text:
Well, the end is coming, and I am thrilled. But I am apprehensive. I have not ever been in the position that I worry about the idea that if I needed to work ….I couldn't. Well, this is that time. I am taking a big step into the abyss. Will I find a bottom or will i just keep falling. I have quit temporarily three times in my life time without any idea of whether I would work or not. All three times, I had to go back to work. This is scary. I don't think anyone would hire this old lady…and truly I do not want to be hired. I want to spend the rest of my life doing what I want to do within reason. No, I do not expect to loll around and not have to watch my budget or be lazy. I know that I must keep going and keep myself sharp. I lots of things I can do to do that. My problem is that I do not want to HAVE to go back to work full time. So I will keep my fingers crossed and yep, pray that I will not have to.
I want to enjoy my leisure time and not have to worry about MONDAY. (A friend told me the greatest thing about retiring is not have to worry about MONDAY.) Until later
I have been vey lax in writing, but several times I could not even get on. I am hoping that this will be fixed now. Let me check it out.
May 24, 2007
I have been told that I am not keeping up with my blog. So true!
I read over 2006 and realized during that entire year I wrote again in such a depressing mind set. I guess that is why my kids keep asking me –"Are you alright?"
Basically, yes, I am alright. I am tired, depressed from time to time, angry from time to time, and happy for the most part. My home life is good! In fact, I am blest by my situation. My husband loves me, my kids love me, and things are better for us than most people. So I guess you could say that I am normal and my life is normal. The only thing is I feel helpless sometimes about situations that occur which bother me. But that seems to have become my personality since the hurricane. It is also the personality of my friends that have been affected by the hurricane. Hopefully, all of us will become more relaxed and get a sense of peace again.
The end of the school year is here again. So I shall try to write an informative anaylsis and not a depressing story.
We made it again. Elaine and I consider that quite an accomplishment. We have found some people we like and some people we DO NOT like.
- Teachers:
The other interventionists are nice to us, but I can imagine they think we are "old fogies". This doesn't bother me because I am! We like them and get a kick out of their ideas sometimes. They are soooo young.
- Principal:
At the top of our DO NOT like list is the principal. He does not only suffer from "foot in mouth" disease, he is also suffering from "panic attacks". He is scared not only of the kids he is suppose to be a 'leader of', but he is scared of his parents and teachers also. Teachers being the least. Mostly the parents. He goes through a major "investigation" of every event (discipline problem). I don't know how many, but I am aware of four of them that disturb me to the hilt!!! When he gets involved, he talks to other teachers that may know something, the kids involved, any kids that were in the vicinity of the event and then last– to the original teacher about what he found out. In over 35 years, I have never worked for a principal that did that. Even Mr. Joey Hebert didn't. that. And he was someone I did not like that much. But I have never been put in the position to feel that a parent or kid could cause me to lose my job. Then he takes the result which will give him the easiest or least drastic result. It doesn't matter what the teacher writes down, because they are the least involved–he thinks. Their opinions are the least important. Both Ms. Elaine and Ms. Butcher (twice) were involved. Then the lady who handles special ed was involved. She politely told him, I am 54 years old and I disagree with your decision. She also told him never to 'investigate' her again. When a situation occurs regarding discipline problems, we have to write them up. This is standard procedure. The further investigation normally does not occur unless it is a possibility that another teacher was on duty at the time. Talking to other kids is only done if they do not believe what the child in trouble said. The questioning also gives the children the feeling that they are talking only about the child. Why?? Because you get several different results. They lie, they tell you what they think you want to know and sometimes they do tell the truth. In one of the situations, he had three different stories from three different children none of which were what the teacher said. All I know is, I do not like the feeling of insecurity from the top. We are losing our assistant principal, she got a promotion. That really makes me nervous. I know that next year, if I have any type of discipline problems in my group, I will keep behavior documentation.
- The Job:
This was the best part of the year. I enjoyed the groups I had. They were good. I hope that it continues through next year.
So when I am asked will you come back. (I say —Yes, one year at a time) Do I really want to be where I am. Only because of the children. I am attached to some of them.
I decided that I would practice and insert our little visitors for everyone to see. Let the creepy music play.
As you should have guessed by the name, this is a private blog. If you want to read the contents of the blog you have to be logged in and a subscriber.
Have a goodday,
(Sounds like a sitcom)
2005 and 2006 have been very stressful years for me. I do hope that 2007 will be better. But if New Year's Day is be a "sign" of the year. Good Heavens, I have no hope. This Christmas Season was different to say the least.
Christmas Eve: We met with Trey and Amanda for supper. We ate steaks and potatoes. It was very tasty and we had a good visit. Steve and I knew that we would be by ourselves on Christmas Day, so we planned to just stay home and not worry about anything. That was after I reminded him that he should not care if he did not open any present for Christmas Day.
December 26th: Trey and I took out to the stores. Trey was not happy for shopping on the day after Christmas. We had shopped earlier, but some gifts had been gotten yet. I kept reminding him that it was just as bad as the days before. So we did what we could.
December 27th: Halie and I went to Lafayette to spend a day playing. Dixey had called the day before so I planned to meet them while we were there. We had a great visit and I think Esther put up with Halie very well. She is only a year older than Halie, but she is so much more mature. Halie and I had a wonderful time as always.
December 28th: We decided to meet Mary and David in Lafayette at Trey's. They were going shopping and needed the extra time. As to when they actually got in-my times have long left my mind, but we met with them around 7:00pm and went to Zea's for supper. We enjoyed the visit and meal. Made plans to meet to see Michelle the next night.
December 29th: The weather was setting up to be a bad one. It had been raining and was looking like it would be bad. Michelle had made it in just in time to miss the bad weather
December 30th: "The Bennett's Christmas Day". The rain had followed her here, so we knew that we would have to have Christmas at Trey's. We brought all the Christmas gifts over to Trey's. We had Christmas and then began to enjoy messing around with the kids. Steve took Trey, Mary, and David to Mike's for supper. We (Amanda, Michelle, and I) decided to stay because we were not really hungry. David talked us into spending the night, because he wanted to visit with us more. We stayed up late, but when the kids were ready to go to sleep we did. Steve began coughing that night so he left and went home despite the water.
December 31st: The next morning, Steve came back. We had had donuts and were enjoying our visiting. Steve decided he wanted to go back and we could come back on New Year's Day. Since I knew the kids would want to do something fun that night. I decided to leave and go back with Steve.
January 1st: I got up early to start making cornbread and getting ready for the New Year's Day dinner. When Steve came home on New Year's Eve, he was running fever. He felt very bad the next day and had planned to stay home. We received a phone call from David and he told us that Trey was very sick. Throwing up and running a fever. So fixing dinner was out. I told them to make a decision and let me know. Steve was sick and would not be coming no matter what. We went to Lafayette's Restaurant and ate. Then I visited with them for a while and finally decided it was time for me to leave. I hated to leave because I knew that I would not be seeing David or Mary for quite some time.
After all of this, we wonder just what our year would be like. (We had another deluge come through on 3rd of January. Water went over the road and I was not feeling great myself. So Thursday and Friday, I took off and stayed home. Hoping this would keep me from really being sick! So far so good!
Once again I am pondering the end of the year. I have not sat down at the computer as I did before, because rereading my blogs reminded me that I seem to write only when I am depressed these days. How do I feel today' I hear this quite often, but I can truly say. Okay. In fact, that has been my reply every time I am asked. Why don't I say -'fine' Well, there are specific reasons.
I am comfortable here in the woods. I enjoy my ride home at night. But the ride is a rather strange one. From 8:00 to 10:00 it is empty. The people that use to travel it so much are not here. Bancker road is absolutely empty. I wonder at time why am I out driving while everyone else is in their homes. The sad part is I have not seen one deer. Only armadillos, skunks, and possums.
I went to the Road Home meeting on October 24th. (This is a program set up to give it citizenry the ability to rebuild their homes and possibly return to their home.) Two weeks after the meeting, a man came to inspect our home. He inspected it and wrote the report up. We had a nice visit with him and he left. But he did inform us that we would not hear anything for at least 2 to 3 months. That was what my advisor said at the time I interviewed. So we sit waiting.
We went on a trip to Odessa for Thanksgiving. We decided to make it a circle returning through Dallas so I could visit Aunt Olga. This was important since Uncle Bud had died on November 3rd. I felt I needed to see how she was doing. When we got to Vernon's, we had to stay with them. Well, I made the best of it by copying all those pictures I had asked Vernon and Sherry to copy and send me. Now I have pictures of their kids to go in the Bennett book. Steve became sick there and we had to stay an extra day. He had quit smoking before we left, so -….. When we got to Odessa, I was faced with a shock! I guess, Mitzi was right the other shoe dropped. Claudine is not well. It really disturbed me. I knew she sounded unusual on the phone, and I was very worried about her health the entire time I was there. We left there and went to Aunt Olga. This was the bright spot in my travels. Aunt Olga was fine and seemed to adjust well with Pat. I know that Pat will be happier and more relaxed now. If we can say anything good comes out of a death, it is that Aunt Olga can now relax and spend the rest of her life comfortable though lonely. She had worried herself sick about Uncle Bud. She could not relax for fear that something would happen to him and he was so unhappy. Now she knows though she misses him terribly, that he is at rest. We returned and realized that we had worn ourselves out.
School this year is a myriad of complex feelings. When we started, we were disappointed. The atmosphere at this school began on the wrong foot. At our very first meeting the principal put his foot in his mouth for us. He told his teachers that there were way too many referrals for discipline. He said,"He knew we would have problems, but I am surprised with how many in such a short time. But we have to realize that we are working with kids that came from schools that have treated their students with laissez faire!" I saw RED! The nerve to say that because these kids came from a different school, that they had not done their job to reach these children. Well, there were some pissed off Henry teachers to say the least. Then he repeated that there are still too many when he talked in October. But when I heard a teacher telling a child "We don't care how you behaved at Henry, you won't behave that way here." I became very upset. Ms. Mitzi told the Behavior Interventionist leader that I was very upset. She visited me and I preceded to tell her my problem. I explained to her that Mr. Hebert (the principal here is named the same as my old principal) had made the teachers think that they were going to have to treat the children from Henry differently and more strictly than the others because they had not learned how to behave at Henry. Well, I was very disappointed. Do I feel that I got my point across' Well, I am not sure. But she does ask me how I am every time she sees me. I want to tell her it is not me I am worried about. Because of this atmosphere, most of the teachers from Henry will be leaving. We had it too good at Henry. One teacher told me she does not feel welcome here. She definitely does not have her referrals taken care of. I think he is afraid that he will look bad if he has to send a child home. I don't know what he thought he was getting. Our children are definitely not angels, but for the most part are not devils either. He should move to New Iberia. Then he would know what is bad. What really surprises me is that there are too many young teachers and some clueless older teachers who have never worked with truly at risk kids. On Wednesday, a down syndrome child in first grade said, "Bitch, do my work." What was their reaction' Send for the 'boogey' man. (For those out there that don't know. The 'boogey man' is not the principal. He is a man hired because his mother is a teacher and he is hired as a paraprofessional. He used to be a wrestler. He is now part of the Behavior Intervention Team. By the way, no one is scared of the principal.) Well, he stood there towering over the little child and fussed at her. She looked up at him like "What are you talking about' And who are you'" More than likely she did not truly understand what she had said and done. I am sure she realized it was something that would draw attention to her, but really could not decide that it was bad. I will be surprised if the parent does not come back and talk to the principal. For one time, I would say he has every right to. They handled it completely wrong. I need to see what I can do about not working. I know that it will be hard, but I don't know if I want to teach here next year. All of the classroom teachers said that they would not return next year. A miracle would have to occur. One lady said, the minute she walked into Henry she had felt wanted and appreciated. She does not feel that here.
My reading groups are fun though. I have enjoyed each and every one of them. Oh, I have to fuss at some, but I was lucky to get good kids. Or at least kids that mind me. I will miss them and worry that next semester I may not be as lucky.
So as the year ends, we ponder what will tomorrow bring. I haven't the slightest idea and I will not predict nor expect anything good or bad. Why' Because I am scared to wish. I am alright right now and hope that I will be alright at the end of 2007,
Extra, extra, read all about it! The school board has finally decided,
"Erath Schools will be built again in the same place. But they will be raised. FEMA will pay 90% of the cost. "
Are we surprised' Of course, not. But did you know that Henry Elementary sits the same as it was in November. Only they are using it as a storage building. Things never change.
We have a new man running for school board member for our area. We just hope that we can prove to the old member that he needs our votes to be reelected. Everyone I know will vote for the new man!!!
We entered Eaton Park Elementary on August 16th for the first day. Here we are faced with the school board's 🙁 decision to solve the problems for our parish. Of course, after almost a month, I can relate the school board 🙁 has once again made their choice and not the people's.
Let me give you a snapshot of the school. Three different groups of children moved from two schools and mixed with another. All of these schools were small and servicing children with fairly good results. Throw the children into one school that numbers over 700. Keep the administration the same– one principal, one assistant principal and one school counselor. There are some people that are hired as contract personnel to assist in the discipline. This was available at the other schools also. Hire some extra teachers, move in some butler buildings and say "Wow, this will work wonderfully." WRONG!
The assumption that this will work wonderfully was a poor assumption at best. People can not believe that moving children helter skelter across the parish was a wonderful event. They should take that into account when they made the -'fantastic' decision. Truly, we want it to work out. But to assume it will just because you decide that -'it will' is asinine. But what should we expect from a group who has made themselves into -'asses' for the last five years.
Yes, we have received the government's wonderful money again. We are to work our magic and continue the growth that we have had in the last two years. I, for one, hope that this is the case. But my doubts are high. I do hope my doubts can be unfounded in the future.
My cohorts (the two ladies I work with before) have set ourselves up nicely. We have started the year and by the Labor day we wondered –"What the hell did we get ourselves into." 😯 Within two weeks, we had to learn how to use an internet site to write our lesson plans. (I ended up having to assist my two friends. They were a little weak on computer skills.) But I am proud to say we have succeeded in achieving this goal. At the same time, we are working with three very sweet hyperactive girls. The reason they are is because their reading coach puts everything on them and they believe they are the bosses. Since they are nice, I think they finally realized that we are little old ladies. We have finally found a safe haven for 30 minutes every day. This is while we eat our meal for the day. Another problem is that the two reading coaches are having difficulty working together. One believes that everything should run exactly as she has let it run, and ours believes some changes should be made. Needless to say, our reading coach is taking the back burner and letting the other do her thing. We are worried that she will quit and leave us to fight the fight.
Then during our very second faculty of the year, we were insulted. No, we do not believe the principal realized what he had done, but he made disparaging remarks about where the children went to school last year.
He told the teachers, "Remember our children knew the program and were handling it successfully, but we have had 200 children moved in that obviously did not have the same discipline at their other school. In fact, it must have been handled with laissez -–faire." This statement was completely unprofessional. I have hoped that he is under such a strain that he was not aware of what he was saying. I took offense at this statement and the more I thought of it the angrier I became. }:-@ Our children have been through a great deal and no, they are not angels, but we are teaching at-risk children. The ones I see getting into trouble are the ones that were in trouble at every school. The bad thing is they have become more of a problem, because of their lack of security. This was their main problem at home, but now it has developed in the school system. So once again, I see the kids that I am attached to, becoming a bigger problem than before.
My good friends and I have decided. IF we make it through this year, we will make it. It seems strange, but each year we have been faced with challenges that we find difficult to overcome. We did well last year, we hope the same will happen this year. We also hope that our children come through it with us.


text:
Friday Offcuts 1 March 2019
Click to Subscribe - It's FREE!In last week's issue we highlighted the latest ABARES report, The State of the Forest Report 2018. It provided a snap-shot on the state of Australia's forests and among other key stats, it highlighted the marked decline in hardwood forests that were available to the industry. State and Federal Governments over the last decade have continued to lock away vast areas of natural forest and have reduced the area and volume of timber that can be accessed. Over the twenty-year life of the last Regional Forest Agreements the natural estate available for forestry had decreased by more than 3 million hectares.
We cover this week a couple of stories that bring home the real concerns – and implications – of reduced log supplies. In Victoria, the state-owned forestry corporation VicForests has just been told to suspend the release of new areas of native forests for logging. The reason, more policy work is needed. Concerns have been raised about the threats to protected wildlife and the impact of recent bushfires and climate change on the state's forests. It's already a year overdue. Understandably, logging contractors and sawmillers are growing increasingly concerned about their immediate future. With environmental groups again calling for the industry to be wound up, it's an issue that's causing many right now significant stress.
In another region, the South-East Queensland Forest Agreement, one of the cornerstones of the state's timber industry, is also drawing to a close. Since signed way back in 1999, the hardwood resource that was meant to be built up as part of the agreement hasn't materialised. The underlying reasons are pretty similar to those being faced by the timber industry in Victoria. And like the Victorian's, local mills, logging and cartage contractors, their families and the communities in which they live, have every right to be apprehensive.
In another major report (the Economic potential for new plantation establishment in Australia: outlook to 2050), released this week, key findings reinforce last week's State of the Forest Report 2018. In short, up to 490,000 hectares of new softwood plantations could be required by 2050 to meet the country's demand for softwood sawlogs. As a consequence, ABARES is estimating that the volume of imports will more than double by 2050, an opportunity obviously lost to the Australian forestry industry and to the country. Links to the full report are contained in the lead story below.
And finally, the first sale of a forestry block in New Zealand under new Overseas Investment Office regulations has just been announced. The Overseas Investment Amendment Act 2018, which came into effect on October 22 last year, introduced a new regime with three separate tests required for buyers seeking to purchase forestry land or cutting rights. The brokers of the deal say the decision by the OIO was processed quickly - under 4 months c.f. the previous regulations where consents typically took between nine to 12 months. It's also a clear message that New Zealand is open to foreign investment in forestry.
That's it for this week. Enjoy this week's read.
This week we have for you:
Demand for softwood exceeds Australian outputA new report, published this week, exploring the long-term potential of establishing new timber plantations in Australia, suggests up to 490,000 hectares of new softwood plantations would be required by 2050 to meet demand of softwood sawlogs.
The Economic potential for new plantation establishment in Australia: outlook to 2050 report is based on a joint work program between Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) and the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).
Ric Sinclair, Managing Director of FWPA, said: "There is a lot of interest in using timber products for taller buildings, as well as the traditional detached house market. The new ABARES report reveals that Australia needs to significantly increase the amount of softwood plantations over the coming decades if we want to meet this demand domestically.
"The local softwood plantation estate has been effectively frozen for nearly 30 years and this resource underpins domestic wood processing," Mr Sinclair said. The key findings of the report are:
1. The plantation sector is critical to the forestry industry
In 2015–16 commercial timber plantations, which were split virtually evenly between softwood and hardwood species, accounted for 87 per cent of Australia's log production.
2. Domestic demand for sawlogs is growing
ABARES forecasts a shortfall in the volume of softwood sawlogs available for the domestic market of 2.6 million cubic metres. In terms of new softwood plantations, an additional 200,000 to 250,000 hectares would be required by 2050 to make up the shortfall. However, given the uncertainty around softwood sawlog supply and log-equivalent demand in 2050, some estimates suggest the required area could be higher with Omega Consulting indicating that this could be as much as 490,000 hectares.
3. Future plantation investment may not be enough
In order to meet growing demand, the domestic market will become increasingly reliant on imports of sawnwood. ABARES estimates the volume of imports will more than double by 2050. This is a potential missed opportunity for the Australian forestry sector, unless the current softwood timber plantation estate expands to meet growing demand.
4. The good news
The report also modelled five different scenarios to see which market mechanisms could have the most impact on plantation expansion. These included: productivity improvements, changes in agricultural land prices, increases in demand, changes in exchange rates and reductions in the required rate of return (discount rate).
Interestingly, while all the scenarios supported the need for an expansion of the softwood estate, changes in the discount rate had the greatest impact because softwood plantations managed for sawlogs have much longer rotation lengths and therefore pay-off periods. For instance, a 1 per cent reduction in the discount rate to 6 per cent would encourage a further 264,520 hectares of softwood plantation development. In addition, a 5 per cent discount rate could see the softwood estate expand by some 700,000 hectares.
The report notes "While there are some limitations of the modelling framework used in this research, the analysis outlines key factors that could influence future plantations and highlights potential missed opportunities for the forestry sector, if action is not taken."
Mr Sinclair said the report has identified potential for the forestry industry to grow and potential policy levers to make this happen. "As the old proverb says, the best time to plant trees was yesterday and the second best is to plant them now. Commercial plantations can provide economic, social and environmental benefits for Australia and we need to get back onto a growth path as soon as possible," he said.
Authored by Linden Whittle, Peter Lock and Beau Hug of ABARES, the full report is available from the FWPA website or by clicking here
Distractions slow your reactions campaign underwayForestry Corporation of NSW kicked off 2019 with a series of safety campaigns and workshops to put safety first after the holiday break. The Safe Start campaign was targeted at forestry drivers, operators and staff to help everyone make the transition back to work.
The campaign focused on two key driver risks – fatigue and distractions, said Forestry Corporation Haulage and Sales Manager, Tijmen Klootwijk. "After a restful break, it can be a challenge getting your body clock back in order, so we have started the year with a safety focus," Mr Klootwijk said.
"This year we also raised awareness to the growing risk of driver distraction. Our slogan of 'distractions slow your reactions' is a reminder of the need to plan your trip and minimise distractions in the vehicle."
Three workshops were also held around Bathurst and Oberon with Forestry Corporation staff and harvesting contractors to reinforce the dangers of working in the bush. This year's workshops had a theme of 'where are your feet?', said Harvesting and Roading Manager Dan Kirby.
"The workshops are a vital step in making the transition from holidays to the workplace, with January a high-risk time for accidents," Mr Kirby said. "The idea behind the workshops is to start the year with our eyes and minds open to the risks of working in the bush".
"In reviewing incidents last year, there were a lot relating to machine rollovers and human slips and trips – they all happened in 'safe' areas, not hazardous ones. "They all came down to inattention to what was underfoot; whether that be the foot of a machine or a person."
Forestry Corporation was very pleased with the support for the safety campaigns. "Forestry Corporation and our contractors are all on the same page when it comes to worker safety," Mr Kirby said. "At the end of the day, we all want the same thing; for people working in our forests getting home healthy and without incident."
To find out more about Forestry Corporation's health and safety programs, visit www.forestrycorporation.com.au
Image: Forestry Corporation's Softwood General Manager Mike Beardsell (right) and Mark Grech (Operations Manager of Crawford Freightlines in Oberon)
Source: Forestry Corporation of NSW
Blue gum plantation resurgence?Blue gum tree plantations could play a vital role in Australia's future carbon economy, according to forestry industry leaders, but they believe the Federal Government needs to change its current policies to recognise the hardwood's potential for carbon capture.
The managing director of forestry management company PF Olsen, Pat Groenhout, said the current lack of federal policy to recognise the capture and storage of carbon by the nation's hardwood estate was a significant hurdle faced by foresters and investors.
"I'm confident that the people who are responsible for making those decisions are increasingly recognising the important role that plantations are going to play in addressing climate change issues," Mr Groenhout said. "But frankly, from the forest industry's perspective, it makes no sense at all that the things that are most likely to — and the most capable of — capturing and storing carbon in the long-term, aren't being recognised within the current Australian federal policy environment.
"But I guess we have, as an industry, some confidence that that will be resolved at a policy level as we head into the next few years." His comments come as foresters across southern WA are seeing a steady growth and consolidation in the hardwood plantation industry, with the total value of annual output estimated at AU$345 million for the region, providing employment for more than 6,000 people. More >>.
Source: ABC
Victorian timber workers facing uncertaintyTimber workers and businesses are sweating on their future, with the Victorian Government delaying the release of plans for industry to access native timber reserves for logging. The timber release plan is a key strategy that dictates where native timber can be logged by the state-owned VicForests.
VicForests told the ABC it had been directed not to proceed with a new timber release plan "until further policy work has been completed". Under questioning in state parliament about the delayed release of the plan, Premier Daniel Andrews said he would seek an update on its progress from officials.
Access to native timber has become increasingly difficult in recent years, with mills forced to receive less supply due to a range of factors, including long-term sustainability of forests, bushfire and native fauna protection. The long-term future of native timber logging is an issue being debated inside the Andrews Government.
Stacey Gardiner from the Australian Forest Contractors Association said the long delay in finalising the timber release plan was causing significant issues for the industry. "We're in a situation where we expect contractors to be stood down," she said.
Nationals party leader Peter Walsh demanded in state parliament that the Premier reveal when the plan would be released. "2,500 jobs and a further 1,400 jobs at Australian Paper in the Morwell area are at risk because your Government has refused to sign the timber released plans that were supposed to be finalised last July," he said.
"So that these jobs are not lost to the Gippsland communities, will you immediately intervene to save these jobs by having the timber release plans signed?" Forestry has been a difficult issue for the Andrews Labor Government as it seeks to balance blue-collar regional jobs with protecting endangered species and a push to create a new national park.
The Great Forest National Park has featured in recent elections with proponents arguing it is necessary to protect species like the Leadbeater's possum, while industry has argued it would kill jobs. In 2017, the Andrews Government intervened and purchased the Heyfield timber mill in Gippsland when its owners announced they were pulling out because they had no guaranteed timber supply.
The Wilderness Society's Amelia Young said the tourism industry, water assets and burgeoning carbon capture sector also needed certainty about future logging. "The timber release plan is being delayed because there is no wood left in the forest, they have been over-logged for far too long, and bushfire has burnt the forest as well," she said. "The best thing the Government can do is to wind up the industry, transition the industry into plantation and create the Great Forest National Park," she said.
Source: ABC News
China unveils development plans for forestry industryChina's top forestry authority has made plans to boost the forestry industry and set development goals. The industry is pledging to improve its gross output by 50 percent by 2025, according to a recent guideline by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA).
The output of economic forest products will reach 250 million tonnes by 2025, with total imports and exports of forest products expected to hit 240 billion U.S. dollars. The NFGA said by 2035, the country will see further expansion of the industry with more improved structure and sufficient supply of high-quality forest resources.
To achieve such targets, continued efforts will be made to increase the supply of wood and establish more demonstration bases for the industry. Apart from supporting the diverse development of the forest economy, the NFGA will be dedicated to promoting forest tourism while conserving natural resources.
The administration added it would maximize the use of e-commerce platforms to promote the online-offline integration of forest product sales. China's forestry industry output reached 7.33 trillion yuan (about 1.1 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2018, a 2.88-percent growth from 2017, the NFGA data showed.
Source: xinhuanet.com
Funding announced for NSW forestry industryThe Nationals in Government are investing almost AU$40 million to support innovation and training for NSW's forestry industry, Minister for Forestry Paul Toole announced in Coffs Harbour.
"We recognise the important role forestry plays in NSW in providing jobs, wood products and supporting manufacturing industries," Mr Toole said. Nationals candidate for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh said round two of the AU$34 million NSW Forest Industries Innovation Fund loan scheme had opened this week.
"The scheme aims to support innovative projects that improve efficiencies, sustainability and invest in smarter processes or ways to deal with future forestry opportunities and challenges," Mr Singh said. "Round two of the NSW FIIF will close on 3 May 2019, with potential loan sizes of up to AU$3 million."
The NSW FIIF loan scheme is administered by the NSW Rural Assistance Authority. Information on the scheme and how to apply is available at www.raa.nsw.gov.au.
Mr Toole said in addition to the FIIF, AU$4.6 million would be used to support a training and certification scheme for forestry contractors that will focus on environment, safety and best practice. The training and certification scheme has been jointly developed by industry and the NSW Government in partnership with the Australian Forest Contractors Association (AFCA).
AFCA chairman Adan Taylor said the scheme would create professional development opportunities for forestry contracting businesses whilst recognising and rewarding those with good practices.
"The development of the scheme will not only be positive for industry in promoting best practice, it also gives the community greater confidence that contracting businesses are operating safely and meeting the necessary compliance requirements," Mr Taylor said.
Launch of Queensland forestry networkMore than forty state parliamentarians joined over 100 industry stakeholders on Wednesday night to launch the Queensland Parliamentary Friends of the Forest and Timber Industry Network at Parliament House in Brisbane.
Timber Queensland's Chair James Hyne said this landmark event provided industry an opportunity to showcase its diversity and for MPs to gain a greater appreciation of its bright future. "Queensland's $3.2 billion forest and timber industry delivers 25,000 direct and indirect jobs predominately in rural and regional communities," said Mr Hyne.
"We gathered last night to celebrate our contribution and to show we've got room to grow. There are exciting trends in timber innovation and we have significant forest resources that can play a greater role in the state's economic future," he said.
"This growth potential strengthens our position as Queensland's third highest value agricultural industry, with significant downstream processing and manufacturing that supports the state's $44 billion building and construction industry."
The event was co-hosted by Labor MP for Maryborough Mr Bruce Saunders and Liberal National MP for Gympie Mr Tony Perrett, who are both co-chairs of the new network. They were joined by the Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries, Mr Mark Furner, and the Leader of the Opposition Mrs Deb Frecklington.
James Hyne said he was pleased with the overwhelming response from industry participants and members of parliament who attended the event. "The wide attendance from all sides of politics was a clear demonstration of their support of our renewable and carbon friendly industry," said Mr Hyne.
The Parliamentary Friends of Queensland's Forest and Timber Industry Network will strengthen the industry's engagement with parliamentarians and state policy makers, and build awareness of the multiple economic, social and environmental benefits it delivers for Queensland.
Photo: James Hyne, Timber Queensland Chair, Bruce Saunders MP, Member for Maryborough, Tony Perrett MP, Member for Gympie, and Mick Stephens, Timber Queensland CEO, officially launch the Network at Parliament House.
Source: Timber Queensland
First forestry sale under new OIO regulationsThe first sale of a forestry block in New Zealand under new Overseas Investment Office regulations signals that the country remains open to foreign investment in the sector. Stoneleigh Forest in Waikato has been purchased by Oji Fibre Solutions, a New Zealand pulp, paper and packaging company part-owned by Oji Holdings from Japan.
The 127ha freehold forestry block is located just south of Te Kuiti, less than 120km from OjiFS's Kinleith Mill in Tokoroa. It comprises 87ha of 25-year-old radiata pine that is pruned and ready for harvest. A further 37ha of radiata was harvested in 2017 and replanted last year. There are also small areas of minor species.
Colliers International Forestry Director Warwick Searle, who brokered the transaction with colleague Angus Robertson, says it is the first forest to be sold to a foreign buyer under the new investment rules. The Overseas Investment Amendment Act 2018, which came into effect on October 22 last year, introduced a new regime of three separate tests for buyers seeking to purchase forestry land or cutting rights.
OjiFS applied to the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) for consent to purchase Stoneleigh Forest in early November. The OIO granted approval late last month – the first consent to be issued under its new special forestry test criteria. The special forestry test is the most streamlined in the OIO's new testing regime. It is aimed at foreign buyers looking to maintain forestry land under its current usage, or to convert rural land to forestry. Searle says the landmark decision shows New Zealand is still open to foreign investment in forestry.
"Our forestry sector remains globally competitive and, crucially, it is backed by a regulatory regime that recognises the importance of overseas investment. It's particularly pleasing that the OIO processed OjiFS's consent application so quickly, delivering a decision in under four months. Under the previous regulations, consents typically took between nine to 12 months."
Searle says OIO consent for another significant forestry sale is expected shortly. "After a period of uncertainty, it's great to see the OIO is on board with allowing this crucial investment to flow into the country. Overseas funds are not only key investors in New Zealand's forestry sector – they will also play a major role in helping to deliver the government's One Billion Trees Programme."
Searle says he expects more foreign investors to express interest in a substantial forestry asset of more than 4,000ha, which is due to hit the market in the coming week. "There is enormous overseas demand for highly productive assets, as New Zealand's forestry sector continues to experience significant transformation and growth."
To accommodate this growing demand, Colliers International has recently expanded its forestry capabilities with the return of rural valuer and registered forestry consultant Angus Malcolm. He is currently based out of Colliers' Richmond valuation office.
Source: Colliers International
Timber release plan stalledVictoria's state-owned forestry corporation has been told to suspend the release of new areas of native forest for logging, in a decision the timber industry says has put scores of regional small businesses in peril. The Andrews government has intervened to stop VicForests putting out its next timber release plan, due to concerns about threats to protected wildlife and the impact of recent bushfires and climate change on the state's forests.
The timber release plan – a document that identifies coupes that can be logged over the next three to five years – is already more than a year overdue. On Thursday VicForests said the Andrews government had directed it not to proceed with a timber release plan until further policy work was completed.
"In the meantime, we are working with customers and contractors to manage supply under the existing [plan]," Alex Messina, VicForests' general manager of corporate affairs, said. The intervention does not affect logging in coupes that have already been allocated, but timber millers and logging contractors fear they are potentially months away from exhausting their allocated supplies.
Reece Reynolds runs a logging business in Buchan in East Gippsland and said he and others in the industry faced growing uncertainty about their working futures, with a limited number of coupes available on the current plan. "Instead of some people being out of work and others working, in two months' time we might all be out of work," Mr Reynolds said.
Simon McConachy from SKM Contracting in Gippsland said he had already been hit hard by the timber shortfall. "At this stage I'm the worst affected," Mr McConachy said. "I have not harvested a tree since the Australia Day weekend and this is the worst it has ever been. I have sub-contractors, young men with families and I've had to tell them to find any work they can."
An Andrews government spokesman said more time was needed to develop a plan that balanced the interests of industry, the environment and community attitudes. "We've asked VicForests for some additional time so we can make sure new timber release plan gets the balance right," the spokesman said.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
AU$2 Billion for the Emissions Reduction FundThe Climate Proofing Australia (CPA) alliance has welcomed the Prime Minister's recent announcement to inject AU$2 Billion into the Emissions Reduction Fund, and calls for at least AU$500 million of the new funds to prioritise land-based carbon solutions.
Carbon sequestration has been the largest source of emissions reduction in the past decade, and adequate funding will not only create more habitat for Australia's native plants and animals, but also increase resilience and productivity on landscapes over time.
The CPA alliance, led by the Australian Forest Products Association, Farmers for Climate Action, the Red Meat Advisory Council and Greening Australia, has received bipartisan support following its launch in Canberra last week, with a one of its key shared principles to expand the scope and benefits of carbon farming through the ERF.
"Since the introduction of the Emissions Reduction Fund in 2015, over 80 per cent of emissions reductions contracted to date through the ERF have come from agriculture and land sector projects"[1] said Brendan Foran, CEO, Greening Australia.
"This long-term commitment to the ERF is an opportunity to not only boost the capacity of the landscape to contribute to Australia's carbon mitigation strategy, but to be more ambitious about what it can achieve by encouraging more projects that deliver these co-benefits of biodiversity, productivity, water quality and landholders and employment."
"To achieve this, CPA calls on the Government to remove existing barriers in the ERF architecture that have limited the land sector's participation, and direct at least AU$500 million from the AU$2.2 billion ERF fund, including the funds that remain in the program, for land-based projects that also deliver environmental and productivity benefits."
CPA seeks to bring the conservation, farming and forestry sectors together to work with decision makers on removing some of the existing barriers in the ERF that have limited the land sector's participation, and to prioritise ERF projects that deliver environmental, social and economic co-benefits.
"The current Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) conditions limit the land sector's capacity to generate co-benefits associated with carbon sequestration, such as reinstating wildlife habitat, supporting sustainable agriculture, increasing the plantation forestry estate, and cleaner waters in our rivers," said Ross Hampton, CEO, Australian Forest Products Association.
"This next phase of the ERF is an opportunity to address these barriers and make it more accessible to primary industries and landowners," he said.
Source: AFPA
From log to laminated veneer lumberThe use of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is becoming more popular with designers and architects. Because LVL is created by layering different veneers atop each other, there is a wide variety of process combinations to choose from, but with each combination the structural qualities of the overall LVL varies.
It is crucial for manufacturers to know if their available wood will produce LVL that satisfies their customer's needs. Now, with a new software tool developed by Scion, LVL manufacturers can gauge whether their LVL will likely meet a customer's performance requirements, without the need to conduct expensive mill tests.
One of the most important design properties of LVL is bending stiffness. To test the full range of LVL properties, manufacturers have had to process logs and create an LVL sample to check its performance. However, this approach can be expensive and is not always practical in a production setting when trying to assess a wide range of veneers and LVL process options.
Scion was engaged via the Specialty Wood Products Partnership to create a computer model that can determine the bending stiffness range from individual veneers and use that information to calculate the overall LVL section stiffness. It is used as a guide to assist decision making on the likelihood that a forest/log/veneer could meet customer performance requirements and determine what the LVL manufacturing process implications might be.
The computer decision model uses information uploaded about the individual veneer stiffness properties or log pith to bark stiffness profiles and the customer performance/purchase requirements. The user can then explore different LVL process options, and the manufacturer can efficiently use the wood available to them while meeting their customer's needs.
Brendan Smith Technical Services – Product Manager for the JNL group says, "JNL can see the benefit of this tool to model potential structural finished product output yields, and in being able to determine the required input product mix from two or more distinct log fibre resources. This would enable an increased surety of supply of the required structural grade for the manufacturer's market, with less potential for arising non-targeted lower grades."
This software model will save time and money by eliminating unsuitable veneers early in the process. If the model shows that the tested LVL would perform within requirements, then detailed mill studies would be carried out. As with any model, it is only as good as the input data. The next step to develop the model is to generate and upload more stiffness data for a range of forest/log/veneers.
Source: Scion
NZ forest nursery under new managementOne of New Zealand's largest forest nursery operations is now under new management. The founder of Rotorua Nursery, Grant Hastings, has sold the business to a new company led by Peter Harington. Grant has built the business over 12 years, outgrowing two sites. The new business will trade under the name of Rotorua Forest Nursery. The nursery is based in Rotorua and grows approximately 10% of New Zealand's forest planting stock.
Peter Harington told Friday Offcuts, "The nursery had built a reputation for excellent plant quality. With the same key staff and site, our goal is to maintain that standard. With the help of a great growing season, our first cuttings and seedlings are looking on track for a bumper crop."
Peter has been involved with managing forest nurseries for 30 years. He has in recent years managed the Scion research nursery and also led the project to set up Minginui Nursery for Ngati Whare. With a forest management background, he originally started nursery work at Tokoroa Nursery with Carter Holt before moving to Rotorua to set up Te Ngae Nursery for Forestry Corp, now Timberlands.
SE Queensland Forest Agreement nears expiryIf a major forestry agreement isn't renewed by the State Government, Curly Tatnell, the part-owner of the Dale and Meyers Timber Mill, says it could be the end of the hardwood timber industry north of the Gympie region. He provided the grim warning as the South-East Queensland Forest Agreement, one of the cornerstones of the state's timber industry, nears its expiration date.
Signed in 1999, the SEQFA agreement aimed to cultivate hardwood plantations in the state over a 25-year agreement to be ready for an industry transition by 2025. More than 400,000ha of national park was created across the state under the agreement. But setbacks, including the privatisation and sale of several hardwood plantations in 2010, resulted in the resource not materialising.
Mr Tatnell said not renewing the agreement would have a particularly heavy impact on the local supply of hardwood timber to mills in the Wide Bay region. Mr Tatnell said if there was adequate industry legislation covered by the State Government, the hardwood industry would be "sustainable forever".
"We've got an industry here where we're not really competitive and have to spend a lot of money to get the latest machinery to produce goods," he said. "Who will invest millions of dollars into an industry where in five years' time there might be no resource?"
A review of the state's hardwood plantation program by GHD in 2015 concluded the State Government's original plantation resource would not be a suitable replacement for "the native forest resource as currently sourced from State land". Timber Queensland CEO Mick Stephens claims thousands of jobs could be lost and the AU$200million industry would be at risk of collapse if the agreement was not renewed.
Source: The Gympie Times
Buy and Sell
... and one to end the week on ... the smart house
And one more. Sent in by a reader this week. Liked your sign of the times jokes that were in last week's issue.
You might add this one I saw on a septic tank truck with large signage saying "Pete's takeaways"!
But there's more: Below the company name it said: "Some talk it, we suck it" !
And on that note, enjoy your weekend. Cheers.
Share |
We welcome comments and contributions on Friday Offcuts. For details on advertising for positions within the forest products industry or for products and services, either within the weekly newsletter or on this web page, please contact us.
Copyright 2004-2020 © Innovatek Ltd. All rights reserved

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Submission publishers face a number of challenges as they perform the day-to-day tasks associated with compiling and inspecting the quality of an eCTD. Innovations in technology are easing the burden in terms of actions publishers must perform manually.
Streamlining publishing tasks saves time, effort, resources and in the end, produces a higher-quality submission. Susceptibility to error is a corollary to the number of labor-intensive, manual actions performed by your publishing team. Manual processes also extend the publishing time frame, induce extra effort and require greater resources for quality assurance.
When investigating publishing solutions, organizations should ideally target vendors that substitute time-consuming processes with accurate automation. Here is a chart of the tasks technology is streamlining:
Editor's Note: The author is a Sr. Regulatory Submission Specialist for GlobalSubmit. She has more than a dozen years of experience in electronic regulatory submission (eCTD and NeeS) publishing to various agencies including the FDA, Health Canada and EMA. Prior to joining GlobalSubmit, she represented both Clinical and Regulatory Operations in the implementation of the Trial Master File Document Management System (FirstDocs) and the upgrade to Global Electronic Library/Submission Build software (NextDocs and eCTD Xpress).


text:
Alumni Spotlights
Vanessa Barron, '78: A Life of Service
November 13, 2012 by Lisa M. McMahon, M.A.'09
Maybe if Vanessa (Houston) Barron, '78, hadn't been opening the mail that day in the guidance office of her high school in Philadelphia, she never would have seen the beautiful campus photos in the Niagara University brochure. But she did, and those photos so intrigued her that she decided to apply.
And maybe, if Maj. Salvatore Albino, M.S.Ed.'76, of the Niagara University military science department, hadn't been so persistent, Vanessa never would have enrolled in the ROTC program. But she did, and that led to a 31-year career in the military.
These two decisions were life-changing ones for Vanessa. "The time I spent in the military made me the person that I am today," she says. "Everything that I do ties back to my experience in the military."
Commissioned shortly after graduating from Niagara with a degree in transportation, Vanessa worked in a number of jobs with TWA and Northwest Airlines while serving her country both on active duty and as a reservist. Vanessa participated in the Gulf War, Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and held positions including detachment commander, personnel staff officer, brigade operations officer, and instructor for the NATO CIMIC Officers Course. She also served as the Cultural and Environmental Affairs Team chief in the Humanitarian Operations Center in Kuwait, a role in which she was instrumental in sponsoring the first People Actively Volunteering for their Environment (PAVE) Conference. This conference brought Iraqi University students and professors to Kuwait to interact and exchange ideas with their professional counterparts. Following that, she was chief of the Public Facilities Team, where she developed a concept for internship programs with civil corporations to provide soldiers with on-the-job training in the areas of public transportation, public communications and public utilities.
That military experience, as well as the master's degree in education that she received in 2011, prepared her well for her current role as a program manager for the Troops to Teachers (TTT) program. The federally funded TTT program provides transition assistance to eligible military personnel seeking second careers as K-12 teachers in public schools serving low-income families.
Part counselor, part coach, Vanessa works with veterans to help them determine if a career in teaching is for them, drawing upon her own experience as an assistant to the vice principal at a middle school in Coatesville, Pa. She also advises them on the critical subjects currently in demand, because having certification in one of these areas will make them more marketable.
"I know what it takes to be in a classroom," she says, noting that she often advises those considering this career change to substitute teach to help them determine the grade level and subject they may want to teach, or to coach a sports team or volunteer in some other way with a school before deciding if teaching is the right career for them to pursue. "There's more to teaching than just standing and lecturing. We want veterans to go into the classroom, but only if that's what they truly feel they want to do."
While she acknowledges that this career might not be for every veteran, she believes that veterans have a special skill set that makes them excellent teacher candidates.
"I think they make the best teachers because of the qualities they bring to the classroom," she says. "They're used to diversity, they have leadership skills, they have great management skills, and they make great role models for today's youth."
Vanessa also works with school districts throughout New York and Pennsylvania to match veterans with openings. This can be a challenging task, especially when the opening is in an unusual subject area.
"Languages is one of the critical subject areas," Vanessa notes, "and I've had a school contact me looking for a Mandarin teacher."
It can also be difficult convincing districts to hire one of the retrained soldiers, but Vanessa says that once they do, they typically want to hire more.
She references a former drill sergeant who was hired by a school in Philadelphia. Initially considered too strict, she soon earned a reputation as a fair teacher who truly cares about her students' success. Families now request that their children be placed in her class.
Vanessa notes that her program has had particular success with charter schools. One, in fact, has established a program with TTT called Project at Ease, which enables veterans to serve as engagement coaches while working toward their teacher certification. The engagement coaches, who are considered part of the staff, provide security while interacting with the students throughout the day and during after-school activities. They also serve as coaches for athletic events.
The married mother of two, who met her husband at the Transportation Officer Basic Course in Virginia, sees her work as giving back to the veterans who served this country and hopes to continue it long into the future.
"I enjoy what I'm doing," she says. "I welcome the opportunity to provide this service to veterans. I feel I am also making a difference in the students' lives through the veterans that go into the classroom."


text:
If you are thinking of a simple dessert which is made in minutes for a party or get together or as a edible gift or want to cook along with kids, this is the one which comes to my mind. This is easy to make, fancy looking and delicious to eat.
I love the chocolaty crust and the sweet and sour strawberry inside. When taken a bite the chocolaty crust crunches and just melts in mouth and then the juicy strawberries, hmmm that just mouth watering.
This whole week is school break and my little "IZ" was getting bored at home and wanted to do some exiting thing, so we both made these beautiful strawberries,had a great time doing this. I know she is just 5 but she is very much in to cooking. So this is one of the recipe which my IZ loves to do and get messy and licking. :)
Level: Easy
Prep time: 20 minsIngredients
Cooking time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Strawberries - 400gm (approx 12-15 strawberries)
Cooking chocolate bar/chips - 150 gm (milk or dark chocolate)
White chocolate - 50gm (optional for drizzle)
- Clean the strawberries and dry them thoroughly.
- Take a microwave safe bowl and melt the milk chocolate, stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth.You can also melt the chocolate using double boiler.
- Hold the berries by the stem, dip each one in melted chocolate and place it on baking sheet.
- Melt the white chocolate and pour it in zip lock bag and snip off the edge and drizzle on the strawberries and chill in refrigerator until hardened.
Enjoy doing with kids. And get creative in decorating the strawberries using nut, coconut flakes and sprinkles.
- Always make sure that strawberries are completely dry. Use cloth to dry them. If your strawberries are wet then the chocolate will not stick .
- If you don't have ziplock bag you can just dip the fork in white chocolate and drizzle on it.
- Always use high quality cooking chocolate for this :) .


text:
|New York State
|New York City Tours
|Staten Island
New York City Tours
Let your wild side reign free as you explore the many faces of some very unique creatures at this Brooklyn museum of life. Venture deep into the jungle as you see the animals up close. Dare to spend the day with the valor of a lion roaming with his pride. A family spending time together, appreciating nature in all its ferocious glory is what this NYC museum is all about. Take the children to the discovery center where they can try their hand at some basic veterinary skills while conducting check-ups on real live animals. Then, head over to the young naturalist camping area, cook food on a "campfire", and explore using field guides for animals that one might see on a camping trip. Feeling the urge to feed some of the animals' springtime is the perfect time to head over and feed the sea lions - they just love the attention too. Weekends are an ideal time to visit as you can chat live with the zookeepers and learn how they care for the animals. Maybe even find out what your favorite animal does when you're not there. Overall, this taste of the wild offers a wide variety of things to do, see and learn. Spring/Summer 2012 is a great time to come see this gem.
For our Group or Student Tour Schedules, please click on the Group or Student Tour link to the left. For our Public Walking Tour Schedule, also, please click on the link to the left. If interested in booking a Private Walking Tour, please do not hesitate to contact us via email or phone call. Any questions, comments, criticisms, witticisms or mash notes are always welcomed and cherished. See you on the streets of New York City!
New York's most comprehensive 6-hour tour. Great itinerary. Get out of shuttle and see all the landmarks. Tour guides, driver and free refreshments. Not a hop-on/off shuttle. Guide stays with your group the entire time. Private tours available.
"CitySights NY, a New York City sightseeing guided tours company operates a fleet of deluxe motorcoaches and new double-decker buses providing you with the best possible views of Manhattan 's attractions, neighborhoods, and places of interest. We also offer NY harbor cruises, helicopter rides around Manhattan , and day trips from NYC to Boston , Washington DC , Philadelphia & Amish Country, and Woodbury Common Premium Outlets."
Joyce Gold gives in-depth tours through twenty Manhattan neighborhoods. Day tours explore such themes as: Diplomatic New York, Rockefeller New York, Religious Manhattan, Colonial New York, Broadway Theatrical, A Day in Brooklyn, Ethnic New York, Noshing Manhattan.
Manhattan Carriage Co. Inc., a leading service provider in horse and carriage rides in New York City.

Offering superior services in:
 Guided tours through scenic Central Park for groups or a romantic ride for two, engagements, weddings, and special occasions, artistic and film productions, modeling and commercial promotions, we will pick-up and drop-off our clients (certain restrictions apply).
The Harlem Spirituals Gospel tours take visitors inside a number of well-known vibrant churches to experience the reality of gospel music in a traditional setting. On our Evening and Jazz tours, you can witness the rebirth of a new and versatile jazz scene as living legends take the " A train " once again. And it's always show time at the Apollo as you join the audience in deciding who will be the next rising star. Our African American Heritage in New York itinerary is a cultural journey tracing the legacy of African Americans and their many contributions that have enriched the history and culture of New York. It was selected by the White House as an official American Pathways 2000 itinerary in Hillary Rodham Clinton's Millennium Program.
Since 1991 Big Onion Walking Tours has led innovative and exciting tours through New York's ethnic neighborhoods and historic districts. Big Onion can provide student and adult group tours as well as lectures on numerous topics. Many of our walking tours are adaptable to bus tours. Big Onion Walking tours are wonderful for fundraisers, schools, alumni associations, corporate events, orientation for newcomers, visiting clients, relatives, and families.
Step aboard our European-inspired, all-glass vessel, Celestial, for an afternoon or evening of unparalleled splendor on New York Harbor. As the magnificent New York skyline spreads before you in all directions, you'll be pampered with gourmet cuisine, fine wines and live jazz on this New York dining cruise. Truly, a dining experience as inspiring as the city itself.
There's no better way to explore New York City than on a walking tour. And now you can enjoy the benefits of a private guide for the SAME price as many large, public group tours. You pick the tour—you pick the time!
 All tours are led by Michelle or James Nevius, historians and licensed New York City sightseeing guides who specialize in private walking tours of the city's most intriguing neighborhoods.
American Princess Cruises is owned and operated by TWFM Ferry Service, Inc., founded by four veteran captains with over 120 years of combined experience in the boating industry.
 Modern, United States Coast Guard approved vessels exceed the highest standards of safety and comfort for the passengers. Knowledgeable and cordial staff is well esteemed in the cruising industry. Each and every member of our staff has undergone extensive, rigorous training and has met all United States Coast Guard Requirements.
The only borough-wide historic preservation organization in New York City. Organized in 1977, the PLSI's mission is to: enrich Staten Island's sense of community by promoting and advocating the conservation of its diverse and significant historic built environment and cultural landscapes. It has been active in advocating for preservation through various programs including a yearly awards program, a newsletter on preservation issues, home tours and technical assistance.
Enjoy deluxe double decker, hop-on, hop-off bus tours that include Uptown, Downtown, Brooklyn and Night loops. Fully escorted foreign language motorcoach city tours in German, French, Korean, Spanish and Italian with top multi-lingual tour guides.
 One-day excursions to Niagara Falls, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Woodbury Common premium shopping outlet mall, are favorites too. Gray Line New York Sightseeing sells all major attractions tickets and we have trained FIT (For Independent Travelers) group, and charter sales staff ready to assist you.
As the only museum of Queens history in the borough, the Society plans, researches and mounts a regular series of historyrelated exhibitions and lecture series in its gallery space totaling 1,350 square feet at the Kingsland Homestaed. It also conducts walking tours of the borough.
Services are provided free of charge thanks to the support of our generous donors. Please consider becoming a donor at this time, so that we may continue sharing the city's diverse neighborhoods and hidden treasures with visitors from around the world.
 Big Apple Greeter's office is staffed by 6 paid staff and about 35 volunteers who work in every aspect of the program, from answering visitors' questions and matching visitors with Greeters, to computer tech support and special events. What might look easy to do on the surface (you submit a request and a volunteer meets you at your accommodation) actually takes a large infrastructure to support. We receive over 10,000 requests a year, and it takes a lot of people to make sure the right volunteer speaking the right language is meeting the right visitors at the right time and location.
Up through the 1800's, ferries were the only way to get to and around Manhattan. As bridges and tunnels were built, ferry transportation faded. In 1986, Arthur E. Imperatore and his family rejuvenated the NY Harbor with the launch of the first NY Waterway boat. Since then, NY Waterway has carried over 65 million passengers. NY Waterway has the largest ferry and excursion fleet in the NY Harbor, but it is still a family business with all the personal attention to service and amenities that it had when it was just Arthur's ferry. You are treated like family from the moment you step into our terminal. Some people say a NY Waterway Sightseeing Cruise is the friendliest experience they have had in New York. We say "welcome aboard!"
The easiest and most cost-effective way to get to and from the airport from your home, office or hotel. The nation's leading shared-ride airport shuttle, providing door-to-door ground transportation to more than 8 million passengers per year. Friendly drivers, comfortable vans and reasonable rates take the hassle out of getting to and from the airport in 23 major US cities!
This will be the key to your experience as you are personally escorted on you tour of the community with an open and approachable Chassidic scholar who is experienced at answering any and all questions about Jewish tradition and philosophy. Please be open and frank, this is your opportunity to find out answers to questions that are not addressed in the Hollywood portrayals of Chassidic Life such as the movies; Yentel, The Chosen, or A Stranger Among Us.
Whether you are exploring New York for the first time, rediscovering your hometown or seeking a mini-vacation, a Circle Line cruise is a relaxing and fun way to see the world's most famous skyline.
 There are numerous cruises to choose from. Beverages, wine, beer, cocktails and food are available on board.
All of the sites featured on the St. George web pages are within a short walk of the St. George terminus of the Staten Island Ferry. The Staten Island Ferry ride is the most widely visited tourist attraction in the City of New York, yet rarely do visitors embark from the ferry and investigate the surrounding area.
Have your taste buds ready for this New York City walking tour, as your guided adventure visits two historic NYC neighborhoods. While walking through Chinatown and Little Italy, you will go on a one-of-a-kind culinary journey sampling various ethnic foods and learning about the history and culture. All generous tastings (enough for a meal) are included in the adult ticket price of $45.
Specialized in Customized tours for Groups and Individuals. Harlem Your Way! can tailor these tours to your party's specific needs. Making your group's New York experience exciting, as well as, intellectually stimulating.
There are so many ways to experience New York City but none compare to the perspective from the water. The exhilaration of cruising the river, the thrill of discovering the city, the enchantment of the world-famous skyline. Choose from one of the many services above and book your trip today!
Start spreading the news about a perfect way to see Manhattan! Enjoy the ultimate aerial introduction to downtown, as well as midtown Manhattan. You'll fly by the USS Intrepid, view the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings, then sweep up the picturesque Hudson River to see Central Park from the air - a trip not to be missed!


text:
Really, Really Easy Wine Cork Crafts
So easy even I can do them.
While shopping at Target, I was surprised to see a box of wine corks on the shelves. For sale. How goofy, I thought. Why would anybody buy wine corks? That's like buying Twinkie wrappers or empty Chlorox bottles.
And then, in the space of a few days, I came upon all sorts of cool wine cork crafts. On Pinterest. On HubPages. In emails from friends.
Even at two to three bottles of wine per week (our usual intake) I'd have to save for a year in order to have enough corks to make them all. And suddenly the idea of buying a box of wine corks didn't seem so goofy after all.
I don't want to brag, but I'm incredibly inept when it comes to craft making. In fact, just about any handiwork that requires dexterity or fine motor skills more often than not leaves me frustrated and surrounded by debris.
In a college weaving course, I became the class focus when our professor gathered everyone around my work station to point out my numerous mistakes. (I was even sitting on the wrong side of the loom!)
Not my most stellar moment.
A few years ago at a local scarf-making class, my roll of silk and wool flew across the room as I applied pressure exactly (or so I thought) as the instructor had told us to. It slammed into the far wall, unfurling like a sprung spring onto the floor below.
I rarely wear it.
So, given my history, you can believe me when I tell you that the wine cork projects below are easy. Really, really easy. Not only do they require little skill, but they require very few materials— other than wine corks.
And even I can do them.
Wine cork keepsakes
What do you do with old wine corks?
Wine cork stamps
Like the idea of making your own stamps? Martha Stewart used to have a short cork stamp video tutorial on her official website.
Using an exacto knife, Stewart cuts Xs and Os out of old wine corks to make adorable hugs and kisses stamps for Valentine's Day. (I used a serrated kitchen knife.)
To use the stamps, dab them with ink or acrylic paint and mark cards, napkins or anything else that strikes your fancy.
If you really get into it, you could design your own stamps, drawing simple patterns like shamrocks and stars onto their ends and "cutting out the negative," as Stewart describes it.
I made two, a hug and a kiss, to use at Valentine's Day, and I still have nine fingers and one eye!
Impressive, huh?
Wine cork mini planters
Like wine cork stamps, wine cork mini planters require a bit of carving. In fact, you have to gut the cork like a pumpkin.
After that, simply plug the hole with moist potting soil and a hardy little succulent like the one pictured right.
Although I would have preferred a larger cork, the averaged-sized one that I used wasn't too too difficult to hollow out.
To display wine cork planters, the tutorial that used to be on the Ever After Blueprint website advised gluing magnets to them.
If, however, you're short on magnets (as I was) you could impale them on pieces of wire coat hanger and stick them in flower pots. Or, just set them on their flat bottoms in a sunny windowsill!
Wine cork message boards
I really love wine cork bulletin boards, but they're so expensive to buy! Luckily, they're incredibly cheap to make, especially if you already have an old frame and some scrap wood or cardboard lying around the house.
I've primarily seen wine cork message boards assembled in one of two ways: with the wine cork bottoms facing up so that the board looks like a conglomeration of cork circles, and with the wine corks on their sides so that the wine name is visible. I vastly prefer the latter. The corks fits neatly into their frame, they're visually interesting and the board requires fewer of them.
Wine cork plant markers
Wine cork plant tags
A piece of coat hanger wire or a used chopstick, a wine cork and a Sharpie are all you need to make a funky little plant marker.
You could even use an old fork!
Just write the plant name on the cork; insert the wire, fork tines or chopstick; and stick your new marker in a flower pot or into the ground.
Cute, huh? And super simple to make.
© 2013 Jill Spencer
I used to make stamps by carving erasers, but using a cork is a great idea! Thanks for all these helpful hints.
Great and simple ideas, thanks for sharing them :)
Interesting hub, I liked the mini cork planter. Looks pretty :)
Thank you for sharing with us,
Votes up and sharing!
This is an awesome hub! Really very creative! The ways you mentioned to recycle them in a very crafty way is very impressive.
Thanks for sharing!
Rated and voted up! :)
I found my use for the corks, the garden markers. Great recycle reuse idea. Do they last a full season out in the weather or do you add anything to protect the cork and wording on it? Perfect idea!
Interesting and every useful;thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much Jill. I really appreciate that you added my cork reindeers to your list.
Jill, these are all fantastic ideas. I'm glad that you still have most of your fingers and an eye left. Don't lose the last one, for you'll never be the same again.
Great stuff Dirt Farmer. I love to make stuff out of wine corks. I did like your little planters. Very cool.
Some great craft ideas here. Pity I'm a teetotaller! I'm going to try to share your hub, if I may, but I've never done that before, so it may not work.
Love the first 2 photos.
I don't think I was signed in when I left my recent comment. Please let me know if you need me to resubmit it. You've got an excellent article here!
Wow. I've been collecting corks for years but I haven't done anything with them. You've got tips and ideas here that I'd not ever considered; I love the idea of labeling the cork with the occasion. I often forget which wines I've loved and which wines I've not so loved. Perhaps adding a personal rating symbol (1-4 stars) would help! I also LOVE the stampmaking idea. I can't believe I've never seen it before! Salut!
Interesting ideas! I liked all of them
Love these "little" crafts. Wish I drank wine so I would have corks. Beautiful hub as always Jill.
LOVE the stamp idea. Thanks for sharing these :)
You have some really creatively fun crafts here. I particularly love the little planter...thanks for sharing and I will vote up+++ and pin.


text: Cardigan by ASOS Collection, Plain design, Goes with everything, V-neck, Mixed texture design, Button placket, Functioning pockets, Regular fit - true to size. Score a wardrobe win no matter the dress code with our ASOS Collection. From polished prom to the after party, our London-based design team scour the globe to nail your new-season fashion goals with need-right-now dresses, outerwear, shoes and denim in the coolest shapes and fits.


text:
Instructor teaches mind, body control
Deddy Mansyur has devoted his life to martial arts
Deddy Mansyur has devoted his career to teaching martial arts, and with these skills, the sensei frequently passes on the insights he's gained.
"I do teach my students about life, about gentleness, being kind to others," said Mansyur, 54, a Japan-certified sixth-degree black belt in Shotokan, a style of karate developed from various martial arts.
Mansyur, a northwest Houston resident, expects hard work from his students, but not as much as he asks of himself. He is in his 33rd year as chief instructor of the University of Houston Shotokan Karate-Do Club, and is adjunct physical education instructor at San Jacinto College's Central Campus.
When he isn't teaching, he's often competing.
He won the gold at the 2010 Japan Karate Association-American Federation's National Karate Championships at the University of New Orleans last fall.
In 2009, he was a bronze medalist at the World Union of Karate-do Organizations championships in Mexico.
Mansyur also was a gold medalist at the 2007 Shotokan Karate International Federation Pan American and the 2006 SKIF-United States Federation. He is a two-time USA National Karate Federation champion, seven-time All-South JKA champion and 15-time Texas champion.
"I love to compete," he said. "Every day in the world you have to compete. You even compete against yourself."
In one sense, he said, his latest award is just another decoration. But he hopes it will encourage his students. "I want to inspire them," he said.
He teaches classes daily in Katy and southeast Houston.
Bob Inger, a Bellaire-based attorney who lives in the Meyerland area, has been a friend of his since 1980.
"Over the years, I've known him to be a consistently good karate instructor," Inger said. "He also gives demonstrations and gets people informed. Karate is something he loves, but he also tries to get in the community and help it out."
Mansyur is not boastful about his accomplishments, but he has a confidence that eluded him during his childhood in Indonesia. He was small for his size as a boy and was a victim of bullying.
When his father asked Mansyur why he came home from school crying one day, Mansyur tried to keep the truth from him.
He was convinced his father, raised with Samurai principles, would consider his tears a sign of weakness.
When his father learned about the bullying, he told Mansyur to defend himself. Later, he enrolled Mansyur in a dojo, or martial arts school, in Jakarta, where Mansyur began learning Shotokan karate. The training transformed his life.
"I fell in love with it," Mansyur said. "My health improved. My social skills improved. Kids who used to bully me became my friends. That's why I continue that legacy."
As a young man, Mansyur was a karate instructor for Interpol Indonesia and taught martial arts to American children living in Indonesia. His work with the children strengthened another lifelong passion: to live in America.
In 1977, he made Houston his home and earned a bachelor's degree in industrial distribution technology from University of Houston.


text:
A Special Christmas idea for the fly fishing angler in your life!
Looking for a unique last minute gift idea ? Check out the website of Flies Tied by two brothers. Not only do they have excellent flies but they have a unique story on how they started tying flies and what … Continue reading