards on the ground. Whitmore Lake, with its 34-player roster, lost the ball once on a fumble and three times on interceptions. Jay Howard had one interception and Gibson grabbed a pair.
The Trojans attempted 30 passes and netted 152 yards on 13 completions. Their quarterback was caught behind the line several times and netted negative 23 yards rushing.
Powell completed five of 13 attempts for 89 yards—most of that on Sandusky's touchdown play. Gautz led in rushing yards with 72 on 14 attempts.
"We haven't established our running game yet," Coach Wallace said.
After three games on the road, the Bulldogs finally have a show for their home fans Friday. Madison (1-2) visits for the second league contest of the season.
The Trojans have a quarterback capable of passing, Coach Wallace said, and some overall team speed.
If Madison goes with their same game plan, the Bulldogs will face a pass-oriented team this week.
"That will be a new challenge for the kids," he said.
Wallace has had enough bus rides for a while.
"It's going to be great to be home," he said.
JV FOOTBALL: Morenci's junior varsity football team picked up a league win Thursday without ever stepping onto the field.
Whitmore Lake canceled its trip to Morenci claiming a shortage of players.
The Bulldogs will travel Thursday to Madison for a 6 p.m. contest.


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Minor in African American and African Diaspora Studies
The African American and African Diaspora Studies Program is offered under the auspices of the Interdisciplinary Studies unit of the College of Liberal Arts. Students may major or minor in African American and African Diaspora Studies. The program in African American and African Diaspora Studies is designed to provide students with the critical tools required, and to expose them to the historical knowledge and current research necessary, for an informed understanding of the Afro-American experience today. The program is built around a core of courses that systematically document critical aspects of the Afro-American experience from its antecedents in antiquity to the prominent issues of the present day. Engaging both past and contemporary aspects of this experience provides students access to materials and events that have historically not been given adequate treatment, and allows students to contextualize current issues relating to Afro-Americans in an academically critical way. The program is also designed to effectively prepare students who desire to continue on to graduate work in African American and African Diaspora Studies.
The primary objective of the major in African American and African Diaspora Studies is for students to gain a solid foundation in the history and culture of Afro-Americans from before the beginnings of slavery in British North America up to the present time. This foundation is a historically and critically contextualized one in that the African American and African Diaspora Studies Program does not start with the assumption that Afro-American history begins in 1619. Rather, the program very specifically reaches much farther back in history in order to allow students to gain an appreciation of the ways that global economic systems, technological advances, and political change contributed to the environment that made the introduction of Africans to British North America in 1619 possible. This primary objective is met through the first three of the four core courses: AAS 101 (Afro-American Survey I), AAS 102 (Afro-American Survey II), and AAS 330 (From Civil Rights to Black Power and Beyond). A secondary objective is for students to be able to concentrate their studies on particular areas of interest within an overall African American and African Diaspora Studies framework. With affiliated faculty in other UNLV departments, the African American and African Diaspora Studies Program is especially suited to meet this objective. Related to both of the above objectives is the tertiary objective for graduates of the program to be well prepared for post-baccalaureate work in African American and African Diaspora Studies. An undergraduate degree in African American and African Diaspora Studies gives potential graduate students the firm foundation necessary for engaging the more complex material they will encounter in graduate programs focused on African American and African Diaspora Studies.
For information regarding accreditation at UNLV, please head over to Academic Program Accreditations.
Learning Objectives
- Identify major events in Afro-American history.
- Relate major events in Afro-American history to British North-American and United States history generally.
- Identify and analyze select current issues in contemporary Afro-American life and culture.
- Identify general cultural or sub-cultural aspects of the Afro-American experience vis-à-vis the mainstream American experience.
- Explain how the rapid rise of the United States as a world power in the 19th century was directly related to the forced labor of Africans and Afro-Americans.
- List the major events of the Civil Rights Movement.
- Relate the Black Power Movement to the Civil Rights Movement that preceded it, and to the current era.
- Describe at least one mode of Afro-American literary or artistic achievement, including its major figures.
- Recognize the major political and social figures of Afro-American history and culture.
- Display an ability to produce acceptable, university-level written work.


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There are many benefits to working from home - you avoid rush hour traffic, save money on gas, control your work environment and can say goodbye to uncomfortable business attire.
Telecommuting is good for the earth, too, cutting back on vehicle emissions and reducing the need for office space, utilities and supplies.
But it's important to go into telework knowing what to expect, and that includes 10 common pitfalls that can derail your success.
From the distractions of home life to the distrust of some employers, here are the top 10 telecommuting pitfalls to avoid:
1. Distractions
If you have a spouse, children or roommates at home who are used to going about their daily routine without you being there, you may have trouble with noise and interruptions. Set aside a quiet space for your office, keep the door closed and most importantly, set boundaries. Impress upon those around you the importance of having a distraction-free environment while you're working. If you can't do this, telework might not be for you.
2. Lack of a routine
Before you started telecommuting, you likely had a set routine: grabbing a cup of coffee on the way to work, checking your email upon arrival, scheduled meetings and lunch breaks at the same time each day. At home, there's less structure, and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by your tasks or to forget to do certain things. Set a routine that's similar to the one you had at the office, and use a timer if necessary to keep yourself on task.
3. Increased workload
Sometimes, the spouses of telecommuting workers forget that you're actually working, and heap on additional household responsibilities. Being present at home doesn't mean you're suddenly available to do laundry, run errands or supervise children. Similarly, employers may feel that teleworkers have more time on their hands and are therefore able to take on more work. While telecommuters may have to give in to working an extra hour or so each day in order to work from home in the first place, be sure not to take on too many extra tasks.
4. Isolation
Don't underestimate the value of social interaction, especially if you're an extrovert. Working from home can be ideal for introverted personalities who are able to focus better when they're alone, but many people find that they thrive on the company of others for creativity and motivation. Telecommuters who enjoy the social aspect of their job may be unhappy with the isolation of working from home.
5. Out of sight, out of mind
When you're no longer interacting with your higher-ups on a regular basis, you may be overlooked. Your presence at your workplace helps remind your bosses of your value to the company. When you telecommute, you have to work a little harder at maintaining communication with your colleagues, remaining available for instant messaging, video chat or phone calls. Participate in group projects as often as possible, and consider going in to work at least once a week.
6. Communication problems
There's more to communication than just reading typed words. When you're only communicating with your colleagues over email or instant messaging, you miss out on body language, tone of voice and other nonverbal feedback. Working from home, you can also fall out of the loop when it comes to office chit-chat that can affect your job, like staff promotions or lay-offs. Both of these problems can be alleviated by occasionally visiting work to talk to your supervisors and co-workers.
7. Data security
When you step outside the office with sensitive data on your computer or in your briefcase, your employers lose the ability to control the security of that information. It's up to you to prevent sensitive data leaks that can occur due to theft, hacking or viruses. Be aware of your work-related papers and equipment at all times, and keep your anti-virus software up to date. Use log-in passwords on all of your devices, and password-protect folders containing important information.
8. Limited equipment
Employees who work from home often do so using their own computers, printers, telephones, wireless internet routers and other electronics. This can be a benefit, especially in cases where office equipment isn't updated regularly, but it also places responsibility for equipment quality and availability on you. You may find that you need additional equipment beyond what you already have in your home office, and that your employers are not willing to provide it for you.
9. Inability to separate work and home life
As with the distractions and added domestic responsibilities, the lines between work and home life can be blurred when telecommuters find themselves completing work tasks at night and on weekends. It can be easy to find yourself thinking, 'I'll just answer that email', and suddenly lose four hours of your Saturday. Try to keep your work tasks contained within your regular working hours to prevent the kind of burn-out that these blurred lines can foster.
10. Dealing with distrustful employers
Some employers agree to a telecommuting arrangement on a trial basis, but are unconvinced that remote workers will actually get anything done. They wonder whether you're actually just playing games, watching movies or getting a tan in your backyard instead of completing your tasks. This is especially true in jobs that don't produce clear evidence of work completed, like customer service. You may have to find other ways to prove your productivity, like taking notes of calls or sending regular status updates via email.
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