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Have just fitted new EBC Redsuff Ceramic pads on the front brakes.(Head told me to go for pagids but wallet shouted louder!) Is there a good way to introduce yourself to new pads or do you shout and stamp on them as normal? Will let you know how we get on, previously had Lotus Motorsport pads which behaved very well.Any one else tried these? Mr_Pesky 6 October 2004 14:54 #2 As far as I am aware, the Lotus Motorsport pads are in fact…Pagid RS14 If the EBC are no good, I suggest you try Mintex 1155 or 1166 - somwehat cheaper than Pagids. Bedding in - 4 or 5 gentle applications from about 30 mph. Then 4 or 5 from 50-60 mph, followed by same from 70 mph. (Just make sure you pick a quiet road, otherwise you might end up being rear-ended ) kam 6 October 2004 15:02 #3 (Just make sure you pick a quiet road, otherwise you might end up being rear-ended ) Not something I would wish upon anyone!!! Brendan 6 October 2004 16:39 #4 I thought the normal bedding in proceedure was to use the brakes gently for the first hundred miles or so. RemarkLima 6 October 2004 16:43 #5 I thought the normal bedding in proceedure was to use the brakes gently for the first hundred miles or so. What was that I heard…??? Sounded like a can of worms being opened up to me Tone 6 October 2004 18:23 #6 I put green stuff pads on mine, together with muts nuts discs - they took a while to bed in properly - couple of trips down the M27 to Sainsbury’s should do it! Be prepared for them to be crap the first few times you brake - makes the adrenilin run quite nicely! RemarkLima 6 October 2004 18:54 #7 Must say Pagid RS-14’s are pretty much ready to go The whole bedding in thing… Don’t know about “road” pads but all the racers I knowwill do a a lap to bed them in and then give them full abuse from there on in JasonR 6 October 2004 20:20 #8 Agree about a couple of average laps then time to cool down properly befor you go out again, is what we do as well. FWIW here is link to pagids suggested bedding procedure, gonna try it when my pads arrive this week. race bad bedding in further down page Looks the proper biz, Jason, but I’m not sure how we can check the temperature in between the stops !! RemarkLima 6 October 2004 21:45 #10 JasonR 6 October 2004 22:06 #11 Thats the same principle for checking if the caps in your amps have power I was thinking a digital pyrometer which i wanna get for tyre setup anyway. Gonna give it a bash anyway, before i get out to the track just to see if it works, as i will have brand new diskc and pads to bed in at one time. Will keep you posted. Uldis 7 October 2004 22:25 #12 I’ve tried the EBC red before, and although they’re ok when they are bed in, they take a while to get there. All pads bedding in process consist in two parts: -physical conformation of the pad’s surface to the shape of the disks surface. For this using the pads gently for the first 100 miles would be ok, even in subzero temps. If the disks are new, it takes maybe 10 miles, if the disks are used and are not perfectly flat, it takes longer. Until then they should not be overheated or they will be cooked on the parts that touch only. -cooking them to the operating temperature. For this you need to cycle the pad’s temp, heat them and let them cool. This will make them stable at high temps and release most of the gases that make them fade. Every time you reach a higher operating temperature they will release gases again, ie fade. The EBC reds are unfortunately the worst pads to bed in, temperature-wise. They take about 6-7 heat cycles until they are finally ok. Use them hard until they start fading and smell, let them cool… and again. By the time I had them working nicely, they were half worn. Meanwhile, I had lost 1/2 trackday, staying more time in the pits letting them cool, than I would want. Besides, they don’t work well from cold, but you just have to know that the frist few stops it’ll take twice the distance to stop, and you will have a wooden feel. When hot, they feel ok. Short, try them if you want, you may have a different experience (I’m very hard on my brakes), but I think if you just don’t want to pay Pagids, and don’t do trackdays, go for EBC greens, and change them often. Hope this helps. IDG 8 October 2004 07:45 #13 I thought Nick Adams recommended a few hard stops from high speed to heat them up and then a hard stop followed by standing on them for a couple of minutes to shape them to the disk? Anybody else recall? Phil 8 October 2004 08:00 #14 Ian, Do you mean Nick Adams IDG 8 October 2004 08:17 #15 Ian, Do you mean Nick Adams That’s what I said! Um…honest…I didn’t have to edit the post to correct it at all…nor apologise to a customer of mine who’s name may have accidently been used in place of a the Lotus guru. But do you remember NICK saying such a thing? ps. Thanks Phil, it’s early. pps. You and Trudy must have got good at handling sleepless baby filled nights?! Brendan 8 October 2004 09:03 #16 I’m pretty sure that thing Nick Adams wrote about pads was actually about ‘refreshing’ the pads; If the pads haven’t been worked hard regularly, they tend to go a bit crap and spongy. To get them working properly again, you need to heat cycle them as Uldis described above. Nick was describing this process. I would still be inclined to do the 100 steady miles first. Phil 8 October 2004 09:50 #17 The procedure Nick described was for bedding in new pads and based on the standard Lotus compound. It could also be used as you say to refresh them too. Can’t remember those sleepless nights anymore, after the first one i never woke up (I didn’t have the right equipment ) Brendan 8 October 2004 10:28 #18 OK, you’re right. Here’s his procedure in full: With new pads and discs, or just new pads fitted run the car around for 10/20 miles using the brakes gently as normal to bed the two surfaces together. Once this has been done, check the surfaces of the discs and make sure here are no signs of any scoring or damage. Assuming all looks well take the car to an appropriate piece of quiet and straight, well sighted road and perform half a dozen medium pressure stops from 50 mph down to 20 mph to warm the brakes up. Avoid more than a minute between each stop so that the temperatures do not get a chance to deteriorate too much. Once the brakes are warm and the coast is clear, perform 2 or 3 hard stops from 70mph (where local laws allow!) to 20 mph, braking as hard as you can without locking up. Do not come to a halt between each stop, do them as fast as you can to get the brakes really hot. On the third stop come to a halt and keeping your foot on the brake press the brake pedal down as hard as you can and hold it there for at least a couple of minutes, don’t apply the handbrake. This hurts if you are doing it right! This will bed the pistons, shims and pads together and will compress the pad material, giving a hard and repeatable pedal. Once the 2 minutes have passed, release the pedal and go for a short drive, using the brakes as normal to let everything return to normal temperatures. The brakes are now fully bedded in and ready for use in anger. Recompressing the pads once every few thousand miles to the above procedure will help keep the pedal firm, especially if you don’t normally use the brakes hard. As Uldis said, with older discs, I would give it a few extra steady miles before the hard stops. Uldis 8 October 2004 11:23 #19 I can only imagine Nick’s legs are not that strong. If I stood on the pedal as hard as I could, it would never come back up. Take this from a guy that has been in a crash before where the brake pedal was completely bent down to the floor, I also used to race Mountain bikes and broke a few chains and wheels, and can leg-press 300Kg even now that I’m not that fit. Also, this procedure applies to pads that can loose their compactness, like standard ones. An driven in the city, like any… Porker! Pagids, Mintex (or even EBC greens if used frequently on track) don’t really need this, first because the material is less pronne to sponge, and second, because at the track you’re compressing them all the time! RoxTeddy 9 October 2004 18:01 #20 I also think doing the compress the pads/materials etc together step at the end with the rotors up to temp runs the risk of getting warped discs… no ??	8,516
REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — One of the three main parties who formed a deal late last spring to keep an animal rights initiative off the Ohio ballot is saying the deal is broken. The agreement, struck between Ohio’s farm leaders, HSUS and former Gov. Ted Strickland, required the parties to recommend to the board the American Veal Association’s call for group housing by 2017. At the March 1 meeting of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, members voted 6-5 in favor of allowing veal calves to be confined in stalls that prevent them from being able to turn around prior to 10 weeks of age. First 10 weeks The board’s standards do mandate group housing by 2017, but also allow for untethered stall confinement up to 10 weeks, in order to cut down on disease and contamination, cross suckling of other young animals’ navels, and to prevent costly expenses of converting to other systems. The difference, according to HSUS’ Ohio director Karen Minton, is a “violation” of what the parties agreed to. “When that provision was struck, so that they (veal calves) could no longer turn around, it was a complete violation of the agreement,” she said. The Ohio Veterinary Medical Association also supports allowing calves of all ages to turn around. Its president, Linda Lord, recommended to the board the language of the American Veterinary Medical Association, which states “individual housing must allow the calf to turn around comfortably and to assume normal postures.” During a press conference at the Statehouse on Oct. 26, HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle told Farm and Dairy “What the groups signed onto is crystal clear; it is a phaseout by 2017 of crates or cages that are so restrictive that the animals cannot turn around.” He said to not allow the younger calves to turn around would be “a deal breaker for us.” In a statement released to media today, Pacelle continued those sentiments, stating that if the “turn-around” language is not upheld, “we will have little choice but to renew the effort for a ballot initiative that we had hoped had been averted through a balanced and forward-looking agreement.” Keith Stimpert, senior vice president of public policy for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, said the board’s decision is “absolutely not” a deal breaker. “I think the key point is we’ve all committed to respect the authority of the board,” he said. Pacelle spoke his own commitment to the board at the August board meeting, where he called it a “novel” idea, and recognized its authority. “We recognize the vote of the citizens of Ohio on Issue 2, and we recognize the authority of the livestock board,” he said. The agreement was not made with board members and they’ve generally weighed it as they have other recommendations. It was an agreement to make certain recommendations to the board, which Stimpert said has occurred. “The agreement was, by and large, a set of recommendations, and those recommendations were made,” he said. Board member Bill Moody told Farm and Dairy shortly after the agreement was announced, that the board was independent. He pledged to listen to its recommendations, alongside any other recommendations that may come along. “I feel the pressure to perform and conduct the board’s business, but we can’t be puppets,” he said. “The board is not made up to be that way, to do things that way,” Moody said. Ohio Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Jack Fisher addressed the board on the agreement during a July meeting, where he talked about the difficulty of making the compromise, but also what it really means. Fisher reminded the board the agreement is a recommendation, based on the findings of a diverse group of industry representatives. Ultimately, it would still be the work of the board to decide what it will adopt as standards. In addition to HSUS, the board has heard proposals from the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, its own subcommittees, consumers and concerned citizens. Stimpert said the board must weigh all these factors, and then make its decision. “The board has to consider a lot of different factors and that’s a god thing,” he said. “They’re doing their job as a board.” Related coverage: Rules put Ohio veal industry in jeopardy, some producers say (Feb. 25) OLCSB advances dairy, beef, sheep and goat standards. (Feb. 25) OLCSB advances more standards, nearing milestone (Feb. 11) OLCSB advances more standards, electronic comment period to begin (Jan. 19) Ohio care board gives go ahead to swine, disabled livestock documents (Jan. 5) Swine subcommittee recommends stall-free by 2025 (Dec. 30) JCARR to review Ohio’s first livestock care standards (Dec. 21) OLCSB reformats livestock standards for last meeting of year (Dec. 8) OLCSB has hands full deciding veal standards, future of livestock in Ohio (Nov. 17, 2010) OLCSB veal subcommittee, animal rights activists at odds over housing Care board hears feedback on veal standards, big decision ahead. tweet Previous articlePennAg annual meeting to feature discussion of the movie, Food Inc. Next articleVacation with us...Ambrose Chris Kick served Farm and Dairy's readership as a reporter for nearly a decade before accepting a job at Iowa State University Extension. An American FFA Degree recipient, he holds a bachelor’s in creative writing from Ashland University. After the Storm sculpture honors victims, first responders of pandemic New programming in Ohio gets to heart of farmers’ mental health needs Barb March 2, 2011 at 6:34 pm Absolutely disgusting! I have never eaten veal and I never will. It is an atrocity to treat the poor little calves like that!! doozledorf March 2, 2011 at 9:22 pm @Barb if you don’t like veal then don’t eat it.. I will gladly eat your share. It is people with your same mentality that is ruining agriculture here in Ohio.. If you like food on your table you need to watch what you stand for…If Humane Society of the United States has their way, we will all be vegans and running around like sick puppies…Everything in moderation! We need meat, veggies and fruits.. that is the way God made us. Cheyla March 5, 2011 at 3:21 pm Let’s think about who is the sicko here. Meat is murder pure and simple. Veal is the murder of babies who were torn from their mothers and placed in a crate that does not allow natural posture for their very short life. It is a horrible existence for any baby to endure. Anyone is advocates this is not only a murderer but a sadistic sicko. There is nothing wrong with veganism – if you believe in a God, then s/he made plenty of vegans on the planet!! Regan H March 8, 2011 at 4:05 pm Cheyla what you just wrote, makes me think you are a little sick, get real with the world you live in. Farmer March 2, 2011 at 10:49 pm It seems this is a senario of animal rights idealogy or abolition by emotional use tatics and not one of science. This is the way that every social movement has been carried out by eliciting an emotional response. I wonder what is the place of laws made without any common sense or science but on emotions as we are seeing now. We know by history that utopian societies do not work and never have. One group who believes in abolition of all animals for food and everything considered animal use, and the other who believe in animal welfare but not to the expense of humanity. I heppen to believe it is time for some laws where people and their livelihood are protected from the ideology of the animal rights social movemnet. When we start living in a society where animals take first place over human beings when science is not used but emotions, there is a problem. The lawsuits, ballot initiatives and the cost to the animal industries, fur industries and the like. Seems the vegan animal rights groups are extremely anti capitalist. Just stop and think about the cost to society that the vegan animal rights movement has cost and, at this time we just can not afford the bill of the animal rights movement. Since dogs as pets have become scarce in some states, how long will it be before farm animal are being confiscated to live our their life on a santuary for what Wayne may term as “abuse”. If you think it will not happen, it will. I am for revisiting the AETA for the protection of people from harrassment from the vegan animal rights social movement. People certainly should be concerned with animal welfare but when we talk about animal rights we move into another and totally different thinking. Nonya March 2, 2011 at 11:32 pm “Since dogs as pets have become scarce in some states, how long will it be before farm animal are being confiscated to live our their life on a santuary for what Wayne may term as “abuse”.” I’m confused by this statement. I hope you are aware that H$U$ doesn’t really do all that much for pets either other than passing legislature. They aren’t going after livestock because they’ve run out of pets to feed. They dangle those sad images of homeless pets only to bring in donations. I don’t support them anymore than I would peta, just want to make sure you’re not under the wrong impression. I suggest people do their own research on H$U$ and a good place to start is Humanewatch. AmyK March 6, 2011 at 7:58 pm 1. Each and every image used in the HSUS commercials is from one of its own rescue operations. 2. Humanewatch is a fake advocacy group funded by corporations to run a smear campaign against the HSUS. Hardly a credible source. That has been documented clearly by many sources. Here are just a few: Berman Exposed Who is HumaneWatch? AmyK March 6, 2011 at 7:54 pm The decision on veal goes against guidelines from the American Veal Association, American Veterinary Association, and Ohio Veterinary Medical Association. Somehow, I don’t think these three groups are swayed by “emotion” in their recommendations. Since when is providing decent animal welfare an “emotional” issue? It’s a question of ethics, and the scientific consensus clearly backs it up. Mary March 6, 2011 at 9:12 pm Amy, you are absolutely wrong about HumaneWatch. First, though, I’d like to ask why it is wrong for the businesses that are being affected by HSUS’s legislation cannot defend themselves? Exactly why is that wrong? If Humane Watch was not based on fact, why do you supposed HSUS cannot stop them? An organization as big as HSUS with a battery of lawyers would be able to stop an organization that was spreading lies. Humane Watch is based on FACT, a lot of those facts coming from the HSUS’ own tax filings! One only needs to look to see that only the truth is being presented. Thank God for organizations like Humane Watch that are looking out for farmers, pet owners, breeders, and the others that are engaged in business or pleasure with animals. HSUS’ rating as a charity keeps slipping by the organizations that rate charities. Are all the organizations that are exposing HSUS lying? Don’t think so… MFW March 6, 2011 at 9:19 pm AmyK I would not assume that the above organizations are A) 100% right 100% of the time or B) aren’t swayed by emotion I think the majority of time these organizations are correct and they use science as a purely objective way of defining their position. In the case of animal behavior, it is not an objective science though, there are unmeasurable parameters and to believe emotion is not a part of either side of the discussion is to ignore reality. We have farmers faced with the decision of going out of business because they can’t afford to lose another dollar with such small profit margins. We have the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation back-tracking, side-stepping, money-wrangling, swap-talking, back door bargaining and double-taking because, frankly they fly by the seat of their pants and the decisions and recommendations they send down the pipe are entirely based on the almighty dollar and membership fees. You have the American Veal Association who was TOLD it would support the agreement made between the HSUS and OFBF. The producers themselves were not consulted prior to the agreement and the support from the Veal producers has never been strong. The association is now trying to back track and represent the producer’s wishes. I do not believe the association is truly in favor of loose housing calves under 10 weeks; I beleive the opposite is true. Then you have professional organizations like the OVMA and AVMA who generally have the upper hand in making scientifically sound decisions regarding what’s best for animal health and welfare. However, we suffer from the problem of having no science to explain what an animals desires are. In fact, the science does show calves housed in single pens are healthier. They have reduced rate of infection and generally thrive much better than calves housed in group pens. Now, as a veterinary student (member of the OVMA) I cringe to say it but one really must question the motives of the OVMA and the AVMA in discussions like these. It’s a medical-science based profession and their making recommendations that go against the science? That to me is backwards and is walking a fine-line of jeapordizing the profession. Perhaps their positions are more a reflection of the leaders within them (typically small animal, adademia professionals with little (if any) food animal experience) and are not truly representative of the veterinary profession at large? I believe that is exactly what’s happening. The recommendations OVMA has made are opinion based, factually baseless and entirely emotional. Want proof? Consider the fact that the OVMA is speaking in favor of large animal restrictions that don’t extend to the small animal world. Why? Because pet owners certainly wouldn’t like it, it’s not popular and it would not be a publicly favored opinion/emotionally based decision. It is certainly hypocritical to say you can’t dock the tail of a cow….but it’s fine on your pointer, boxer etc…. You can’t put an ear tag in a cow, but go ahead and crop the ears of that mastiff. That veal calf has to be able to sit, stand, stretch his limbs and do a dance in his crate (with no teather) but it’s fine to tie that dog to a tree or dog house. It’s fine to put the dog in a crate which inhibits movement while the owner is away. Why is it acceptable to breed pugs, boston terriers, bulldogs and the like who are so genetically dismangled that they can’t even breath? Answer: people (generally the people who think farm animals are genetically mutated) think they’re cute…..and the OVMA has nothing to say about it… I came from a dairy farm, I regularly observe other farms (of all types) I have an animal science degree, a professional animal scientist certificate and am studying veterinary medicine at one of the best institutions of its kind. If I’m reluctant to believe these decison making groups have the best motives, I think anyone further removed should probably be less apt to declare any one of them as having a non-biased, difinitevely correct and pure thought process. Just food for thought Tell the people who you really are… you work for HSUS..you get paid big money to get on sites like this and say the things that you just said…your taking money out of the mouths of the animals that HSUS say they are Helping..HSUS is nothing but a big pit of LIES..their ads are deceiving and make people think they are helping feed and save the lives of the animals when most of the money is spent on pushing bills to destroy agriculture..you should be ashamed of yourself for taking one dime away from the animals and working for such a dishonest group who is only out to abolish all animals…. As for HUMANE WATCH.. you are just like all AR people you are attacking the person not the issues.. NOW YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY…Every time you touch one penny of your pay check I hope you see those poor homeless animals with those big sad eyes.. doozledorf March 7, 2011 at 1:45 am Also HUMANE WATCH is made up of a lot of Rescue people…why would rescue people be against HSUS? because they know the truth about the dishonesty of HSUS and how they misuse their funds…they take food out of the mouths of the animals if all of the One Hundred and ninetee million dollars that they collected last year was used properly on the animals there would of been so many shelters with their doors still open instead HSUS steal the funding in which the people are lead to believe that HSUS is an Umbrella group for all Humane Societies which they are not..all they are is a multi million dollar animal rights activist group base in D.C. That Pay 35 lawyers and their staff six figure salaries, put money in the pocket of people who lobby for laws to ruin all aspects of animal usage. I urge anyone who loves animals or even like to eat meat to join HUMANE WATCH on face book and help us to defund HSUS…you will be surprised what you will learn about HSUS on that site…just amazing!! Keep informed and don’t let HSUS take away your rights. AmyK March 8, 2011 at 12:46 pm Hi doozledorf, sorry to disappoint you, but no I do not work at the HSUS. And HumaneWatch is made up mostly of dog breeders, not farmers and not rescue people. And no, most of what it posts is not fact. It’s lies, distortions, and manipulations of the truth. Here are just a few of the myths and misconceptions spread by HumaneWatch. Click on each one to find out how true it is — most have not a shred of truth. http://humanewatch.info/blog/hsus-myths/ AmyK March 8, 2011 at 12:48 pm Oh, and to any rescuers who might happen to be in HumaneWatch, they might want to “watch” who they keep company with. HumaneWatch claims to support local shelters, but here is how its members really feel about shelters – http://humanewatch.info/blog/shelters/ Contrast that with the HSUS, which had 35 pages of grants to local shelters listed on its 2009 tax forms – http://humanewatch.info/blog/shelter-contribs-2009/ darwin March 3, 2011 at 1:33 am Is there something here that says that Veal ranchers CANNOT allow the calves to do as they please?? Anything at all that says if you want to allow your veal calves to “be free’ that you cannot do so.. I think not. What this does say is that the HSUS is stamping its little vegan feet and saying ” we WARN you..” like some school yard bully that we will have our way.. When Wayne Pacelle starts serving “free range” veal in the HSUS cafeteria.. or even a burger. then they might have a leg to stand on.. until then but out of my veal chop. Perhaps the HSUS would like to use some of their millions of dollars of donations from little old ladies to start a “model” veal farm.. along with a model pig farm.. cattle ranch and poultry place.. until them the “standards ” they set will never be reached.. know why?? because their goal is the abolition of animal agriculture.. one animal at a time.. Kick the school yard bully all of the way back to their DC hole.. HSUS is a four letter word. KeithC March 3, 2011 at 7:54 am HSUS has been looking for a reason to break the agreement. The “Agreement” was with Strickland, OFBF and HSUS aka Ohioans for Humane Farms (OHF). By the way, did you all know that the Co-Director of OHF, according to HSUS’s website, is not even an Ohioan? She is a Virginia resident. The members of the OLCSB were not part of that agreement therefore if they decide to not accept something agreed to by others that is not a deal breaker. HSUS is still using their “Signatures” to try and force the Ban on Exotic Animals, they are using exotic industry as a pawn against the livestock industry. Should anyone look at the original petition filed with the state, nowhere did it mention Dogs or Exotics, the petition was only for Farm Animals. Divide and concur, it is what they have done time and time again. I for one do care about Humane Treatment of Animals as well as Humans. HSUS has no vested financial interest in animal ownership or the business of animals. Animal rights is very different than animal welfare. Welfare is about the best possible humane care of animals. Animal rights is about controlling people and taking away their rights and privileges. The animal rights activists (ARAs) stop at nothing to manipulate law makers and the public which generally have no firsthand knowledge of animal industry practices. These groups are well funded and have cultivated a strong grass roots network. While we (animal owners) devote our time to caring for our animals, they (ARAs) have time to campaign and lobby. Their leaders are paid by the non-profit organizations they have founded. They have generated an inaccurate and unhealthy fear of zoonosis. They have created a problem, blown it out of proportion, and then propose a solution where none is needed. The tax free non-profit’s “business” is to collect charitable donations. If Animal Rights organizations actually do care about Animal Welfare, they why not put up some of the millions of dollars collected each year to fund for improvements instead of signing backroom deals with Governors and pushing unjust legislation that in the end just creates job loss. Susan March 3, 2011 at 9:13 am I am not a vegan, but I do prefer to purchase my meat products from humane providers. I have never eaten Veal, and never will, because to treat a little calf like this is horrible. By giving it a little more room for a more comfortable short life would be a great improvement. The stress hormones that are secreted must be enormous. I don’t think I want those in my body, and I don’t want to put money into a pocket of someone who is so cruel. We who care about animals are doing them a great injustice by buying products from these types of farms…by doing so, you are basically condoning their actions. I’m not saying to not eat meat, just make sure as best you can that the time that animal had on earth was without pain and stress. FED-UP &PO'd farmer March 3, 2011 at 10:07 am Susan-you are COMPLETELY incorrect assuming that “stress hormones” are elevated in stalled calves-rather the complete OPPOSITE is a proven FACT. Stalled/tethered calves are MUCH less stressed than those in group settings. They are also COMPLETELY CONTENT-not in ANY pain or anxiety whatsoever. You are falling for the lies and deceits of the animal rights groups that have attacked farmers and spread these lies to brainwash people into thinking it is the truth. Susan March 3, 2011 at 12:37 pm Point me to the literature that backs this up. I am in the medical field, and while I am generally focused on humans, I know that if a person is restrained and unable to shift position, they become irritable, in pain, have organ damage and generally become completely stressed. It is found that people who are “paralized” for respiratory issues become so stressed that oftentimes the drug used to paralize is dc’d. I will be hard pressed to be convinced that this is humane treatment. If I’m wrong, I will back down, but you have to show me the literature and back up for your statement. FED-UP &PO'd farmer March 3, 2011 at 9:35 pm Here are just a very few, Susan: Individual Stalls vs. Pens UC Davis; Knesel et al., 1983 1993; Albright et al. 1991; Stull and McMartin 1992. There are MANY more. Now time for me to call you out…First of all, how many thousands or even hundreds of calves have YOU raised-and how much of your income is from these raised calves??? Next, just because we are farmers does NOT mean we are uneducated morons…I myself have been educated in the medical field-after less than 2 years I had enough and returned to farming-however, that doesnt mean I forgot my medical education-I am not trying to be rude-but using your human medical background to insinuate that you know about animal behavoior is unethical-animals are NOT the same as people and do not think or rationalize the same. Also, people are restrained either because they are combatant-whether from drugs, senility, blood chemistry imbalances, ect.OR due to health issues/surgeries. These people are agitated or already in pain to begin with. There is NO comparison between these people and calves . Individual stalled calves can move around in their stalls-they are NOT bound down that they cant move like a restrained person is. In NO way, shape or form are these calves in any pain or anxiety or are being abused. By the way, how many veal farms have you been to if you dont raise vealers yourself?? Perhaps you need to talk to these farmers and get some input from them instead of the false propaganda you are getting from the animal rights groups… AmyK March 6, 2011 at 8:02 pm No one is saying group housing is the only option. Individual stall can be used PROVIDED the calves have enough room to turn around. That is all that is being asked, and it’s backed up by the American Veal Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, and Ohio Veterinary Medical Association. Yet Ohio farmers can’t seem to follow these basic humane guidelines. No one wants to buy anything from producers like that. You all are going to put yourselves out of business. darwin March 3, 2011 at 12:43 pm Susan and those like her want to believe they are experts in all fields of animal husbandry.. if you were writing about elephants i am sure she would know about them as well, Veal ranchers have no obligation to put the calves in individual stalls.. none at all.. don;t want to.. don’t do it.. shout it to the rooftops.. My veal comes from calves in a group setting. Then people can choose.. It is called freedom of choice. Susan and others use words like ‘must be” “should” “maybe” and other “coulda woulda shoulda” terms that have no basis in science.. but lots of emotional rhetoric. Susan March 3, 2011 at 1:04 pm Obviously, you didn’t read my post. I never said I was an expert, just that I am in the medical field, focused on humans. I also said that if you provide me with literature, I would reconsider my opinion. You are implying that people who care about animals are all thinking with emotions, only. However you arrive at your warped opinions isn’t an issue. You can believe what ever you like about me and those who support humane animal treatment. Don’t really care. My concern is with the treatment of these calves. If they are in fact free to run, and aren’t isolated in little pens then I have obviously been misinformed. If you can prove to me that your calves are stress and pain free I will apologize for my “backward” thinking. Mary March 3, 2011 at 1:51 pm Susan, you cannot equate animal husbandry to human medical science. It is not the same thing. Humans become stressed because they know there could be a different way. Animals live in the moment. Calves are quite content as long as they are kept at the right temperature, under shelter from rain and inclement weather, and provided with the proper food and water. Those things are what matter to them. They don’t dream about being in green pastures that they have no knowledge of. You should visit calves on a veal farm. When animals are stressed, I read that they secrete a hormone that affects the meat. This is definitely NOT the goal of any farmer! Keeping them comfortable is what it is all about. What is comfort to you is not the same as what is comfort to a pig, cow, or calf. We need to stop equating animal needs to human needs. Human needs have way too much emotion. As for HSUS threatening with that ballot again, I say let’s get it over with. Ohio cannot thrive if we are under HSUS’s thumb! That will only close down all our farms if we keep giving in to them because THAT IS THEIR GOAL! I would like to see Ohio do away with ballot initiatives. These initiatives are generally the product of people who are NOT experts and who don’t care what the effect will be on others. In lieu of that, we should at least require a ballot initiative to pass in the majority of counties, so that city people are not able to dictate to the rural people and farmers. They are not qualified to vote on something they have no knowledge of scientifically. Emotions are the worst way to vote. darwin March 3, 2011 at 1:00 pm if a baby were able to and frequently did suck on its own navel or genitals and cause disease would you say you should not keep them from doing this..?? if a baby in a group of babies were subjected to others sucking on their genitals and their sensitive navel areas would you keep them together? the answer is moot.. why? because calves are not babies. Susan has made the typical AR comparison here.. animals = humans. Susan March 3, 2011 at 1:07 pm I think you just want to rant. Be my guest. Still waiting for you to put your facts where your mouth is. Mary March 3, 2011 at 1:57 pm Susan, perhaps you should do your own research. The facts ARE there. Animal husbandry today is based on very sound scientific practices and thousands of years of experience! Farmers subscribe to publications, attend meetings, and continually learn. Because their very livelihood depends on how well they raise their animals. While you have probably never seen veal calves in your life. What makes you an expert on animals? Nothing at all. This is so typical of the AR extremists that want us to provide the proof and put it under their noses. Go do your own research, it’s out there. You remind me of Pacelle, the ‘expert’ on pets that has never owned one or bonded to one, by his own admission, in his life! Does anyone really think he is all about the welfare of our pets? The best way to stop HSUS is to stop donating to them. There are local shelters and rescues that really need the help because HSUS does NOT fund them. Regan H March 3, 2011 at 3:47 pm I hate the h$u$ Susan March 3, 2011 at 3:56 pm Mary, I have indeed owned horses, goats, cows and calves, rabbits, dogs, cats, a monkey, guinna pigs, pigs, chickens, ducks and fish. All have been raised and cared for in the most humane way possible. Non were abused, tethered, kept in a manner that was not comfortable for them. I am involved in rescuing neglected and abused animals, currently have four in my home. You sound like a bitter, angry person, who just wants to shove your thoughts down others throats. I have done some, admitedly not tons, of research. I don’t proclaim to know it all, but what I have learned through my research is that there are some farmers and meat packers who treat animals horrifically. Granted, there are some who are committed to the welfare of the animals, even tho they are destined for the dinner plate, their lives do not have to be horrible. No where in any of my posts have I said I am an expert. I have offered to try to understand your view. I have been met with anger and attacks. I guess you have sort of proved my point. If this is how you would treat someone who is just questioning and inquiring, how do you treat your animals? MFW March 5, 2011 at 11:42 pm Susan, can you elaborate more about the humane treatment of the numerous species of animals you have cared for? Please explain what the natural environment of each of these animals is like. Did you own one monkey or two? I hope you did not isolate such social creatures, even one so advanced as to use simple tools, technology and communication. Have you kept your guinea pigs in the same home as cats? Have your rabbits, chickens and ducks been exposed to your cats? What about your fish all of which are known to be prey of their natural predator…cats. If I were to measure glucocorticoid levels on these animals exposed to natural predators do you think they would be elevated? I don’t want to hear anything that has to do with how your animals ‘looked’ when you owned them. That does not matter to me in the slightest. As a veterinary student and farmer myself I’ve seen numerous veal operations. All of them have very content ‘looking’ calves. Were your dogs kept within their natural environment–outdoors? Surely they were never placed in a crate cage or even the confines of a home. I hope you owned multiple dogs so they could display their natural pack behaviors. The point being, there are a lot of safe, healthy, and beneficial “un-natural” settings which animals prefer to be in. Consider the fact that man, just another animal to the animal rights activists, consistently chooses to live in the synthetic, climate controlled environment of buildings. Many of our behaviors, customs and activities are by no means natural. In fact, societal norms have without a doubt placed limits on our rights to suppress some of our natural instinctual behaviors. Do we consider this to be unacceptable? Certainly not, we allow these restrictions because they instill safe environments for us to live in. I argue the same is true for our farmed domestic animals. The cows on my farm get to choose between a pasture and the barn. They spend all of their time in the barn when it’s cold and blazing hot. Not surprisingly they enjoy being outside on a nice 60 degree spring evening. They choose to live in the type environment provided for veal calves. Veal calves are not stressed and when housed in individual crates they are healthier. I’m also trained in the medical profession….one dealing mostly with animals, the veterinary profession. darwin March 6, 2011 at 12:08 am Oh come on.. what could you possibly know about animals.. LOL.. Thanks so much for a professional point of view.. and good luck in your studies to be a great vet..we need more people like you.. Thanks Mary March 3, 2011 at 4:36 pm Susan, you have a FARMER telling you the truth and you are challenging him. You may have owned animals, but you are not in the animal agriculture business. That makes you a non-expert on this subject. Yet you are challening a farmer? Probably one whose father was a farmer, and grandfather. These people know what they are doing. You and I have no business telling them how to do it. I am not an angry or bitter person, but I am really fed up with what HSUS has done to us. What gives them the right to threaten and blackmail us? I have seen what they have done with dog breeders BOTH commercial and hobby breeders. I have seen seizures run by the HSUS that resulted in charges dropped because there was NO negligence and NO cruelty, yet the accused’s animals were gone and never returned and they were stuck with legal bills for their defense. They have gone overboard and have taken away our rights and our constitutional right to due process. Even our rights to own property. I have been involved with these issues for over 10 years now, on many lists that deal with animal issues and legislation, and what I have seen in especially the last two years is apalling! If this keeps up, YOU won’t have any animals either. They are against ALL animal ownership and use, and to even give them a place at the table where agricultural standards and requirements are set is insane! They want us all to be vegans. They think they should tell us all what we can eat, own, breed. Their agenda is clear, and anyone who thinks they can compromise with HSUS and that is the end of it is nuts. There is no compromise with them until they have everything taken from us. Commercial breeding, for an example, can be done responsibly. The right number of dogs to own and breed cannot be set. It is the number that can be taken care of meeting standards. I have seen anywhere from 3 to 100. Dogs are being euthanized by commercial breeders because the numbers keep being lowered. Where they had 100, now they are allowed 50. Within 10 years, dogs will become a luxury item, only afforded by the rich. Shelter dogs will dry up as they already have in the Northeast part of the country. Commercial breeding will get shut down. Including the ones that are doing a good job, meeting standards and requirements, passing inspections. Home/hobby breeders are quitting after spending all their lives developing their lovely line of dogs because of the unbelievably restrictive, unfair, and down-right insane requirements being forced on them. Some places if you have over 3 intact dogs over six months you are a kennel! With the same fees and requirements. Keep them comfy in the house no more, you have to build a regulation kennel for them. I have seen the very extreme and it isn’t pretty. HSUS has to be stopped! People like you give them power. Susan March 3, 2011 at 5:57 pm Oh my God. What planet are you from? I never said I supported the HSUS, and I never said I was against eating meat! You said that the information was from a farmer, and he “should know” how to raise animals. There are reputable and not so reputable. How do you know which one he is? I would like to think that he is a humane farmer, and have given him the opportunity to support his beliefs. I have not tried to push anything down anyones throat, only gain information to help me better understand the need to keep a calf in an area so small it can’t turn around. I have a puppy mill dog, rescued a year ago from an unreputable mill. I flew from SC to Utah to rescue this sweet baby, who, by the way, due to him not being socialized has left him stunted mentally, his ability to do normal dog things is far behind others. Yes, puppy mills need to be outlawed. Dogs are not comodities. I don’t know where you got your “shelters drying up” information, but I have lived in the NE until just recently, and the shelters euthanize close to 500 dogs a month…in almost every location. I now live in the south, where it is as bad, if not worse. I always suggest the “adopt, don’t shop” motto when I hear someone is looking for a pet. You have absolutely NO idea what you are talking about in this case. If commercial breeders are doing a good job, they will keep their “inventory” under a certain number. If they have X number and haven’t sold them, why would they think they needed more? To euthanize 3 to 100 dogs because they have over bred is horrendous. Just my point. People like that have absolutely no business breeding or even owning dogs. And, why would you have a “Pet” and not have it spayed or neutered? How responsible is that? Until the shelters have no animals for adoption, there should be a freeze on breeders. The only great kind of dog is a rescued dog…any dog lover will attest to that!! Dogs are not a hobby. They are living, breathing animals. If you want a hobby, garden, or paint, or work with the shelters if you want to be involved with animals. The “Hobby” breeders are in it for the money. You obviously only have the greed for money in your hearts, not the welfare of the animals. I will continue to check my meat purchases for any indication that they were raised humanely, and will avoid buying anything else. And, HSUS has nothing to do with it…it’s totally personal.Unfortunately, the HSUS is lacking in many ways, even though it’s intent began as an honorable one. I used to support this organization, but have stopped because I feel it has become too radical in many ways. But to be fair, it still has a compassionate side, and I am not seeing that side in your postings. For you, its all about the money. Mary March 3, 2011 at 7:54 pm There are several new studies out that have identified several cancers that occur when dogs are spayed/neutered prior to full maturity. Additionally, their growth is not proper. When hormones are removed, growth plates don’t close for longer than normal. Resulting in improper bone lengths. This leads to more ligament and tendon injuries. In dogs, form follows function. Dogs with improper growth have impaired function, even though it is not on the ‘outside’. Additionally, spaying in particular is an invasive surgery with its own risks. Dogs do die occasionally during the surgery. Those of us that have purebred dogs get them because we know what their temperament, size, looks, health/health risks will be. My Dobermans have all had the same basic traits, which I love, although each has had their own individual personalities. Hobby breeders are called such because they make no money breeding the occasional litter. With vet costs, special care for the dam, special care and vet costs for the puppies, special foods, etc., the usual ‘profit’ is negative. Some of these breeders filed income and expenses in taxes, and the IRS tells them to quit filing as they are obviously ‘hobby’ breeders. That is what the term means. These are generally responsible breeders in it for the love of and improvement of the breed. Where did I ever mention mention for you to say its all about the money? That is typical AR anti-breeding speech and that is exactly what HSUS pushes. Shelter dogs/mixed breeds have the same if not more health problems. Per my vet, she sees just as many diseases and inherited problems in mixes. In fact, they inherit mutliple breeds’ health problems. And the purebred breeders are the ones that contribute to health and research to eliminate and treat these diseases, where as mixed breed owners contribute zero. Many dog treatments have gone on to provide humans with treatments and cures. Dogs are very much like humans in genetic make-up, weird as that may seem. In America, we have the right to choose what dog we want. Yes, there are many great mixes and shelter dogs, but they are definitely not better than purebreds. You protest, but you speak like an AR person. Dogs are being euthanized because of new legislation that has cut down how many you can have, just like our pet limit laws. To get down to the allowed amounts, dogs are killed. Thanks to the legislation. They are not over-breeding in many cases, the puppies all get homes. There are responsible commercial kennels, believe it or not. From our pets to our beef and eggs, the AR community wants to eliminate them all. Susan March 3, 2011 at 9:39 pm I have purbreds and I have mutts. They are with me for the love they give and the love they receive. $$ never enters the mix. I have had a ten dollar pound dog that we drove to the state vet hospital every weekend, six hours each way, motel for the weekend, for six months, trying to eradicate her cancer. We even rented an airplane and flew her there. Her being purbred would not have changed anything…we loved her unconditionally. The treatment she got didn’t save her life, but with her trials, it was perfected and my brothers secretarys life was saved, using the same treatment. You will never convince me that an unaltered dog is healthier than one who has been altered. All that I have read speaks to the opposite. My vet concurs, and I feel it is irresponsible to have a dog that won’t be used for breeding and not have it altered. Just my opinion. I would never have a pet that was free to breed. There are just too many unwanted animals that die every year to support that way of thinking. Just my opinion. As for puppy mills/”hobby breeders”/and so called responsible breeders, it appears to be status symbols, not members of the family. You are entitled to your opinions, and I am going to continue to believe in mine. I am stopping this diatribe now, as we will never get to a point of agreement, nor will I get to the point where I even begin to think the way you think. I will continue to fight for animal rights. You can continue to do what ever you feel is right. I think Karma will take care of the rest. Mary March 4, 2011 at 4:40 pm Too bad your vet is not keeping current with the latest studies. Responsibility of owners in leashing and controlling their dogs is great for preventing unwanted litters. Works like a charm. Here is some reading material for you. There is more out there, just google for it. doozledorf March 4, 2011 at 5:54 pm @Mary…you are right on! Responsible owners..good term. I am a small show breeder and have a small fortune tied up in my dogs. I love my animals and they love me, their attitude shows it in the ring and in my home. I am so against this “Animal Rights Movement” I could scream.. they are a bunch of sick waco’s that need to spend more time getting psychiatric help than trying to save every animal they see..not all animals need saved, but they think so. I too agree that altering animals brings on more bad health issues than keeping them intact, let alone the risk that every surgery has of loosing your pet.. No one ever talks about how many animals die while getting spayed or neutered. I am sick of the vets lying and standing up for spaying and neutering just so they can make some money.. the same way with shots.. according to all 7 vet schools vaccinations are not suppose to be given yearly..after the puppy has had its initial 3 sets of puppy shots, it will not need another shot for atleast 7 years, a titer test should be given at about 6 years old to see if the dog is ready for its new shot, as if you give yearly boosters you are making the shot not work, you are over medicating your animals…I am sure all the vets know of this ..yet they still give yearly boosters to make money..they are putting our pets health in harms way so they can make a buck. We have plenty enough problems raising good healthy dogs without the help of the Animal Rights movement and bad vets that put money over your animals health. As the Animal Rights idiot above stated “Karma Will Get You”…except I do not believe in Karma, I have a God and he is my strength, he will remove any mountain or any obsticle that gets in my way if I am true to him. So look out ANIMAL RIGHTS…your day is comming! Susan March 4, 2011 at 6:14 pm Mary, I appreciate you giving these links, and I am very interested in learning more. I am not convinced, but I am in the learning mode, and will seek further information on this subject. I had hoped to learn something with out communications, and I did. Thank you. The name calling (by the way, sorry, dozledorf, I’m not an idiot, have a college degree, and am a nurse manager) has totally turned me off. No longer is this an issue we can discuss as adults attempting to educate, and inform eachother. Name calling is an instant turn off. I will seek more information, discuss this with my vet, and as I had said earlier, I have an open mind, and am eager to learn. But, from this point, I will no longer set myself up for the name calling. I also am a Christian..but I believe in Karma. Do unto others.. is the whole thing…. Thanks again, Mary. You have given me food for thought, and I appreciate your attempt at educating me. I will for sure follow up on it. Best regards. Susan March 4, 2011 at 6:16 pm I meant to say “with OUR communications”…sorry, was distracted! doozledorf March 4, 2011 at 6:47 pm @ Susan, because you do not see breeding and showing dogs a hobby does not mean that it is not a hobby. A hobby is something someone does that pleasures them. Now as far as all the money that the Hobby Breedres make on their dogs…I would love to know where that money is. Everyone I know that raises dogs puts what ever money they make from selling pups right back into their animals and then some. Do you know how much money it costs to make a dog a champion?? We are talking quality feed, mine get meat veggies and fruit, training classes, gas comming and going to shows, yes it gets very expensive, unless you are walking in the hobby breeders shoes you have no clue.. as far as calling you an idiot, I’m just calling all Animal Right followers that…And yes even a person with a college education can be an idiot..look at some of our elected officials debating over if an Island was gonna tip over… When you get on these sites and start calling hobby breeders greedy money hungry..you will ocassionally be called and idiot. And by the way I have been up every 2 hours nursing a premie pup for the last 7 days..this morning he died…and you know what I new when he was born that he was gonna die but I still did all I could for the little guy…Hmmm we are real heartless!!! And by the way I am a retired R.N. Mary March 4, 2011 at 7:15 pm Doazledorf, sorry about the loss of the puppy. It is amazing how quickly we bond even with newborn puppies, and what heartbreak they bring when we lose them. Susan is not in the cross-hairs, so does not understand what animal owners and breeders are going through these days. I follow all the legislation and it is horrific. In TX they want to require each and every intact male dog to be neutered if it is over 20 pounds! How supposedly rational people come up with the things I have seen in the past 2-3 years I have no idea. From breed-specific legislation, to mandatory spay-neuter, pet limits, breeding restrictions and limits, it is mindboggling. Just how did we become targets like this, and why does it not seem to matter to anyone that dog owners and breeders are not treated with the same due process that even drug dealers get? Raids without warrants, intimidation, outrageous fees, seizing dogs on trumped-up charges, breeder-bashing, and on and on. They want to tell us when and how often our dogs can be bred, when the only people that should be involved in such a decision is the onwer and the vet! These people that have never bred a dog, been in animal agriculture, etc., trying to tell those that have been doing it for most of their lives what and how they can do it. And now our good farmers are being targeted in the same manner. And thereby we are also targeted if we eat meat. You don’t hear us telling vegans they must eat meat. Who gave them the right to dictate to us? I am not a farmer, but I am absolutely backing them on their issues because we are all in the same boat. The ARs don’t want us to own or use animals in any way Susan, we are passionate about our animals and our freedoms, and when we are threatened we react. I know my dogs are dogs, but any threat to take them from me or prevent me from having them I will treat the same as if it was a threat to my child. Doozledorf, I hear you on the vaccinations too. I lost a dog to lymphoma that was a reaction to booster vaccs when he was 7. Never again! They get their basic set of shots, and then I titer them. I have not had to revaccinate any of them for parvo or distemper. Rabies are required by law, so until they pass health exemptions in all states for health reasons, I will have to do that. It scares me to death to give my 8 year old boy that has seizures a Rabies shot that he does not need. Dr. Jean Dodds in California is fighting for these exemptions for us and doing a great job. doozledorf March 4, 2011 at 7:45 pm Thanks Mary… Being a breeder can be very rewarding and heartbreaking, the rewards is not money by no means.. the reward is being able to supply someone with a wonderful happy, healthy puppy that will give them years of enjoyment.. an of course the heartbreaking is when you loose your older dogs that you have loved for so many years and some of the pups that do not make it for what ever reason… all the breeders i know have never been able to save a preemie…they are just meant to die…but being the good hearted people we are instead of letting it sit there and starve to death we do all that we can to give it the best few days that it has here on earth.. I have known breeders to raise them to 3 mos and then they die. Its a lot of work, but I would do it all over again. Yes it just sickens me that this movement is even taken place..How can anyone come to be the people that the A.R. people are.. I’m sure they ate meat at sometime in their lives. What made them change? Is this what they are teaching in shools? Where is the common since thinking? First its save the whales, save this save that…now its do away with animals? Don’t eat animals, if we don’t eat them, then there will be no purpose for them, People really need to go back to God’s plan..not the Radical People Plan… God made the earth the people and he surely knows what he is doing. When people were going to church and raising their children in church the world was a much better place….you see what happens when you kick God out of everything… I just pray that God pours his Wrath out on the Animal Rights movement…And he will.. Gonna get some ZZZZ’s haven’t slept for about a week caring for this pup… Thanks Again.. and keep up the fight. sookie March 5, 2011 at 1:02 pm You can argue on and on, but the bottom line, is the bottom line. Factory farms, puppy mills, slaughterhouses, greyhound racing etc is all about making money off the poor defenseless animal. For years they have been blaming antibiotic immunity to people taking ATBs when they are sick, when in fact most antibiotic overuse come from the meat people are eating. Thankfully other options are available to the consumer. Soy, rice, almond and coconut milks instead of impregnating cows over and over to produce milk. Meanwhile..what to do with the calf? Why, put him in a small stall (cheaper) and kill him in a couple months for veal. You can talk “science and statistics” all you want, the real fact is this…animals are not here for us to eat. There are plenty of better things to eat, and much healthier. Mary March 5, 2011 at 1:18 pm Sookie, you are free to eat whatever you like, so are we. There are basic enzymes and nutrients in meat and dairy products that a vegan diet does not supply. Period. That has been proven in studies. A year or so ago, a young child raised on a vegan diet died of malnutrition in the U.S. I know people that were vegans and went back to eating meat because they never felt good while eating vegan. They had no energy and were shocked at the change when they added meat back into their diets. You can add all the supplements you want. It will not supply what meat supplies. Greyhounds, by the way, LOVE to run! They are exercised and kept in good condition because that is the only way they can race. There are so many myths about Greyhound racing, it is ridiculous. Most tracks work hand in hand with Greyhound rescues so the dogs that retire from the track are placed into homes. Greyhound rescue does an amazing job of placing a large volume of dogs. Cows don’t mind producing milk, or being milked for that matter. They seem quite content. And who says animals are not here for us to eat? Why would you think that when since the beginning of mankind, man has eaten meat. How dare you force your beliefs on us and think that your beliefs are better than ours? You don’t have to eat meat, we don’t have to eat vegan. America – where we have the freedom of choice. What a great idea our forefathers had. Contrary to what you think, vegan diets are NOT healthy. And to think that we could supply enough plants to keep this country alive as well as help feed the world is ridiculous. But then, you would probably be happy to see people starve to death. The disregard AR-ists have for human life is incredible. darwin March 5, 2011 at 1:24 pm So Sookie,.. what happens to “domestic animals’ if we do not “use” them Especially livestock.. if no one eats meat.. why would we need pigs?/ if no one drinks milk why would we need cows.if no one wears wool .. why need sheep.. and so on… why would we need any domesticated animal at all.Do you have room for a 600 pound hog in your yard? how about a 2000 pound bull? what should happen to domestic animals ? and that is a very serious question.. Domestic animals have been a part of human existence for a very long time. Allowing them to be come extinct ( the real goal of animal rights activists).. a good idea or bad.. I own a pet .. in fact several.. they eat meat.. is it ok to kill for them but not for me?. Our pets are carnivores.especially cats… so they MUST eat meat,.. should we just allow them to hunt in our city parks or starve.. Children fed the “milks” you mention have died.. and their parents ( rightfully so in my opinion) prosecuted for child abuse and sentenced to jail: A few quotes from you “leaders” When asked if he envisioned a future without pets, “If I had my personal view, perhaps that might take hold. In fact, I don’t want to see another dog or cat born.” Wayne Pacelle HSUS “[A]s the surplus of cats and dogs {artificially engineered by centuries of forced breeding) declined, eventually companion animals would be phased out, and we would return to a more symbiotic relationship–enjoyment at a distance.” Ingrid Newkirk, PETA “My goal is the abolition of all animal agriculture.” JP Goodwin, employed at the Humane Society of the US, Susan March 5, 2011 at 1:27 pm Sookie, it’s nice to have someone in my corner. I don’t want the attacks, and I will certainly entertain facts, but the facts I have most seen are that the animals have a mostly horrible existance until they are slaughtered. I agree with your antibiotic theory. Young girls are going through menses much earlier with all of the hormones in the meats, and antibiotics are certainly a detriment to our health. I am not fighting this battle on this forum, however. I understand some of what they are saying, but I am not convinced that the treatment is optimum for the animals. I am not against eating meat. I am against the treatment of the animals from birth up to and even into the slaughter. Mahatma Ghandi said it perfectly..”The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way it treats its animals”. I know I can’t fight the battle alone. But, if I can save only one animal from torture will be worth the fight. There are humane farmers, and those are the ones who will get my $$. As for spaying/neutering and Hobbie breeders, again, the best breed is a rescued one…this year alone there will be over 5 million unwanted dogs put down. Better to adopt, than to shop. The status of a special breed has to change. Pets are family members, not commodities. I think breeding for the fun of it, and for the profit in it has got to slow down, if not stop. There are too many homeless animals now as it is. The shelters are bursting with unwanted animals, and to bring more into the world seems to be selfish and careless. darwin March 5, 2011 at 1:48 pm LOL I always get a kick out of the Gandhi quote.. Ever been to India?? Ever seen their animals.. Ever seen the starving street dogs.. the hordes of underfed cats roaming the street..the way they process meat? What a joke.. so when you see this quote think starving animals.. and starving poor people.not. If Gandhi’s country were judged this way they would be at the bottom of any ladder of humanity. Shelters are not ‘bursting” with animals.. in fact .. yes FACT.. many shelter are importing animals from other countries and from other parts of the USA to fill the NEEDS of the populace for pets.. Buying a pet from a hobby breeder is the best thing you can do for lowing the pet population ( if that is your goal). your pet will come from a source that you know.. the pet will meet your expectations on size and temperament… you will always have a place to take your pet if you cannot keep it. Hobby breeding of purposeful pets is the best way to raise pets and purchase your next pet. Mary March 5, 2011 at 2:20 pm You beat me to it, Darwin, on the Gandhi quote. What most misguided people do not understand is that purebred dogs all were developed to meet a certain need, from lap dogs that became loving companions, to the dogs bred to do a job. Herding purebreds herd sheep, cattle, ducks, and other animals; their work is invaluable to ranchers and farmers. Then there are the breeds that make ideal police dogs, search and rescue dogs, bomb-sniffing dogs, service dogs, guide dogs for the blind, and those hunting and retrieving dogs that are invaluable to the hunter. The Beagle Brigade that does such an awesome job at airports protecting us not only from terrorists, but from harmful pests that come in on smuggled fruit and plants. And my own awesome breed, whose primary purpose as Dobermans is personal protection, but also perform as service dogs, search and rescue dogs, military and police dogs, therapy dogs, even herding dogs on occasion. It is not accident that all these dogs are purebreds; they were bred for that intelligence, instinctive behaviorform, and purpose. Purebreds are beautiful, every one of them. From Corgis – bred to be low to the ground as as not to get kicked by the cattle they herd to the German Shepherd Dogs and Malinois that are a policeman’s best friend and help keep US safe, they all have a specific job to do. This explains their forms, which fit their functions. A responsible breeder is the only place one should get a dog. They should be breeding more, not less. They health test, they stand by their dogs, and work to better the breed. They invest their lives and their money into this endeavor. They support many health research funds to identify the genes that cause things like progressive retinal atrophy for example, and breed out these defects. The breeders I purchase from have become my friends and mentors. They celebrate every title and wonderful thing my dogs do, and when they pass on, they cry with me. With a shelter dog, you get who knows what. Which is fine if you just want ‘a dog’ that can have multiple diseases and inherited conditions down the road from the potpourri of ancestors that have who knows what in their genes. People that want to do away with purebreds are totally clueless of what it is to have a dog bond and live to be your helper and companion. Those are the ones that get foofoo dogs and dress them up like babies. Phooey, that is not what a dog is for! Imagine if we had mandatory spay-neuter everywhere and closed down all breeders. What then? Would YOU miss dogs? I wouldn’t want to live without them. Sick and tired of hearing people bashing purebreds and breeders. They should be celebrated! Susan March 5, 2011 at 3:20 pm So, to live by your standards, all shelter dogs should be killed, and people looking for pets should only buy dogs, from breeders, with out regard to those in the shelters who can give love and be trained to do everything you have mentioned. I’m very sorry, but you have totally lost me. I was sort of leaning towards trying to understand where you are coming from, but your true colors are showing now. I know OF breeders who will tell you anything to sell you a puppy. I have friends who have bought from breeders and have had to watch their new babies die of Parvo, and then it is a long time before you can bring another one into the house….yes, there is disease everywhere…even the best of breeders have to fight it. Your stand against shelter animals is wrong, no matter how you want to wrap it.I got my “pure breed” from Utah, and my vet was very concerned about diseases there that we don’t have here…you are not making any sense. I know you want to believe what you are saying is right, but I have a right to disagree, and I can see this is a pissing match now. I am out of it. Susan March 5, 2011 at 2:21 pm Unfortunately, Ghandi was not using his country as an example, but rather an embarassment. He is saddened that his country doesn’t have the strength or morals to do better for all creatures, not just mankind. I don’t know where you get your information on shelters and their populations. From all I see, and those I work with in rescuing animals, the ones that you think are being brought to provide more pets are actually being rescued from kill shelters and taken to areas where there are more no-kill shelters and foster homes. These efforts are allowing these homeless pets a better chance at adoption. Until there are no more homeless animals, the breeders should slow down or stop. Lets take care of what we have, then when they are well cared for, then the hobbiests can pick it up again. Unfortunately, while they are “perfecting” their favorite dogs, others are breeding out of control, and contributing enormously to the unwanted pet population. I doesn’t make it right, and no, the hobbiests shouldn’t have to suffer because of the others, but it’s gotta happen. I shouldn’t be denied prayer just because the ACLU doesn’t want me to, but it is what it is. Just to euthanize 3-100 healthy dogs because of changes is standards proves my point. How responsible is that? What choice did the animals have? I have a mill puppy, and every day I see him struggle with what should be basic things, I get more and more angry. I know there isn’t suposed to be a correlation between puppy mills and hobby breeders, but both are getting $$ off the heads of the pups. You can justify anything, but it doesn’t make it right. sookie March 5, 2011 at 2:53 pm Right Susan, but unfortunately they would have to stop thinking about $ money $ and start doing what’s right and responsible. That won’t happen; thus, laws must be made. sookie March 5, 2011 at 2:38 pm I ended by saying “just my point of view”. I don’t think you’re correct in saying animal eating is much healthier. That has been proven wrong many times over. Same with milk. Are you saying people who are unable to eat or drink dairy will die if they don’t? My daughter was in school with a little girl who could not eat dairy. Well,she is a Mom today and is healthy as a horse!! (a humanely treated horse) I’m not pushing anything on anyone. My husband eats meat. That’s his choice. I don’t run away from the table screaming. I personally don’t feel it’s right or actually necessary in today’s world to resort to eating meat…so I stopped. My cholesterol improved, I am now at a healthier weight and my workouts, muscle tone have all improved. The last person I debated eating meat with, was doughy looking with a pastey complextion. And she was half my age. My dogs eat meat. But, I don’t. Maybe if people cut down on their consumption of meat, the animals could be raised more humane and not in those ridiculous factory farms. DO you really need to eat a steak the size of a roast?? Back in the ol’ days a piece of meat like that fed a family of 6-10 people along with veggies. What would happen to all the poor cows and pigs if they didn’t exhist for us to stick in factory farms and haul to slaughter?? That doesn’t even make sense to me. What kind of exhistence is that??? I would imagine there would be far less of them. THey might be seen roaming in their natural habitat. Similar to when you see a racoon, deer or other wild free animal. The world is going more veg, like it or not. THere is an excellent chance you will not go veg, but your grandchildren and great grandchildren will. It’s in all the restaurants. THe demand for it is out there. People do care about how animals are treated and are questioning all of it. Every aspect of animal/meat production. I did not care one whit 5 years ago, and today I am a voice for the animals. If your concience says its okay to eat meat, then by all means do so. Animal rights people are promoting veg eating just like the dairy and meat industries promote their meat-eating agenda. We have the same rights. Susan March 5, 2011 at 2:44 pm Mary March 5, 2011 at 3:01 pm But we don’t take away your plants, while you want to take away our animals that we get our meats from! That is the difference! There have been studies that prove meat is essential for optimum health. Can you survive on plants? Yeah, but is it optimal health? No. Scientifically proven. The studies that say vegan lifestyles are healthy are funded by —-tada—– Animal Rights Organizations. How objective is that? Pasty complexions and thin skin are vegan symptoms. Sorry. That’s a fact. And it is FACT that shelters in New England don’t have enough dogs to meet demand. They are importing them. Problems with that is dogs from the South often bring up diseases and tons of heartworm. Dogs from out of the States have brought in RABIES. And the final sad problem is that the dogs brought up are the cutesy small breeds, and labs/golden mixes, while the large dogs and black dogs die in the shelters in the South. That too is fact. I belong to several lists where the studies and articles are provided, and have been following this for over ten years. Whether you want to believe it or not, whatever, but what I presented here is ALL FACT. And let me say once again, Hobby breeders do NOT make a profit on their dogs. The expense of keeping, showing, health testing, and breeding them is much higher than what a litter will bring in. Remember that many breeds produce 2-6 puppies. 12 puppies is rare. I know a ton of breeders and they do not make money, let me assure you. The entries at dog shows have dropped considerably because breeders cannot afford to show like they did in the past. The cost of entries, gas, hotels, and meals are prohibitive. That all feeds into the cost of breeding a dog. Hopefully there are readers that understand all this. Some will never open their minds, do the research, or admit that they are wrong. Susan March 8, 2011 at 10:31 am As a side bar on the milk thing, my grandson was allergic to cows milk, so he was put on soy milk. He is in the top of his classes, and has been since he started school. He is the picture of health, no issues what so ever. So, if you WANT to believe animal products taste better, that’s fine, but in terms of health contributions, can’t agree less. sookie March 5, 2011 at 3:17 pm Just google “celebrity vegetarians” and you will see great examples of healthy vegetarians. Young and OLD. I’m sure there are healthy meat eaters out there too. But to be honest the motivating factor for me to stop eating meat was not health reasons. It was ethical reasons. The health benefits were just an added bonus. Speaking for myself as an animal rights activist, I am not out to stop you from eating meats any more than you are stopping me from eating plant based diet. I am out to stop factory farming. If a cow can’t be raised on grass, walking around, then you should not be raising cows. The average consumer 10 years ago (including myself) thought cows and pigs were raised on a happy farm walking around. It is bad for the animal, bad for the person eating factory farmed meat and bad for the environment. Not to forget mentioning the poor people living near the factory farms. I am truly being honest when I say most of the meat eaters I see are not looking too good. Too much meat and dairy will make you sick. Too many vegetables will not. Susan March 5, 2011 at 3:22 pm I know people who have never eaten meat in their lives…their skin is radiant, they are the picture of health, and look ten to fifteen years younger than they are. I wish I had the willpower to be a vegan, I sure would. But, since I am not, I will continue to search out humane farms for my products. sookie March 5, 2011 at 4:06 pm the meat you buy from real farms (humanely raised) will be much healthier for you. Kudos for you to make the effort to seek it out. :-) doozledorf March 5, 2011 at 11:50 pm How do you know someone has never eaten meat…are you standing by their side 24/7 or are you just taking their word on that one? How do you know a farm is humanely raising your food are you there 24/7 watching to see that all the animals are not mistreated??? darwin March 5, 2011 at 3:37 pm animals are sold/bartered or traded.. children are adopted.. 1. To take into one’s family through legal means and raise as one’s own child. Mary March 5, 2011 at 3:47 pm Correct. Shelters and rescues sell cats and dogs. For some shelters, it is a big business. A seizure of 100 dogs times $400 per dog is $40,000. That seems to be the going rate for those purebred seized dogs from what I have read. sookie March 5, 2011 at 4:08 pm I’ll “adopt” my dogs, thank you. Regan H March 7, 2011 at 3:30 pm I buy and sell dogs. darwin March 7, 2011 at 3:55 pm you won’t ‘adopt” them if you pay for them.. you will buy them… there is no shame in purchasing an animal.. NONE.. nor is there any shame is selling them.. it is the Animal Rights activists like the ones posting her who use terms like “adopt” guardian” and of course their very favorite “murder’ to lower humans and to elevate animals. Anthropomorphism is alive and well in the AR circles.. along with all of the “celebrities’ you speak of. the ones who ‘adopt” dogs oh and are full of silicone and other products made from and tested on animals.. what a crock Mary March 5, 2011 at 3:44 pm Puppies get parvovirus because their clueless new owners have taken them out where they are exposed prior to finishing the vaccination regimen. Shelters have been running amuck with parvo lately. So what’s your point? Breeders disinfect their facility to prevent the disease. And I am talking responsible breeder that meets standards. Do some research on the nutrients, vitamins, enzymes, and minerals provided by meat. They are not present in plants or grains. Some are present in some vegetables and fruits but you would have to eat an enormous amount of food to get the same benefits. So most vegans take supplements made of SYNTHETIC materials. Is that healthier than getting them through meat? Don’t think so. Most people do not know how to properly put together a vegan diet and their health suffers for it. So much easier to throw a steak on the grill. Interesting debate. As I said, I don’t care what someone else eats. But no one has the right to tell me what I can and cannot eat. Factory farms are necessary to feed so many people. It can be done correctly. And again, you are thinking that animals are missing being in the pastures and putting your human emotions into play. As long as they get food, water, and shelter, they are happy. Eggs from free-range chickens, by the way, have a higher rate of contaminants, both pesticides and bacteria, than eggs from caged hens. Studies were conducted, and the eggs laid on the ground are not healthier than those from caged hens. Makes sense to me. Pigs kept outside are quite dirty animals, and lay in wet mud and feces. How is that healthier than being in a controlled and clean environment? sookie March 5, 2011 at 4:24 pm The last news I looked at about pigs in factory farms, was in Korea. Where they have a huge problem with foot and mouth disease. (google “korea, pigs, cnn” and you will see the shameful video of the “happy factory farmed pigs” being dumped alive into a burial pit. All of them screaming, biting at each other to get out, and looking up desparately to their caretaker/supreme human for mercy….I guess I’m “putting my emotions into play” here. And most vegans do not have to take synthetic supplements. In fact, I am sipping a delicious smoothie from Robeks, with plenty of fruit, vegetables and protein. Unfortunately alot of meat-eaters are busy taking pills to help their poor digestive systems out. I agree alot of new vegans and vegetarians don’t know how to put a proper meal together…enter easy options…TONS of vegetarian pre-made foods. Just like pre=made food for meat eaters. Some healthy, some too pre-fab to be healthy. It might be easy to “throw a steak on the grill” but most people can’t raise, captive bolt gun, gut, slaughter and dice up the meat. It’s done for them. Same with vegetarians. THey need someone to put the meal together for them. Susan March 8, 2011 at 10:33 am Actually, the puppy had Parvo before she picked her up. The vet advised that she wait to see how the treatments went, and if this one survived, she could bring it home after treatment. It did survive, and is a real sweetie. Another case of a breeder telling a buyer anything to get her to buy from him.. Mary March 8, 2011 at 2:20 pm I’m sorry, but anyone who would buy and bring home an obviously sick puppy is, well, just plain stupid! Or was the puppy the picture of health and caught parvo when the owner took it where it should not have gone without vaccinations completed? Either way, I see this as the owner’s own fault. doozledorf March 5, 2011 at 4:29 pm Whoa…your kicking Butt here Mary…you know your stuff..these animal rights people need to eat some meat so their brains work correctly..Sookie been sipping the HSUS and PETA Cool-Aid… as for adopting animals… i “OWN” mine… I have been raising and showing top quality dogs since 1968… its my HOBBY.. GOT IT? My dogs do not end up in shelters, I have a strick contract…if they can’t keep them they come back here or I will place them for them…RESPONSIBLE BREEDER HERE! FED-UP &PO'd farmer March 5, 2011 at 6:55 pm I cant agree with you and Mary more…however, we need to remember that these people are brainwashed and refuse to acknowlege other peoples opinions and the out-right truth. They are too self-righteous that they pathetically feel its OK to force their beliefs onto others. Susan was going to “backdown” if I provided literature to show veal calves werent stressed or in pain…I did so, and she is still going on about farmers abusing their livestock. It is gravely sad that there are people who feel they have the right to infringe on our constitutional rights and tell us how to live. We need to all stand together and fight this intrusions into our lives. And, while off-topic, we need dog breeders-I work Border Collies…and no shelter mutt will work like well bred BC’s!! Mary March 5, 2011 at 7:57 pm Gosh, Dogs aren’t really off topic, believe me. They are against us all, dogs, cats, birds, exotics, farm animals, you name it. We are all in this fight together! They have just been after our pets a lot longer than they have been after the cows, pigs and chickens. Yes, Doozledorf, I OWN my dogs too. I am not their guardian, I am not their parent, I am their OWNER. They are my property – exceedingly spoiled property, but still my property. It is ironic that these people that have animals as pets don’t realize they are coming after THEIR animals, too! Sookie, what on earth does Korea have to do with our farm animals? They also eat dog and cat, right? Susan March 5, 2011 at 8:50 pm Fed up, I have backed down, but I don’t agree with you. What you have provided can be challenged by literature from “my side” and nothing has been resolved. I am not trying to take your animals, just want you to treat them with kindness. I own my animals, yet they are a major part of my life, and live in my home, with my family. I treat them as dogs, only in the kindest way possible. And, I do refer to them as my family members. I treat them as family members, and I have adopted all of them from shelters or rescued them from horrible mills. I think you all can do as you please, but please, if you aren’t willing to hear our side, don’t force your side on use. I think we can agree to disagree on this. There is such a cold, holier than thou ring to all of your comments. Too bad…we could have all learned from eachother. I could have learned a bit more from you, and perhaps you could have understood my concerns a bit more. Oh well, it is what it is. FED-UP &PO'd farmer March 6, 2011 at 1:40 am First of all, Susan…farm animals ARE treated humanely-period. Just because we do not treat them like children does NOT mean we are abusing them. We dont care how you treat your animals-we dont tell you how to live or how to raise your animals-BUT you and your kind have the audacity to think you have the right to tell us how to raise ours. This is completely intolerable, and is what the entire problem is. You have every right to purchase animal products from whatever source you see fit-we farmers DONT CARE who you purchase from-BUT you DO NOT have the right to force us to do what you deem is proper. Mary is absolutely correct in saying that animal rights groups twist and distort their “facts”…the studies I provided you with were impartial studies and unbiased, but it is clear that animal rights groups distort their “studies”-just dig around and you can see that for yourself if you keep an open mind. It is still sad that you listen to these groups and refuse to get input from farmers who truely know about their animals…if you truely want to “learn”, you would take me up on this and see for yourself…these calves are content. With a population nearing 400 million, there will be differences of opinion, and the constitution clearly takes care of that. While you may not agree with someone, they are entitled to their opinions and beliefs, also. This means not forcing your beliefs on others and vice-versa. That is all we expect, but unfortunately the animal right crowd feels they are above the constitution and are pushing legislation in many states to oppress us farmers, pet breeders, hunters, ect., using outright lies and deceit to gain support from gullible people. That is what we are fighting against. Mary March 5, 2011 at 9:06 pm Susan, I should have been clearer and said the ‘AR-ists’ not ‘they’. I did not mean you specifically. I do hope that you do research. A lot of those videos you see from PETA and HSUS are staged and contrived. Actually proven to be faked, or the abuse was done by their undercover guy. I’m not saying all breeders are good, nor are all farmers good, but do we penalize all the good ones to punish the bad ones? Do we run them ALL out of business because a few are not responsible? No legislature is good that harms innocent people. I would ask you to go to http://www.naiaonline.org/ and HumaneWatch.org and do some browsing. They also have a list for their NAIA Trust portion of the organization that sends links to articles and legislation alerts, and there is good discussion as well. Legislation that seems good on the surface often can be misconstrued and place unnecessary burdens on the responsible and good farmers, breeders and owners. Because it is always the good ones that will obey the law, while the bad ones still won’t. Mary March 5, 2011 at 9:09 pm sookie March 5, 2011 at 10:31 pm Korea is having a problem with diseased pigs due to factory farming. That could happen here too. After the hogs were buried alive they started to notice nearby rivers and streams near the mass graves starting to get polluted with the fat/oil from the buried animals. You have the right to eat animals, “own” animals, but no one should have the right to abuse animals. It sounds like you love the animals you own, so why would it be a problem for you to have laws to protect animals from people who mistreat them? darwin March 6, 2011 at 12:05 am There are myriads of laws on the books to protect animals… more than can possibly be enforced.no more laws are needed. .why not take a trip to Korea and tell them what you think about their farming methods.. I am sure they would love to hear from you a.. and see you too.. Susan March 6, 2011 at 9:52 am This is for Doozledorf…the people I KNOW have never eaten meat are a Pastor and his wife, both raised by vegetarians, in a family of vegans. Meat has never crossed their lips knowingly. Of course, they may have had some meat byproduct or the like, but not with their knowledge. You can call this Pastor a liar, if it makes you feel better. I know he has raised his children without ever introducing meat to them, and, yes, they may have snuck a bit in school, but I am sure not enough to make a difference in their health,one way or another. I also know dieticians who promote less meat, more veggies, up to and until you can stop meat all together. It isn’t for everyone. I wish it would work for me, but I do love my grilled meats. I do eat less, however, and try to make meat a side dish rather than the main entree. And, to be honest, my cholesterol # has come down, I am actually feeling better, and sleeping better. Again, not for everyone, but it works for me. As a side note, I do NOT support PETA, I do watch the Humanewatch site, and I try to be as informed as I can be in my concerns. I think Sookie is correct in her comment “It sounds like you love the animals you own, so why would it be a problem for you to have laws to protect animals from people who mistreat them?” If you are one of the “good guys” why are you so concerned? Unfortunately, the bad guys (factory farmers who deliver inhumane treatment of their animals)are the ones making it hard on the good guys. It would seem that you all would be as anxious to stop the bad guys as we are, and then those of you who are humane farmers would have more business, better circumstances all around. Rather than spewing out viciousness, we should work towards a common goal. Obviously, it’s not going to happen. I will work in my own way, to banish the mis- treatment of all of God’s creatures, not just farm animals, but every animal who is being mistreated. Just because they are on a lower level in the food chain isn’t cause to treat them with disregard. Mary March 6, 2011 at 1:10 pm Cheyla, here is the definition of murder: “The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice” Calves are not human babies. That’s moronic to equate a calf to a human baby. Or to equate murder to humane slaughter. And it certainly seems to me that being able to stand and lay down is normal posture for a newborn calf. Perfect example of twisting things, and outright lying, presented to the public in an effort to inject emotion. There are already many laws and regulations and requirements, overseen by the USDA, based on scientifically proven and humane animal husbandry practices. The newer legislation is designed to ABOLISH the use of animals. The laws already exist for humane agriculture. These new over-reaching laws affect the best farmers we have, requiring expensive changes, and practices that actually put the animals in jeopardy! Not only that, it will force farmers that cannot afford to meet these changes to close down their farms, with far-reaching effects in our economy. These farmers have families and will be out of work! Not only farmers, but truckers, butchers, companies that produce animal feed, meat markets, veterinarians, and many other businesses will be affected, right down the line. Meat is a healthy food. You cannot refute that, there are way too many studies that cite it as the very best source of protein you can get in a portion that you can actually handle eating. Of course, all things in moderation. I would not recommend a fatty steak every day of the weak, of course not. Because I am a rational person. Unlike the vegans and Animal Rights people that think they can tell us what to eat. MFW, YOU ROCK! We need MORE vets like you! Good luck to you! okiestorm1 March 7, 2011 at 10:59 am OMG! People this is just what the HSUS wants, they want us to turn against eachother while they keep sneeking in the back door to take our animals away, yes all animals.Vegans do what you want I will still raise my livestock,cattle,goats, chickens for meat.i will still eat meat.You have no right to call us murders or anythang else for that matter, we take good care of our animals.I keep hearing from AR people that animals were not put here for us to eat, ok what are they here for then and don’t go quoteing the bible cause you will loose that fight!! OH AND THIS AIN’T KORES!! sookie March 7, 2011 at 6:51 pm No, it’s not Korea. I sure wouldn’t want to see the same problems with diseased factory farms here!! Oh, wait… there are diseases running rampant in our factory farms. Susan March 7, 2011 at 12:52 pm If any of you know who Temple Grandin is, you might want to check out this page. It says so eloquently what I have been trying to say. I don’t want you to stop farming, or raising animals for meat. All I want is for them to be raised and slaughtered humanely. Please look at this page, and then you understand my intent. MFW March 7, 2011 at 1:59 pm Susan, I know Temple Grandin better than I know you. I’ve at least met Dr. Grandin. I must say comments in your previous posts do not parallel her thoughts and recommendations. Dr. Grandin educates people on how they can better care for animals. She doesn’t advocate limiting producer rights she advocates better care for the animals in their care. Dr. Grandin also focuses a large part of her time on the small animal spectrum. She makes recommendations regarding humane care of dogs and cats. She has criticized pet owners in every lecture I’ve heard her give. How would you feel if she took her recommendations for small animals and formulated them into laws limiting the rights of small animal owners? Her legislation would ban all tail docking of pets and all ear cropping. Choke collars would be prohibited. Tethering an animal in an isolated environment would be abolished (so no more dog houses). She would limit no-kill shelters and either force them to stop adopting (a.k.a. hoarding or force them to euthanize). Dr. Grandin would most likely refuse the right of pet owners to lock their pets in cages that limit their ability to move around. She would most certainly pass a law banning owners from putting pets in cages without food and water for the 8-9 hours they are away at work…..something that happens quite commonly. Dr. Grandin doesn’t openly advocate for a lot of these laws because she understands something that the activists don’t. That being, you can’t coerce people into treating animals ‘humanely’. Once you educate them however you can get them to do almost anything when they see the value in it (for both them and the animals). Susan you discussed limiting meat intake for dietary purposes, now either that discussion was meant to be off topic or you’re directly implying that people should stop eating meat because it’s cruel….and the added dietary benefits should further persuade them. Perhaps I’m stretching it a bit…but I do believe the latter is the statement you were making. Temple Grandin does something animal rights activists don’t. She observes the situations she talks about, makes recommendations based on her experience and ultimately, practices what she preaches. When you crawl through cattle shoots and make recommendations based on what you have SEEN….not what you HEAR. You may draw a parallel. Until then, you’re wrong. Susan March 7, 2011 at 6:03 pm MFW, I believe you have missed my points all together. At what point have I advocated not producing meat, or raising meat for sale? I eat meat, and have no problems with raising animals for consumption. My concern is the conditions these animals are raised in and whether they are humane or not. Dr. Grandin is supporting my point, in that she wants the animals to be provided with the best life they can have during what ever life they have on earth. I can’t understand why you think that is wrong. I doubt seriously that she would try to prevent people from having dogs and cats as pets. Again, she wants them to be provided with the things they need, as best we can provide, to allow them the best life they can have. They need mental stimulational, socialization, love, companionship. Everything I hope pet owners provide as a rule. Yes, there are those who leave their dogs home alone all day, and others who keep their dogs in a crate while they are being trained. I don’t like it, and my dogs are not kept that way. I also don’t like it when mothers leave their six year olds home alone, but again, not much I can do about it, other than report it to the authorities. Dogs in a doghouse are anot teathered. Theatherd is when you chain the animal to a post or tree or some other stationary fixure. Yes, if you have to teather your dog to the doghouse to make him use it, it’s wrong. Much better to have them in a fenced, safe area, with the dog house available. And, while they are out there, throw the ball for them, make sure there is clean water, and a belly rub now and then. As for owning vs adopting? I have friends who have adopted their children. They paid huge fees to the agency, and to surrogate mothers. I guess then, by your standards, they now own these little ones. So, are they owners or parents? Dr. Grandin states in her literature that she doesn’t care if you call yourself the owner, parent, alpha dog or what. Doesn’t matter so long as you provide the animals with what they need for a good live, in all aspects. So, I am the mom, the owner, the alpha dog, all one and the same, and my dogs are spoiled rotten, know who the boss is, and still are well mannered, intergral members of our family. Not a problem here. If you put as much time as you spend trying to slam me into taking care of your animals, we don’t have any argument here. If, you are truly a good farmer, practicing humane ways, again, no battle. But, seems you are so hell bent on throwing poo that you are missing the whole issue. A humane, gentle life while on this earth is a good thing, for all of Gods creatures. Why do you want to argue against that? darwin March 7, 2011 at 6:43 pm They need mental stimulational, (sic) socialization, love, companionship. says Susan.. actually that is more what children need than pets… pets do not need human “companionship” we think they do because WE desire it..dogs can easily live without humans as long as they have food and water..cats even more so animal NEED food water and exercise. everything else is an extra..oh and one HUGE need that animals have that we deny them everyday by surgically removing their healthy sexual organs is the need to reproduce. sookie March 7, 2011 at 7:11 pm Humans can live without humans too, if they had to. But they don’t prefer it. I know my dogs prefer a scratch on the neck, love, affection and attention. And room to move their limbs as God intended. They have muscles, bones, organs…. and nerves to feel the scratch on the neck too. Mother cows feel intense feelings when their baby calves are taken. The baby calves feel the same pain (or pleasure if you scratch their necks) as my dogs feel. Animals don’t have the same logical thinking we have as humans, but they definitely feel and experience fear. Susan March 7, 2011 at 7:27 pm Darwin, you are wrong. Dogs are pack animals. They need socialization and love. Not necessarily from humans, but from other dogs. But, since they are domesticated, and not running in packs, humans give this, and the dogs become better adjusted. And, aren’t you forgetting what was said earlier? If they have never experienced it, they won’t miss it? Isn’t that what someone said about keeping the calves cooped up in small cages? How is that different from dogs. If they never experienced mating, how could they miss it? And, I notice you haven’t commented on the adults who have adopted/bought children. Your thoughts? MFW March 7, 2011 at 8:47 pm Susan, if I missed your points all together, I apologize. I simply read the words written. I pointed out that you made an off-topic remark about your dietary consumption or you were trying to imply that not eating meat is more ‘humane’. I really don’t care if someone is vegan, vegetarian, carnivore or eats sand. That’s none of my business. Where I come on board is when someone takes their right to consume whatever foods they choose and tries to use it as an example. Tries to use it to make a statement that eating anything other than their chosen diet is somehow less humane, degrading to the environment etc. etc. Eat whatever you would like, that’s not to point of this conversation. I suggest making yourself more clear in the future. If you have a point to make, make it. If you know enough about the topic on which you are commenting you shouldn’t need to call on Temple Grandin to do it for you. Your ‘eloquence’ is evidence enough. Can you please point out in my previous post where I insinuated Temple Grandin would try to outlaw pet ownership? I simply pointed out their are issues in all forms of “animal ownership”. You said you don’t think a dog should be tethered to a dog house. You know people do lock their dogs in crates but you don’t agree with it. Would you support a ballot initiative that would make it illegal for those individuals to take part in such behaviors? Don’t bring me into the adoption/purchasing/ownership debacle–that’s a conversation between you and another poster. The basic truth here is you would like people to believe you’re in the middle of this conversation, you’re the innocent one being attacked. That’s not the case. You are criticizing others who don’t believe the same as you and taking it one step further by proposing there should be laws that would make their disagreements an illegal act. That crosses a line and when you support it, you’re no longer able to pull the innocent by-stander card. As for your argument that I’m attacking you? That’s just a way for you to step away from the argument at hand. Take a bold step forward and own your comments. I haven’t spent much time ‘ridiculing’ you. I have certainly been on this site less time than you. And to tell me that I should spend more time caring for my animals is a laughable offense. I was born on a farm, have cared for our cows my entire life. I’ve worked in veterinary clinics (small animal and large animal) since my freshman year of high school. I have a B.S. in animal sciences and I’m currently in veterinary school. I think I’ve spent a little time caring for my animals…..and others. Recognizing the complexity behind meeting the world’s demand for food and treating animals humanely isn’t easy. Of course to you it is, it’s just a matter of getting on the internet or doing a google inquiry. When is the last time you sat down at your ‘humanely’ cooked meal and thought about the trade-offs that were made to produce it? Again, for those in this country who want to eat “free-range”, “organic”, “all natural” etc. etc. by all means do as you please, there is a farmer who is more than happy to take a premium price for the food placed on your plate. While you think about the ‘humanity’ of your meal though be sure to remember that if ‘conventional technologies’ were used to produce your food the amount produced could have likely been tripled. You probably don’t care…to you the extra money you paid is the price of ‘humanity’ to me, and others like me who have studied in foreign countries and witnessed the devastation of starvation we see some of your ‘humane’, ‘fad’ consumption habits as a direct threat to food security on a global basis. Your meal has a gigantic carbon footprint, consumed massive amounts of land but at the end of the day, there’s a nice meal on your plate. Think the same is true for that starving kid in Africa? There are plenty of ways to eat ‘humanely’ produced foods and I encourage people to start putting the human element back into their decision making models. Susan, at the end of the day I really do believe you’re a caring person. Most likely you really do want what’s best for animals. Wanting to see them live their lives as best as possible prior to being someone’s meal is not an evil concept. I respect you for that. Please try to understand though there is a world beyond your front door. There are repercussions for every decision we make. Food production is incredibly complex and you really have no way of understanding it, because, well you aren’t a part of it. You haven’t studied it. Everything you read on the internet is motivated by profit (perhaps with the exception of .gov sites). Consider the motive next time you read about the perils of agriculture. Consider the costs of that ‘humanely’ produced cut of meat. If you feel the costs are worth it, fine. You have the right to that decision and I respect it. Reach out and try to tell others who believe differently that they’re cruel and you’re going to be hearing from me again in the future. MFW March 7, 2011 at 9:04 pm Susan you use the argument that dogs can have their pack behaviors replaced with human interaction because they don’t know any different. That’s a fair argument when you are using it in reference to the comment about calves in crates knowing no different. However, you’re using this as an argument to say it’s okay to deprive dogs of their natural behaviors on a thread discussing the removal of producer rights to do the same to veal calves. In other words you’re arguing that it’s okay for you to synthetically feel the social needs of your dogs but you want it to be illegal for farmers to do the same with their calves. A little hypocritical if you ask me. Certainly a flawed argument on your part. darwin March 7, 2011 at 9:28 pm WOW I want you to be MY vet.. can you please teach other vets when your graduate and pass along your expertise to others while in school? THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE!!!!!!! ( my pets thank you too..) Susan March 7, 2011 at 6:06 pm OH yeah, and I eat less meat for several reasons. First, my cholesterol was high, and since I have decided to eat less meat, it is coming down to the right levels. Second, I eat from humane sources, and it is a bit more expensive, so it helps to eat less. I eat meat at almost every meal, but as a side, not as an entree. It’s a personal thing, so why does that upset you? doozledorf March 7, 2011 at 6:14 pm Susan, where do you buy this Humane meat at? does it say on the label that this cow or pig or what ever has been humanely raised? Why are you paying more for it? Does it cost more to raise meat that is humanely treated… I go shopping every day and have never read on a label as to how an animal was treated… i truely think someone is pulling the wool over your eyes and you are falling for it…LOL…kinda like HSUS is doing to the general public…LOL…You have a great day now…off to the store to buy some steak, gonna read those labels….haha..what a bunch of CRAP! sookie March 7, 2011 at 6:47 pm I’m not a farmer, but I would think that raising an animal the “right” way for food production takes more money. Isn’t money the reason factory farming got started in the first place? Build the factory, cram them in, mix in some antibiotics and hormones? My parents used to buy half of a cow from a farmer that was recommended to them. CHickens too. It’s worth the price to get quality meat for some meat eaters. They pay more, but they prefer to eat less than more in exchange. doozledorf March 7, 2011 at 8:06 pm I am so glad for forums like this…it lets the public see what il-logical thinking the AR movement has.. Sookie are you a child..your writing kinda makes me think so. Maybe your brain is not getting enough protein. Tell me somethng…how humane is it when a mother pig rolls over and crushed her babies to their death because gestation crates are being outlawed..there goes the price of pork up… and what about that chicken that gets pecked to death by the other chickens because they are free range? There goes the price of chicken and eggs, the farmers got to get paid for all their hard work.. I for one believe if people would keep their noses out of other peoples business when they know nothing about farming this world would be such a better place. The AR movement is inhumane to humans. You are just as guilty as the people who abuse animals. Regan H March 8, 2011 at 4:19 pm I buy animals from frammers and butcher them myself it’s a lot cheeper and I like knowing how my meat is handled. Chris Kick March 7, 2011 at 6:32 pm Susan, could you share the humane sources you buy your meat and other foods from? If it’s a particular brand or label, others might want to buy from it, as well. Susan March 7, 2011 at 7:22 pm Chris, at the risk of being ridiculed and slandered, if you google “Humane foods” you will be awarded with many sites to get you started. It is really difficult to sort through a lot of the sites, but if you really want to do it, it’s possible. Good luck with it. sookie March 7, 2011 at 6:42 pm there are plenty of local farmers that you can buy humane meat from. As well as eggs. There is a website that has them listed by area/zip code. As with everything, you need to check each out individually to see if they meet your standards and expectations for humane. I know some farmers only use slaughter houses that they can be sure the animal is knocked out humane and proper before cutting them up for meat. I applaud Susan for going the extra mile to obtain her meat at humane sources. Not sure if this is where she got her meat but the link is darwin March 7, 2011 at 6:50 pm so Susana and Sookie.. I am guessing neither of you are Jewish or Muslim since neither religion allows for stunning an animal before slaughter.. Susan March 7, 2011 at 7:20 pm You can get certified Humane foods at most organic food stores. http://www.certifiedhumane.com/ = This is a good link to get started, but actually I buy from local farmers who allow their animals to run free from birth until they are slaughtered. I don’t know about the slaughter method, but watching the farmers interact with their animals is rather nice. The cows come up to them to be petted the calves play in the sunshine…very nice. I also buy from the local organic stores who certify that the meat they sell has been organically produced, no hormones or antibiotics. Yes, I guess it does cost a bit more to produce a good product…but it’s worth it. I buy free range eggs, eat free range chickens. I buy organic milk…go ahead and laugh. I really don’t have to prove myself to you. What I do for my own health and family really have nothing to do with what you do. I do know that the condensending and hateful attitude on this blog is not only self defeating, it is childish. I guess with the aptitude of a little one, it’s hard to understand there are other ways of doing something, not just your way. And, perhaps your way is the only way you know, but couldn’t you be receptive to improvement? I don’t get the attitude you cop with anyone who disagrees with you. I will continue to eat my little hunks of meat, grown in the sunshine and fed on the good stuff. If you want to clog your arteries with fat laden hormone filled antibiotic meats, that’s your choice. Doozeldorf, you are starting to sound manic. Do you really expect anyone to respect your views when you are so hateful? Regan H March 8, 2011 at 4:27 pm we don’t want to hear about where to buy humane meat, where can we buy the best cuts the cheapest? darwin March 7, 2011 at 7:42 pm “I don’t mind paying more’ is an oft told animal rights mantra.. what these people do not realize is not everyone has the “luxury” to pay more. A quick trip to a sop kitchen will show you that not everyone ( mostly children) have the ability to “pay more” We do waste a ton of food in this country but as food prices rise.. and they will .. a lot.. with the oil scarcity.. that will become a thing of the past.a dn more children will go to bed hungry because their mothers and fathers ( if they have them around) cannot “afford to pay more” Susan that “extra mile” now cost a few extra dollars.. if you have it.. great.. your choice.. but leave the poor people alone.. would i rather have chicken in a smaller cage to provide more cheap food.. you bet I wold.. and so would any really hungry person.. In this case is to 100% CHICKEN.. but not in my book. seen too many protein starved people.. Susan March 7, 2011 at 8:04 pm Ya know, Darwin, you can justify anything. PRotien isn’t only from meat. Beans, legumes, tofu, all provide wonderful protiens. If it is protien starvation, that chicken raised in the overcrowded cage being fed meat byproducts instead of healthy grain isn’t a good choice. The beans and eggs will provide a better source of protien, and if it were MY child, I would go with the beans. You can’t leave alone, can you? I will agree to disagree with you, and I am sure others who have been reading this blog will be thankful to be away from the rants. You get what you pay for. I will pay a little more to have better quality. I don’t have to eat in a soup kitchen, but if I did, I guess I would be thankful for what ever morsels I received. The soup kitchens I have volunteered for seem to be thankful for any food they get. My only regret is that an animal has to suffer to feed the humans. I just wish it could be different. I guess in a perfect world, it would be. Or, perhaps when it becomes mandated???? doozledorf March 7, 2011 at 8:09 pm LOL..that is why vegetarians have to take supplements derived from animals.. stop the hypocricy and just enjoy a nice steak..the golden rule of life..everything in moderation…. Susan March 7, 2011 at 8:52 pm And, meat eaters have to take statins to reduce their cholesterol. And,people with B12 def. have to take supplements, and people who don’t get enough D have to take supplements. And, perimenopausal women take HRT. And, men who have ED take Viagra. You are not making sense…you seem to think that eating meat is the panacea for the population. What are you raging about? It isn’t the meat producers, it’s the pharmaceutical producers…you see, there is a pill for just about everyone. Meat isn’t the issue in that fight! If you want to believe that eating meat will cure everything, more power to you. doozledorf March 7, 2011 at 10:20 pm Wow what Nursing school did you go to…mine told me that your body is in perfect homeostasis and anything that is put into your body will throw it off… I do not take any medicines and will not…My body heals itself… Don’t you just love those comercials about medicines with all the warnings, all the things that can go wrong when you take the medicine…LOL.. makes you want to run out and buy some..”NOT” Your better off with the problems you have and just wait it out..pills are a cover up not a cure. Good Healthy food from all the food groups are essential to good health..I’m sure you had to take nutrition too since you are a nurse or did you sleep through that class? Eat your Lagunes and I will eat my meat..both my grandmother lived long healthy lives, one was 101 the other 103..they were hard working farmers and ate what they produced. FED-UP &PO'd farmer March 8, 2011 at 12:06 am Susan, you obviously dont want to “learn”-you just want to push your opinions onto us. You refuse to admit that you know NOTHING about animal husbandry and yet continue to spew lies about farmers…I cant make this any clearer: FOOD ANIMALS RAISED ON MODERN FARMS DO NOT-repeat-DO NOT SUFFER IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM!!!! You sadly have been mislead by the animal rights groups, and what is worse, have closed your mind to getting the truth. It is sad that you are so Anti-American that you have resorted to attempting to force your opinion onto others. Maybe one of these days you will truely be hungry- like many are in other parts of the world. I guess that is what it will take to make people who think like you realize how fortunate the US citizens were to have an abundant, safe and nutritious supply of food that was affordable-that includes animal products from animals that did NOT suffer in any way when they were raised. Susan March 8, 2011 at 10:44 am Ok…now I’m anti Amnerican? Give me a break. This is about, and ONLY about, humane treatment of animals. If you treat yours well, I have not fight with you. If you are one of those who factory farm and have no regard for your animals, you can go to hell for all I care. I am out of this fight now. How dare you tell me I’m anti American. My father, grandfather, brother, uncles, have all been in the service. I can see now that you are irrational and ignorant. Can’t argue with someone like that, because it just brings you down to their level. So, I’m done. Regan H March 8, 2011 at 4:37 pm MANDATED??? Don’t say that,your trying to push veganism down our throats, and you know we don’t like that. FED-UP &PO'd farmer March 8, 2011 at 8:24 pm Regan H, I believe what Susan was refering to was HSUS putting their ballot up to vote to force farmers to do what HSUS tells them to do. I find it sad that someone recognizes people are in poverty but would rather see calves running around open, green fields -and making sure they are routinely petted and played with- than help make sure children and fellow humans have food in their bellies. As far as Im concerned, helping and looking after fellow humans is the American way, but I suppose that there sadly are people who would rather place a value of animals above that of fellow humans-innocent children included. darwin March 7, 2011 at 8:30 pm Since my best friend has two adopted children I will tell you what i think. Yes she paid a huge fee and lots of “under the table “money to bring them here.. so yes she did pay to get them them.. however.. her children are adopted not purchased .. pets are bought sold traded or bartered..as I said .. there is no shame in saying you bought your dog.. or cat or bird..only animal rights people try to be anthropomorphic about the ‘adoption” of animals.. and you know what.. it lowers the wonderful thing my friend did.. she brought two children into her home as HER own.. not as pets.. but as humans.. you denigrate her and her children every time you use the word “adopted’ about a pet. By the way.. she is also a dog breeder who SELLS her dogs.. and has bought her breeding stock.. Susan March 7, 2011 at 8:59 pm To state that one adopts anything in no way denegrates what your friend did. Don’t we adopt laws? I happen to adopt animals. Your friend and my friends have adopted children. Adopt is to accept into your life…no matter what it is….If your friend is that thinned skinned that they are offended with using the word adoption in regards to animals and legislation, I feel sorry for them. I think you are just looking for disagreements. Geez dude, give it a rest. It must be hard to be so stinking cranky all the time. darwin March 7, 2011 at 9:40 pm 1. (v. t.) To take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.; esp. to take voluntarily (a child of other parents) to be in the place of, or as, one’s own child. this is the first meaning of adopt.. we pass laws.. create laws.. write laws.. please note that this definition calls for “in the place of one’s own child”.. THAT is what many animal rights people do… it is called ( again ) anthropomorphizing. n. . which is why we have terms like “pet parent” and “fur kid”.. they may seem innocuous but our lexicon is what shapes our culture..dogs and cats are NOT humans.. and you denigrate the human adoption process by comparing the two. Take a step back and stop giving animals attributes they do not possess. They have enough great things about them without trying to make them human. doozledorf March 7, 2011 at 9:58 pm I think the reason AR people use the term Adopt, is that when they raid people if they own the animal, they will have a harder time confiscating it…but if you adopt it..it is not your personal property. They make up terms as they need them… but they have stole the term adopt.. there is no such thing as a factory farm, puppy mill..these are all words made up by the AR group to further push their agenda… sookie March 7, 2011 at 8:39 pm I don’t think many people are laughing at you Susan. It’s a growing trend. Humanely raised meat right from the farmer. Consumers today want to know where there food is coming from. Mary March 7, 2011 at 10:47 pm The smaller farms cannot ever hope to supply this country with enough meat to feed them. Access to these farmers is also limited, especially to people in the cities/inner cities. The cost is also prohibitive. Do I want to pay twice as much for eggs that were laid on the ground in mud and manure or buy the nice clean ones that come from clean hens and clean facilities? Can a family of four or more, many these days where it is lucky to have even one parent working, really afford that wonderful humane meat that you, the ELITE can afford? I guess you are in the upper class and entitled to not only meat but ‘Humane’ meat! Let the masses eat whatever you won’t. Nice. I am so tired of being told what to eat, what not to eat, what I can own, how many dogs I can own, what type of dogs I can own, whether they must have invasive surgery to remove healthy and critical-to-health-organis, whether I can breed my dog, how many puppies/litters I can breed even if I have a list of people as long as my arm waiting for years for a puppy from my breeding, and on, and on… The mention of puppy mills is another hot topic for me. There is no such thing, no legal definition, just another emotional name concocted by the ARs. There are commercial breeders. They are either meeting standards of care or not. Instead of closing them down, they should be made to clean it up if they are substandard. We have free enterprise in this country, except when it comes to animals. Why on earth is it so horrible for a breeder to make money on a litter – although I have never met one that did. But I am sure commercial kennels make money or they would not be in existence. Commercial breeding can be done correctly, and there ARE commercial kennels that are doing it correctly. Why would we want to close those down because they have more than x (pull any number out of the air) dogs? I own a cropped and docked breed. Docking is done at 2-3 days old, when the discomfort if even felt at that stage by a puppy is minute. Puppies cry because they are removed from the security of the litter for the few minutes it takes to do the docking. When they are placed back with the litter, they immediately quiet down and go back to either sleeping or feeding. Cropping when done by a vet is not a traumatic or barbaric procedure. It is much less than the spay/neuter surgeries. Yet they want to take away our right to have the procedures done, calling them elective. To me, spay/neuter are elective and invasive surgeries. Why is one OK and the other not? Having had 6 cropped puppies here, they come home on pain killers. They sleep, they eat, they play. Within a few days it is healed up. It took WEEKS for the last bitch I had spayed to heal and get back to normal. The statement that factory farms are full of diseases is absolutely false! These are the cleanest facilities to raise our feed animals. Sows often roll on piglets and even eat them. Is that more humane than using a gestation crate to prevent that from happening? I have seen hogs and sows in life and they are definitely not ‘Babe’. One in particular tried to kill my friend’s young son. The bottom line is this: Even if you eat meat, your demands to make farming more ‘humane’ will result in changes that are not based on science or thousands of years of experience in animal husbandry. They will mandate changes that most farmers cannot afford; ironically, it is exactly these small farmers that you buy your ‘humane’ meat from that will be put out of business. Factory farms will flourish as they will be able to better afford making changes. That will not be enough for HSUS and the AR’s, though. They will continue to push through legislation to limit the number of animals permitted per factory farm, just as they limite the number of pets owned and bred already. Chickens often cannibalize other chickens when they are uncaged. They also are silly creatures that easily panic and rush together, suffocating some of the chickens in the process. Is that humane? I hate the words ‘factory farms’. That is just ridiculous. These are large-scale farm that are efficient in growing animals for meat and dairy, and the far majority of them are clean with contented animals. The videos you see are STAGED. These people are hired under false pretences (a crime), and they are PAID to capture video showing abuse. MFW March 7, 2011 at 9:08 pm Sookie you’re right. I also believe that animals feel pain and have the ability to be frightened as well. They also have the ability to feel and respond to positive stimuli like the scratch on their neck. As far as the “deep pain” they feel when a cow is separated from their calf–I guess I can’t answer that…but neither can you. That’s an emotional pain. I’m not convinced animals have the ability to sense emotion and you can not show me they do. You mentioned you own a dog. Is that dog with its mother? You realize that most pets in homes today were separated from their mothers just weeks after birth right? sookie March 7, 2011 at 9:27 pm most pups are nursed by their own mother, then eventually weaned and started on puppy food. Baby calves are pulled before they can nurse. I believe there is an example of this in the Conklin investigative video; portraying Billy Bob force-feeding the calf with a tube. (the scene where he was punching the calf on the head) There are many instances where animals show deep emotional grief. There is an excellent short essay written by Nicholas Kristof in July 2008. “A Farm Boy Reflects”. He was a meat eater, and still is…but his essay is an honest insightful look at the emotion and pain an animal often goes through. Just google “A Farm Boy Reflects, The New York Times July 31 2008” and take a gander. No pun intended, but geese are mentioned. MFW March 7, 2011 at 9:36 pm I stand corrected Sookie, I thought the argument used by animal rights activists like yourself was that the young were ripped away from their mothers side, that being a cruel “emotionally tragic” event. I didn’t realize that the appropriate way to mitigate the emotional stress these animals undergo would be to allow them to nurse for 6 weeks, gain a greater “emotional attachment” during that time and then rip them away….and call it ‘weaning’. I must have forgotten that short essays from boys reflecting on the past were considered proof in today’s society. Regan H March 8, 2011 at 4:51 pm Sookie you don’t know what you are alking about. how many litters of pups have you had how many calves have you raised? Probale none, every bitch I’ve raised pups out of were glad to see the pups weened and gone they get tierd of them. darwin March 7, 2011 at 9:24 pm by the way Susan.. dogs not not “love” each other.. which is why they will breed with any other dog regardless of relationship.. dogs have no morals.. they will bite you one minute and lick you the next,breed their mothers sisters or vice versa… does that make them bad. .. no it just makes them animals..it is also why you as an animal rights supporter want to remove their HEALTHY sexual organs at an early age.and force the rest of us to do the same.. the other point is Susan.. you have a choice when it comes to food.. many do not. count yourself among the lucky ones. and of course the AR “threat” of mandated is always there.. do as we say .. a quick trip to Uganda or Zimbabwe will show you what it is like to live in a “mandated” society.. where food is so scare people eat green corn from the stalks. You people have no idea how lucky you are..when all you have to worry about is chickens sookie March 7, 2011 at 9:36 pm From Factory Farms and Environment Facts: “A vegetarian diet can feed significantly more people than a meat-centered diet. More than 840 million people in the world are malnourished, yet over 70 percent of the U.S. grain harvest and 80 percent of its corn harvest is fed to farmed animals. The grain consumed by animals could feed 800 million hungry people, according to Cornell University research. Valuable water resources are also squandered for meat production. For every pound of meat produced, grain-fed animals utilize over 13,000 gallons of water. A pound of soybeans requires only about 260 gallons of water. “The typical North American diet, with its large share of animal products, requires twice as much water to produce as the less meat-intensive diets common in many Asian and some European countries. Eating lower on the food chain could allow the same volume of water to feed two Americans instead of one, with no loss in overall nutrition.” (Scientific American, “Growing More Food with Less Water” by Sandra Postel, February 2001.) Intensive animal agriculture is a vast user of fossil fuel, mainly for the production of feed. “Assuming (a steer) continues to eat 25 pounds of corn a day and reaches a weight of 1,250 pounds, he will have consumed in his lifetime roughly 284 gallons of oil. We have succeeded in industrializing the beef calf, transforming what was once a solar-powered ruminant into the very last thing we need: another fossil-fuel machine.” (New York Times Magazine, “Power Steer” by Michel Pollan, March 2003.) Green food, green planet “ Mary March 7, 2011 at 9:55 pm Based on the title, I would guess this is an AR book. The fact is you would need a mountain of non-meat food to get the nutrition you get from one beef steer. And look at the disasters lately, flooding, drought, etc. When you can feed animals and get so much more as a result, would you want to count on being able to produce enough grain and plants to feed so many people? The ‘facts’ you state are twisted. Oh, and don’t forget all the PESTICIDES they use on grain and plants. Yum! M. W. March 8, 2011 at 12:13 am Steers are our highest water consumers that are specifically designed to produce meat. The average feedlot steer will consume about 11 gallons of water each day. http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/07-023.htm#2 In the typical production set-up a steer is going to be 1,500 pounds at slaughter and it will take approximately 15 months or 450 days to reach this market weight. When we use these numbers it’s easy to see that one pound of beef (again the meat product which consumes the most water to produce) is producing at a rate of 3.3 gallons of water for every pound of beef produced. Of course this over-estimates water consumption because the animal is consuming 11 gallons of water a day only in the last 3-4 months of its life. When it’s a calf it is consuming far less. I acknowledge that you may be able to count every drop of rain that produced the grain to feed that steer as water required to produce that pound of beef, but when it comes to producing the beef…you can only count the water required to produce that product and in this case clearly it’s no more than 3.3 gallons per pound of product. What about the other meat products produced with much less water? Your animal rights material will only work on someone a little more naïve and gullible. Now we get to the fact that the majority of grains and carbohydrates fed to animals are indigestible within monogastrics (humans), when we consider the fact that ruminants are able to convert poor energy feedstuffs into high calorie, protein dense materials, you really can’t beat it. Consider the fact that the majority of the product consumed to produce beef is grass…..which grows quite well in places where we can’t grow vegetables (crops) suitable for human consumption and it really becomes a win win. Add to this the fact that feed for animals can be dried and stored to winter over allowing us to grow a plentiful food supply year round when crops aren’t able to be on the ground in most areas of the world and it becomes quite clear how without animals, humans starve. Claiming that a vegetarian lifestyle is better for the environment and more sustainable is an absolute farce, in fact, it would be impossible to sustain our current population on a plant based (especially organic plant) based diet. Inflated the requirements may suite your argument…it may even persuade people to buy into your animal rights agenda, but it’s not going to work here. Regan H March 8, 2011 at 4:59 pm sookie March 7, 2011 at 9:44 pm Nicholas Donabet Kristof (born April 27, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American journalist, author, op-ed columnist, and a winner of two Pulitzer Prizes. He has written an op-ed column for The New York Times since November 2001 and is widely known for bringing to light human rights abuses in Asia and Africa, such as human trafficking and the Darfur conflict. He has lived on four continents, reported on six, and traveled to 150 countries and all 50 states. According to his blog, during his travels he has had “unpleasant experiences with malaria, wars, an Indonesian mob carrying heads on pikes, and an African airplane crash”.[1] Jeffrey Toobin of CNN and The New Yorker, a Harvard classmate, has said: “I’m not surprised to see him emerge as the moral conscience of our generation of journalists MFW March 8, 2011 at 12:23 am Man, woman, boy, girl, antelope, whatever the case may be. A journalist is not a credible source of information simply because he wrote a through provoking piece. Surely, there have been many inaccurate, yet thought-provoking accounts written in our society; even those worthy of a Pulitzer prize. Only to the Humane sSociety of the United States, animal rights activists like you, and other uneducated individuals can these accounts be taken as research and scientific proof. I can write a non-fictional piece on one isolated event and clearly even you understand how that event could be unrepresentative of others like it. This doesn’t even begin to recognize that a man’s account is his interpretation that has no validity in science, it’s not reproducible, it’s not methodical and it’s not scientific. sookie March 7, 2011 at 10:04 pm One-half cup of beans contains as much protein as three ounces of broiled steak. Plus, these nutritious nuggets are loaded with fiber to keep you feeling full for hours. Regan H March 8, 2011 at 5:06 pm darwin March 8, 2011 at 2:05 am web Md?? WEB MD?? lol.. I am sorry but that is really funny.. not to mention M.W’s excellent post you must also remember that the WHOLE animal is used..bones, hooves, etc.. all used of some sort of benefit to man.. and beast.. where do you think dog and cat food comes from.. plants? Cats are obligate carnivore and dogs are natural carnivore who can and should exist mainly on a meat based diet.. yes they can exist on a veggie diet but it is not a natural diet for them. Cats will die without meat.. and both can exist on a a purely meat/fat diet with no need for any plants at all. but back to the point.. when a cow is slaughtered.. much much more than just the meat is used.. hides, bones, gristle, fat and renderings.. all used.. no waste at all.. heck you can even produce methane to offset energy costs instead of using petroleum products…. beef.. is is MORE than what’s for dinner.. hmm maybe that should be an ad for the beef council.. sookie March 8, 2011 at 8:41 am Darwin, writing “and that’s a FACT” does not make what you say a fact. Web MD…. just giving my source. But then again, any google on nutrition will give you these numbers :-) BTW, 4 oz of almonds had the same amount of protein as 3 oz of beef. Minus the animal grease, hormones and antibiotics. Regan H March 8, 2011 at 5:11 pm Sookie who in their right mind would want tree seeds over beef we are not birds or squirrels, I eat birds and squirrels. sookie March 8, 2011 at 8:36 am Change is not an easy thing for everybody. Some people fight it and some thrive on it. As I said in previous posts, you can eat what you wish. That’s your perogative. But the way the meat is being brought to the consumer will change. The demand for humane treatment of farm animals is out there. Like it or not. Susan March 8, 2011 at 10:51 am Sookie, I am out of this battle, on this blog. The mud slinging isn’t resolving anything. I will vote with my concious, and I will continue to promote a healthier lifestyle, including eating less meat. I am done with this degrading, mudslinging group. Good luck…and Amen Sistah, again. sookie March 8, 2011 at 12:06 pm Susan, I agree. You can lead a calf to milk, but you can’t make him drink. Unless you’re an inhumane farm and knock him on the head with a crow-bar, that is. You made many excellent points in this debate :-) Catch you in another blog MFW March 8, 2011 at 11:06 am The argument was not based on ‘humanity’. I was arguing about your use of insensible claims to justify your stance on humane food production. I recognize it makes it more difficult to persuade people to follow your crooked belief mechanism when you’re forced to use fact as a foundation for your claims. Ignorance is bliss. You believe you understand something that you do not. Not only do you believe it but you want to preach it from the mountain tops. Again, I really don’t care about your prerogative. Why not just use your true feelings to justify your point to others. you FEEL that a calf is happier when it is raised in the time of environment that YOU FEEL is best for it. I, and noone else really, can argue with you about your feelings. Of course, people like me will use facts to disprove your FEELINGS but at the end of the day if you stick to what you FEEL and use that for your arguments you’ve at least made your points honestly. MFW March 8, 2011 at 12:26 pm Sookie, you’re a well trained animal rights activist. I’m willing to bet you’re probably being paid for your time to comment on this forum. Before you leave could you provide the readers with some scientific research to back your feelings? I refuted line by line the emotionally based comments you made and left my opinions out of most of it. I’m certain you can see how you, and the animal rights agencies you work for (like the Humane Society of the United States) will lose credibility with the typical reader of this forum if you fail to represent your feelings with non-biased information. sookie March 8, 2011 at 12:52 pm MFW, I’m an activist, but unfortunately, not paid. Thank you for the compliment that I’m well trained. I got involved by volunteering my time to gather signatures in the ballot initiative. THe more I learn, the more I want to be involved. I am not being biased. I have heard both sides. From consumers as well as farmers and others in the farming industry. Every person I talked with while gathering signatures has the same “feelings” as me regarding factory farming. That’s why they signed. And that is why they are fully expecting the agreement to be honored. Mary March 8, 2011 at 2:30 pm Well that explains a lot! Yes, when you tell them you are getting them to sign a petition to make farming more humane of COURSE you will get people that know NOTHING about farming to sign it. Who doesn’t want animals to be treated humanely, after all. What those nitwits don’t know is how they are already treated humanely. I ran into a couple of you signature-takers and I made sure there was a nice line waiting to sign and then I presented the truth and why I would absolutely not sign that petition. It was interesting to watch the people in line walk away. They are uneducated. This is what our Ohio farmers need to really concentrate on, educating all these city slickers that don’t understand what is going on. Some farms have wonderful tours. These need to grow and get more attention, so the uneducated can see how well farm animals are treated. It is so easy to tell if an animal is content or not. We already voted once to keep HSUS out, our previous governor sold us out, and now we just have to vote again to keep HSUS out. When voters understand, and learn about the disastrous economic affects of having HSUS ruin animal agriculture in Ohio, I really think they will ‘get it’. So all I have to say to Pacelle is ‘bring it on!’. Regan H March 8, 2011 at 5:27 pm Sookie if it comes to the ballet 2/3 of the people who singed will vote aginst because they are smart to whats going on now before they weren’t think about that. doozledorf March 8, 2011 at 1:48 pm “EVERYBDODY you talked to has the same feelings as you do about factory farms?” Now that is a big lie and you know it…But that is the AR movement for you..lie lie lie….how can they derive a position on “Factory Farming”, when there is no such thing…it is a made up term by the AR activists… The people of Ohio are not stupid enough to let the AR movement dictate as to how our agriculture will be run…we do not need people who no nothing about farming except for what they have read in a book to tell us what to do as far as our livestock is involved. Mary March 8, 2011 at 2:24 pm Susan, yes, wanting something to happen that will harm so many Americans (as in starving them) and to put our farmers and ranchers out of business IS Anti-American in my book. Factory farms are humane, you need to go visit one instead of relying on all the AR propaganda and staged videos. Guess it is just easier to sit back and drink the koolade. Mary March 8, 2011 at 2:38 pm Amy, it is hard for anyone to believe that what HumaneWatch presents is nothing but pure fact. Does anyone believe HSUS would not sue and force HumaneWatch to remove untruths? AHA! HSUS can’t do it because even THEY know it is the truth! And yes, there are a ton of rescuers and shelter people on NAIA and HumaneWatch. HumaneWatch focuses on dogs because that is how HSUS swindles people out of their money, putting those sad shelter puppies in ads and getting that $19 a month when NONE OF THAT MONEY goes to those shelter puppies. It is also why the IRS is investigating them. They have no right to 501(c)3 status because the bulk of their money is used for LOBBYING not to help animals. Yes, that is a fact, too! Regan H March 8, 2011 at 5:55 pm Mary that was well said! Mary March 8, 2011 at 2:43 pm Amy, I am laughing hysterically here. Yes, I hope everyone looks at the site you sent us on how much the HSUS gave in grants. Wow, probably bought 10 bags of dog food at some of those shelters. In return, HSUS charges like $25,000 to survey a shelter and give them a list of recommendations. Holy cow! What were you thinking to give us this wonderful site that just PROVES OUR POINT! LOL! Do you know that Humane Societies are changing their names to take the Humane Society part out to be able to totally disassociate themselves from HSUS? People think when they give to HSUS that money goes to their local Humane Societies. I’m going to now have so much fun sharing this linke you provided ALL OVER Facebook and my lists. Thank you so much for sharing! darwin March 8, 2011 at 2:54 pm I dare you.. dare you to run down to your local shelter ans ask them how much money the HSUS gave them last year..the answer will be NONE.. or very little.. My local shelter posts Humane Watch posters everywhere. my vet keeps HW literature in his office..they know the truth when it hits them in the pocketbook. Sookie and Susan .. are you members of the Socialist Party? seems you philosophy is right in line.. along with the HSUS..if the HSUS believes in “humane meat’ why no recipes on their website that include it.. also why no eggs, dairy or poultry..where is their list of “humane” meat, dairy and egg sources? A quote from “Socialist Worker” “Speaking out for animal rights, challenging livestock farming practices and rationales, fits well with a wider anti-capitalist understanding of how the world works. But powerful as veganism may be, politicization of the diet can be taken still further towards anti-capitalism with the addition of other tactics which determine food choice.” Mary March 8, 2011 at 3:17 pm This is the type of education that we really need to get out there. For large-scale and small-scale farms, YouTube videos are ideal for educating the masses. darwin March 8, 2011 at 3:49 pm think it is just Humane Watch that is on to the HSUS.. try this or just google the Alabama 44 and the HSUS.. this is modus operandi for this “charity” FFA 73 March 10, 2011 at 7:14 pm Who is going to care for these 23,000 calves if half the Veal Farmers in Ohio go out of business? Are the A/R groups going to ‘adopt’ them? Let’s think about “unintended conssequences”: How has the horse slaughter ban worked out? Many want to say that all the farmer can see is dollars. Well, as much as most farmers wouldn’t want to admit it, we ARE NOT NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS! If the economics do not work for these Veal Farmers, they will not be doing it. That’s OK in the A/R’s book. If that happens; again, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THESE 23,000 CALVES? These farmers care passionately for these animals. They gave testimony to that on March 1. They have no motivation to provide anything other than the best of care. How do these Holstein bull calves respond to such care? They grow 40% faster than calves on dairy farms. All the rehtoric, all the critisms; these farmers are saying this issue is not as simple as putting intact Holstein bulls, that weigh up to 500# in a group pen to “bully” one another. Just for the A/R activists to say “there, you figure it out”. They are responding, “No, that will be someone else’s problem”. MFW March 10, 2011 at 8:23 pm Veal producers are raising BULL (male) calves. Dairy producers are raising HEIFER (female)calves. I appreciate your comments but its important not to make one part of agriculture seem less ‘humane’ in an attempt to ameliorate another. I’m not sure where the ‘40% faster growth’ figure came from and I would challenge it if it made a difference to know. In the end, all that really matters is that we understand heifers are very different from bulls and the mostly milk diet of a veal calf is very different from the diet of dairy calves, growth rates are different, but its in no relation to welfare standards. The veal farms I have visited are taking excellent care of their calves, the dairy producers are as well. At the end of the day, all that matters is how those involved with agriculture educate the consumer. To HSUS all that matters is milk, meat and dairy are removed from your plate, in any way possible. Respond in a calm manner, in a truthful way and with facts to back your opinions and you will succeed in unveiling the truth behind the biased, factually baseless, lying animal rights agenda. It just takes time, but, most consumers really do want to learn the truth and can quickly see which side is telling the truth when given the opportunity to hear from a farmer. Farmers should share some truth with every person they meet; it would make a profound and lasting impression on our consumers. FFA 73 March 10, 2011 at 8:49 pm You are correct MFW. As one Veal farmer stated on March 1, “Boys are boys and girls are girls”. The comparison eluded to was that of bulls and bulls. Veal calves gain 2.5-2.7# per day. Dairy beef bulls of the same age are about 1# per day less. It was not my intent to provide that information as a ‘superior model’; just to draw the conclusion that these animals thrive in their controlled environment. You are correct bulls are not heifers. Heifers do not drink each others urine when placed in a group. Heifers are much more docile, and will ride each other mainly during estrus. Bulls “bully” each other for dominance. Activities include head butting, riding each other and even tail biting. Their WILL be excessive competition in group pens with Bulls. Veal consumers are enjoying a high quality, nutrient dense protein, with the assurance that these animals were well cared for predominately by family farmers. It is those that have an agenda to remove animal proteins from our diet that want to see the “lowest hanging fruit” go away. Mary March 10, 2011 at 8:00 pm With dog seizures conducted by HSUS, they go and seize all the dogs and puppies and drop them off at a shelter. Now it’s the shelter’s problem. Oh, and by the way, HSUS does nothing to support that shelter. So you have a good question FFA 73. You farmers care, we that are fighting HSUS and their ilk care, but HSUS doesn’t care what will happen to them. HSUS doesn’t really care about the animals, you see. They just USE them to make millions for themselves. They also don’t care about horses. Instead of slaughter houses, we now have starved horses, roaming horses, homeless horses. Except for the ones that are trucked down to Mexico and killed under horribly inhumane conditions. HSUS made a ton of money on that campaign, got to throw their weight around, and now they are out of the picture. Are THEY providing for these poor horses? Of course not! Not their problem. okiestorm1 March 11, 2011 at 9:25 am Mary you forgot to mention the the $500 a pop the HSUS is going to make off the PZP drug they talked the BLM into giveing to the wild mustang mares to stop reproduction.It is thier way of completely fazeing out the mustamgs all together just like HSUS and PETA pushing to stop the breeding of domestic animals it is to stop them completely not to controll the population but to do away with them all together.The videos I have noticed that they are posting on FB about the circus animals being abused are ones from years ago and not even in the USA.They have also started a campaign to do away with rodeos and some zoo animals and ofcourse hunting.They say hunting is murder though PETA kills 85percent of the animals they rescue and HSUS just wants them all gone. Leave a Reply to Susan Cancel reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. We are glad you have chosen to leave a comment. Please keep in mind that comments are moderated according to our comment policy. Subscribe to Comments Receive emails as this discussion progresses. Recent Posts After the Storm sculpture honors victims, first responders of pandemic New programming in Ohio gets to heart of farmers’ mental health needs Enjoy every exhausting moment of motherhood Get Farm and Dairy Delivered to Your Home 52 Issues as low as $30.95 or 104 Issues for only $66.50 About Farm and Dairy Newspaper Company Links Advertising Rates Farm and Dairy Cover Section Farm and Agriculture News, Local Market Prices and Crop Reports, Columns and Commentary. Hundreds of Auction Advertisements for Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. 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Quentin Grafton is Director of the Centre for Water Economics, Environment and Policy (CWEEP) at Crawford School of Public Policy. In April 2010 he was appointed the Chairholder, the UNESCO Chair in Water Economics and Transboundary Water Governance. You might also like Corruption in football and the challenges of global governance. A river runs through it Related research centres Crawford School of Public Policy Why have iron ore prices fallen so much? And what lessons does it provide for Australian public policy? Professor Quentin Grafton takes a look at these questions and more. There has been an extraordinary series of public interventions by one of Australia’s wealthiest individuals recently. The ‘beef’ has been about iron ore prices and the competiveness, or otherwise, of the sea-trade iron ore market. But what really are the issues around commodity prices and market competition, and what does this mean for public policy? Iron ore prices are now around US$60/tonne, a big drop from their 2011 peak of around US$190/tonne. Almost all of Australia’s iron ore is mined in Western Australia (WA) and is a key source of revenues for the state government. As iron ore prices have fallen, so too have state revenues, by about $2 billion a year from their peak in 2014-15 when royalty revenues were over $5 billion. Commonwealth revenues are also lower as Australia’s terms of trade – the price we receive for our exports relative to imports – have fallen from their 2011 peak. Australia is the world’s largest exporter of iron ore and it is the country’s single most valuable export, worth about A$60 billion in 2014-15. Australia sold about 440 million tonnes of it in 2011, is forecast to export around 800 million tonnes in 2015, and more than 900 million tonnes per annum by 2020. Brazil, the world’s second largest exporter, exported around 300 million tonnes in 2011. You do not need to be a billionaire to understand why iron ore prices have gone south. Unlike some market participants, WA Premier Colin Barnett has correctly diagnosed the cause. It is simply a question of supply and demand. An increase in iron supplies when demand is leveling off will lower the price. Chinese demand generated the Millennium commodity price boom. As the Chinese economy restructures and growth declines, this has lowered commodity prices. Steel production in China – accounting for about half of global steel output – is close to, or may have already peaked. To put China’s importance for iron ore prices in perspective, the growth in steel output in China between 2010 and 2015 is larger than the current annual steel production in the United States, and about twice the size of the total annual steel production in India. Unlike China, which accounts for about 70 per cent of the world’s total iron-ore imports, India is expected to be a net exporter of iron ore, at least for the next few years. Much of the recent debate in relation to a proposed public inquiry into why iron ore prices have tanked has focused on ‘predatory’ pricing. But as Rod Sims, head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), has noted, “It is very hard to find predation when people are getting a price that is significantly above their cost.” More to the point, in such a market it makes economic sense for a low-cost iron ore producer to increase production if it is profitable to do so, even if this will lower the price. Otherwise another low-cost producer will increase supply instead, and reap the benefit while also lowering the price for everyone else. Some have argued that Australia should limit or cap its exports and, in this way, keep iron-ore prices higher. This is essentially what Saudi Arabia has done, with fellow members of the OPEC cartel, to maintain higher oil prices. Apart from the fact that price collusion among iron-ore producers is illegal in Australia, such a policy would almost certainly result in costly retaliation from Australia’s largest trading partner, China. Higher iron-ore prices that may result from a cap, and the sovereign risks it would impose on Australian iron-ore producers, would also strongly encourage iron ore mining investments in other countries to supplant Australian supplies. The end result would be less investment in Australia and lower iron ore export volumes in the future, for the temporary benefit of short-run higher prices. So what does all this mean for public policy? First, governments should know how markets work. A higher demand for a commodity such as iron ore, that can take years to increase supply, will temporarily increase the price. Eventually, higher prices will stimulate additional supply that should moderate future prices. Governments that depend on royalties and revenues from commodities that are subject to price booms and busts should, therefore, prepare for the rainy day when prices will eventually fall. Not only do lower prices hit government revenues, they also reduce investment in exploration and mining development and that can have big negative spillover effects. For instance, the value of investments in committed resource and energy projects in Australia peaked in 2012 at around A$270 billion. It is likely to be around A$150 billion in 2015 and will almost certainly be much less than A$100 billion by 2017. This is especially worrying as non-resource investment is also falling as proportion of GDP, and if some current predictions are correct could be at record low levels by 2016. Second, all decision-makers need to seek wide counsel before making key decisions. Just as there are predators in markets who seek to take advantage of market power or use collusive practices for their benefit, there are also predators who seek to manipulate public policy to create circumstances that favour vested interests over the public interest. Third, the owners of iron and coal, or any other sub-surface commodity in Australia, are Australians. This ownership is exercised by state and territory governments, and in some cases by the Commonwealth, for the benefits of those residing in the respective jurisdictions. The best way to give a return back to the owners is to ensure an efficient royalty and tax system that gives surety to resource companies that they can expect a reasonable rate of return on their investments, while at the same time ensuring all royalties and taxes due are paid. This means those best suited to making mining investment and supply decisions – mining companies – do what they are good at, namely extract ore for the greatest net return, while ensuring those who own the subsoil resources receive a fair return. Getting policies right so that royalties and taxes are efficient, that the revenues received are well spent, and that some of these revenues are set-aside for a ‘rainy day’ are essential to ensure that Australia makes the most of its bountiful and valuable subsoil assets. This article was originally published on policyforum.net, the website of the Asia and the Pacific Policy Society. Filed under: Updated: 1 December 2022/Responsible Officer: Crawford Engagement/Page Contact: CAP Web Team The Australian National University, Canberra You appear to be using Internet Explorer 7, or have compatibility view turned on. Your browser is not supported by ANU web styles.	7,693
In the form of a God: The Pre-existence of the Exalted Christ in Paul: what the book is about and why (2 comments) Our eco-theological blindspots and the climate crisis (1 comment) Biblical hermeneutics and the destabilising of the world (0 comments) more Did Jesus claim to be God? In his little book Is God a Delusion? Nicky Gumble (‘the pioneer of the Alpha course’) addresses Richard Dawkins’ claim that ‘There’s no good, historical evidence that Jesus ever thought he was divine’ (79-80, 127-131). It’s an old debate, of course, and neither Dawkins nor Gumble contributes anything very new to it; but I suspect that Dawkins may have the better of this particular argument, and not merely for historical reasons. I draw attention to it partly because I have covert sympathies with Dawkins anyway and feel a little embarrassed by the way he has been so rudely duffed up by evangelicals, but mainly because it highlights again (see also Putting the theological cart before the biblical horse) the worrying structural discrepancy between theology (in this instance, admittedly, a rather elementary apologetic defence of a mainstream belief) and the interpretation of Scripture. It is curious, in the first place, that this type of popular apologetic is so dependant on John’s Gospel (and, of course, C.S. Lewis) for the argument that Jesus believed himself to be God. As a witness to the words of Jesus John must be considered as the least historically reliable of the four Gospels – surely in some measure a rewriting of the story of Jesus in the language and thought-forms of Hellenism or of Hellenistic Judaism. Having said that, three passages from the Synoptics are cited in support of the argument that the historical Jesus believed himself to be God, which I would suggest actually give a good indication of the underlying apocalyptic narrative that shaped, if only at some remove, the christology of John. Mark 2:7 clearly cannot be counted as evidence that Jesus thought of himself as being God. In fact, it shows quite the opposite. Here’s what happens. Jesus forgives the sins of the paralyzed man who is brought to him in Capernaum. The scribes accuse him of blaspheming, insisting that no one can forgive sins but God alone (Mark 2:7). Jesus then demonstrates that ‘the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’ by healing the paralytic. But the point is not that Jesus is God but that God in heaven has delegated the authority to forgive Israel’s sins to the one who plays the part of the Son of Man. Matthew underlines this by noting that the crowds ‘glorified God, who had given such authority to men’ (Matt. 9:8). So Gumble is right to observe that the claim to be able to forgive sins is an astonishing one (128), but what was astonishing was that the authority to forgive sins, which the Jews believed was the prerogative of God alone, had been given not just to men but to the one who in the symbolic guise of Daniel’s Son of Man would embody in himself the suffering and rejection of the persecuted saints of the Most High (which is why Jesus extends the authority to forgive to his disciples). The Son of Man at the right hand of Power Similarly, Jesus’ retort to the high priest in Mark 14:62 that he will ‘see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven’, which the high priest condemns as blasphemy, is not ‘tantamount to a claim to be God’ (129). Daniel’s Son of Man figure stands for a righteous Israel that remains loyal to the covenant, loyal to YHWH, in the face both of pagan antagonism and Jewish apostasy. What shocks the high priest is Jesus’ presumption in believing that he (and not the priestly hierarchy or the Pharisees) will eventually be vindicated before the throne of God and given the kingdom. The story of the Son of Man who suffers and is vindicated and given sovereignty is also operative in the case of Jesus’ commonly misunderstood account of a judgment of the nations (Matt. 25:31-46). Gumble quotes Jesus’ words that people will be judged according to how they have treated him and his followers, and says: ‘For a mere human being to make such a claim would be preposterous. Here we have another indirect claim to have the identity of Almighty God’ (129). No, it is precisely Jesus’ point that the authority to judge has been given to him as the Son of Man – and indeed, to those who will suffer with him, who will reign at the right hand of God throughout the age to come (cf. Matt. 19:28; Rev. 20:6). I think that what he has in view is a judgment – in characteristic Old Testament fashion – specifically of the nations that would persecute his disciples, not a final judgment as is commonly assumed. But the point is that it is a serious misreading of the text to regard it as evidence for a claim to have the identity of God. What it shows is that the right to judge has been devolved to this man and to this community. ‘I and the Father are one’ Jesus makes a number of statements in John’s Gospel that suggest (if we are to take them as historically true recollections of his speech, which seems a little unlikely) that he believed that God was revealed to his disciples through his own presence amongst them. When he claims, ‘I and the Father are one’ (10:30), the adjective ‘one’ is neuter: the point presumably is not that they are ‘one’ in identity but of one mind or purpose. The distinction probably holds for all statements of this sort, though John’s language is never easy to pin down: ‘My Father is working until now, and I am working’ (5:17); ‘whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise’ (5:19); ‘If you knew me, you would know my Father also’ (8:19; cf. 14:7); ‘I am in the Father and the Father is in me’ (14:10-11; cf. 10:38; 17:21). The Jews threaten to stone Jesus when he tells them ‘I and the Father are one’, but he treats this as a question of what he has done rather than of who he is: ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?’ (10:32). They complain that he has made himself God (10:33), but Jesus’ response can hardly be taken as an acceptance of the charge. He points to the fact that in Psalm 82:6 the Jews as ‘sons of the Most High’ are described as ‘gods’, and asks how in that case he can be accused of blaspheming for having said, ‘I am the Son of God’ (10:36). The issue again is not identity but authority (cf. 7:17). ‘My Lord and my God’ Finally we have Thomas’ unprecedented and enigmatic confession, which perhaps must be allowed to stand for what it is (John 20:28). His words may have reference to the argument of 13:31-32 that God is glorified when the Son of Man is glorified: in other words, it is in the resurrection of the one who suffers that the true glory of God is revealed to Israel. Jesus’ word to Mary that he is about to ascend ‘to my God and your God’ (20:17) may have a bearing. She goes back to the disciples and announces that she has ‘seen the Lord’ (20:18). We must at least ask how Thomas’ confession is to be reconciled with so much that Jesus says to differentiate himself from God or from the Father. John’s own statement that these resurrection appearances have been recorded ‘so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God’ (20:30-31) should also be taken into account. ‘Son of God’ denotes an anointed agent, not a figure who self-consciously identifies himself with God – though perhaps some thought should be given to the influence of an imperial ideology that identified the divine Caesar as ‘Son of God’. If Thomas’ confession and John’s reflection on the significance of the resurrection appearances aim at such Hellenistic conceptions, then we have further reason to think that the christology that emerges in the New Testament is apocalyptically inspired. The renewal of theology This is not an attack on Nicky Gumble especially or on the whole Alpha-driven shebang, with which I have always been, albeit begrudgingly, impressed. The book does a reasonably good job of what it sets out to do. But I do think it is necessary to address the considerable deficit that exists generally between popular apologetic defences of core beliefs and New Testament interpretation. My reading of the texts may be flawed in all sorts of ways, but it is representative of an emerging new perspective on the New Testament that is searching for a theology that inheres in the historical narrative and does not need either to be abstracted from or retrojected into it. In our search for a renewed theology after Christendom this seems to me the right path to take, but it will challenge many of the commonplace arguments and formulations out of which the fabric of modern faith has been woven. If we are going to proclaim and defend a high christology, I think we have to go by way of the apocalyptic narrative about the Son of Man who suffers and is vindicated and who, in that way, supplants the concrete authority of the divine Caesar; I don’t think we can skirt around it. It is not enough now merely to assert that Jesus claimed (directly or indirectly) to be God, and then postulate that if he weren’t telling the truth, he must have been either mad or bad. But that means that a new popular, user-friendly theology needs to be developed from such new exegetical starting points, and undoubtedly that will take time. Finally, I should perhaps make it clear that I am not arguing that Jesus was or is not in some sense ‘divine’. It is the disconnect between theology and Scripture that concerns me. And if that sounds disingenuous, well, that is simply part of the problem. See also What has the emerging church to do with the Alpha Course? on Open Source Theology. Assuming (1) that this argument is correct and (2) that Jesus was/is divine, the question raised for me is this: Why might Jesus have not wanted to claim that he was (in some sense) God? In reply to Assuming (1) that this by Josh Rowley You may want to have a look at some of J.C. O'Neill's books, where he puts forward the argument that in Jesus' time there were some Jews who believed that a hidden Messiah would come who would not talk openly of his messiahship but who would nevertheless be vindicated by God at the right time. By the way, O'Neill also addresses the disconnectedness between theology and Scripture mentioned in the main post (a "disconnectedness", if this is the right word, which is clearly reflected in the treatment given to the texts by the editors of the Bible). I am no theologian, however much of what you write has run through my mind over the years. What always worries me about standing back 2000 years later is that John was probably written seventy years after Jesus — which is a little closer to the time of Jesus. However he is not the first — neither are the gospels the first — to speak about Jesus occupying a very high position. Phillipians is probably the closest we shall ever come to Jesus being divine outside of the gospels. But I often wonder how John could write those first eighteen verses of his gospel — what was the certainty on which he could write such astonishing words? Perhaps Hurtado’s question ‘How on earth could Jesus become God’ — if not fully answered in his two books on the subject — nevertheless does raise some serious questions about an early acceptance of Jesus as God. In reply to I am no theologian, however by marc In seemingly allowing that Jesus may have or still is ‘divine’ what do you mean. How ‘high’ is your Christology? Does ‘Trinity’ feature in your view of the future? Why would you want to modify John 20v28 to downgrade its meaning?? Particularly when the Gospel starts with the magnificent statements in John 1v1f? How would you exactly see ‘Christology’ being reinvented in the emerging Church, would this amount to a rejection of orthodox Chalcedonian formulations, would it be embracing some form of semi arianism? In reply to In seemingly allowing that by 'JT' John Tancock John, any perceived ambiguity in the piece probably reflects the fact that I have a lot of questions still about how the argument about Jesus plays out in the New Testament. I have expressed a view on the word becoming flesh here. The assumption I work from is that narrative gives us a much better understanding of who Jesus was for the authors of the New Testament than theology, and that the dominant narrative is the apocalyptic one about Jesus ultimately becoming judge and ruler of the nations by way of suffering and the cross. I have considered the possibility of a “narrative trinitarianism” elsewhere. Probably the two main questions, then, in my mind, are: i) how much of the material in the New Testament belongs to this narrative? and ii) how does this narrative relate to a Wisdom argument that involves Jesus in the process of creation? What, in particular, is being said in Colossians 1:15-20? I don’t think we are much helped by imposing on this the categories of classical Trinitarian debate. All the while we keep trying to answer the problem in ontological terms, we will miss the point of the narrative. In reply to John, any perceived ambiguity by Andrew Perriman Wow, I read the links and most of the comments. I’m with cherylu! It disturbs me I suppose. Is it because i don’t fully ‘get’ your narrative approach, or is it because teaching that is ‘wrong’ is wrong whichever way and whoever says it! It could be because most of my life I have ‘rerun’ the 4th century christological/trinitarian debate. I have engaged with modalists (Oneness pentecostals) Arians -JWs and others claiming nomenclature as ‘monotheists’. The situation today exists as it did pre and post Nicea. ‘They’ would make mincemeat of us if we embraced the things proposed by you Andrew. I would say most defenders of ‘Trinity’ use a highly processed version extremely nuanced and developed but in my view Nicea reflects a closer to the bible view and expression. I fail to understand how you seem to falter at recognising the pre=existent and ‘Godness’ of Jesus who being in the form of God did not consider equality with God something to be held on to The later exaltation (every knee shall bow) is surely the other side of the ‘u’ curve from v6 to 11? To question surely is in the context of ‘being found in fashion as a man’ …… PRIOR to that he was ‘in the form of God’. Coll 1 of course to my mind tells the same story connecting with John 1, Php2 and Heb 1. The traditional view is a perfectly reasonable way to understand these passages, don’t you think? Isn’t Nicene orthodoxy a truly biblical place to be? In reply to Wow, I read the links and by JT John Tancock Nicene orthodoxy may be a legitimate place to end up, but the New Testament does not set out to teach Nicene orthodoxy. The question that a narrative-historical approach asks is: What does the New Testament set out to teach about Jesus? And why? It appears that in order to answer these questions we must resort primarily to the categories of Old Testament prophecy and apocalyptic. Throughout the New Testament the consistent narrative is that Jesus became king at a time of eschatological crisis as a consequence of his obedience to the point of death. That is not a philosophical argument. It is much more a political argument, one that has to do with the relation of God’s people to the nations, the peoples of the empire. It is not all that the New Testament says about Jesus. As I said in the previous comment, there is also an argument, seemingly drawing on the Wisdom literature, about the role of Jesus in creation. This takes us beyond the apocalyptic narrative, and it is not entirely clear to me how the two themes work together. I’m not saying they don’t work together, I’m just unsure how—and of course, there’s no doubt other stuff needs to be taken into consideration. But the concern of New Testament studies has to be to ensure that later ideas and beliefs are not allowed to prejudice interpretation, which means in this case, I think, giving the apocalyptic narrative its due weight. The New Testament is very little interested in asserting the metaphysical identity of Jesus with the Father, but preoccupied from beginning to end with the story of how Jesus is given the authority to judge and rule at the right hand of the Father. What I want to ask is: What are we missing by downplaying this story in our christology? And perhaps, can we understand our relation to God better—or at least to the New Testament—through the narrative than through the traditional categories? In reply to Nicene orthodoxy may be a by Andrew Perriman But the questions leading up to Nicea and the ‘answer’ that Nicea is are STILL being asked and the vehemence of the anti trinitarian voices continues to grow. The NT sets out to teach that Jesus is God with us …Mt 1v23 and the Trinitarian formula of Mt 28v19 has its own eloquence. Likewise at the beginning of John is ‘kai theos en ho logos’ and at its end ‘My Lord and my God’. Coll 1 states he is by him all things were created…. Php 2 ‘in the form of God#’….’equal with God…’, Heb 1 to the Son he says ‘Your throne O God is forever’. He is shown as ‘Son of Man and Son of God’ …..entirely Human and entirely Deity? Perhapos we operate and serve i different worlds, I fear confusion and softening of who Jesus is, ‘should we worship him’? if not why not, if so surely he is ‘God’. I would like to recomend a book Andrew, by Paul Paveo, ‘In the beginning was the Logos’ its not ‘academic’ but is scholarly. It promotes a return to Nicene orthodoxy which he believes is biblical and answers the arguments to both right and left. He also provides a useful explkanation of the 1 cor 15 passage ‘handing the kingdom to his Father’. In reply to But the questions leading up by JT john Tancock Yes, the questions are still being asked, but they are not the questions that the New Testament attempts attempts to answer. Even if the later formulations are theologically correct, we still have to enquire into what the New Testament is actually saying. So, for example, Matthew 1:23 simply does not mean that Jesus was God. It means that the expectation of Jesus’ birth and the giving of a significant name are foreshadowed in the assurance that Isaiah gave Ahaz that at a time of crisis God would be with his people, not only to judge but also to deliver. The circumstances of Jesus’ miraculous conception were a sign to Israel that God was with his people. Matthew 28:19 presupposes a close relation between Father, Son and Spirit, but it is much more likely to refer back to the narrative of Jesus’ baptism than forward to the post-Jewish debates leading up up to Nicaea. It is a baptism, in other words, into the calling and empowering of Jesus to be Israel’s king. It may be the case that “being in the form of God” (Phil. 2:6) denotes ontological identity with God, but that is by no means certain. Son of Man and Son of God do not mean “entirely Human and entirely Deity”. This is a classic example of the superimposition of later christological categories on the New Testament. “Son of Man” presumably is a reference to the human figure of Daniel 7:13-14, who represents the faithful saints of the Most High. “Son of God” denotes perhaps Israel but primarily Israel’s king. Psalms 2 and 110 are of central importance in this regard. In Psalm 45 a clear distinction is drawn between the king, to whom the psalm is addressed, and God, who has blessed and anointed his king. In this context Psalm 45:6a is presumably an expression of praise directed towards God: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.” Whether Hebrews 1:8-9 preserves this distinction is hard to say, but elsewhere in the chapter God and his Son are consistently differentiated: God has spoken through his Son; the Son is the radiance of the glory of God; God has begotten his Son; he is a Father to his Son; he has made him sit at his right hand. It perhaps cannot be ruled, but it would be very odd if in the midst of this the writer confused the identity of God and his Son, Israel’s king. In reply to Yes, the questions are still by Andrew Perriman WHY Andrew? Why cannot son of man mean ‘human’, many translations translate it as such or similar, it cal also refer to Daniel 7 ..’one like a human’. Your idea can still apply and I agree with it but Jesus. use of the title speaks of his identity with us ‘one of us’ surely. The use of Son of God has a number of echoes and resonances BUT fail to understand how it cannot refer to his deity not just his kingship. It may be ‘form of God’ etc but when passages differ from your individual narrative view it seems to be ‘maybe’ or ‘unlikely’ or ‘more likely something else’ well taking a Jimmy Dunn adamic view it ‘maybe’ but plain reading is pretty clear the form of God and form of a servant sound suspiciously like son of man /son of God. The approach you take to Psalm 45 surely is odd. No one takes Jesus ‘godship’ (for want of a better word) as a 100% identity and no trinitarian or advocate of nicene orthodoxy would either. The only ones who would make this mistake would ne ‘Oneness’ people (monarchian subordinationists). The distinction between ho theos clause 2 of john 1v1 and ‘theos’ of clause three makes the distinction also. The verse which kicks off the gospel adequately refutes both other options of later christological debate. Of course God and his Son are distinguished which is the case throughout the scriptures and in the nicen creed. I believe that the route you are travelling is a bit like someone choosing to follow a route well set out previously but ignoring the signs and marks set up by previous walkers. You will end up after your narrative approach STILL having to face the issues and my guess you will be arian. In reply to WHY Andrew? Why cannot son by JT John Tancock also re Heb 1 why ‘doubt’ v8 of the Son he says (‘he’ being God!) your throne O God….. The son is described as N T Wright version NTFE) The precise expression of his very own being let all God angels worship (proskuneo him see Lk 4v8) HIM and amazingly another quote from Psalms in v10 you established the earth O lord Of course there is God , his Son and his Spirit we aren’t modalists but the Son is clearly seen as ‘the other side of the line’ and is included in the divine identity (Bauckham and Hurtado). He is higher than the angels as Heb 1 says. he is not created but is creator whether by in or through he himself wasn’t and isnt part of creation. Jn 1v3 Heb 1v3 Coll 1v15-18 I might even travel along your narrative route but you seem to be rejecting anything that looks like mainstream orthodoxy. It surely is a dangerous path. In the real world out there a world inhabited with arians, socinians, modalists, unitarians and anti trinitarians they would unfortunately jump with joy and Im sure you will be quoted in support of thier anti trinitarian material if your views are accesible or published. In reply to WHY Andrew? Why cannot son by JT John Tancock John, thank you for continuing to engage with this. Certainly, the “Son of Man” theme has been interpreted in different ways. My view is that if Jesus is consciously applying Daniel 7:13-14 to himself, then he intends solidarity not with humanity but with suffering righteous Israel in the context of its conflict with paganism and apostasy. That’s what the story in Daniel 7-13 is about. I am aware of no passage in the Old Testament on which you could base the argument that “Son of God” connotes deity. There is every reason to think that in the New Testament the phrase presupposes the Old Testament background. So to think that it connotes deity in the New Testament, we would have to have some pretty unambiguous evidence to that effect. I don’t think that evidence exists. To say that Jesus is Son of God is to say that he is Israel’s king. I don’t see how form of God / form of a servant are like son of Man / Son of God. Paul could have said “though being God” and “became a slave”. Jesus wasn’t a slave but he took the form of a slave. Shouldn’t one then infer that he was in the form of God but wasn’t God. I don’t rule out the possibility that Paul means to equate Jesus with God here, but exegetically it is difficult to defend. John 1:1 may affirm the pre-existence and divinity of Jesus, but to my mind we should not let this interfere with the apocalyptic narrative. My main concern is to bring the apocalyptic narrative into the foreground and ask what it says about how the early church understood itself historically. Having said that, there is at least a case for thinking that “Word” in John 1:1-4 is not Jesus but wisdom reinterpreted in terms of the Greek logos concept. The wisdom of God became flesh and lived among the people of God. The introduction of the wisdom motif, of course, is also part of the narrative and needs to be understood. For example, in Hebrews 1:2-3 Jesus is both the king who is appointed heir of all things, seated at the right hand of God, and the counterpart to wisdom, as the one through whom the ages have been made, the brightness (apaugasma) of his glory, etc. Consider this passage, for example: For [wisdom] is a breath of the power of God and an emanation of the pure glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection (apaugasma) of eternal light and a spotless mirror of the activity of God and an image of his goodness. (Wis. 7:25–26) You may be right about the route that is being travelled here. But at the moment it seems to me that the historical understanding of the New Testament that has emerged over the last few decades may be taking us in a rather different direction altogether. We may end up in the old tug-of-war between Arius and Athanasius. But we may not. I’m not sure that there is any reason from a biblical point of view to absolutize Nicaea. Purely because I saw J T John Tancock’s comment, this paragraph of the original post caught my eye - Jesus’ retort to the high priest in Mark 14:62 that he will ‘see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven’, which the high priest condemns as blasphemy, is not ‘tantamount to a claim to be God’ (129). Daniel’s Son of Man figure stands for a righteous Israel that remains loyal to the covenant, loyal to YHWH, in the face both of pagan antagonism and Jewish apostasy. I’d have thought Gumbell’s comment has merit. First, because “clouds of heaven” in Daniel 7:13 and Mark 14:62 associates the son of man with divinity, “clouds” in this sense always being associated with the divine presence in the OT. Second, because in Daniel 7:27, by way of interpretation of 7:13-14, the son of man attributes of 7:14a are given to “the people of the Most High”, while the son of man attributes of 7:14b are given to God, as “the Most High”. In that sense, the son of man figure is both human and divine. Some attributes are transferred to the people of God. Others can’t be. It’s what the passage says. Just like Jesus. Interesting thought, don’t you think? In reply to Purely because I saw J T John by peter wilkinson very insightful point Peter, I could run with that. In reply to Purely because I saw J T John by peter wilkinson The first point will depend partly on how we understand the symbolic figure in human form. In the context of Daniel’s vision he stands for the persecuted saints of the Most High, so clearly the clouds of heaven do not mean that the “Son of Man” is divine. But also Paul speaks of believers being caught up “in the clouds to meet the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17). This is presumably dependent on Daniel 7:13. Clouds either signify that this is a heavenly location or a heavenly journey. Believers at the parousia are no more divine than the saints of the Most High. The second point is interesting and complex. One thing to point out is that in the LXX there is nothing said of the Son of Man in 7:14 that is not said about the saints of the Most High in 7:27 because the prospect of ruling over an everlasting kingdom in verse 27 is associated not with God, as in the Aramaic text, but to the saints of the Most High: And royal authority was given to him, and all the nations of the earth according to posterity, and all honor was serving him. And his authority is an everlasting authority, which shall never be removed—and his kingship, which will never perish. (7:14) And he shall give the authority and the kingdom and the magnitude of all the kingdoms, which are under heaven, to the holy people of the Most High, to reign over an everlasting kingdom, and all authorities will be subjected to him and obey him until the conclusion of the word. (7:27) The other thing to note is that the masculine pronoun in these clauses does not necessarily refer to God: …his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him (Dan 7:27 ESV) and all authorities will be subjected to him and obey him until the conclusion of the word (Dan. 7:27 LXX) Both in the Aramaic and in the Greek “people” is masculine, so we could read: And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; its kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey it. (Dan 7:27) In this case there would be no need to differentiate between 7:14 and 7:27. In reply to The first point will depend by Andrew Perriman This identity of God people is extended throughout the scriptures Peter says ‘we have become partakers of the divine nature’ he is the head WE are the body Jesus did not say I am the stem YOU are the branches, he said I am the vine (we are included in him) Paul said ….not and so it is with the church he said and so it is with the Christ (when it obviously referred to the church!!) Jesus nsaid ‘you shall be one even as we are one’ sorry to be so concrete about this but anti trinitarians use these verses to show that Jesus is like one of us he is a son of God like we are, he is one with God just as we are. This is utterly preposterous of course and the more likely understanding is that in a mysterious but glorious way we are lifted up NOT that Jesus has come down to our level and status. In his exaltation we can be included in some way. What disturbs me here Andrew is that what I see is ‘maybe’ might be’ ‘could be’ when it comes to mainstream orthodoxy and muxchmore assertive phrases when talking of other views. I’ve seen it all before and dare I say ‘arianism’ by any other name is still arianism! In reply to This identity of God people by JT John Tancock I understand your concerns. But it seems to me that what your argument points to is a fundamental difference between theological and historical approaches. New Testament exegesis is not bound to find uniformity of meaning, texts are not regarded merely as straws in a theological wind, symptoms of some higher transcendent truth. Exegesis works from the bottom up, from the beginning forward; theology works from the top down, from the end backwards. The maybes, etc., simply reflect that canon does not entitle us to read into one text meanings imported arbitrarily from somewhere else, particularly from later attempts to make sense of the Jewish scriptures in a culturally foreign Greek environment. I am not attacking Trinitarianism; I am defending biblical interpretation. That is a limited task. Theologians can do what they will with the outcome. In reply to I understand your concerns. by Andrew Perriman Thanks Andrew, yes I understand that and I try and show my journey with the text of the scriptures in a series I recently diid on my blog ‘Bible studies that changed my life’ an albeit imperfect journey of course. However ‘Biblical interpretation’ is not some innocent pursuit, sealed off from the rest of the world. Likewise asking the question ‘who is Jesus’ surely a fundamental question for an honest searcher, academic, theologian or Church leader is desperately important to answer. After the messianic King /embodiment of Israel etc is done and dusted then we are still left with the question …who is Jesus and all its follow ups, should we worship him, is he creator or created etc Your comments I have read in this thread and the links given make judgments on verses which are as theological and refined as Berkhof, Grudem or whoever. They include… 1. Questioning of reliance on John (why?) 2.Attempted softening of John 20v28 3. I and my father are one NOT a deity of christ verse. 4. A ‘defense’ of Dawkins ‘rudely duffed up by evangelicals’…. Have you read what he says about God, Jesus, Christians !!!!!! 5.you said ‘My reading of the texts may be flawed in all sorts of ways, but it is representative of an emerging new perspective on the New Testament In reply to Thanks Andrew, yes I by JT John Tancock continued…sorry But those words are not ‘neutral’ and these texts have been discussed and the same views exist now as did in the 4th century and the struggle to provide an explanation of all the bibliacal data about ‘God’ and to answer questions about it(which I believe the Trinity is) continues today. You can say ‘its just what the bible says’ ….can’t we all. I will not trade off Php 2 …you said form of God may mean… or Coll 1 you said ‘what does that mean’, or that the Father din’t call Jesus ‘God’ in Heb 1v8, its not because I am theologicaly pedantic or heresy hunting and you are innocently unpacking the scriptures…..its because when I read for instance Jn1, Coll1, Php 2 and Heb 1 I am convinced that these passages point to the ‘orthodox’ understanding. This is important and if any ‘emerging’ understanding comes to a different understanding then will it be Oneness or Arian……are there other real choices? Evangelical means what? non trinitarian, anti trinitarian it means something ..for a reason! In reply to continued…sorryBut those by JT John Tancock However ‘Biblical interpretation’ is not some innocent pursuit, sealed off from the rest of the world. True, but that does not mean biblical interpretation has to answer all the questions. Biblical interpretation answers the questions that scripture poses. My view is that biblical interpretation has suffered a serious loss of literary and historical integrity because the agenda has for too long been set by theologians. I see nothing wrong with defending scripture against incursions from a later age. The task of theologians, if they mean to take scripture seriously, ought to be to construct their theologies in the light of the work of biblical interpreters. They do not have to do so uncritically; they may wish to highlight flaws in the interpretive process; but I think we have to insist that biblical interpretation and theological construction are distinct activities and should not be confused. Likewise asking the question ‘who is Jesus’ surely a fundamental question for an honest searcher, academic, theologian or Church leader is desperately important to answer. Agreed, but these different people will obviously approach the question in different ways. I don’t dispute the fact that the exegetical judgments I make are “theological and refined”, but I do think that the historical methodology, which takes full account of the historical context of the New Testament texts, is fundamentally distinct from what generally passes as “theology” and theologically justified—if you can follow the tortuous logic of that statement. 1. John is part of scripture, and I have no intention of discounting it. What I object to is reading the rest of the New Testament through the Johannine lens as though it gave us a more reliable picture of who Jesus really was. I think it is also very difficult to take John as historical testimony of the same kind as the synoptic gospels. 2. John 20:28 says what it says. 3. I can’t check this at the moment, but what are the implications of the neuter adjective “one” (hen) in John 10:30? Is Jesus saying that he and the Father are one “person” or simply of one mind and purpose? 4. I wasn’t defending what Dawkins has said about God, Jesus and Christians. But I do think that a lot of the things that Christians say about Dawkins, especially in the US, are indefensible. 5. Not sure I follow your train of thought here between comments. As I see it, it is the task of theologians to “provide an explanation of all the biblical data” and the task of exegetes to determine what those data are. This is important and if any ‘emerging’ understanding comes to a different understanding then will it be Oneness or Arian……are there other real choices? In my view the whole debate needs to be had again after Christendom and in the light of fresh historical understandings of the relation of the New Testament to the literature and history of second temple Judaism, preferably using fresh categories. The problem is that theologians don’t trust historical exegesis and historical exegetes don’t like being told the answers by theologians before they’ve even asked the question. Evangelical means what? non trinitarian, anti trinitarian it means something ..for a reason! I would have thought that evangelical means holding to the good news that God raised Jesus from the dead and made him sit at his right hand to rule over his enemies. Significantly, the euangelion word-group is not found in John or in the Letters of John. In reply to The first point will depend by Andrew Perriman It’s a good point about ‘clouds of heaven’ in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Things get beyond my competence when discussing early Greek versions of Daniel, for example the merits of the Septuagint over Theodotion’s Greek translation, and reasons for accepting the latter as the standard translation rather than the former. I’m not familiar with either version, and in the end it becomes a rather narrowly technical issue of interpretation. I think it’s interesting that in the standard versions of Daniel, which Jewish copyists might have had good reason to ‘correct’, an ambiguity over the identity of the Son of Man arises bewteen 7:13-14 and 7:27. What does Goldingay have to say on the matter in his commentary on Daniel? I don’t think it makes sense of Daniel to limit his account of the Son of Man purely to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes and immediately following, and therefore fulfilled in ancient history. It makes a lot of sense to see the dual identity of Jesus reflected in Daniel’s Son of Man figure, and in the closely connected image of the Son of Man being seated at “God’s right hand” in Mark 14:62 — by adding which the key NT reference to Psalm 110 is drawn into the picture. This further complicates the debate. Or not, depending on your point of view. Jesus also identified himself in Mark 14:62 with Daniel’s Son of Man as a singular figure, yet bearing the corporate destiny of Israel in himself. This has direct relevance to his significance in atoning for sins on the cross, preceding the exaltation which he predicts in Mark 14:62. Did he intend this as fulfilment of prophecy, or simply as a useful parallel? Are we to see it as fulfilment in a martyr’s death (your preferred reading), or as an atonement with a much wider significance because fulfilling a wider purpose through an agent with a divine identity? (Definitely my preferred reading). In reply to It’s a good point about by peter wilkinson Ah Andrew , for the sake of this discussion I must hold in my concern and seek to reply!! What I thik is happening here is that you are rooting for an OT kingship/messianic fulfillment but I (and I wd hesitate to add mainstream Christianity) would agree with you in that but surely the NT sees Jesus being and doing what you say but far far more. Here are some of my reasons and also why ‘Son of God’ does speak to his deity (as does kurios Jn1v23 Rom 10v9 Acts 10v30 and theos Jn 1v1, 20v28, Heb 1v1 etc). No OT person called God ‘my father’ Jesu s did, this wasn’t ‘just’ a promised king. Jesus claimed to my mind ‘ontological’ Sonship not just ‘son of God..as king etc’ type Sonship, particularly in the Gospel of John. The ‘monogenes theou’ of the Nt even if not on the lips of Jesus shows us there is a difference here between simple kingship promise and the one who actually came. His declaration as Son of God (Rom 1) came through his Resurrection I would also say to read Logos as NOT Jesus does violence to the purpose as I see it of the prologue. The Logos became flesh. So wisdom motif yes but ALSO God ‘coming’ by his Word, his Son our Lord’. It seems that you don’t accept the pre existence of Jesus which was a turning point of course in the Arian conflict (there was a time when the Son was not). John 1 ‘in the beginning was the logos’ v3 without him was not made anything that was made’ reinforced by the Sons awareness of pre existence (all the way through John) e.g ‘the glory I had with you before the world was’ and Coll 1 by him all things were created, and Php 2 ‘who BEING in the form of God … I am puzzled/worried/ I hear argumentsa from you that I hear all the time from various anti trinitarians, there is nothing new under the theological sun. The 4th century might have been a greek milieu but so was Johns gospel and for that matter Luke! The first heresies seemed to deny the humanity of Jesus later ones his deity…. I really do believe that your view can be contained within orthodoxy provided he is seen as not JUST a kinhship/messianic son of God. Which is clearly for me what John and Paul (at least ) show us. In reply to Ah Andrew , for the sake of by JT John Tancock I can’t back this up at the moment, but it’s not quite correct to say that no Old Testament person called God “my father”. Consider, for example: I said, How I would set you among my sons, and give you a pleasant land, a heritage most beautiful of all nations. And I thought you would call me, My Father, and would not turn from following me. Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband, so have you been treacherous to me, O house of Israel, declares the LORD. (Jer. 3:19–20) What this suggests is that calling God “my father” was a marker of complete obedience, which makes excellent sense in the Gospels. Jesus did what Israel should have done but didn’t. As I recall it’s not even the case that Jesus’ use of Abba was unique. Similarly, Israel is God’s “firstborn and only-begotten son” (huion prōtotokon monogonē) in Pss. Sol. 18:4. These expressions put Jesus not in the place of God but in the place of Israel in relation to the Father. Yes, Jesus became or was appointed or designated Son of God through the resurrection: this was how he became both Israel’s king and judge and ruler of the nations (Rom. 1:4; Acts 17:31) in accordance with Psalms 2 and 110. I would also say to read Logos as NOT Jesus does violence to the purpose as I see it of the prologue. The Logos became flesh. So wisdom motif yes but ALSO God ‘coming’ by his Word, his Son our Lord’. The purpose of the passage is to say that the “word”, which for Jews was wisdom and for Greeks was a principle of rationality, became flesh and lived among God’s people. Jesus was the incarnation of divine wisdom. Jesus pre-existed as divine wisdom. Perhaps Paul has a similar idea in mind in Philippians 2:6 and Colossians 1:15-17. How far apart are we on this? In reply to I can’t back this up at the by Andrew Perriman I don’t find the evidence that you provide convincing regarding ‘Father’ in the OT. The Jeremiah passage is rather oblique Andrew. Jesus’ own self identity is clear ‘the glory I had with you before the world was’, I know its Johannine but thats your problem not mine. The Logos concept is so ‘strong’ plus the many other references in John to Jesus’ pre existence that once again we are at the place where your point about the passage can be contained in the wider understanding but you seem to want to ‘dump orthodoxy’ in favour of a more limited approach…just saying!! To call oneself evangelical today is to self identify as a person who embraces mainstream orthodox Christianity, testifies to Christ and his resurrection and ‘believes the bible’ (whetehr inerrant or infallible). To redefine that is define oneself ‘outside’ of Evangelical. To deny the Trinity/Deity of Christ is do define oneself outside of that. I see this as important. I do understand what you are saying about the task of biblical exegesis and interpretation but we can all do that. What I mean is that I could exegete a passage and say it was just an honest attempt to let the bible speak for itself before the theologians get stuck in. But your interpretation Andrew is no more morally ‘neutral’ than many others. You see if post/emerging/ new type Church /theology takes on board some of the things you are saying it will be arian or some form of adoptionist and ppl must’nt delude themselves to think that al others have an imperfect understanding of the text. Any emerging situation does not need to eject orthodox trinitarianism, none at all. To consign to ‘the Christendom’ era would be foolish in the extreme. The exegetical work on the texts took place before Nicea as well as after. These people faced exactly the same issues as today and focussed in lazerlike on the key issues one of them being ‘there was a time when the son was not’ (as Arius said). The evidence for Jesus being ‘God’ by his own words and the words of others is pretty clear, his response to Thomas in 20v28 is an example. I may spend some time responding to the John 10 and 5 passages soon about this. I just detect a less than dispassionate approach to ‘orthodoxy’ in your approach Andrew, which far from being neutral , it actually colours the way you read the passages, hence my reasonably regular accusations of arianism!! lol. In reply to FATHERI don’t find the by JT John Tancock No OT person called God ‘my father’ Jesus did, this wasn’t ‘just’ a promised king. It seems pretty clear from the Old Testament and elsewhere that fatherhood was a common metaphor for the relationship either of Israel or of Israel’s king to God. When Jesus calls God “father”, this is what he means: he fulfils the ideal relationship of Israel or of Israel’s king to YHWH. See the following: He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. (2 Sam. 7:13–14) I said, How I would set you among my sons, and give you a pleasant land, a heritage most beautiful of all nations. And I thought you would call me, My Father, and would not turn from following me. Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband, so have you been treacherous to me, O house of Israel, declares the LORD. (Jer. 3:19–20) I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn (Jer. 31:9) For you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name. (Is. 63:16) For You are a father to all the children of Your truth, and You rejoice over them as a loving mother over her nursing child. (1QH 17:35–36) The pious ones of old used to spend an hour before praying to direct their heart to the Father who (is) in heaven. (m. Ber V, 1) I don’t what to keep making the same point, but what this is about is not whether I affirm or deny the Trinity. It’s about what the texts are saying. If you think that Jesus calling God “father” is evidence for his deity, I have to say that I think you are wrong—and I think you obscure something very important in the process. If John presents Jesus as claiming pre-existence, that is another matter. In reply to Here’s what you said:No OT by Andrew Perriman Ok lets have a look at these and then some of the statements about and by Jesus regarding Sonship/Fatherhood. 2 Sam passage indictaes the type of relationship YHWH has with the messianic King ..no problem. Jeremiah doesnt show exculsivity but ‘amongst my sons’ and is one of a number of relational descriptors between YHWH and Israel. God is a father to the peoples of Israel and Ephraim is firstborn, so this isn’t the king but all the tribes of Israel, once again no problem. Isa 63 ‘our father’ np, we all say that and make no claims as Jesus did. The others are non biblical, relevant for greater dioscussion but not to my point. My point was about ‘No OT person……. ’ So we come to the son father relationship of Jesus and God in the NT. Can it include Jesus as fulfilment of the messianic King….yes it can. Can it include Jesus as the embodiment of Israel…yes it can. Is it MORE than this and does it indicate some kind of common identity? ….yes of course it does. the use of ‘one and only son’ (monogenes theou) different from other sonship INDIVIDUALLY. To the SON he says your throne O God is forever’ Heb 1v8 quoting a kingly Psalm yes but making it mean SO MUCH MORE. ‘the glory I had with you before the world existed’ JN 17v3 ‘I want them to see father the glory you gave me, beacuse you loved me before the foundation of the world. JN 17v24 (NTFE) The time will come when the dead will hear the voice of Gods son, and those that hear it will live. Jn 5v25 (NTFE) hardly containable in israel/king/or angels. …’so that everyone honours the Son just as they honour the Father who sent him’ JN 5v23 As I said previously just as ‘son of man’ (in the vast majority of instances of its occurence in the OT notably Ezekiel) means ‘one of us. totally human, so it means that on the lips of Jesus AS WELL AS the messianic figure of Daniel 7. So too does Son of God imply onenes and identity with the Father the divine but ALSO speaks of one who is the messianic ‘son’ of Psalm 2, the national ‘son’ of Hosea and Isaiah but ALSO one ‘greater than Angels’…. the Son of God. The language of sonship is applied to Israel, the King, Angels ,us and Jesus. The NT uses examples of non jewish responses and within its pages the writers aware of the jewish understandings also bring other wider understandings into play …the use of the Centurion at the cross ‘a son of god’ (at least) is an example of this. Ok I will stop now, sorry if you feel you are repeating yourself Andrew, I could be thick (many say so) but it is partly because I agree with you BUT ALSO see the passages we are referring to as telling a bigger story an important story of a King a Lord who would end up being describes as sharing the Throne of God (Rev 5v13) and being King of Kings and Lord of Lords ’ I’m not shrinking that down I can’t it’s there in the text. He is ‘my Lord and my God’ !! I hope I am not an irritant on the site. In reply to Ok lets have a look at these by JT john Tancock In Psalms of Solomon (1st century BC) Israel is said to be disciplined as a “firstborn son, only-begotten” (huion prōtotokon, monogenē), so it cannot be argued that monogenēs in the New Testament points to a sonship different from the other examples. Interestingly, though, wisdom may also be described as monogenēs (Wis. 7:22), which may be more relevant for the passages in John. Hebrews 1 is one of the passages in which the sonship (i.e. kingship) theme is overlaid by a wisdom argument. But this cannot be taken as evidence that “son” or “Son” in itself signifies deity or identity with God. The argument is that the one who has been seated at the right hand of God and given authority to rule is also the one through whom the ages were made. I think John 5:25 is fully containable in Israel/king terms if it’s taken in context: Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. (John 5:25–27) The “Son of God”—that is, Israel’s king—has been given authority to execute judgment. Why? Because he is the Son of Man, who suffers righteously and is vindicated, according to the narrative of Daniel 7:13-27. There is a critical argument here: Jesus is given authority to judge and rule as Israel’s king because he chose a path of faithful suffering in a time of eschatological crisis. The argument of Philippians 2:6-11 exactly. I strongly disagree that “son of man” simply means “totally human”. Jesus invokes a prophetic narrative about the persecuted saints of the Most High, who do not apostasies like other Jews, when faced with a threat to the integrity of the covenant but who suffered, were killed, and were vindicated. The argument about being greater than the angels does not prove divinity: it is that Jesus has been raised to the right hand of God, given an inheritance as Israel’s king, given authority to judge and rule the nations (Heb. 1:5, 13; cf. Ps. 2, 110). Even Psalm 45 is about Israel’s king being anointed beyond his companions. John, you have been an excellent interlocutor. We don’t have to keep these conversations going indefinitely, but I have plenty of experience of “irritants” on this site. You’ll just have to put up with me being a bit stubborn, that’s all. In reply to In Psalms of Solomon (1st by Andrew Perriman I will continue a little bit more….you never know the corner of some London hostelry may one day resound to you talking to someone with a welsh accent! I can be stubborn too lol. I never said ‘only’ human, THATS my point. Son of man on the lips of Jesus occurs some 70 times. At the trial (Mk 14v61f) it is a likely reference to the Daniewl passage. or Psalm 110v1. The phrase is used extensively in thew Hebrew scriptures to mean ‘human’ and is translated as such by some (TEV). ’who is man that ….the sonof man that…..’ Psa 8v4 (mere mortals NLT) here is a parralel useage reinforcing my point that usually son of man means human. It is often said that ‘son of man’ could be circumlocution on the lips of jesus for ‘me’ or ‘I’. It can mean the messianic figure of Dan 7 BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY. If you ‘filter’ any solution that is ‘orthodox’ you will produce conslusions and language that isn’t. So if you cannot see that Jesus is the ‘creator’ side of the line then you will seek make scripture fit your own presuppositions. So varying translations say all things were created by, through, in him. ALL THINGS. Now I ask the question which side of the line is JEsus creator or created? If whenever ‘God’ is used it (in your mind)exhausts the meaning of God then you will always place the Son as ‘not God’ but this is simply not recognising the holistic picture not just of the whole bible but of the passage being read. So, Heb 1 is a rich Christological passage and apart from some jiggery pokery with proskuneo in v6 and ‘O God’ in v8 the meanings are easy to construct. The son is intriduced he is the creator side’ of the line immediately even if ‘through” is used. Jesus suatains ALL THINGS and he is greater than angels. Now of course he has been exalted but even in this passage through him EVERYTHING was created. Unless you limit this to ‘new creation’ the meaning is obvious. God (the Father) commanded the angels to worship him…. now this is only to be given to GOD (Lk 4v8) What is also staggering is that Psa 102 is quoted in v10 …’you O lord…’ who does this refer to and when does it refer to in Psalms and who does it refer to in Heb 1? This person created as God only can, was worshipped as God only should be, was called God by ‘God’! The theological concluisons to my mind point in the direction of ‘Trinity’ and Jesus being ‘God’ being YHWH in some way. Prior to the ‘incarnation’ (Jn 1v14) he was ‘equal with God’ PHp 2, ‘without him was not made anything that has been made’ Jn 1v3, the heavens are the work of his hands Heb 1v10 HE HUMBLED HIMSELF and then was exalted just like Philp 2v6-11 says! Almost all translations would not support your reading of Php 2v 6 I quote agin Wright ‘did not rehgard his equality with God as something to exploit’. In reply to In Psalms of Solomon (1st by Andrew Perriman I strongly disagree that “son of man” simply means “totally human”. Jesus invokes a prophetic narrative about the persecuted saints of the Most High This was Hurtado’s point (and mine in the relevant post) in his summing up in the October 2012 collection of essays ‘Who is the Son of Man?’ Some of the “son of man” references in the gospels are to Daniel 7; the majority are not. Your sense of humour was not lost in me in the earlier response, Andrew. J T John Tancock – I agree with your affirmations and criticisms of Andrew, that a narrative historical interpretation does not of necessity exclude a divine Jesus. The text itself frequently affirms it. The problem then is that the narrative starts to break out of the exegetical strait-jacket which Andrew has imposed on it, and does actually become a different narrative. Andrew – I agree that the gospels are misused when treated purely as sources of proof for Jesus’s deity. Nevertheless, there’s plenty in them, beyond those mentioned by John Tancock, which infers his deity. There are also broader reasons to understand Jesus as having divine status, which, contra your assertion, reside in the meaning of his death, and in his role as renewer of creation through his resurrection. It is very good theology on both counts. The question of the identity of Jesus becomes as pressing in your interpretation as anyone else’s. If he was referred to in Proverbs 8 (actually refering to God’s wisdom, not Jesus the person), and was present at the creation of the world, what kind of person would that make him in the gospels? In reply to I strongly disagree that “son by peter wilkinson I agree with your affirmations and criticisms of Andrew, that a narrative historical interpretation does not of necessity exclude a divine Jesus… I have not said that a narrative-historical approach excludes a divine Jesus. At least to the extent that the New Testament attributes to Jesus a role otherwise attributed to wisdom, he is closely associated with divinity. What I object to is the imposition of theological conclusions on passages that are trying very hard to say something else. In reply to I agree with your by Andrew Perriman What I object to is the imposition of theological conclusions on passages that are trying very hard to say something else Not wishing to start a trawl through the passages which you may have in mind, but I did observe that in your response to J T John Tancock’s much earlier list of ‘markers’ for Jesus’s divinity, you produced your reasons for rebutting these which I wouldn’t describe as definitive at all. For instance your treatment of the Father/Son relationship, which left huge questions about the nature of the relationship and its NT significance still open to question. So I think that when you assert that some passages have theological conclusions imposed on them when ‘they are trying very hard to say something else’, my observation is that you are trying very hard to say something, which would not be without justification if it were disinterested enquiry, which forecloses justifiable alternative possibilities. I think there is far more ‘theological’ editing and interpretation of the person of Jesus, in the gospels for instance, than a narrative historical theology likes to admit. I still have to ask the question: if Jesus was not deity, who then in your reading was he, since according to you he is associated with wisdom at the creation of the world through Proverbs 8, was involved in ‘an act of creation’, and had a pre-existence with God? Was he someone of unique status: below God, but above the angels and man? Someone who did not share in Israel’s spiritual exile, and therefore her national unforgiveness of sins which all other Israelites experienced? Someone who could come in from the outside and make sacrifice for sins because he himself didn’t share in those sins, not needing (unlike all other high priests) to make a sacrifice for himself? Doesn’t this start to get uncomfortably theological? In reply to What I object to is the by peter wilkinson I still have to ask the question: if Jesus was not deity, who then in your reading was he, since according to you he is associated with wisdom at the creation of the world through Proverbs 8, was involved in ‘an act of creation’, and had a pre-existence with God? Look, there is an overarching question about who Jesus was/is, which requires a comprehensive answer in which we might attempt to consolidate or correlate all the New Testament data. But the answer to that question cannot be made the answer to every particular question that arises in the course of reading the New Testament. So while John or Paul may have come to the conclusion that Jesus is to be identified with wisdom, that does not necessarily mean that Jesus spoke or even thought of himself as divine wisdom, or that the synoptic writers presented him as such. Similarly for the Son of God argument. The Old Testament background nowhere suggests that the figure referred to as “Son of God” is to be identified with God himself. The term always refers to a human individual or group in close relationship with God, and there is very little, if anything, in the New Testament to suggest that either Jesus or those who wrote about him understood the term otherwise. In reply to I still have to ask the by Andrew Perriman Yes of course, in response to your first paragraph. But when the question of Jesus’s identity arises, it dents the view that he was an apocalyptic prophet in the line of OT prophets, addressing a purely contingent historical situation. If he was only the few unusual things that you imply, and which go beyond apocalyptic prophet, he was a very unusual person indeed, and not a straightforward Israelite who had come to deliver Israel. Ditto meaning of Son of God — which actually means various things, not just one, in the OT, and therefore approximates to its overall meaning, one close to God and like him. Jesus was including some of the OT meanings — eg Israel, assembly of divine beings (angels?), messiah/king, but adding others — such as his unique Father/Son relationship with God, which was not a simple extrapolation to be understood from the very few OT references. The fact is that while Jesus fulfilled OT expectations in some senses, he defied and overturned OT expectations in many others. In fulfilling the OT narrative, he went considerably beyond anything that was straightforwardly anticipated in the OT. Not least in the kind of person he was, ie a step-change from any previous OT figure. I think you focus on the OT expectations in a narrower sense, whilst tending to overlook the NT person, who surprised everyone and was not expected. That’s like not being able to see the wood for the trees. You have also yet to answer the questions which your own analysis of Jesus’s identity is starting to raise, let alone anyone else’s. I’m not sure who Andrew thinks Jesus is either, but it appears to me that whoever he thinks He is, He does not think He is the second person of the Trinity in any usual orthodox sense of the word. Being seen as in some way “being associated with wisdom” is not the same thing at all. Andrew, you have apparently overthrown the carefully hammered out theology that the orthodox church has carefully guarded for many hundreds of years. I must say that I think you are dead wrong and that I truly fear for you in the place you find yourself and the place you seem to be headed. And more then that, I truly fear for all of those that you may be influencing in the same direction. In reply to I’m not sure who Andrew by cherylu Don’t be so melodramatic. All I am trying to do is clarify the meaning of the New Testament. There is no reason to think that I have got everythying right, but equally there is no reason to think that the church has got everything right—or that there aren’t better ways of articulating the New Testament narrative in a post-Christendom, post-modern context. The simple fact is that “Son of God” does not mean “God the Son”. What New Testament scholarship doing for the last two or three decades is working through the New Testament on the premise that it was written not by fourth century Greek Christians but by first century Jewish Christians. I don’t see how that cannot be a legitimate and necessary undertaking. As I’ve said elsewhere, it’s work in progress. It has brought considerable clarity, in my view, to the place of Jesus in the story of Israel and to the kingship theme in particular. It is up to theologians to deal constructively with the theological consequences of the output of New Testament scholarship—and not simply panic because they don’t like the sound of what they are hearing. The particular questions that I want to ask here are: i) How much further does this approach need to be taken? and ii) What are the practical implications for the life and ministry of the church? In reply to Don’t be so melodramatic. All by Andrew Perriman The output of the Nt scholaraship isn’;t necessarily a correct reflection of the Nt either. Particularly if it fights hard to keep the concepts, ideas, wording and teachimg within a 1st century ‘second temple’ type framwework. Luke was not a jew. The NT was written in greek, has been passed down and preserved in Greek. The bible of the first Christians was the LXX ….greek. The range of greek interactions and understandings in the Nt is immense. Notably the prologue to John and Pauls speech in Athens. We CAN learn so much from a recovery of a ‘jewish’ background to the Nt but also we cannot ignore the staggering place of Jesus in the life of th first Christians. Called God by 4 or 5 NT writers, worshipped, sung to and honoured ‘just as the father’ (Jn 5v23). Equal with God before the Incarnation and LORD after his resurrection. The languag of Nicea was used well before the events of that fateful council. Ignatius (late 1st early 2nd) called Jesus ‘God’ without batting an eyelid 12 times in the ‘accepted’ letters. So did Irenaus, Hippolytus, Tertullian etc etc etc. My field s of service include ‘apologetics’ and ‘evangelism’. The language of the NT ‘God with us’, ‘became one of us’, ‘my Lord and my God’ can mislead and lead to modalistic thinking but I too am currently working through if Andrews narrative approach can be used in these situations. I believe it can but will take some work but only as PART of the picture. The 4 major christological passages of the NT fit very nicely into ‘;orthodoxy’ in fact it was they that produced ‘orthodoxy’….. lets not close them down or limit them. In reply to The output of the Nt by JT john Tancock The range of greek interactions and understandings in the Nt is immense. Notably the prologue to John and Pauls speech in Athens. The fact that the New Testament was written in Greek does not mean it’s not essentially and thoroughly Jewish in outlook. Every text—including Luke and Acts—is deeply imbued with scripture and a Jewish worldview. It is hardly correct to say that the “range of greek interactions and understandings” in the New Testament is immense. Apart from the word logos there is little in John’s Prologue that cannot be accounted for in Jewish terms. Paul’s speech to the men of Athens can be mostly paralleled in Jewish Wisdom writings—a standard critique of paganism. He throws in a couple of quotes from Greek poets, but his conclusion about judgment and resurrection is Jewish through and through. The New Testament was written within a first century, second temple Jewish framework. This was a Judaism that engaged with Hellenism in many ways, perhaps more than we usually appreciate, but my basic point stands: it is illegitimate historically to read the New Testament in the light of the second, third or fourth centuries; it is fully legitimate and necessary to read it in the light of scripture and the literature of second temple Judaism. In reply to The range of greek by Andrew Perriman It IS necessary to read the NT as it is and not force it back into the box of 1st century judaism. The way in which they talked of Jesus and the most natural reading of Php 2, Coll 1 and Jn1 will take one out or at least point far beyond the confines of Judaism. We must let the NT speak for itself and neither press upon it much later or much earlier understandings. The circle you are travelling will I’m sure bring you back to ‘orthodoxy’ which will be to me the ultimately the best way of explaining the overall collection of NT and OT Data about God. It is also the best explanation of the various Christological passages. The ‘it’ idea in JN 1 doesn’t work at all it is unnatural in the text. The idea that Jesus rejected ‘equality with God’ in Php 2 is also an unnatural reading of the text. The specifics of Jn 20v28 and Heb 1v8 and more have to be altered or ‘explained away’ unnaturally. The worship of angels in Heb 1v6 and the significant explanations of Jesus in the upper room discourse of his relationship with God the Father. All of these and more make up the natural picture. The route you have taken Andrew has seemingly led you to a ‘worse’ place than arianism it is to socinianism….denying the Sons pre existence (like some modern ‘monotheists’ and also ‘Christadelphians’). Without serious rearrangement of the wording of the texts it is impossible to sustain ‘no pre existence’ of the Son. Cherylu’s questions are pertinent Andrew. Who is Jesus to you? In reply to It IS necessary to read the by JT john Tancock The way in which they talked of Jesus and the most natural reading of Php 2, Coll 1 and Jn1 will take one out or at least point far beyond the confines of Judaism. I don’t see this at all. I agree that it is understood that Jesus will have an impact on the nations—I’ve argued that consistently. I also agree that something is said about a role in creation. But that is still conceived in essentially Jewish terms. The New Testament does not have the metaphysical categories of later conciliar orthodoxy. The New Testament is a political-religious text, not a philosophical text. I wish you would stop trying to stick all those heavy-duty labels on me. They miss the point entirely. In reply to The way in which they talked by Andrew Perriman Theres me thinking we were winding down. The fact is Andrew is the views you hold and the texts and angles you have on the salient passages are to me straight lifts from the material produced under the heavy duty lables! In reply to Don’t be so melodramatic. All by Andrew Perriman Andrew, I am not wanting to be melodramatic here. But I see the implications of the conclusion that you seem to be more and more certainly coming to as very profound indeed. Yes, you have said this is “a work in progress”. BUT on Saturday you also made this statement, “I have not said that a narrative-historical approach excludes a divine Jesus. At least to the extent that the New Testament attributes to Jesus a role otherwise attributed to wisdom, he is closely associated with divinity.” That doesn’t sound like you are leaving a whole lot if any room for the orthodox position that Jesus was/is fully God and fully man. An association with wisdom is not the same thing at all. And today you made this comment, “ So while John or Paul may have come to the conclusion that Jesus is to be identified with wisdom, that does not necessarily mean that Jesus spoke or even thought of himself as divine wisdom, or that the synoptic writers presented him as such.” You also stated again that the term “Son of God” does not mean He was God. Again, John or Paul maybe coming to the conclusion that Jesus is to be identified with wisdom is not at all the same thing as saying He is the second person of the Trinity, God Himself, as the orthodox church has believed. And that I believe to be the truth. It is indeed far, far from it. And if you don’t necessarily even believe that the NT shows Jesus thought of Himself even as divine wisdom or that the synoptic Gospels even granted Him that much, I wonder where you think you may find orthodox belief in the NT at all? If Jesus didn’t believe it, if the synoptics don’t affirm it, if John and Paul don’t affirm it—if they indeed say something else in all of those places where the church has found teaching that He is indeed God—from where or on what grounds would you base a belief that Jesus was/is indeed God from eternity past? It seems to me that at best you have left yourself very little wiggle room here to come to that conclusion. In reply to Andrew, I am not wanting to by cherylu Andrew, Let me ask you about all of this in a different way. At this time in your studying, what do you see in the NT that does affirm that Jesus is truly God’s Son—the second person of the trinity—fully God and fully man? Are there places that say that to you at this time? And if so, how do you think they fit with the rest of the picture that you have been painting—that the NT as examined so far does not teach that is who He is? In reply to Andrew,Let me ask you about by cherylu What I think is something like this—though it is rather idiotic on my part to try to sum up such a complex subject, so you should probably take this with a pinch of salt… The New Testament may marginally and somewhat ambiguously state, and may more widely imply, that Jesus is fully God and fully man, but that is not what the New Testament centrally wants to say about Jesus. The core argument is not that Jesus is God but that Jesus is Lord, that he has been appointed, by virtue of his death, judge and ruler of the nations. That is the sense in which he is Son of God, which I don’t think is the same thing as saying that he is God the Son. The New Testament is a political-religious text, not a philosophical text. It is about kingdom, not ontology. Basically, I don’t think that the New Testament sets out to answer the questions that the Greek fathers felt they need to ask. The same thing happens when we try to make Genesis 1-3 answer modern scientific questions about the origins of the cosmos and human life. Genesis 1-3 answers ancient questions about origins. The doesn’t mean that the Greek fathers were wrong—I would happily regard the conclusions reached by Nicaea and Chalcedon as historically necessary inferences from the biblical narrative. By the way, I appreciate the careful questioning. In reply to What I think is something by Andrew Perriman Thanks for your answer, Andrew. It is rather curious to me however that from this, “The New Testament may marginally and somewhat ambiguously state, and may more widely imply, that Jesus is fully God and fully man….” you can come to this conclusion, “The doesn’t mean that the Greek fathers were wrong—I would happily regard the conclusions reached by Nicaea and Chalcedon as historically necessary inferences from the biblical narrative.” With all of those “may marginally”, and “somewhat ambigously” and “may more widely imply”s, you can come to “historically necessary inferences?” In reply to Thanks for your answer, by cherylu I’m terribly sorry, Cherylu, but in deleting the repeat comment I inadvertently deleted the further comment you had attached to it. It’s late here and I’m getting tired. I didn’t even get a chance to read it. With all of those “may marginally”, and “somewhat ambigously” and “may more widely imply”s, you can come to “historically necessary inferences?” Well, yes, but that simply represents the degree of disconnection, as I see it, between the New Testament and the theologians of the fourth century. One of the interesting possibilities opened up by a narrative approach is that the narrative continues. In reply to I’m terribly sorry, Cherylu, by Andrew Perriman Thanks for deleting the duplicates! Never did figure out what happened there. From your reply I could tell that you got the main idea of what I was saying. So don’t worry about the rest of the comment! In reply to I’m terribly sorry, Cherylu, by Andrew Perriman As I was thinking more about what you said, I find myself wondering why you think it was necessary historically to affirm Jesus Deity when you see such a huge disconnect with what the text thought. When you said the narrative might possibly continue, are you implying that in the fourth century the fact that He was God was perhaps a new revelation given to them that didn’t really depend on the NT text? In reply to As I was thinking more about by cherylu No, I wouldn’t see it as new revelation. I would suggest that the apocalyptic narrative of the New Testament created a problem for the Greek-thinking church which they had to resolve in terms that made sense to them. The apocalyptic narrative about YHWH becoming king through the faithfulness of Jesus has its roots in a thoroughly Jewish worldview shaped by centuries of political-religious conflict. Greek-thinking Christians did not share that worldview. Increasingly, the challenge to their faith came from the philosophers, so the Jewish stories and arguments out of which the New Testament was composed had to be translated into rational-metaphysical rather than political-religious arguments. This is why allegorization becomes rampant: it is a means of translating concrete narrative into abstractions. In reply to No, I wouldn’t see it as new by Andrew Perriman So, as you see it, the GreeK thinking folks of the fourth century couldn’t understand (or relate?) to the Jewish story of Jesus as told in the New Testament. So they came up with their own ”translation” of who Jesus was that made sense to them. Is that essentially what you are saying? Then my question to you is, did those Greeks come up with an accurate statement of who He is? Do you believe that when they said that He is/was “begotten of the Father before all worlds”, ”very God of very God,” and of “and of one substance with the Father,” they were accurate and stating who Jesus really was before creation, during the incarnation, and at the present time? In reply to No, I wouldn’t see it as new by Andrew Perriman This ‘fourth century’ stuff is not the full truth. False teaching arose much earlier which your narrative theology would not have been sufficient to answer. Ebionites -Jesus only human (1st century) Monarchical subordinationists — the MAIN problem in the second and third centuries. assorted adoptionist groups These are but a few examples. Today the Mormons would say he is one of many gods, the JWs he is a god but not THE God and he was Gods first creation, Christadelphians wd say he didnt exist before he came as a man. All these questions arise from much earlier than the 4th century and the Arian controversy. The fact is that the NT data produces these questions 1. Is Jesus just a man. 2. Did he exist before he was ‘born;. 3. If he is God and Lord what about the fact that there is only ONE God ONE Lord (Deut 6v4). 4. So how do we respond to him if he is exalted in some way? MANY passages talk of his pre existence, the PHP 2 passage does Coll 1 does, JN 1 does, Heb 1 does JN 17 does. A lot of work has to be done to explain away these passages in almost any translation you read it in. The most natural way to read them isn’t to my mind the way you do Andrew. The ancient solution (a long time before Nicea) was to see Jesus ‘sharing the identity of God’ not his father but ‘same stuffness. Echoes of this CAN be seen even in the OT (Angel of YHWH is an example) so this Jewish background is not ‘simple monotheism’ there is more going on. If allw e had was Johns gospel we would without doubt believe in a pre existent Christ…….your problem is? In reply to What I think is something by Andrew Perriman By NT I think you in practise discount the Johannine writings. The gospel of John starts of with a crazy phrase ‘kai theos en ho logos’ pretty well ends with ‘my Lord and my God’. In between pre existence, a bundle of I ams (c/p Ex 3v14 and Deut 32v39 also in LXX) accusations of being equal with God, in many translation ‘God the only Son Jn 1v18 (now thats close to God the Son!!)) I have no idea how the 4 major Christological passages could be regarded as marginal or ‘implying’ the divinity of Jesus. On LORD. To my mind it is at least as high as ‘God’ and in the OT ofc course GOD (EL/ELOHIM) ad LORD (YHWH) are the main descriptors of the one God. I will show that just as GOD is applied to Jesus so also is YHWH applied to him via the LXX (kurios). here is a section from Romans 10 (Net bible) 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”9 (that is, the word of faith that we preach), 10:9 because if you confess with yourmouth that Jesus is Lord10 and believe in your heart that God raised him fromthe dead, you will be saved. 10:10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness11 and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.12 10:11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”13 10:12 For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him.10:13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.14 Now Jesus is LORD v9, ‘everyone who believes in HIM will not be put to shame’ v11 v12 ‘same LORD‘ v13 everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. There is a simple and poweerful consisitency here who is the Lord of v9 it is of course Jesus but when we arrive at v14 this same Lord is in the words of Joel 2v32 is YHWH. It is not marginal, oblique or ‘might be’ it is as natural in this passage as it is many many times in the NT the writers move seemlessly from Lord to YHWH in reference to Jesus. Andrew I’m sure you are aware that OT references to YHWH are applied unselfconciously to Jesus. you may say no Jew from the 1st century would say such a thing …that a man is YHWH. This is a non valid response the same could be said ogf John 20v28 but the argument is circular and self defeating. The fact that the Father is God and Lord and the Son is God and Lord and even thoiugh we are not discussing Holy Spirit here we see he is also Lord and God. The solution to these issues arising from the direct text of the NT (particularly the Son and Lord ones) is what later would be called the Trinity. Jesus is YHWH. LORD is a VERY high title I can’t think of another one. In reply to By NT I think you in practise by 'JT' John Tancock I don’t neglect John. It is very important. The problem is that theologians tend to neglect everything else—the whole political-religious, eschatological-apocalytic narrative. There is a simple and powerful consisitency here who is the Lord of v9 it is of course Jesus but when we arrive at v14 this same Lord is in the words of Joel 2v32 is YHWH. Yes, of course, because, as is clear throughout the New Testament, the right to be called Lord, the authority to judge and rule as Lord, has been given to Jesus. There is no convergence of identity here. Because he was faithful and obedient, because he fulfilled the purposes of the Father, he was given the name which is above every name, he was appointed Son of God in power, he was given kingdom and dominion and glory, etc. YHWH hands over the title kurios to Jesus. Is the Spirit said to be “Lord”? “God”? In reply to There is a simple and by Andrew Perriman Yes the Spirit is but thats another thread lol In reply to There is a simple and by Andrew Perriman The pre existence issue is so important, that is why ‘there was a time when the son was not’ was the key phrase that was fought over earlyon. The idea that the Son was ‘begotten’ not from nothing like creation but from the substance of God (light from light’ God from God) was crucial and the contentious word homousios was used ‘same stuff’. I will say a bit more on another part of this thread. In reply to The pre existence issue is so by JT john Tancock I think that amply demonstrates the disconnection between the language of scripture and the language of the Fathers. In reply to I think that amply by Andrew Perriman at risk of repetition.. Scripture identifies Jesus as God …. the jewish background wouldnt. Heb 1v8 JN 20v28 (John Paul and Peter) Scripture identifies Jesus as YHWH as I previously showed. Rom 10v 9f Scripture shows worship of Jesus as I have shown. Heb 1v6 Scripture talks of jesus’ pre existence ..a number of writers John Paul Peter for three! with many esxpressions on the lips of Jesus. if someone had asked is Jesus just a man? in 30Ad this would have raised the same issues that would eventually emerge as the Nicene creed in 325ad. In reply to There is a simple and by Andrew Perriman not high enough Andrew. kurios in the NT is used in passages where it is YHWH in the OT again and again and again. Its not enough to do ‘lord’ in those contexts. Much of the Nt material is unexplainable if we don’t take into account the useage of the OT. Trading off Johnbecause most over emphasise is terrible!! The whole picture must include John. I have no idea how you get around JN17 and the other pre existence passages. I know what the christadelphians say I will wait for parralels. The route you are taking (possibly even if ‘in theory’) moves you away from PRE Nicene PRE Christendom biblical understanding. I repeat that your view can be contained in the full picture and more emphasis can be placed on it BUT you seem to be advocating rejecting historic Christianity …you are setting up an unnecesary and false conflict. We are not in the Jewish 1st century now. The ‘people of God’ are now multi national, the engagem,ent is not with Rome but is worldwide. The questions we face (many of them) want to know does God love us, does he really know us can he understand us , does he know pain and suffereing? The biblical answer is YES HE became of of us, he died as one of us, he rose again and is now strong enough to reverse even death itself. He is King of Kings Lord of Lords he is the visible face of God himself. In reply to not high enough Andrew. by JT john Tancock That second paragraph rather sounds like an admission that the church has gone beyond the natural Jewish historical purview of the New Testament. But we are repeating ourselves, John. Probably time to let this one rest for a while. In reply to That second paragraph rather by Andrew Perriman Ok I can ‘pause’ until some time in the future. One question though. Most of your arguments are almost straight ‘lifts’ from the work of Anthony Buzzard. Have you read his material? The similarity is significant. He is an anti trinitarian ‘monotheist’. In reply to Ok I can ‘pause’ until some by JT John Tancock Never heard of the guy. In reply to I’m not sure who Andrew by cherylu If Jesus isn’t what the mainstream churches say he is then he MUST NOT be worshipped. It is this giving of honour and treating him as ‘the One’ marks out not only the NT but the line of biblical Christians since that time. In an academic theological mileiu it is easy to think that ‘this’ is the world, it isn’t. Having only been on this board /blog/site less than a week really I recognise almost all the arguments Andrew is using from many situations I have dealt with over the years. These are not new things and if the route Andrew has taken (and its trajectory) continues for the ‘emerging’ or ‘post evangelical/modern’ groups then God help them, they will be made mincemeat of by those ‘out there’ and they will have traded off one of the jewels of orthodoxy. In the search for the new, the progressive, the different and the desire to breal with all that is perceived as ‘Christendom’ the baby will literally be thrown out with the bathwater. A high Christology preceded the state/Church alliance and should must and WILL post date it as well. I hope Andrew has journeyed the full circle and continues to work on the narrative stuff which is so helpful. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! Andrew, I really have to wonder why it is that when you have been asked repeatedly by several people over the course of the last week or two who it is that you personally believe Jesus to be, it has seemed to be basically impossible to get a direct answer from you? If my memory is correct, the closest you have come is when you stated that you believed that it was “historically necessary” for the Greek thinkers in the fourth century to come to the conclusions that they did. And that they weren’t wrong in that conclusion—even if it was a huge disconnect between what you see the Scriptures as explicitly teaching and is only seen there ambiguously, by implication, etc. That really doesn’t answer any of our questions as I am sure you must know since we keep coming back to them over and over. There are those of us interacting on this blog, and many, many folks in the church at large that understand the orthodox position that states that Jesus was fully God and fully man to be true and of the utmost importance. And we have very plainly stated so. Very frankly, when you keep dodging the issue or downright avoiding it I have to think that it is highly likely that either you are really uncertain yourself about His identity, or that you really don’t believe that He was fully God and that He is still so today as well as being fully man. Can you please just speak plainly and let us know where you are with this issue? If not, I reckon that I will find myself assuming that one of my assumptions in the last paragraph is correct. And I am trying not to make false assumptions here. But sometimes silence does speak louder then words! In reply to Andrew,I really have to by cherylu The Apostles’ Creed does a rather poor job of situating Jesus in the biblical narrative, but I think it gets the relationship between Jesus and the Father about right: I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord… Would that do? I believe that Jesus is my Lord and Saviour. Otherwise, I will simply repeat my basic point, which is that whether or not it is a valid theological conclusion to draw that Jesus is fully God and fully man, there is a strong likelihood that we will misunderstand the New Testament narrative if we try to make everything it says about Jesus fit that grid. I believe that the controlling argument of the New Testament is that Jesus has been given—as a “reward” for his obedience and suffering—authority to judge and rule at the right hand of God until the final enemy is put under his feet. To say that Jesus is fully God and fully man is one way of restating that argument, perhaps one that is hinted at in the New Testament itself. But I do not believe it was the main point about Jesus that the New Testament was trying to get across. In reply to The Apostles’ Creed does a by Andrew Perriman How about substituting the Nicene Creed instead of the Apostles Creed? “We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man…..” Since you think that is “perhaps hinted at in the New Testament itself” that He is fully God and fully man, do you think what is stated in the Nicene Creed is true? “Begotten of the Father before all worlds,” “God of God,” “Very God of Very God,” “Being of one substance with the Father…” etc? Is that at least a part of your belief system about who He is? Or have you departed from orthodox belief in this area? In reply to How about substituting the by cherylu Andrew, I just want to add a quick thought to my last comment. It may seem that I have pushed a lot harder then is maybe necessary in trying to get a more complete answer from you on this issue. Although not everyone may understand this, the issue of Jesus divinity is a very big deal to theologically conservative Christians. And I don’t think a lot of folks know where you stand on this. I have had someone tell me that of course you believe that Jesus was/is God. Someone else told me that your mind was already made up that He wasn’t God and that was why you were interpreting things the way you do. Seems like one should know the answer “straight from the horses mouth” as the old saying goes. It’s amazing how much debate the question of Jesus’s humanity/deity raises — though only between a limited number of participants here. I think Andrew’s general response to the questions raised is that it’s a side issue, in view of what he maintains the central narrative of the NT texts to be all about. I don’t think it can be a side issue, since central even to Andrew’s interpretation is the sacrifice Jesus offers in his own death to provide, at the least, survival of those loyal to YHWH and his purposes. Sometimes, I think, Andrew would prefer the sacrifice to be seen simply as a martyr’s death in the line of the Maccabean martyrs, but I think he probably has to concede that the NT texts don’t really allow such a limitation. There was a penal subsitutionary atonement — couched in terms which indicated a fufilment of the Levitical sacrifiical system. The debate then rages around whether the sacrifice was made by a human or human/divine figure. They are valid arguments, since the defining event itself raises them — even within Andrew’s limited narrative historical interpretation. I don’t think you can have it both ways: you can’t say the narrative is about a human figure, but there are peripheral suggestions that Jesus was actually divine. If you start to say that Jesus was a human/divine person, it affects the narrative. The gospels begin to appear in a very new light. The entire narrative of OT and NT also then appears in a new light. It is disingenous to say that from the narrative point of view, Jesus was human, but from statements made elsewhere in the NT, it could be said he is human/divine. These are very real theological issues embedded in the narrative, and were validly addressed by the church fathers. I think the authors of the gospels were also addressing them. I think part of Andrew’s argument, apart from the primary narrative argument, is also driven by an intellectual objection: how can Jesus (or anyone) be God and man, and how can God ‘die’ on the cross? It’s not a new question, but while it’s a problem to some, it’s not for others. Matthew 11:25 comes to mind, though that might be regarded as provocative. In reply to It’s amazing how much debate by peter wilkinson You know, I am starting to wonder if Andrew even thinks any more that, “from statements made elsewhere in the NT, it could be said he is human/divine.” He has recently said that this is still a work in progress which seems to say that he still keeps that possibility open. But on Saturday he made this statement, ““I have not said that a narrative-historical approach excludes a divine Jesus. At least to the extent that the New Testament attributes to Jesus a role otherwise attributed to wisdom, he is closely associated with divinity.” On Monday this statement was made, “The New Testament may marginally and somewhat ambiguously state, and may more widely imply, that Jesus is fully God and fully man, but that is not what the New Testament centrally wants to say about Jesus. ” And then yesterday he said, “I believe that the controlling argument of the New Testament is that Jesus has been given—as a “reward” for his obedience and suffering—authority to judge and rule at the right hand of God until the final enemy is put under his feet. To say that Jesus is fully God and fully man is one way of restating that argument, perhaps one that is hinted at in the New Testament itself.” Maybe I am understanding this incorrectly, and I would appreciate if you would correct my misconception in that case, Andrew, but it seems to me that in the course of a few days you have gone from it being a work in progres where the possibility of His divinity is still left open, to now being a possibility that is “perhaps hinted at in the NT.” It sounds like a constant downgrade throughout the week. And so far anyway, it doesn’t seem that any amount of asking has been able to bring forth a really clear answer to who Andrew believes Jesus is. To say that, “He is my Savior and Lord” is great. But when we know that ”Lord” is a state that was bestowed upon Jesus because of His obedience and doesn’t mean He was God in Andrew’s understanding, that still doesn’t answer the question. Those of us who believe He is God and always was freely say so. Why then the great hesitance to state such a fact if it is indeed what Andrew believes? Even if he believes it but does not believe it is central to what the NT is trying to say? It seems the question is either ignored or just danced around. As I said yesterday or the day before, sometimes silence does indeed speak louder then words! If we believe the words in the new testament as scripture, then we should also believe in why the Jews were going to stone Jesus in their belief, who he was claiming to be or equal too In reply to If we believe the words in by Keith Hendrick Can you expand on this. What’s your point? Why did the Jews think that Jesus should be stoned? Were they right? Or had they misunderstod him? Did Jesus think they were right? See also “Why did the Jews accuse Jesus of making himself equal to God?” The whole thing would be cleared up, if Jesus just came straight and said ( I am God, The Almighty, Jehovah, the God of your fathers) and I took a peice of me which I called my son and came into the world in the fleash to walk among my creation to try to save you from sin, I talk to Moses from a burning bush, I spoke from heaven when I was getting baptized by John, my spirit was in the form of a dove cause i can do that too and I gave myself all authority over everything in heaven and earth. If Jesus just said, I am God the messiah and I am here to fulfill prophecy which I gave so you may see what’s to come and to die for your sins and to return one day not far from now. Instead of almost saying it or speaking in parables, even his discipe ask what? In reply to The whole thing would be by Keith Hendrick What you ask for would teach Modalism. The fact that Christ taught and accepted that He is to be prayed to (John 14:14) and worshiped (Luke 24:52; John 9:38) is adequate proof that He claimed to be God. What's getting attention today... Why did Jesus instruct his disciples not to preach the kingdom of God to Gentiles and Samaritans? In the form of a God: The Pre-existence of the Exalted Christ in Paul: what the book is about and why Why did the Jews accuse Jesus of making himself equal to God? What is the chief end of man? Why the Westminster Catechism gets it wrong Recent posts In the form of a God: The Pre-existence of the Exalted Christ in Paul: what the book is about and why	105,172
Today's special is another 2-for-1 deal! These tumblers are great for both everyday use and special occasions. The surfaces on these cups has a subtle richness from layered glazes and multiple firings. The smallest of these is 6.25" tall. they hold approximately 14 oz. Add to Cart David J. P. Hooker lives and works in the greater Chicago area, where he is an artist and Chair of the Art Department at Wheaton College. He received an M.F.A. in Ceramics from Kent State University and a B.A. in English from Furman University. His artistic practice explores the inherent value of materials, objects, and places, hoping to find ways to better connect and understand the world we live in. Recently he was awarded the Dunhuang Ceramic Residency and spent two months as artist in residence in Lanzhou, China. When David is not freaking out over deadlines, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Elaine, his children Abbey and Samuel, and the family cat, Evee. He also enjoys baseball, BBQ, and tennis—not necessarily in that order.	1,095
It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing away of Sir Patrick Moore who died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Selsey today, 9th December 2012 aged 89. Here is a personal tribute by IAA Past President Terry Moseley…. A PERSONAL TRIBUTE to Sir Patrick Moore, FRS, honorary life member of the IAA, by Terry Moseley I was lucky enough to be living in Armagh when Patrick, as he then was, arrived to be Director of the newly announced Planetarium. Having just bought his Observers Book of Astronomy and made a simple 2″ (50mm) refractor, I had then bought 2 kits to grind 8.5″ (21.6cm) mirrors, so I wrote to him for advice. He invited me to call and see him at his house on the Mall, and thus began a lifelong friendship. He took me under his wing, let me use his telescopes, and soon we were both using the 10″ (25cm) Grubb refractor at Armagh Observatory. Very many nights we spent there, observing Jupiter, Saturn, the Moon, Mars, variable stars, novae, comets and so on. On cloudy nights, and there were a few, we wrote up our observations, worked on articles for magazines, played chess, and listened to his extensive collection of moneta classical music, all supplemented by endless supplies of coffee and Marie biscuits, supplied by his mother, or his housekeeper ‘Woodie”. He persuaded me to give my first astronomy lecture, (to an audience including 3 professional astronomers!) and even invited me as the guest expert on observing Jupiter on the Sky at Night, which in those days was live! Well, in at the deep end is the best way. When he left Armagh for Selsey, he gave me as a parting gift, the optics for my 14.6″ (37cm) reflector, saying ‘you can make the rest’, and I did. As well as that he has given me copies of almost all the books he has written, but what I valued far more was his advice and friendship, his crazy sense of humour, and his unique perspective on life. I stayed with him many times in Selsey, and as he didn’t like driving I often drove him up to the BBC in London to record the Sky At Night, meeting many famous astronomers in the process. I was also invited to all the major Sky at Night anniversary parties: 25th, 40th, 50th etc, and the attendance by many top professional astronomers at those events is an indication of the esteem in which he was held. He was not without his faults, but overall I can say that he is one of the most intelligent, kindest and most generous people I have ever known. And he is of course totally irreplaceable. I will miss him greatly at this is how to get free robux with no verification . Terry. The picture above shows Patrick (as he then was) on board the MV Monte Umbe off the Coast of Africa in 1973 with IAA member John C McConnell during a trip to observe the longest Total Solar Eclipse of the 20th Century. Thanks to John for the use of his photo. 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Group Study Rooms are available for students who wish to work together in a collaborative environment. These rooms are available at Scott, SMIL, Steacie, Bronfman and Frost libraries. Most rooms can be booked online at any time. The Law Library hosts its own booking system. You must be a current York undergraduate or graduate student with a passport york account to book rooms in the Scott , Peter F. Bronfman Business Library, Steacie Science & Engineering Library or Leslie Frost libraries. A student may book a room for one time slot per day. The duration of a time slot is in half-hour increments to a maximum of 3 hours. Bookings cannot be made more than 14 days in advance. A minimum of 2 people is necessary in order to book a room. Only the person who created a reservation may delete it. An entry must be made in the NAME field to identify the booking. It is not necessary that this be your actual name. In addition, the following apply in the Sound and Moving Image Library (SMIL). A minimum of four(4) people is necessary in order to book a room. Rooms that are not booked or not occupied within the first 10 minutes of a booking will be made available for others to use. Most rooms will accommodate up to 6 or 8 people, however some can only accommodate 3 or 4. The room capacity is indicated in parentheses beside the room name on the booking calendar.	1,379
When you’re in pursuit of your dream home, you can often feel as if you have to wait until it comes on the market, or keep on moving until you find it. But that doesn’t always have to be the case. Okay, so the place you’re in now isn’t perfect, but it doesn’t always have to be. In fact, you may find that if it has potential, you’ll get as close as you can to your dream home by just staying put for now. This can often be a more cost-effective way of loving where you live too. You may also find that if you’re able to work on where you are now, you’ll add value, which gives you more money to move with at some point in the future should you choose. So let’s see how you can do that. First of all, you’re going to want to think about painting. It’s so easy to think that if you’re going to renovate, that only big jobs will work. But that’s not the case. Sometimes something as simple as painting can make a huge difference. So think about what you can do to each room to get it into shape. You may want to go with a blank canvas and paint everything in a neutral color, or you may even want to have some fun and think about bringing different colors into the rooms. Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/OBA5HarJh6E With the walls in order, you’ll then want to think about sorting the flooring. Again, this is something relatively simple, but it makes a huge difference. Just think about what new walls and flooring will feel like across the entire space. You’ll probably feel as if you’re living in a brand new home! And the best part is, this can be quite cost-effective if you’re willing to shop around. Next, you’re then going to want to think about the fittings and fixtures you have at the moment. So your dream house has a dream kitchen? Then why not put it in place? Think about how you can work on your kitchen on a budget, by changing the cabinets or sprucing up the tiles. You could also do the same in your bathroom by opting for a more modern suite. Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/1tR2jYtS4iw Another really simple move that can make a huge difference is changing your windows and doors. When you’re looking at old frames and chipped paint, then paint and glass window replacement is going to be what you need. Even sprucing up your front door by painting it and putting on a new number could really jazz up the exterior for you. Finally, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re landscaping too. Don’t let your yard let the rest of the space down. Besides, when you’ve jazzed up the windows and doors, you’ll then want to set them off with a stunning landscape to go along with them.	2,721
Usually I don't eat bread - like, ever - but this spicy hummus spread made me eat several slices of bread. This tells you a lot about the tastiness of this humus (or about my inconsistency). Since i've had a huge organic Hokkaido pumpkin (my favourite) lying around in my room ever since my birthday in September, i decided to make several recipes with this big baby! The latter one is probably my favourite, though it's hard to tell because each of the 3 dishes have their very unique taste. I've made a bunch of hummus variations so far (classic hummus, curry hummus, carrot hummus), but this one has a nice sweet twist and makes a perfect healthy, satisfying snack. We also made some Mediterranean Oven Baked Tomato Bread - you can find the recipe below! it's #pancakesunday again! How are you today? I'm feeling great because after a snug movie night with friends and a nice sleep in my boy and I started the day with this delicious stack of buckwheat pancakes. Buckwheat pancakes (blinis) are actually part of traditional Russian cuisine, but my version is vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free! I mean, how can you step a Sunday wrong when you start with a thick pancake stack like this? To be honest, I don't really care about Valentine's Day, and I'm okay with that. I don't mind the celebration of February 14th, but to me it's just that: Feb 14th, a day like any other day. Why would I need an official date to prove my affection to my loved one if I could just do that any other day? My impression is that instead of showing an honest, intuitive gesture of love, most people feel under pressure when V Day (almost like D Day) is coming up - either because they're in a relationship and are struggling to please the expectations of their partner - or they're single and get their nose rubbed in all the pink, glittery, glamorous Valentine's vibes. Well, nevertheless, I always enjoy the opportunity to pour my heart and soul into a lovely dish, especially when i'm cooking for somebody else, so suitable for today's love cooing I want to share with you my quick, Valentine's-y (but not as cheesy) dessert to share with your loved one. Yes, i'm vegan, but i don't really like tofu all that much. In fact, the only soy product i do use on a regular basis, is soy milk. However, when i was scrolling through Jo's instagram feed, which by the way has become one of my top favourites (I somehow discovered him in the depths of Instagram and grew to love him - perhaps because he's a guy and he's vegan and I think that's great - very superficial I know - or just because of his gorgeous vegan food pictures!) Believe it or not, but this dessert is much healthier than what most people have as a main meal! It is based on kidney beans and cornmeal, sweetened with nothing but fruit and xylitol (read about the incredible - dental! - health benefits of xylitol here or here). But if you didn't know, you wouldn't even notice. Well, hello! My name is Maisy (pronounce: macy) and I’m the creative spirit behind this blog. You are welcome to join me on my journey to a more natural, slow-paced & healthier life!	3,305
The web site is no longer updated and links to external web sites and some internal pages will not work. T H E W H I T E H O U S E August 4, 1999 August 4, 1999 Over the past six and a half years, the President and I have brought many experts to the White House to talk about the challenges facing our children. We've talked about school violence and early childhood development, education and Social Security. But few issues will affect our children's lives in the next century as much as the one we tackled this week, at the first-ever White House Convening on Hispanic Children and Youth. The Hispanic population is one of the fastest-growing and one of the youngest in this country. It is also one of the most disadvantaged, with close to 42 percent of all children living below the poverty line. Despite this Administration's efforts to develop and promote programs to improve the lives of our Hispanic population, too many children are still being left behind. Dropout rates are too high, health insurance rates are too low, too many teens become pregnant, and too many consider suicide. But the message that came through loud and clear at Monday's meeting was one of hope. Latino children are talented and resilient -- many are fluent in two languages, an accomplishment that too few Americans, including myself, can boast -- and Latino families are strong. Successful efforts to raise Latino children out of poverty build on these strengths. Let me tell you about two young people who shared their stories at the White House this week: Miguel Flores was born in Tijuana, Mexico. His family moved to a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood in East Los Angeles when he was 5 years old. He showed potential in high school, but he hung out with a bad crowd -- until he was tapped to join PUENTE Learning Center's High School Tutorial Program, which I visited in 1996. Founded in 1985 by Sister Jennie Lechtenberg, PUENTE is a nationally and internationally renowned educational center for children, youth and adults. The surrounding neighborhood is marked by graffiti and broken windows, but inside this vibrant hub of activity, 2,000 students a day -- ages 3 to 87 -- learn to read, write and use computers. Adults study English, earn their high-school diplomas, and receive job training. A UCLA professor became Miguel's tutor and mentor, guiding him not only through his high-school graduation, but on to Yale University, where he received his degree with a double major in history and political science. He hopes to enter law school next fall. As pleased as Miguel is with his own accomplishments, I wish you could have heard the pride in his voice as he talked about two other PUENTE alums -- his sister, a student at Wesleyan University, and his mother, who has just earned her high-school diploma. Maria Huerta is a 26-year-old single mother of two from San Antonio, Texas. The only one of her five siblings to graduate from high school, she received an athletic scholarship at a local university. But her studies were interrupted when she became pregnant. And after her second child was born, she says, she felt "the impossible." In order to return to college, she knew she needed help -- help that she eventually found at AVANCE, a non-profit family support and education program. There, she attended parent-education classes, and received much-needed services, like child care. "The support from the AVANCE staff and new friends I made was overwhelming," she remembers. "They believed in me, and, most of all, I believed in myself again." Last summer, Maria graduated from college, and now she's working on her master's degree in education. When asked what she's most proud of, she replies, "Hearing my children say that they would like to graduate from college just like their mother did." We know that programs like PUENTE and AVANCE work. And we know that the President's Hispanic Education Agenda is working to improve achievement and graduation rates. But we also know that all children -- regardless of their ethnic heritage -- need the same things: They need to know that adults love them and expect the very best for and from them. And they need adequate health care, smaller classes, school buildings that aren't crumbling around them, well-trained teachers, stimulating pre-school and after-school programs and financial support so that they can go on to college. With the deficit gone and unemployment at record lows, now is not the time to step back from these very important promises. Now is not the time for big tax cuts that will undercut the progress we've made. Now is the time to seize this historic opportunity and tackle the challenges that remain. Hispanic children aren't somebody else's children. They are all our children -- our next generation of doctors and lawyers, teachers and nurses, secretaries and carpenters, computer engineers and government leaders. They deserve the opportunity to fulfill their own God-given promise and lead our country into the next century. To find out more about Hillary Rodham Clinton and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com. This week's White House Convening is just part of an ongoing effort. To learn more, you can contact the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans at 400 Maryland Ave., S.W., FB-6 Room 5E110, Washington, D.C. 20202. To find out more about Hillary Rodham Clinton and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.	5,584
As data and information professionals serving nonprofit organizations, we are often asked for sound methodologies for identifying new sources of prospects for our client’s fundraising program. Invariably, the conversation starts with gaining a better understanding of what is currently being done – and more importantly – what is not being done to tap the potential readily available to the organization. Rightfully, fundraisers want to bolster the ranks of supporters and prospects. They want a deeper bench of philanthropic talent from which to pull. Look broader. Engage more. Acquire. Grow. There is nothing wrong with this desire to bring messaging and mission to more individuals and organizations who might be able to infuse greater tangible and intangible resources into the organization. That, of course, presumes one can build affinity in this otherwise untapped pool of hope-to-be-stakeholders. What seems more logical is looking internal to the organization first. So, why would a group of data professionals care about the philosophy behind building a strong pipeline? Well. We are the ones who have to get that information into a usable form and avoid the common pitfalls this entails. We serve as the linchpin for data analytics and integration. So where do we look to enhance the pipeline? “I need a roster of all $1,000 donors.” Do we include only cash/stocks? Do unpaid pledges count? Gifts in Kind? Planned Gifts? How about soft credits? Over what timeline? Annual or lifetime? If lifetime, do we need to have a recent gift? Within 12 months? 18 months? Are these purely philanthropic donors or should we include event supporters who may participate for less-holistic reasons? Are event contributions measured by gross contribution or by deductible amount only? So often the first pass of prospect mining comes in the form of singularity. Relationships and supporters are nuanced and complicated. Data is as well, and the utilization of information must strive to be more sophisticated in order to foster success. When considering the top prospects, organizations will find potential by broadening how this category is defined. The issue is not only one of magnitude. A donor who gives $50 per month exceeds a $500 donor who gives one gift at year end, but it is often the latter who stands out. A corporation which has consistently sponsored an event at the “bronze” level may be more important in the long-run than a one-time “gold” sponsor. Donors who come to the table every time they are asked – be it for an event, the annual campaign, a brick sale, an endowment initiative – show a diversity of interest that speaks to their commitment beyond the magnitude of any singular gift. And, yes. The $1 million donor counts too. They are all prospects. They all have some potential. Ignoring these other groups of supporters may result in an organization missing vital opportunities, as they endeavor to move prospects into and up the giving pyramid. By examining frequency, diversity and magnitude, we are often able to broaden our fundraising pipeline. These are individuals and organizations who live in the system and with whom there is history. There is a starting point on which to build an enhanced relationship without having to build affinity from the ground up. It is increasingly the responsibility of database administrators and analysts to ask insightful questions of fundraisers that more completely inform the prospecting process. It is also in the development staff’s best interest to field these questions and genuinely participate in meaningful discussion designed to “peel the onion.” Those Other Lists The fact of the matter is that most organizations have lists outside the fundraising database. That may be hard to believe, but it is true. These lists have potential. Certainly, they are not all overflowing wells of endless potential, but some of them certainly can be. Not long ago we were engaged to worked with a large nonprofit organization which had recently gone through a merger. Both donor databases were brought together into one. Overlap was found and coding was enhanced to capture the diversity of support this new organization had previously garnered as two independent organizations. The project was going smoothly, until the discussion shifted to the recommendation we made to integrate the volunteer database. These were staunch supporters of modest means who could not possibly be bothered with requests for financial support. How insulting! How inconsiderate! The potential of these poor little old ladies and men rested solely in the time they could give between knitting class and aqua-robics. To make a long story short, righteousness prevailed and the lists were integrated with the fundraising database. As one might imagine, the results were not so surprising. Nearly 1/3 of the volunteers were donors. They weren’t just donors; they were donors of some magnitude, frequency and diversity. The fact the organization dealt with these individuals in two separate silos without respect for their commitment of time or money was arguably “insulting” and “inconsiderate.” The organization now has the opportunity to go from managing volunteers and, independently, asking for money to building relationships and ultimately seeking legacy support from life-long supporters. Nearly every organization has a pool of untapped potential. The next time this conversation comes up, be sure to look under the hood at how prospects are defined. Don’t forget to consider those other lists as well, including: Volunteers Students Each of these groups want, or need, the organization to survive and thrive, but it should be recognized they are not all prospects. Enthusiasm must be tempered with reality. Further, a comprehensive plan to integrate these groups into the fundraising operation must be developed. Episodic fundraising may raise a couple dollars, but strategic prospect management which appropriately respects the potential of each stakeholder builds philanthropy, legacy and success.	6,280
Khulisa Amafama was founded by UCOOK in partnership with Abalimi Bezekhaya and the Philippi Economic Development Initiative (PEDI). The project is working directly with a group of emerging farmers in the Cape Flats area, providing market access, training, resource and infrastructure support, and helping to grow farmers’ livelihoods. The Kolisi Foundation are assisting UCOOK by monitoring the project’s success. We are committed to learning together, seeking solutions, and addressing shortcomings to amplify our future efforts Siya’s partnership with Freedom of Movement gave birth to the Mbekweni project. The project, which was started in 2019 dedicated a portion of the profits from the “Green Kolisi Vellie” shoes towards the Mbekweni project. Each pair sold contributes towards the levelling and grassing of the Mbekweni Youth Centre’s rugby field this initiative will offer the youth of surrounding communities a safe place to nurture their talents and empower themselves through physical activity. Bryan was only three years old when he was caught in the crossfire of gang warfare in 2006. He survived but the bullet ripped through his brain, leaving him brain damaged and wheelchair-bound. Today, Bryan‘s survival is nothing short of a miracle. Read more on how The Kolisi Foundation assisted the Diamond Family with a new wheelchair friendly home. To respond to the increased levels of food insecurity especially during the outbreak of the Covid-19 in South Africa, the Kolisi Foundation, Nelson Mandela Foundation and Imbumba Foundation have partnered on an initiative called #Each1Feed1. The initiative intends on supporting families for a minimum of 3 months to combat food insecurity during this time. Through our partnerships R600 can provide a family of 6 with food support for a month. A request for community support was received from Chief Livhuwani Matsila, Founder and Director of the Matsila Community Development Trust in the Vhembe District Limpopo. The Kolisi Foundation, together with our partners Imbumba Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, assisted the Makhado Village with a borehole to address the water shortage the community is facing. The area is one of the most vulnerable in Limpopo with families unable to purchase protective amenities, let alone manage to provide sufficient food. The donation of boreholes as a means of increasing water supply in communities serve as a great relief as absent, inadequate, or inappropriately managed water expose individuals to preventable health risks iStore and iSchoolAfrica In August 2019, staying true to his desire to always give back to his community, Siya partnered with iStore and iSchoolAfrica on an iPad learning programme. The project focused on building an iPad lab within his childhood school in the Eastern Cape township of Zwide. The iPad learning programme offers curriculum relevant apps, teacher training, regular monitoring, and evaluation. Many South Africans in rural areas unfortunately do not have a stable supply of electricity and therefore do not have lights and charging points. Siya, in partnership with Panasonic, supplied a vast amount of solar-powered lights which additionally acted as power banks were handed out to residents in rural areas. Up until that point, school children relied on candles and paraffin lamps to complete their homework and people had to walk great distances to charge their cellphones. This a project that is very close to Rachel’s heart as she is especially touched by children who are in need and who have had a rough start in life. Bophelo Orphanage in Kimberley contacted Rachel requesting that she please visit the children at the orphanage. The facility is split in two, one section houses the babies and toddlers and the other the older children. While there, Rachel heard many heartbreaking stories, two of the babies had been dumped in rubbish bags in bins and another had been left alone in a field at the age of one. An older boy shared his deep concern that he would never be adopted and given a chance to be in a family as he had been in the orphanage since he was a newborn. These stories and experiences left a big impact on Rachel and she left a large part of her heart at Bophelo. To this day she is still in close contact with them and helps in whatever way she is able to. She has plans to make more regular trips to visit the children. In February 2019, Rachel pledged her support for Meals on Wheels by taking part in an extreme ride for hunger. The arduous journey from Kimberley to Cape Town helped raise funds for the organization and in turn shed much-needed awareness on the hunger plight that so many South Africans face on a daily basis. Rachel showed her dedication to the cause by spending 6 grueling weeks training for the ride. The bicycle ride took place over 6 days and covered total distance of 1000km. At the end of each day’s ride the group of riders and support team would stop to deliver food parcels in the surrounding rural areas. This experience really opened Rachel’s eyes to a massive issue and need in South Africa and has motivated her to not stop helping those around her. This project is something that the Kolisi family hold very dear to their hearts. Rachel and Siya’s firstborn, Nicholas, was born two months premature, both mommy and baby nearly lost their lives. The journey after the birth was challenging and nothing short of a daily battle, Rachel and Nicholas thankfully pulled through and are happy and healthy. Due to their personal experience, Rachel and Siya have a passion for supporting families who are going through a similar experience. They have been involved in numerous fundraisers in support of the Newborns Trust Group which is based at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Groote Schuur Hospital. They regularly spend time with babies and mothers at the hospital. Siya & Rachel have been privileged to have numerous opportunities to shape the minds of the young people. They have given motivational talks at youth camps, and schools encouraging young people in different spheres of life. By sharing their personal stories of growing up in different environments and the struggles and victories they experienced, their hope is to encourage young people to make wise and healthy decisions. They are firm believers in shaping the minds of the next generation and inspiring them to make positive changes at a young age in order to set themselves up for a victory in their adult years. Vanguard Primary School In July 2019 a Grade 6 teacher from Vanguard Primary School, contacted Rachel via social media, requesting assistance with her classroom floor, it was in very bad condition and she requested assistance to repair it. After visiting the school, Rachel recognized a big need for the bathrooms to be fixed up and painted, the library had to be updated and organized, and the rundown vegetable garden needed to be revived. Rachel reached out to the public via social media requesting assistance with supplies needed to fix the classroom and bathroom and stock up the library. The response was incredible. Over 300 books were donated, the library was cleaned and organized, and the boys’ and girls’ bathrooms were cleaned, repaired and painted. The volunteers also ensured that the vegetable garden was functional and refreshed. Some of the children who were at the school on the day, did a litter collection competition and won some money for their efforts. Thanks to the Kolisi family, the classroom received a new floor. When the learners entered their newly refurbished class the following Monday morning, they were utterly amazed and overcome with emotion. Some learners even chose to complete their classwork on the floor for the rest of the week. Rachel was fortunate to be sent videos of the children’s positive reactions. The Bombers Rugby Club played a huge role in the development of Siya’s ability and skill has as a world-class professional rugby player. Siya recalls that numerous teams had to share the same jersey between games and by the end of the day some jerseys had been worn by three or four different players. He always had a dream to supply each team with a dedicated playing and travelling kit, this dream was realised with the help of Adidas and the Kolisi family. Thanks to the help and support of the Kolisi Family, the Bombers Rugby Club were able to travel to Cape Town to participate in the 10’s rugby tournament – which they won! In October 2018 a school in Port Elizabeth reached out to Rachel via social media requesting help with obtaining netballs. Many of the schoolgirls enjoyed playing netball during and after school but had to use makeshift netballs made of scrunched up newspaper wrapped in sticky tape. Valuing the importance of sport and recreation in a child’s life, Rachel reached out to the public via social media requesting netball donations for the school. Offers started pouring in from all across the country for not only netballs but rugby balls, sanitary pads, school shoes, and sports bras. With the help of the courier company, DHL all the donations were sent to a central point in Port Elizabeth. Rachel & Siya personally delivered over 1000 pairs of school shoes to Emsengeni Primary School, and over 50 netballs and rugby balls, and more than 1000 sanitary pads to Ndzondelelo High School. In March 2018, a Grade 1 teacher from Zeekoevlei Primary School reached out to Rachel via social media. The teacher had a great desire to take her Grade 1 learners out on an excursion. The school is situated in Lotus River, which is one of the most gang-ridden and dangerous areas in Cape Town with severe socio-economic obstacles. Very few young people are able to live stable lives as they have daily battles such as poverty, teenage pregnancies, and gang violence. Rachel was moved by the teacher’s request and visited the school as soon as she could. She identified a host of additional needs beyond the initial request and quickly mobilized the public and her social media followers for support. With the incredible support of the public and some companies, Rachel was able to spearhead a few life-changing projects at Zeekoevlei Primary School. Here is a list of the projects: The Grade 1 learners enjoyed full day excursion. Transport and a lovely lunch were arranged and provided for each child. Signature Container very generously supplied the school with a much-needed storage unit. The school had an unused library, the books were all extremely outdated and not age appropriate. Rachel invited members of the public to assist the school by donating books over 500 books were donated. More than 60 volunteers repaired broken books, organized and decorated the library over two days. The library is now fully functional and serves the learners in the most beautiful way. A vegetable garden was planted at the school, this was an incredible initiative as it ensured that the learners were able to receive fresh and nutritious vegetables. Most of the children walk over 10km to and from school wearing broken school shoes or no shoes at all. New school shoes were donated to the school so that this basic need could be met. R10,000 was donated to the school. Our friends at Ozow have generously offered a “no fees” service to ensure instant access for all South African’s to be able to contribute any amount that they desire – simply, securely in under 30 seconds. Funding for the Kolisi Foundation is managed by the Wilderness Foundation. All donations are currently being directed through their official channels and utilized for the Kolisi Foundation causes. Please include “your name” and “Kolisi Foundation” for our records. By clicking below to subscribe, you're agreeing to receive updates and information on the Kolisi Foundation via email.	12,364
Making your home goals a reality can be exciting but also involves a lot of planning, work and money. Before getting started on your home improvements, you want to make sure that you have a vision and budget ready so that everything can be completed smoothly and on time. On top of having a new look or new features, remodeling your home may also increase its value, making the home more attractive to buyers if you decide to sell. Here are some steps to take when deciding to make improvements to your home: Go through your home and decide what you want to update, fix or add. If you need some structural improvements, you can hire an inspector to check out your home. Think about what exactly you would like to improve and how it would add to your space. Some good improvements to also increase the value of your home include repainting, a kitchen remodel, adding a deck and adding energy-efficient appliances and windows, which also helps you to receive a green energy tax credit if you install Energy Star-rated windows. You can use websites such as Pinterest or Houzz for inspiration on the exact designs, colors and materials you want to use. After planning out what you want to change, you need to research what you’ll require to actually get the work done. Maybe you want to hire someone to do these updates or you want to get the materials to doityourself (DIY). Either way, you need to find out how much work your new project requires, the types materials and equipment you’ll need and whether you’ll need help. When looking through materials and equipment, keep a basic budget in mind, thinking about what you can afford. To help you plan out what needs to be done, you could hire an interior designer for a consultation to assist you in deciding what works for your space. Now that you have an idea of what you need to complete the project, you should create a budget to ensure that you don’t overspend on things you don’t need. Look at the costs of the materials and equipment you need from different vendors and set a reasonable goal for each. To fund these expenses, you can use money you’ve saved up, take out a home renovation loan or a personal loan. It’s always great if you can afford these costs on your own, but many people will take out a loan or use their credit card. Only use a loan or credit card if you are given a reasonable interest rate and you are sure that you will be able to pay it off. Step 4: Decide on the timing of the project After you’ve gotten your finances together, you should create a schedule for what needs to be done and when. Of course, you may not have everything finished at your exact time projections, but it’s good to have an idea of when you want things completed. If you’re planning to sell your home, you should allow extra time to make sure that the renovations are completed when you put your home on the market. You don’t want to have partially done renovations while prospective home buyers are visiting your home. Step 5: Get the necessary tools and equipment Finally, you can start getting all the tools and equipment you need, whether it’s workers and/or the actual supplies. Look at your vision and your budget, and start buying the materials and equipment you need. Try to stick to the budget that you created for yourself. Although it is likely that you’ll have forgotten to add a few necessary materials. If so, look back over your budget and add in those items; you may have to adjust the overall budget as well to afford what you need. You’ve got your vision, budget and plan for the project, and now it’s time to make it happen! Try to stay within your budget, but don’t skimp on materials. Using better-quality materials will allow those changes to last longer and look better and could add higher value to your home.	3,877
The Supreme Court heard challenges Friday to the Biden administration efforts to increase the nation's vaccination rate against COVID-19. Updated January 7, 2022 at 7:12 PM ET The Supreme Court's conservative supermajority on Friday seemed ready to block some or all of the Biden administration's regulations aimed at increasing vaccinations nationwide. At issue in the nearly four-hour argument were two regulations: One imposes a vaccine mandate for almost all workers at hospitals, nursing homes and other medical providers receiving federal Medicare and Medicaid funds. The other is a separate vaccine-or-test mandate for private sector companies that employ 100 or more workers. But even as the justices debated some pretty dry-sounding statutory and procedural issues, the pandemic itself crept inalterably into the courtroom. Two of the lawyers challenging the Biden administration rules made their argument via telephone because they both have COVID, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a lifelong diabetic, was not in the courtroom, choosing instead to participate from her chambers. The vaccine-or-test regulation was issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; it was enacted under Congress' power to regulate interstate commerce, a target of many current court conservatives. The statute allows the agency to issue emergency rules when it deems them "necessary" to protect workers from a "grave danger." The Biden administration contends that under the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health statute, it was obligated to act. After all, COVID-19 has already claimed more than 800,000 lives in the United States and sickened 50 million more, many with lasting effects. But at Friday's argument, the OSHA regulation ran into a conservative buzz saw. Right off the bat, Chief Justice John Roberts cast doubt on the regulation, declaring: "This is something the federal government has never done before." Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito indicated even more strongly that, in their view, the regulation went too far. They argued that at minimum Congress would have to enact a new statute that specifically authorizes the vaccine-or-test regulation. The chief justice and Justice Amy Coney Barrett appeared less categorical in their approach, but both were clearly skeptical of the regulation. The court's three liberal justices were, quite simply, incredulous. When Justice Thomas questioned the necessity of the vaccine-or-test regime, Justice Elena Kagan acidly noted that "nearly a million people have died" in the pandemic so far. "It is by far the greatest public health danger that this country has faced in the last century," she said. More and more people are dying every day and more and more people are getting sick every day, she said, adding that "this is the policy that is most geared to stopping all this." Justice Stephen Breyer disputed the challengers' assertion that the regulation should be blocked "in the public interest" when "nearly three-quarters of a million people" are being infected every day. "I would find that unbelievable." Lawyer Scott Keller, representing the challengers, replied that states can always impose their own vaccine mandates. That prompted Sotomayor to counter that some states have made vaccine and mask mandates illegal. The OSHA rule, she said, is exactly the kind of national rule that Congress provided for in the statute. In the second case argued Friday, involving health care workers, the court's conservatives did not seem as unified in their hostility. As the chief justice observed, the regulation, issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is different because it is based on the long-established principle that when the government funds a program, it can put conditions on how the money is used. "What could be closer to addressing the COVID-19 problem ... than health care," he said, adding that when people people go to a hospital, for whatever reason, "if they face COVID-19 concerns , well, that's much worse." Justice Kagan, by then infuriated, put it more bluntly. All the rule does is "say to providers ... 'Basically, the one thing you can't do is kill your patients.' " Friday's special session was heard on an expedited basis because the OSHA regulation is about to go into effect, and the Medicare and Medicaid vaccine mandate for health care workers has been blocked by a lower court. So the court is likely to act within days. Nina Totenberg is NPR's award-winning legal affairs correspondent. Her reports air regularly on NPR's critically acclaimed newsmagazines All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition.	4,785
Previously we outlined how to begin investing with 5 actionable steps. Begin with this article if you do not currently have an investing account. After reading that article and setting up an account, then you may proceed to the information below. After choosing the type of account that you would like to transfer your savings into, you have some options once the money arrives for what you would like to invest in. You could try to pick individual stocks and become the next Warren Buffet, but I strongly encourage you to avoid this temptation. Rather, I like to keep 90% of my money exposed to a broad array of stocks which typically earn 8-10% per year over the last 200 plus years. How do I do this? Low cost index fund investing. The choice is yours. Consult a financial advisor immediately if you are not willing to embark on this journey alone and accept the full responsibility of managing your own money. For those so inclined, managing your own money has the ability to yield superior results, if you are willing to become an expert in personal finance along the way (yet another reason to start reading). My favorite companies to open investing accounts with are Vanguard and Fidelity. They offer some of the lowest cost index funds that give you the opportunity to participate in years and years of compound interest, without all the added fees that active mutual funds typically carry. Be advised, not all companies will offer top notch low cost index funds. Often times, especially in 401(k) and 403(b) plans, your options will be very limited. I believe that you can still find good low cost options that expose you to a broad array of stock ownership by following some simple tips outlined below. When considering index fund investing, here is primarily what you are looking for. 1. The fund should track a major index For those seeking investing in stocks: Seek and index that tracks the S&P 500 or a Total Market If you are looking for bonds, it seems most folks choose funds that track a bond index such as: 2. The fund should be low cost Total expense ratio less than 0.1%, in our opinion If there is a fund manager, they should have little to no expenses The fund should be passively managed, NOT actively managed This will help keep fees down. Besides, active funds typically always have lower returns over the long run than passive funds If it is not listed in the description of the fund whether it is active vs. passive, look at the turnover rate of the fund. High turnover = active management 3. Beware of ANY and ALL annual account fees (especially those of you saving in a 403(b) or 457 plans) These fees are for the account itself, not for the fund you are investing in Look for administrative fees, annual account fees, and advisor fees that may not be listed in places that are easy to find. In the past, we have had to dig for these! Several calls, several emails, several meetings later we finally found our answers. Trust me however, it is all worth it because it means more money in your pocket to invest! Sometimes you even have to ask "Are there any other charges or expenses, either one-time or recurring, associated with owning this account?" Choosing Fund Types When index investing, you have as few different options into what types of funds to choose from. You can invest in exchange traded funds (ETFs) that trade in real-time like other individual stocks. Or you may choose a index mutual fund which typically trades once per day at the closing price. Either one is a great choice as long as you keep the expense ratio under 0.1%. Vanguard and Fidelity have great index mutual fund options and iShares, as well as Fidelity, have some great ETFs. There are additional options for those who wish to further diversify such as small cap and mid cap index funds which place greater emphasis on smaller and medium sized companies. My personal preference is to stay with large cap which is what an S&P 500 index will offer. If you were to choose an ETF or an index mutual fund that tracks the Total Market, you will inherently diversify into small cap and mid cap companies as well since it carries large, medium, and small companies in it's portfolio. Speak with you financial professional regarding the above options when investing. If choosing to DIY, check out my resources page for books on how I learned to start investing without needing to pay a financial advisor. Comments are closed. Author Notes I started this blog because friends and family often asked me similar questions regarding personal finance. I was surprised just how much people were interested in improving their financial situation, yet had no idea where to start. It made perfect sense to start a blog and share all the information that I have learned along the way with others. You will find many resources and links referred throughout the blog. I have found all of this information useful and continue to grow my knowledge and understanding in the personal finance space. Admittedly, even I struggled heavily in the beginning with understanding how to improve my financial situation. The power of reading and note taking got me where I am today and will continue to provide a return on investment for years to come. I look forward to sharing with you along the way.	5,521
“Overcrowding is rife” and the infrastructure is infested with rats and insects. Not all detainees have access to natural light, and food and drinking water is limited According to OHCHR, 59 Colombians were picked up in a security operation in 2016 and are now sharing a single cell at a facility in Caracas Conditions in Venezuela’s prisons are “beyond monstrous”, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said, before calling for an independent and transparent investigation into the death of a leading political opponent of the Government. Issuing the alert in Geneva, OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said that there were specific concerns for the well-being of 59 Colombian nationals, who’ve been held for more than two years without being charged. They were picked up in a security operation in 2016 and are now sharing a single cell at a facility in the country’s capital, Caracas, Ms Shamdasani said. “The 59 were accused of being Colombian paramilitaries but to date, no evidence or charges have been brought against them,” Ms Shamdasani explained. “In November 2017, a Venezuelan judge had ruled that they should be unconditionally released. However, they remain in detention.” Asked about Fernando Alban, a critic of the government whose death was announced on Monday at the headquarters of the country’s intelligence services, Ms Shamdasani confirmed the need for an independent, transparent investigation to clarify reports that he had jumped to his death from the 10th floor. “There are so many different reports, and quite a lot of speculation on exactly what happened,” Ms Shamdasani said. “On whether Mr Alban committed suicide, whether he was thrown, whether he was ill-treated, which is why we need an independent, transparent investigation to clarify the circumstances of his death.” On the subject of the Colombian detainees, Ms Shamdasani explained that the men were rounded up during so-called Operations for the Liberation of the People (OLP), which the Venezuelan Government had said were designed to break up criminal gangs and bring criminals to justice. Calling on the authorities to comply with the judge's ruling and free the Colombians, Ms Shamdasani underlined the dire conditions in the country’s prisons. “Overcrowding is rife,” she said. “The infrastructure is infested with rats and insects. Not all detainees have access to natural light. And in many detention centers across the country, detainees have limited access to food and water, including drinking water.” The deteriorating human rights situation in Venezuela was detailed in a recent UN report. Published in June, it highlighted the accelerating erosion of the rule of law amid unprecedented mass demonstrations and the excessive use of force in security operations. Allegations of extrajudicial killings linked to OLP raids first surfaced in July 2015, the report found, after an operation took place in one of the poorest and most violent neighborhoods in Caracas, Cota 905, in which 14 people died and 134 were arrested. Citing information from the Attorney General’s Office, the OHCHR report noted that between July 2015 and March 2017, 505 people were killed in OLPs, including four women and 24 children. Citing civil society records, the UN human rights office report noted that “at least 570 people, including 35 children, were arbitrarily detained” in Venezuela between August 2017 and April 2018. Welcome back! Unlike yourself, Terrence Hill and Enrique Massot have lacked the rich intellectual content contributions to this news site that covers many subjects throughout the Americas. (Especially Terrence needs a lot of support.) came to power, people cheered because he was going to help the poor and make everyone equal. But governments can't plan things efficiently without the prices and constant individual decision-making that free markets provide. The result in Cuba was economic stagnation and horrible loss of freedom. Venezuela voted in Hugo Chavez when he said that “capitalism is the realm of injustice” and promised wealth would be distributed equally. When he came to power, people cheered because he was going to help the poor and make everyone equal. The country he took over has the largest petroleum reserves in the world yet his country's oil production fell over 60%. But when there was no more money left to take from his own state owned petroleum company, he did what many governments do: He printed more. That's caused inflation over 1 million percent. When business owners raised prices to try to keep up, Chavez and his successor Maduro just seized many of them. People now wait in long lines to buy a scarce small bag of rice or rare roll of toilet paper. Now many people are very unhappy. An astounding amount of people have fled the country due to the economic collapse. Some countrymen have proposed an overthrow of the government and Maduro has been less than friendly to his opposition... Oct 11th, 2018 - 02:08 pm +1 Now explain this to me; If this IS NOT a British interest political propaganda to do with undermining any South American government that would not be friendly or oppose the expansionist usurpation policy of Britain through the human shield that the Falkland Islands are, against Argentina's rightful claim to these islands, and all it supposedly seeks is economic area journalism ridding on the unrequited coat tails of Mercosur (as it is not actually part of Mercosur) ...what the h**l does it care what is happening in Venezuelan prisons? Oct 11th, 2018 - 01:10 pm 0 Of course, “undermining” a South American government, that is a model of democracy for the world to copy....If I were you, I'd get on a plane and take advantage of this wonderful democracy before some foreign power conspires to turn it into a socialist, populist and authoritarian regime...forcing 100s of thousands of venezuelans to flee to neighbouring Colombia and Brazil...that WOULD be nasty...	6,340
Hospital architect in Sagar Name as Imagination shaper works hard to design and construct buildings that look great, feel comfortable, are easy to maintain, and are filled with all of the amenities that anyone would need in his or her daily life. But when an architect gets to work on designing hospital buildings, he or she has an entirely different set of goals to meet. Instead of constructing buildings that house offices, apartments, and retail stores, hospitals must be designed from the ground up with one main purpose in mind: delivering healthcare to the sick and injured individuals who walk through their doors. The need for hospitals The hospital building design process is a long and meticulous one, often taking years to complete. This is because hospitals are so important to society, and there are so many facets that need to be taken into consideration when designing them. The hospital architect in Sagar has to not only consider how the building will function but also what it will look like, where it will go, how much it will cost and more. The first thing you'll want to do when designing your hospital building design is make sure it's easy for people to find their way around. When somebody visits a hospital, they might be in pain or feeling really scared. They might not know what to expect from their stay there. You can help them feel better by making sure they don't get lost on the way to see someone or something important. The next thing you'll want to consider when designing your hospital floor plan in Sagar is how rooms will function within the facility. You will have many different kinds of rooms such as patient rooms, doctor offices, examination rooms, waiting areas and more. Each hospital floor plan can vary depending on its purpose and whether or not it's for an academic institution or a private practice. Generally speaking, hospital buildings should have at least four floors - one for administration, one for patient care and two levels of parking. Parking garages should be as close as possible to the entrance to minimize walking distance from car to entrance. When planning hospital entrances you want to make sure they're wide enough for ambulances to get through easily but narrow enough so pedestrians can't wander in off the street. The design process The first step is to identify the type of hospital you want to build and what your goals are for this project. The next step is to determine if your current site can accommodate these needs, or if you need a new site. If a new site is needed, the process begins with selecting one and securing it for development. Once that has been done, you need to take into account all potential factors that could affect construction such as zoning restrictions, land availability, environmental issues like terrain and flooding potential, etc. And finally, you will have to think about the logistics of developing the hospital's infrastructure; this includes power and water supply. In order to make sure that you don't overlook any major problems, we recommend contacting an architect who has experience designing hospitals. They will be able to advise you on any hidden surprises and help guide you through each step of the design process. Tips and ideas for designing a new hospital When designing a new hospital, it's important to consider the needs of your patients. A hospital architect in Sagar should always strive to offer patients with a healing environment that can help them feel cared for and get better faster. It's also crucial to take into consideration what medical equipment your hospital will be using. You'll want to make sure that you have enough space for all your equipment so that everything is accessible but not cramped. Depending on your hospital's size, you might need general wards. These are wards with a larger number of rooms and limited amenities. If your hospital is large enough, you may want to consider going for a modular design that lets you add additional modules depending on your needs at any given time. A hospital building design in Sagar may need special wards such as those meant for maternity care or cancer treatment. In some cases, these wards require special accommodations like specific room layouts or setups. For example, hospitals that specialize in cancer treatment often have separate rooms for chemotherapy sessions where doctors administer medicines through an IV drip line directly into the patient's bloodstream. IPD and OPD: Another thing to keep in mind when planning your hospital building design in Sagar is whether you're providing patients with outpatient services or if they're staying overnight (IPD). What this means is that hospitals may provide both IPDs and OPDs (Outpatient Services) Critical care wards are an integral part of a hospital. Critical care wards or ICUs (Intensive Care Units) must be located next to emergency services to allow fast-paced medical intervention and ensure that every second counts. An ICU is where patients are placed when they need immediate life support, as they're generally unresponsive with critical conditions. They have strict visiting hours because these patients need to rest and don't require constant monitoring. Your hospital building design in Sagar might include designated waiting areas where patients can wait while their family members see their doctor or get discharged from the hospital. Offering comfortable seating options, magazines and televisions, as well as soft lights throughout the area will create a more soothing environment for visitors. Equipment rooms: There are different types of equipment that hospitals use. There could be X-Ray machines, MRI machines, surgical suites, sterilization departments...whatever you decide to install in your hospital building design in Sagar. It's important that there is enough space to accommodate this equipment and still have room for people. In conclusion, it is important to have a hospital architect in Sagar to help you plan your hospital. They will be able to design your building so it fits seamlessly into the environment and provide a space that is functional and beautiful. A hospital architect will create an efficient layout for healthcare facilities with all the modern amenities as well as creating an aesthetically pleasing interior and exterior design. By employing a hospital architect, you can be sure that all aspects of the project are being addressed which leads to success at opening day! Imagination shaper Architectural and Interior Design firm has an expert team of architects, interior designers and engineers to make your dreams reality, using our technical knowledge of the construction industry. Branch Office Lucknow office-Near jay gopal dharam kata, Ahmamau, Sultanpur Rd, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226002 Career Career House front design Construction service by locations Interior designs by locations Vastu consultant by locations School designs by locations Hospital designs by locations Hotel designs by locations Interior execution Designs by locations Pay now Social Links Sign Up for Our Newsletter to get Latest Updates and Offers. Subscribe to receive news in your inbox.	7,686
The implications of the globalized extractive trading model for communities, environment and work: An urgent need for system change - Minority Rights Group Who we are What we do The implications of the globalized extractive trading model for communities, environment and work: An urgent need for system change It is impossible to obtain a complete picture of the various types of exploitation and discrimination that members of minorities and indigenous peoples face in the world of work without understanding the deep structural inequalities of the global political economy. Indeed, such an understanding also requires a thorough consideration of the legacy of colonialism and slavery, and how the systems that were put in place by the European powers over the course of the past several centuries continue to steer and influence the global economy today. Colonization is often portrayed and understood as an exclusively European project. This is perhaps because those who focus on the subject are often its most recent victims, while others simply deny its impact, or discount it as having occurred ‘too long ago’. As Frankopan narrates in his seminal work The New Silk Roads,[1] it is often true that the lens of history is only trained on what is most recent, relegating the more distant past to irrelevance, assuming it has nothing to offer. Intellectually curious and critical students of global history may point to older colonial adventures undertaken by Aztecs, Mongols, Arabs, Han, Guptas, Vikings, Shona and countless others – too many to recount – in highlighting that colonization was not ‘invented’ four centuries ago by Europeans. Many modern countries’ treatment of their neighbours, and many activities undertaken by majority populations within their own countries towards communities they deem peripheral, may also bear striking resemblance to this phenomenon. Rather than spreading blame for colonial activities to a wider segment of the global population, what these historical references may show is that the attempt to dominate, capture, exploit and profit may be an intrinsic, baser part of human nature itself, rather than the preserve of a particular dominant ethno-religious group. Attempts to restrain such facets and develop challenging concepts such as equality, human rights, solidarity, freedom, fairness and equity reflect the flip side of human history: of those, some of whom may even have been (consciously or unconsciously) part of the colonial machineries themselves, who sought to reign in absolute power in the name of higher ideals. Of course, there are a few key respects in which European colonial rule of vast tracts of the globe differed from previous attempts at domination by others. These include the sheer geographical breadth of these activities and the competitive manner in which they were conducted. However, the most germane of these differences, in the context of this chapter, lie in, first, the unquantifiable scale of environmental devastation the activities have caused and, second, the extent to which colonial activities created a blueprint for the international political economy that is proving difficult to dismantle as economic activity hurtles past the limits of sustainability for human life on the planet. In providing a perspective of the impact of globalized trading systems on groups far from sites of power – minorities and indigenous peoples – this chapter argues that European colonization, with its attendant values inbuilt in the global political economy, is central to current global inequities. But the ‘blame’, for what it is worth, does not accrue on just racial grounds. Postcolonial and other states that have incorporated into these systems have shown themselves to be just as driven by profit motivations, justifying their activities using all kinds of rhetoric, but essentially pursuing profit without ensuring that benefits accrue beyond a small and privileged segment of the dominant majority ethno-religious linguistic community holding power. To assess this proposition in greater detail, this chapter is divided into three parts. The first focuses on key elements that have contributed to the current global financial system; the second traces the impact of contemporary dimensions of the global economy that negate access to rights by minorities and indigenous peoples; while the third suggests seven starting points and a ten-point action agenda aimed at disrupting the global economy and moving it closer to socio-economic prosperity and justice. The historical role of trade in the foundations of inequality While many have highlighted that the broken state of the world derives from its chequered past, not least its most recent colonial experience, others have dismissed any attempt to attribute the ills of the present to this destructive historical legacy. It could instead be argued that a poor understanding of the past, institutionalized in the teaching of histories at national level, is a contributing factor to our present crises. These are complex issues meriting deep engagement, but their current relevance is summarized in the following statement: The contemporary climate emergency is directly traceable to colonial activities commenced on indigenous territories, continued under post-colonial regimes, with the active support (material and logistic) of the former colonial powers. These practices stimulated demand for ‘products’, treated territories as resource hotbeds, and ignored the human rights of indigenous peoples who were treated as objects rather than subjects of law, and resulted in the systematic destruction of habitats hastening the breach of planetary boundaries.[2] Alongside the climate emergency, the still widely accepted notion that there are different ‘races’ among humanity shows how deeply ingrained ‘race-related’ or ‘racist’ thinking is.[3] The misconstruing of different ethnic physical characteristics among human beings (most visibly ‘colour’) as constituting an entirely difference ‘race’ (a biological term to refer to classes of life) was based on the notion that there was one superior race – self-defined as ‘white’, with all ‘deviants’ deemed different and therefore sub-human. This mindset gave the elites of one continent, Europe, which had gained ascendency through the use of ‘guns, germs and steel’,[4] an ideology to accompany its conquest and hegemony over other continents. Motivated by a spirit of adventure that probably commenced with explorers seeking new lands, these ventures quickly translated into a process of territorial and wealth acquisition. A number of ‘justifications’ were offered for what, even at the time, was questioned as a form of theft. Economic theories suggested that the leaving of land, a factor of production, ‘fallow’ constituted a waste, and that there was a ‘God-given’ duty to cultivate it, to supply the population’s needs. This justified land acquisition, especially the territories of indigenous peoples for whom cultivation of one space was not a priority. Indeed, for many indigenous peoples, movement from place to place has long been a key means for ensuring sustainable use of natural resources. In contrast, the idea was also posited of the intellectual development of the human brain, and how civilization necessitated a shift from nomadic to settled ways of living. When faced with communities that were different, the state-sponsored machineries of Western European countries, commencing with Portugal and Spain and later joined by France, Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy, proceeded to race each other to capture parts of the globe to generate wealth for their home economies. They were aided greatly by a Papal Bull which commanded Portugal, the world’s leading seafaring power at the time, to propagate Christianity. Portuguese hegemony was contested by the development of Spanish fleets and, after the ‘discovery’ of the Americas, the two powers signed the notorious Treaty of Tordesillas of 1494, dividing the world into two hemispheres of influence, to avoid competing against each other in a bid to civilize the rest. As the shipping prowess of other European powers developed, they joined the game too, culminating in the nineteenth century with the infamous ‘Scramble for Africa’. Commencing from the 1880s, the most notorious episode of this ‘scramble’ must be the 1896 Conference of West Africa, held in Berlin, where Africa was carved up among European governments. The spirit of economic collaboration between the Western powers, at the expense of the peoples of other continents, still echoes in the inequitable frameworks of international trade and global finance that continue to structure the world today. In the midst of these incursions, people and nature were codified, with pseudointellectual arguments proffered for each. The notorious transatlantic slave trade treated Africans as chattels, justifying their treatment through spurious, self-serving intellectual reasonings that blended theology with a belief in the civilizational supremacy of white, Christian Europe. Meanwhile, nature was viewed from the completely anthropocentric perspective of being there to serve ‘mankind’. Thus, animals and birds were slaughtered, forests were felled and minerals extracted from the ground, and developed into products that provided eye-watering returns to colonial Europe. Individuals were venerated as entrepreneurs risking capital to generate wealth, rather than being viewed as common thieves profiting from a neighbour’s wealth through a combination of force, deceit and stealth. The vaunted ideas of the Enlightenment, still so celebrated in textbooks, including the enshrining of laws guaranteeing property rights, were not extended to any colonial population. Instead, law was used as a weapon to dispossess these communities – typically viewed as inferior and therefore undeserving of equal treatment – on the grounds that their ancestral domains could not possibly be owned by them, since they were mere users and not claimants to such land. Instead, incoming settlers could lay claim to these as terra nullius, blank unoccupied lands, with no existing claimants. This inane construction of usus versus propriedad is central to modern legal systems and still perpetrated unproblematically by jurists who lack adequate understanding of its historical context, in the belief that it generates order and the stable possession of land, while overlooking other forms of attachment (from communal sharing to spiritual meaning). The most central impact of these brutal, systematic expropriations (notwithstanding the genocides, ethnic cleansings, rapes, massacres, and systemic individual and collective discrimination) from the perspective of the global economy could be summed up in three central ideas. First, the absolute annihilation of circular economies, many of which were prosperous despite being dismissed as primitive or subsistence-oriented. Thus, all the elements that existed in this newly found nature were viewed as resources that could simply be caught, acquired, traded and excavated without any attention being paid to acquisition or replenishment costs. Increasing the volume of these activities through stimulation of demand generated more profits, siphoned off from where the resources were extracted and brought back to Europe to beautify its cities or to be reinvested to generate further revenue. As stated at the outset of this chapter, this model has simply transferred to new non-European governments which have continued to exploit nature, often driven by lucrative demand in the global north. Besides pushing at the boundaries of sustainability of human life on Earth, this model continues to provide minimal benefits to those at the metaphorical and, in some cases, literal coalface, who earn a pittance, while the resources they extract steadily accumulate value along the supply chain to consumers in wealthier countries elsewhere. The second major impact is the mistaken veneration of a concept of pristine nature which specifically prioritizes biodiversity, especially among animals, over local communities, whose activities are often viewed by international and domestic power-holders as harming their own environment. Initially at least, certain areas that were set aside – such as those in the Congo Basin, often referred to as the cradle of civilization – were reserved exclusively for royalty so that they could enjoy these benefits, such as undertaking their pastime of hunting, without being subjected to interruption by people they condescendingly described as ‘natives’. By voiding native personhood and laying claim to their ancestral domains, colonizers effectively forcibly locked communities out of their homes, which were then repurposed, not least for commercial exploitation and the destruction of biodiversity for entertainment and a sense of challenge. The legacy of this continues today in the denial of the legitimacy of indigenous peoples’ claims to their ancestral homelands, instead prioritizing other more questionable claims to land, on the basis of racism. The third major impact included in this brief summary is the inherent racism of colonialism. While reflected earlier in history as the absolute right of one ethno-religious community to acquire absolute domination over lands and people through their subjugation, followed by the exploitation of those communities’ resources to benefit their own, its legacy today lies in the absolute conviction – unsubstantiated by any evidence – of racial superiority by the world’s dominant powers over indigenous peoples and their natural environment. This has long given Western scientists a complete monopoly over determining environmental solutions, and Western finance a near uncontested scope to determine global priorities. The irony – that a significant part of their focus appears to be on communities and people whose carbon footprint is minuscule, and the destruction of whose lands and properties by others brought about the current state of affairs – does little to introduce even the smallest element of doubt regarding this conviction. Built to last? The baked-in extractive economic model If European colonization was but a single episode in a history of similar ventures by other dominant powers at other times in human history, why should its contemporary legacy be so significant? The answer to this lies in four interconnected factors. First of these is the relative monopoly on the narration of history: the presentation of a single definitive discourse about the colonial encounter and its ‘benefits’ is still the dominant narrative. The idea that wealth can legitimately be acquired through this one-sided process of extraction drives all but a minuscule part of global economic activity: in fact, the international political economy is entirely based on this model. Thus, newly emerging global superpowers aspire to excellence within this same model, even countries such as China and India, with their own autochthonous ancient values that are significantly different from those imposed by the former colonial powers through the current global trade and financial systems. Part of this lies in the lure of easy wealth that is driving an elite in both countries to collaborate with other beneficiaries, mostly derived from among the dominant majority populations in their countries. The close nexus between governance and economic domination needs to be understood as more than a mere coincidence. It should also be highlighted that the models emerging from China and India include a recalibration of histories on the basis of a supremacist model, one that provides the incumbents with further justification to embark on a path that is culturally markedly different from those of their venerated predecessors whose legacies they lay claim to. A second factor is the seemingly impermeable system of international relations that has been constructed around the global political economy. The idea of the state itself is a European export to other parts of the world. It has swallowed up other systems, including localized autonomies, whether regional or personal, and defeated looser governance arrangements, such as emirates and city states, that existed in other parts of the world. The system is still venerated in political science around the world as ending feudalism, though a more forensic assessment of property regimes and contemporary hegemonies may reflect a far greater resemblance to feudal systems than superficially apparent. These latter traits are all forgiven on the basis that most have emerged by a process of democracy, ignoring both the extent to which the consent of the majority has been shaped by a self-interested construction of facts, and the idea that democracy is meant to represent more than the sheer weight of numbers. By simply transferring the European state and its imagination of international society to the global level, not least through the creation of the United Nations (UN), it has become hard to imagine other forms of governance of international relations. The admittance of new states into the system following decolonization, and the dissolution of compound states such as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, while achieved on the basis of self-determination, was nonetheless restricted to entities that existed in pre-drawn boundaries. The fact that the vast majority of legal systems around the world derive from a small segment of Western states is a third reason why the extractive industry model appears locked into a predetermined future. This model celebrates the generation of wealth irrespective of its origin, putting safeguards in place to maintain and perpetuate such wealth, using land tenure systems that create an inbuilt bias towards particular lifestyles and economic activities. While the emergence of women’s rights has challenged these patriarchal systems to a certain extent, the changes that have been achieved remain superficial. The need to be part of a single global trading regime also means that compromises have to be made to suit the dominant narrative. A good example of this is the global regime on intellectual property rights, which celebrates specific types of innovations while failing to acknowledge others. Thus, while traditional knowledge is now accepted as a form of intellectual property, it remains possible for corporations to exploit indigenous knowledge for profit without ensuring adequate return to the community. In a modern travesty, the formulas for vaccines against Covid-19, developed mainly using taxpayer monies in the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Switzerland and Germany, are still allowed to shelter under intellectual property rights, generating windfall profits for pharmaceutical companies while contributing to the continuation of the pandemic in other countries. Somehow the privileging of profit over people, even when the return on investment has more than paid out, is not considered an issue that warrants change. Business models and modern economics need to be acknowledged as a fourth factor in the legacy of colonialism. The continued justification of the pursuit of profit, and the acceptance of profit as a justifiable ‘return on investment’ lies at the heart of the system. The failure to forensically account for the natural environment – both its importance in sustaining life on the planet, and in terms of the true environmental costs of the extraction of what were once seen simply as fruits to benefit humankind – continues unabated. Thus demand and supply curves are still taught without adequate attention being paid to key externalities, including land and biodiversity degradation, or the impact on local populations. The sharp rises in temperature are finally forcing a significant change, but the failure adequately to account for and model such ‘externalities’ persists. While it is assumed that state budgets, some corporate activities, and individual households will have to pay more to finance the transition towards less damaging forms of consumption and production, adequate efforts are not being made to address the nefarious but quasi-legitimate activities that result in significant loss of tax revenues, as profits are diverted to global tax havens. A sea-change is required in how value is defined, wealth is generated and parameters for economic growth are established. The use-and-throw-away nature of products, while potentially generating jobs and growth in the short term, consume far too many resources in manufacture and create mountains of waste at unsustainable levels. Systemic change also requires the re-examination of three key ideas that underpin contemporary structural inequality: first, that exploitation of nature for commerce is legitimate, can fuel prosperity and must be recognized as entrepreneurship; second, that only Western notions of what constitutes property and the legitimacy of private ownership over communal claims count; and third, that legal regimes of nondiscrimination, by supposedly guaranteeing a ‘level playing field’, are sufficient in themselves to build egalitarian, meritocratic societies that can overcome lack of access to opportunity.[5] Together, these assumptions result in the veneration of the wealthy irrespective of how their wealth was acquired and despite the destruction of circular indigenous economies elsewhere. The lack of interest in ensuring the sustainability of natural resources is as much an accounting failure as a moral one. Assuming natural assets to have minimal value has been central to environmental destruction, the effects of which are felt elsewhere far more dramatically than in the more temperate zones of the European continent. Depriving communities of their livelihoods, resources and ability to sustain themselves, and then justifying this by alleging gains made in the ‘civilizing’ of such populations, points to an arrogance that was normal for all invaders, but hypocritical when combined with other exports, such as European concepts of justice and ideas of enlightenment. In sum, it is the export of legal and financial systems based on laissez-faire economics and minimalist non-discrimination legal regimes that envisaged a passive role for government, in combination with the market (i.e. those who made the most gains from the exploitation of resources) that lie at the heart of the current system. Decolonization under European and, by proxy, international supervision was accompanied by constant interference in the former colonies, including through the supply of arms driven by a powerful industry at the heart of European governance. Decolonization, in many contexts, was no more than an act of privatization of vast tracts of lands and resources, driven by the need to ensure that existing economic structures and supply chains would not be disrupted: the destruction of people’s homes and livelihoods was simply deemed collateral damage.[6] Towards a more equitable global economy and more inclusive employment Despite the seeming impossibility of system change, the call for such change has been steadily gaining traction, assisted by the urgency of the climate crisis. The proliferation of ‘green plans’ and the acceptance, at least at a rhetorical level, that fossil fuels should be phased out were unimaginable even five years ago. Yet it is clear that, based on the current trajectory, the worst impacts of climate change will not be staved off. The pace of developments aiming at system change has been curbed dramatically as a result of the political turbulence caused by populist politics. With the capture of media outlets by governments and private interests, aided by a class of closely aligned individuals who seek to tap into a Zeitgeist of disenfranchisement, the sound and fury in the political realm present a significant distraction from the urgent task of achieving system change. It will take a concerted effort to rise above this politics of mass distraction, arguably exacerbated since the outbreak of Covid-19 and the stream of misinformation that has flown in its wake, and the process will necessarily have to be multifaceted. The science of climate change is very clear and alarming, and the contribution of the world’s political economy to its impacts has equally clearly been proven. Generating adequate political will for system change nonetheless remains hard. This chapter concludes by offering seven possible elements that may help in shifting political will towards this objective and could, if effectively implemented, promote a global economy founded on social justice and inclusion. First, and most controversially, there needs to be acceptance in the public space that migration is a historical and contemporary reality and that the diverse populations that make up the state are legitimate and should be deemed part of a single inclusive body politic. The defeat of scapegoat politics, conveniently developed on the back of what is, in most contexts, no more than a trickle of migration, has contributed to significant social fragmentation. Appreciating that research has demonstrated time and again that migration has helped economies to grow is crucial, as is acknowledging that the anger generating heat in domestic politics stems from the de-prioritization and downgrading of labour, including through casualization, in favour of corporate profit; and from the austerity measures chosen by governments in the aftermath of the sub-prime crisis – itself a reflection of the potential for gaming in financial systems. Such a normative shift could transform the living and working conditions of millions of workers worldwide. Second, land tenure systems should be reassessed commencing from recognition of the ancestral domain of indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples are time-honed custodians of nature, having lived symbiotically with the ecosystems around them for centuries. Arresting the disruption caused to them is not only a moral imperative but also central to the urgent development of localized climate solutions, informed by their innate knowledge of the exceptional natural diversity in their territories. These context-specific approaches cannot be realized through one-size-fits-all models developed in a laboratory miles away and applied without any understanding of local populations and traditional knowledge. ‘Fortress conservation’ models, such as the so-called 30×30 target – a proposal to protect at least 30 per cent of land and sea areas worldwide by 2030 that has been widely criticized for failing to incorporate indigenous land rights into its plans – must be replaced with a direct dialogue, including through recognition of ancestral domain, perhaps in a negotiated settlement that includes conditionalities while providing the means for environmental repair to nature’s custodians. Again, among numerous other benefits, this could help revitalize an array of traditional livelihoods and activities tied to the sustainable use of land, forests and other resources for hunting, gathering, medicine and other areas. Third, there is an increasing need to codify new crimes, both to deter harmful activity but equally to ensure meaningful action concerning the much-vaunted ‘polluter pays’ principle. Understanding the root causes of environmental injustice may seem like a task that can wait until after urgent mitigation and adaptation measures have been achieved. In fact, codifying colonial crimes and placing a financial value on them could fund a significant part of the necessary transition. This must be done in conjunction with an understanding of the crime of unjust enrichment and the overturning of statutes of limitations. Statutes of limitations have been considered important to maintaining the rule of law, but should not apply to activities undertaken over the past century resulting in notable damage to the environment and where, in many cases, those responsible can be traced and their role clearly evidenced. The profits made from those activities are still held within the domains in which the investors live: while seizing such assets could be portrayed as intergenerational punishment, it could equally be construed as creating a better understanding of the privilege that has been bestowed on certain families and institutions for posterity. Fourth, a firm decision should be made to mothball certain industries entirely and the consequences of that decision should be addressed. The fossil fuel industry is among the worst offenders in terms of the global economy and the climate crisis. The sector is guilty of multiple sins: failing to account for the environmental costs of extraction, obscuring the science of the impact of the extraction on local communities at source and actively seeking to undermine development of alternative sources of energy. The fact that this industry sent the most delegates to the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow is indicative of its significant ongoing public relations and lobbying efforts. Rhetorically, for some years there has been an emphasis on reducing dependence on oil, gas and coal. However, new coal plants are still being commissioned and, while oil and gas production has been slowing, scientists question the rate of the slowdown and transition. Of course, the fossil fuel industry is not the only sector that is culpable, but ensuring robust measures are put in place to move towards transition remains crucial to environmental and social justice. These measures, in turn, could protect other livelihood activities that have been threatened or undermined by the dispossession and environmental contamination often associated with these sectors, especially when undertaken without free, prior and informed consent on indigenous land. Fifth, a rationalization of the use of technology is necessary in three essential ways. First, it must be understood that better solutions to some problems may be reached through alternative conceptions of technology, especially indigenous knowledge and know-how, rather than relying exclusively on Western science. Second, being open to studying and co-designing solutions with communities that have effectively been living in closer proximity and harmony with nature can assist in understanding and then replicating what a zero-carbon future may look like. Third, any plans for green growth must place people and questions of social justice at their forefront. Technology, when understood in its widest scientific sense, is crucial to engineering a socially just and sustainable future. However, marginalizing communities and perspectives for the benefit of majoritarian Western-oriented lifestyles runs counter to the needs of the hour, and has troubling implications for minorities, indigenous peoples, women and other groups who are disproportionately at risk of job loss as a result of automation. This links to the sixth point, which is about remodelling and reimagining a global economy around sustainability. Indigenous wisdom, technology and values remain fundamental to this quest, including in developing a new-found respect for nature, needs-based consumption and the notion of symbiotic living. The replacement of low-impact indigenous lifestyles – shunned as pre-modern – with ones oriented towards greater consumption may have resulted in more comforts and significant wealth acquisition. These have been portrayed as the trappings of modernity and the quest for them has fuelled lifestyle aspirations across the globe, helped by ever-willing profit-oriented businesses that have viewed this as a significant opportunity. Yet these elements of modernity have created the current impasse in the climate crisis. Anthropologists have of course studied indigenous lifestyles before – usually as objects of curiosity. What is needed instead is co-designing and accepting advice on designing models around sustainability that derive from ancient wisdom more in harmony with the natural environment. With businesses serving as the engines of the modern global economy, the seventh and final point is that much responsibility must fall upon the corporate sector. This includes aspects to do with sourcing, producing, marketing and selling but also extends to corporate responsibility, a willingness to be accountable to the wider public for actions that may generate wider harms, and transparency in decision-making around the areas of return on investment and the acquisition of windfall profits. The aftermath of the #BlackLivesMatter movement has created a new consciousness among some Western-based corporations. Such organizations, whether genuinely mindful of their own privilege or driven by the need to be seen to be responding to an emerging popular movement, have begun to engage with questions around social and racial justice. In conjunction with ongoing plans around environmental consciousness, this constitutes a good start. However, even among these corporations, a willingness to undertake structural change, particularly with regard to concrete measures such as labour protections and union rights, remains unproven. Many are still only partly committed, conscious of the need to be on the ‘right side’ of the argument but unable to secure support from enough senior board members and shareholders to commit to transition costs or, in some instances, even a new agreed direction towards change. For the vast majority of corporations, such issues remain far from their thinking. Conclusion: a 10-point agenda for change The global trading system and the actors within it have a central role to play if structural discrimination is to be unravelled alongside the transition to a more sustainable way of life and a more sustainable labour landscape for all, including minorities and indigenous peoples. The following 10-point agenda,[7] framed in terms far broader than any specific sector, could form the basis for such collective action. The feminist movement has highlighted the inherently gendered nature of politics, policy-making and employment. While in many countries gender-based equality is guaranteed in law, the reality remains that in key areas – notably access to factors of production such as land, finance and even citizenship – women face challenges. Cultural practices – specifically the culture of male dominance – are dressed up as ‘inherent traditions’ with little challenge to this assertion. The tendency still remains to ‘invite’ women into systems, rather than to reframe the systems themselves. Among other areas, this is still evident in the world of work, where persistent inequalities and issues of under-representation are the visible symptoms of these deeper institutional barriers. Challenge and transform the extractive model of economics The city squares of the Western world pay physical homage, by way of statues, to individuals who have cheated, lied, exploited and stolen resources from elsewhere in the absolute conviction of their own racial and moral superiority. While Western colonization was not the first, and perhaps not even the most brutal form of exploitation in many parts of the world, its continuing legacy lies in the creation of an extractive model of economics that has underpinned global trading systems ever since, and has been scaled up by the postcolonial state as it merely stepped in to continue exploiting this system. Seeking a return to modest and sustainable consumption that respects the circular nature of economies and pays due homage to nature requires wide-scale systemic change, not minor tampering. Seek accountability from contemporary economic actors for damage to societies Despite clear scientific evidence of the damage that certain activities have caused to the environment for decades, contemporary economic actors have sought to obfuscate, challenge and sow false narratives about this damage. This has enabled them to construct mechanisms for unjust enrichment and to benefit from tax avoidance in the name of wealth distribution and job creation, effectively siphoning off funds from the public sphere. While corporations remain a fundamental part of the future, their own soul-searching concerning the impact of their activities on a tort-based model remains fundamental to releasing key societal resources to build back better. Seek accountability mechanisms to address historical crimes including colonization While moving forward requires broad consensus and collaboration, the need to address historical crimes, as a key component of our broken present, remains important. Some schemes, including debt forgiveness, may be a minimal condition for enabling transnational solidarity; others will need to go deeper, as wealthier societies forensically examine their wealth generation and seek pecuniary and non-pecuniary methods for reconciliation. This issue takes on an added element in view of the diversity in many parts of the world which is not reflected in the narrow ‘male-victor’-oriented narration of history, which ignores all other realities and is often both factually inaccurate and limited in perspective. The ‘leave no one behind’ principle as a key value in the Sustainable Development Goals The breadth and longevity of the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the intrinsically interlinked experience of the contemporary global reality. Leaving the pandemic festering in one part of the world means that humanity will not be free of its impact. The existence of deep inequalities further hampers the extent to which social cohesion, progress and collective solidarity towards greater challenges can be met. Society is still dominated by the concentration of privilege within a small elite. With women and girls deemed second-class citizens, constraining first their access to education and then the work opportunities available to them, significant talent that could be drawn upon is lost. The narrative that privileges men from majorities at the cost of everyone else excludes vital human talent needed for collective efforts. Leaving no one behind is not simply a charitable and moral aim: its value is also deeply pragmatic. Support historians to write accurate narratives not linked to power regimes The narrowness of education and its tendency in many countries towards propaganda has hurt the cause of building global solidarity based on empathy. Many mainstream historians and others of the intelligentsia have long served as handmaidens to power, writing and disseminating their accounts as a unified irrefutable truth, othering women and minority communities, and sowing the seeds for deeply flawed supremacist narratives. Correcting the historical narrative, as well as affording greater space in academia and other relevant sectors for minorities, indigenous peoples, women and other groups who have been invisibilized or misrepresented in official histories, is key to a sustainable future: it will not only act as a bulwark against supremacism, but also serve to reflect a wider ambit of human experience, fostering cohesion and collaboration. Take the political actions necessary to fulfil social and environmental objectives There has been a tendency for those seeking progress on environmental issues to paint themselves as politically neutral. However, as societies have become occupied by anti-politics populists, this stance has been unable to stem the tide towards growing stigma and hatred. Scapegoat ‘politics’ – essentially a process by which artificial majorities are generated in reference to a specific identity group – has tapped into an angry Zeitgeist that, in the process, has elevated a mediocre, often actively malign leadership that lacks the qualifications, experience and empathy to address the challenges of climate change, poverty and the pandemic. Acting politically in support of those who are genuinely driven by legitimate political objectives of whatever hue is important, while also forming a collective bulwark against those who merely wish to turn democracies into a game of superior numbers over values and policies. Ensure that the language of law is not exclusive and patriarchal The legacy of Western legal systems is a deeply problematic one. It sought to guarantee order while articulating a goal of justice. The earliest legislators were ‘free men’ – as opposed to women and slaves – and property owners who wrote the rules to legitimize their own privileged position. The earliest laws sought to safeguard their assets from other claimants in the belief that this would guarantee order. The justice project was called upon by the universal human rights movement and became central in contemporary history. However, as the legacy of the so-called ‘war against terror’ showed, when the existing Western-dominated order was perceived to have been threatened, the quest for social justice was put to one side. In addition, the law often appears to serve elitist interests while neglecting to contest ingrained social injustices such as the arms trade, the siphoning off public funds to tax havens, institutional corruption at the highest levels and the failure to provide justice to the victims of mass atrocities. Technical legal loopholes have long been used to protect vested interests, including specific types of property titles as opposed to recognizing ancestral domain; statutes of limitation to deny scrutiny of specific episodic and systemic crimes; and multiple failures to establish truly independent accountability mechanisms. Challenging the use of laws to promote exclusionary, patriarchal aims, including through reform of the process of articulating laws, is fundamental. Promote a transnational approach based on universal solidarity While the current crises faced are intrinsically transnational, attempts to address them through policy generally occur at a domestic level. The notion that territories remain the exclusive domains of specific sovereigns is anachronistic, pitting governments against each other in a spirit of competition rather than collaboration. This is born from deep insecurities — about the extent to which ‘foreign interests’ may influence policy makers, and the unsavoury and not so distant experience of colonization. Yet the movements that are gaining traction are showing the value of people bonding together in empathy and solidarity, unencumbered by boundaries. Such empathy, especially if adopted in regional contexts, can cement meaningful change and pressure governments to act in a manner that is far broader than is possible when attempting to maintain their exclusive hegemony. Collaborate and share resources with others committed to these values While civil society movements have gained significant traction in recent decades – often by ensuring a thin sliver of accountability in a world riven with injustices — their lack of sustainable models has put them under constant pressure to fulfil donor agendas. This means that collaboration has been difficult to forge and progressive organizations compete against each other in the world of ideas and actions, preventing the emergence of a unified movement. A further divide is visible as civil society organizations based in the global north succeed in gaining funding and visibility while those in the South become neglected. For any movement to be able to galvanize change, it is imperative that these issues are addressed in a spirit of solidarity – emphasizing collective actions but also sharing resources. Photo: Members of the Herero and Nama communities take part in the Reparation Walk 2019, holding a poster that reads, ‘Genocide does not expire’, to honour the victims of the German colonial power over the country and to demand reparation from the German state. Swakopmund, Namibia. Credit: Christian Ender/Getty Images [7] This was first published in Castellino, J., ‘Towards putting human rights law at the behest of global movements seeking structural change’, ECCHR Annual Report 2021, ECCHR, Berlin, 2022, pp. 28-35. Support us Education and training Extractives and natural resources Manufacturing and logistics Slavery and its legacy Sign up to Minority rights Group International's newsletter to stay up to date with the latest news and publications. A company limited by guarantee in the UK no. 1544957 Terms and Conditions Advocacy Training Image credits We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking 'Accept', you consent to the use of all the cookies. Manage consent This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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VTG will always consider the safety of the clients as our highest priority. Any practical training conducted exposes clients to a degree of physical and psychological pressure which is an important part of the learning process. While this pressure is critical, we will always carefully monitor the mental and physical state of each client. If we believe a client is having an adverse reaction or the client wishes to end their training, that client will be removed to a safe location immediately. We will also have trained medical and psychological support on hand during the course of practical exercises. You may also be interested in Get in Touch After years of participating on & teaching human interaction courses VTG was formed in 2016 to go beyond traditional teaching techniques. The combined experience of our Instructors and Associates enables us to offer a superior training model, carefully prepared to suit your unit, team or workplace. phone +64 4 974 8950 email [email protected] social media follow us © Copyright Virtus Training Group (VTG)	1,101
“Then they said to him, ‘Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?’ He said: ‘I am “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord.”‘” The subtitle for this passage of Scripture caught my attention. It reads, A Voice in the Wilderness. A Voice in the Wilderness. Think about it. Have you ever felt so overwhelmed and confused that you felt lost – defeated – by the approaching darkness? But then, a voice, strong and clear, called to me, “Nan, it is I, the Lord, your Adonai. I will make a way in this wilderness where there seems to be no way. Follow the sound of my voice. I will lead you to the Light.” This is exactly what John the Baptist was doing in these verses. He was calling out to the people, preparing them to receive their Lord, their Adonai. “I am the voice Isaiah spoke of many years ago, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of Adonai; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'” It was customary during this time for the road to be smoothed and leveled in preparation for a visit from the king of the province. Hence, the phrase, “Make straight the way of the Lord (the King). John was saying, “The King is coming. Prepare the way to receive Him by cleansing your heart, repenting of your sins. Remove any obstacles that will prevent His coming to reign in you.” An interesting cross reference is Proverbs 3:6, “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” Direct. Yashar (Yah-shar), “to make straight, right, pleasing, good.” “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall yashar (make smooth or straight) your paths. John said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make yashar the way of the Lord.” When we acknowledge Him as Lord, in all things, it indicates a deep relationship. When He is Lord – Adonai – it means He has total possession of me and I am totally submitted to Him as my Master. I am His and He is mine. And I recognize His voice calling to me in the wilderness. Adonai, Open our ears that we might hear, our eyes that we might see Your approaching Glory. Your Light shines bright in our darkness lighting our paths. Help us to remove anything in our lives that prevent You from being the One True God. We praise You, Father. We thank You for never leaving us, nor forsaking us. You are beautiful beyond description. Rate: PreviousIt is No Dream, Our God is Near About The Author God has called me to help you find Him in your darkest hour. Through the written word and the spoken voice of my heart, I will share with you how to recognize God’s Presence with you always—through good and bad, through joy and sorrow, through peace and anguish. He promises to never forsake us, to never leave us. God’s Presence is not contingent on our attitude. I have learned that we are surrounded by His Presence every moment of every day—even when it feels as if we’ve been abandoned. Our God is faithful. Related Posts July 31, 2014 February 17, 2015 February 9, 2011 November 10, 2010 Angela J. Patrick on September 14, 2010 at 12:51 am Nan, a lot of this that you described sounds a lot like how I'm feeling, but I still don't know what to think yet! I have been praying, reading the Bible every night, but I still feel so far away from him, but I think that maybe the devil is wanting me to feel that way. I want you to know though your blogs are such a blessing, and so encouraging and the scripture references really helps!! Thanks, for your devotionals!! Love, Angie Nan Jones on September 14, 2010 at 11:23 pm Angie, I am so thankful Morning Glory is helping you. That is an answer to my prayer. We will continue to pray for you. Did you know that as a Believer in Jesus, you have authority over Satan? You do! I would like for you to prayerfully consider reminding Satan that you are a child of God, washed in the Blood of Jesus. Tell him that you know he is "the father of lies" and tell him that "God is not a God of confusion, but a God of peace." Then, out loud, say, "Jesus, You are Lord of my life. You are my Savior. My life belongs to You and You alone." Then begin to thank Him for your salvation. And let the tears flow. He will heal your heart and draw you to Himself. Love you Angie! Angela J. Patrick on September 15, 2010 at 12:26 am Nan you and David are such great friends you don't know how much it means to me to have such wonderful friends like you guys to talk too, and know that they are praying for you!!! Thanks again for your encourging words!! You guys are such a blessing to us!!! We will continue to pray for you guys and your transition to Ashe also!!! We can't wait!!! Love, Angie Nan Jones on September 15, 2010 at 10:36 pm We feel the same about you, Angie. You are a blessing. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. I’m Nan! 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NETWORK and 18 other advocacy organizations from different faith traditions recently sent a letter urging Congress to fully fund the Census Bureau in preparation for the 2020 Census. The census is an issue of concern for people of faith because: Communities of color, people experiencing poverty, immigrants, young children, and rural residents are often undercounted in the census, which decreases these communities’ access to federal funding and proportional representation The Census Bureau needs increased funding in FY 2017 to complete testing to improve accuracy in counting these populations in preparation for the 2020 Census. Uncertainty about funding has already prompted the Bureau to cancel the 2017 Puerto Rico census test and both field sites for the 2017 census test (American Indian reservations and tribal lands in Washington and North/South Dakota) We need the 2020 Census to be modern, accurate, and equitable so that Congressional districts, federal programs, and policies are better equipped to meet the needs of the country Download PDF here. November 10, 2016 Chairman Committee on Appropriations Honorable Nita Lowey Ranking Member Committee on Appropriations Dear Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Lowey: We, the undersigned faith organizations and members of the Interreligious Working Group on Domestic Human Needs, urge you to increase funding for the U.S. Census Bureau to match the President’s $1.634 billion budget request in the House and Senate Commerce, Justice, and Science bills. Our faith traditions compel us to care for those most in need, and providing adequate funding for an effective 2020 Census is a crucial prerequisite for federal policies and programs to respond to the needs of marginalized communities. A failure to provide adequate funding for the Census Bureau will not only impact the effectiveness of the Census, but also cost taxpayers billions of dollars as the Census Bureau is forced to fall back on more costly counting methods of the past. These outdated methods tend to undercount communities of color, people experiencing poverty, immigrants, young children, and rural residents, which decreases these communities’ access to federal funding and proportional representation. If the Bureau does not receive increased funding in FY2017 to conduct necessary tests and prepare for 2020, we fear that these gaps in the Census will persist. Some of the reasons our community of faith supports an effective and equitable 2020 Census include: The 2020 Census will determine the allocation of $415 billion for the implementation of federal programs Census data is used to monitor and enforce important federal programs such as the Job Training Partnership Act, the Older Americans Act, and the Civil Rights Act Undercounting communities reduces their political representation and decreases their share of federal funding and support, further A poorly-funded Census will negatively affect all, but particularly those most in need who will go uncounted if the Census Bureau cannot adequately prepare Uncertainty about Congressional appropriations has already caused the Census Bureau to halt plans for important tests in FY2017. These tests were intended to prepare the Bureau to accurately count communities that have been undercounted in the past, such as Native American reservations and non-English-speaking communities. The impact of cutting these crucial tests will be felt by marginalized communities. It is unacceptable that Congressional inaction would force the Census Bureau to water down the Constitutional requirement of conducting a decennial census. Stakeholders including state and local governments, businesses, civil rights organizations, housing and child advocates, and research organizations have voiced the need for a modern and accurate 2020 Census. As an interreligious community of organizations, we join in to urge you to support an equitable Census as a moral obligation. Our faith traditions teach that all humans possess inherent dignity—that everybody counts—and therefore we believe that nobody should go uncounted in our democracy. Funding the Census Bureau at the recommended amount of $1.634 billion is an important step in protecting and strengthening the 2020 Census.	4,408
In in the years we have been rescuing and rehabilitating native birds we never had an Owlet -nightjar come into care .One of the most common and widespread of Australia’s nocturnal birds, the smallest found here. It occurs throughout Australia and its islands, as well as southern New Guinea. We had a call from a guy we know in town. He and a crew had been wood chopping and a bird had fallen from a tree hollow. It was stunned so they put it in a box and kept it warm and called us when they got back to town saying they had a baby kookaburra that need care. I went into town to collect it. It was tiny , much smaller than a feathered baby kooka would have been. It weighed a meagre 36grams. The right shoulder had a graze and bruising but no apparent breaks and was quite feisty! The preferred habitat of the Australian Owlet-nightjar is a tree-studded area where there are suitable hollows. During the day it roosts in hollow branches and tree trunks. The birds form permanent bonds, and pairs occupy the same territory throughout the year. The bird came from about 100k away from us in the thick of bushland and that’s where it needed to be returned to. Owlet-nightjars feed at night on a variety of insects. Birds will take flying prey, or will pounce on prey either on the ground or in trees. Hunting takes place within a territory and normally in pairs. The Owlet-nightjars watch for food while in flight, or by sitting and searching from a suitable perch. A pair raise one brood per season, both build the nest. A bed of green leaves, placed in a suitable tree hollow or rock crevice. Both birds also incubate the eggs and care for the chicks. As we were worried about the partner left behind it was a blessing the wing healed quickly . Also we were worried that we would not be able to feed in care but he/she thought small chunks of hearts rolled in insectivore was a tasty morsel and open throat wide to take in and consume! From 36-39grams while in care . That tucker is O.K.! With very good instructions on the pick up point we went just before dusk and set up a good hollow log in the fork of a tree where the little birds was placed. The next day the log was empty so we hope the mate was found and they both prosper. Posted in Uncategorized Posted on September 11, 2022 by wildlife Seeing animals that you have raised from babies return briefly to show you how well they doing makes it all worthwhile. Duke (already named when passed to me) & The Worm (named because she was a wriggler) were here as babies and raised together. They came in at the end 2017 and were free living in early 2019. Duke and Worm free living but still hanging around the homestead. Nov 2019 Wormie came for a brief visit with a baby in the pouch and Duke also. Duke was to young to have fathered a baby but he had clearly found Worm. Wormie visits with baby in pouch and Duke in tow ! So wonderful to see that despite losing her own mother she had become one and was successful. She returned again in 2020 and 2021. A beautiful healthy baby Then sometime later night visit , look at that big baby now and big mama! We still see Duke who is a big buck now and also Billy who is enormous . Billy is about 12 years old now and appears occasionally and sometimes Duke is with him ” the bachelors ” . Billy now – just thought id pop in and eat some of this grain , as I remember it was quite good stuff! Posted in Uncategorized Posted on August 24, 2022 by wildlife After the swampies came Sam was alone and I had him back in the smaller pen in the house paddock. I felt very sorry that he was alone . Jo, one of my very capable colleagues who lives in Singleton and cares for many macropods offered to give me two greys that were around the 4500gram weight. Smaller than Sam who about 6500 grams at this stage ,but they would have been O.K. I was to nervous to bring any more greys here at that time so I declined , now I think I should have ……… I tried introducing Sammy to the swampies.Sammy seemed to like them but they were so small by comparison and they were nervous when he was around .They clearly speak a different language .If I took Sam into the pen they would become unsettled so I decided it wasn’t a good idea. Sam wasn’t locked up during the day if I was home and he knew when I would go into the swampies to feed them. I often tried to sneak in but he always sniffed me out and he would hop around the outside. It was sometimes distressing for me and clearly for Sam but I thought once I came out and took him off for a nice long bush walk which he loved he would be fine. Sam bush walk march 2022 It did appear that he was O.K. as he continued to thrive and looked beautiful and healthy. By the end of March Sam was almost 10kilo. Sam March 2022 Suddenly he began to show signs of decline .It started by not drinking all his milk. As he was almost 10kilo and I thought he was weaning (I’ve never had a grey that weaned themselves before but had heard that it does happen) A week later and he wasn’t drinking at all .I thought maybe thrush but wasn’t really convinced. .I tried Nilstat for 4 days but no improvement and in that short time he was eating hardly any grass and no support food. I got a gram stain done and found he had intestinal thrush. Treated with fluconazole as per directions for macropods. Despite that treatment he became thinner and weaker ,lost 2.5 kilo in a matter of days and refused to eat at all. I tried various foods with a syringe . Beautiful Sam sleeping in the sun March 2022 Sam sick , lost condition , quickly. He was very thirsty but could hardly stand and hop by now. Ted continued to do gram stains and no thrush was eventually present in his poo. Ted could hear his heart was not beating as it should. He could hardly stand and also developed mild inhalation pneumonia even though I had tried to be very careful. He received a 3 day acting antibiotic injection but showed no improvement and still refused to eat. The day he died he could not stand . Ted did a post mortem which showed vitamin E deficiency, pneumonia in his lungs and white muscle disease due to lack of exercise. Kidney and liver O.K. at that stage. He had extremely bad thrush at the very back of his tongue. In conclusion I believe that due to lack of experience I did not pick up he was sick when he stopped drinking all his milk. If I had and acted sooner I may have saved him. Also he must have been very stressed without me realizing. Stress is a bad enemy of greys.He had to be moved to a smaller pen when the others in his group got cocci and died but he still had a friend then who I thought was going to pull through but she didn’t. I used to take him walking and he was semi free range spending lots of time in the house yard and bush walking with me.Lots of red-kneck wallabies live in and around our house paddock so Sam did have other macropods around all the time. Red-necks and greys can be raised in an enclosure together .I could sometimes hear Sam running up and down the outside of the swampie enclosure when I was in there. It must have been more stressing for him than I realised. I feel absolutely wretched and in hindsight can see all the things I did wrong. It never crossed my mind that a 10 kilo grey looking so robust would get thrush . If I had taken the 2 smaller greys from Jo maybe things would have turned out better but the fear of them getting cocci also kept me from bringing them here. last picture of Sammy Sam could have picked up thrush from spores but I think given what he had been through , losing all his friends and Nikki who he had been with since about 2 kilo then having to share me with the swampies was to much stress. I probably should have just kept him and given him total attention.I did my best and nursed him around the clock for the last 3 weeks but it was not good enough. Sammy died on Mon 4th April 2022. I still feel so very sad when I think of him, frequently. I miss him. I’m so sorry beautiful boy. I used to sing this to Sammy when we were walking /hopping Oh, Sammy boy, the Bucks , the Bucks are calling From glen to glen, and down the mountain side. It’s you, it’s you must go and I must bide. Posted in Uncategorized Kashik Kadifie and Kei come to live at Wombat Creek Posted on August 21, 2022 by wildlife 19 Jan 2022 – 3 Swamp Wallabies were coming to us from Judy – Hunter Wildlife . Only two ended up here on that day as Kei had a broken foot which had still not healed and had to stay in smaller confinement with Judy till her foot healed. Kashik, a male weighed 2820grams and Kadifie ,a female 2890grams. Kashik with mum Judy on intake. Finally some hair. They were drinking milk morning and evening. Swamp Wallabies eat native browse so a bucket in the centre of the shed was set up full of all the clippings they like to eat. Some favourites are Casuarina, Kurrajong and Melaleuca. Their top favourite is River Willow considered a notorious pest by some but has another role now. As the climate has got warmer for temperature-sensitive animals, their dense, leafy canopy may make willows the lesser of two evils . Is that all for us? May as well tuck in then. I had never had Swampies in care before so wasn’t sure what to expect. These two were going into the large pen that the Greys had been in when they got cocci. Swampies are not susceptible to cocci like Greys which is why I agreed to take them. The pen had been set up for Greys so it was fortunate Judy came and explained Swamp Wallaby behaviour. We immediately had to completely fill in any gaps , tiny as they were, under gates or at the sides off. These little creatures are fast and expert escape artists, also experts at hiding. Consequently the pen should be set up so they have “hides” and ideally should have long grasses. The grass in the pen was short, ideal for grazing greys. Larry constructed some hides and dragged enormous logs into the pen for them to jump on and over. Once the grass grew they loved it and began hiding under it and could not be found if that’s what they choose!! The fences surrounding the pen are 6′ high and the gate which closes off the smaller area to the large pen is 4′. The pen is approx. 75metres square.When the 4′ gate is closed the area encompassing the shed is approx. 30x15metres. Their shed in this area approx. 6×3 metres. Initially we kept them in the part of the pen which housed their shed and could be closed off by the 4′ gate. This was until they accepted me as mum and would come from the larger area once they heard me come in with their bottles. It took a couple of weeks and they settled in well then had the run of the entire pen coming to their shed for bottles or almonds! All macropods and wombats we have had in care love raw almonds. They also had a hide in the shed which was a table with a large towel draped around it! Kashik used the table top more to leap up and down rather than the hide , show off! Do ya think I’m cute? Eventually Kei’s foot healed with Judy’s patient TLC. Judy was worried about Kei coming as she had been confined for so long and had not been able to be transferred at the correct time. Would the other 2 accept her again as part of the group and how would she adjust to me being older than desirable for a carer change?The 1st of March Judy came with Kei and stayed a couple of nights to try and get her settled.The 3 of them were all around 3500 grams at the time .They were all still drinking morn & eve bottles. We closed off the gate thinking it would be best to keep Kei in the smaller area to begin with so we could see her .We thought Kashik & Kadifie wouldn’t like being confined to the smaller area but they seemed fine. Kei wouldn’t come near Judy after she was set free in there.Judy tried everything to get her to drink her bottle but she refused.There was lots of grass and native browse in there so we thought she would be O.K. Lots of people wean their macropods before I do. I prefer to keep them drinking their formula for as long as possible as I believe it’s good for them. After a couple of days Judy had to leave and trusted I would do my best with Kei. Once Judy had gone the heavy rain started, thunder booming and lightning striking for a couple of days and nights.Swampies don’t mind the wet but they are startled by loud noises.When I went in the next day, no Kei!. She had obviously jumped the 4 ft gate . I did find her after extensive searching and spent the next week crawling around on my belly to make sure I wasn’t a tall intimidating figure, with outstretched arm holding her milk bottle toward her. After persevering she accepted the bottle and loved drinking her milk again. I can’t say it was a very comfortable experience for me but it paid off and a week later she was coming to the shed with the other 2 for her milk and accepted me as her carer. Bribing her with almonds helped!! I have to say it made me happy and I felt pleased with my efforts.Occasionally they were allowed a bad treat! Just around this time my Sammy became very ill. A terrible time which I will write about in my next post. By mid April the 3 Ks all aprox. 5650grams , all still on morn & eve milk but no longer liked being picked up and weighed. By mid June they were only on a small amount of evening milk then a couple of weeks totally weaned.All around the 7kilo mark and ready to go free. Big juvenile, ready to go. I released them early in July .Kashik hung around for a day then disappeared. The girls never left the pen till night time and we never saw them after that for about 4 weeks. One morning I looked out the window and there was 1 of them in the front yard. I went out with almonds and called .It was Kei and she came over to me and ate several almonds. I had a repeat that eve and the next morning but havent seen her since. Kei visits – Would you like some almonds? Yes please, yum ,yum , missed my almonds! We have spotted another one in the adjoining paddock and Larry saw two of them at dusk moving like streaked lightning past the front of the house and enter their old pen.All the gates are open so they can come and go as they please. They are obviously all thriving and enjoying their return to the wild.! Posted in Uncategorized Posted on July 9, 2022 by wildlife 13th Dec 2021 we had 2 wombats bought to go into the wombat pen. Larry to be the carer of these two. Eddie & Ivy came from our colleague Meg . Meg had rescued Ivy and had her in care since she was about 2kilo. She put out phone calls to get Ivy a friend and eventually got Eddie passed to her. It took ages and by then these little bulldozers were about 5kilo. Eddie was about 1k heavier than Ivy and Meg thought he was a bit intimidating for Ivy with his very rough play. She put a divider into the area she had them in so they could see each other but didn’t like to leave them in the same area together without supervision.As they were coming here to go into our wombat pen together she did eventually put them together but by this time they had hit 10k Eddie and 9k Ivy.Wombats should really be buddied at about 3.5 – 4 kilo. When they came they were still on milk and Meg had been bottle feeding them once a day , eve. Eddie soon made friends with Larry but Ivy would not show herself at all. Eddie wrecked his teat immediately and was so rough he would yank the teat off the bottle . As Ivy wouldn’t come out Larry decided to put 200mls of milk into a bowl every night.We used a night ops camera to observe them and they were both drinking. milk drinking Strangely enough it was Eddie who got attacked on his rump by Ivy a few weeks in and ended up with a large patch of missing fur but no wounds .A couple of weeks later she clawed a hole in behind his ear , quite deep but Larry was able to treat every night with antibiotic cream. Cleary Ivy had decided she needed to show her strength to this roughster! Eddie healed up everywhere but had no fur on his rump for ages. Ivy always has some some claw marks on her back and a couple of small patches were Eddie is rough but generally looking good .These 2 not the perfect pair!! poor Eddie – rump patch inflicted by Ivy! If we had a choice we would have kept them separated but not having the facility that did not happen at the time . We have now received a small grant from Wombat Protection Society to help with building a larger pen. It will have divisions giving us a choice of separating wombats when needed. harmony sometimes Ivy has scratches on rump inflicted by Eddie! They soon munched up most of the growing grass and Larry provides them with a big bag of fresh grass every night , a big plate of coolshine nuts and almonds for a treat ,which they love. yum yum lookie here – lovely fresh grass Larry cant start building with Eddie & Ivy in the pen.He will start once they are soft released which we hope will be in about 8 weeks. There is a flap in the back of the pen which will be unlocked so they can go in and out .They will be support feed initially until they decide they would rather not come back at all!! Posted in Uncategorized Posted on June 28, 2022 by wildlife I have put off writing this post as I still feel so very sad when I think of my lovely little group. Late Nov it started raining and just kept raining for days and days into Dec. The paddock we had built the large pen in took the brunt and all the rain cascading down the hills came to rest there .The ground was soaked and the waters ran in under the bottom of the shed soaking the ground in there also. This was totally unexpected as was the magnitude of the rainfall.Trying to clean up all the faeces in the shed was very difficult as being wet would dissolve into the ground and cleaning up the faeces in the enormous paddock , impossible. I had never experienced any greys with coccidiosos before but had heard of how awful it was and heart breaking . I never thought that it would occur here but that is what happened. Nikki suddenly very quickly went downhill. If I had seen it before I may have recognised the symptoms before she started bleeding.She wouldn’t drink and then I noticed she had blood in her bag. I did have Nikki on coccivet as a preventative as soon as she came into my care but unfortunately Nikki had a compromised immune system due to a rough start and I should have had her on a larger daily doze .Another thing I have learnt , in hindsight. The greys that came from Jasmine had been started on coccivet (amprolium) a couple of weeks before they came here on the minimum dose as that’s what I thought would be O.K. What I should have done was given all 5 a higher daily doze immediately they all went into care all together in the pen. Something I never knew before is that coccivet can be given at 10 times the daily amount stated if need be. It may have saved them once rain began. Baycox is a treatment that is used for pigs to keep coccidiosis at bay and it is the treatment that for years wildlife carers have used for macropods. Baycox is the only treatment we have available that can kill oocysts if it is caught in time which is not usually the case because once the animal has presented with symptoms its more often to late .Baycox is not a preventative. I had heard that Baycox is a harsh agent and can weaken the animals defences if over used, I have no idea if this is really so.Coccivet is said to be a preventive but there is much debate around that also. One thing I do know is that it doesn’t harm the animal and i will continue to use it for any greys I have in care. After much reading and talking with other carers my opinion is that baycox has not provided much success as a treatment because its usually to late once we notice what is wrong but its all we have. Despite my efforts and use of baycox as advised Nikki died mid December.She had been Sam’s closest companion for months. I treated the other 4 with baycox also but to late. The next day later in the afternoon I found Handsome dead in his bag. That morning he was fine , eating , hoping and drinking all his milk. I took his body straight to Ted who did a post mortem. Handsome showed no signs of having coccidiosis but had a fractured skull. Handsome had filled out in his time here and he had accepted me as his “mum” .He was walking around with me outside the pen and loving it. We determined he must have been hopping very fast around inside the paddock and something must have scared him causing him to run headlong into one of the posts or a tree . He had got back to his bag and died.It was so very sad.He was a gorgeous boy and very affectionate. A couple of days later Precious showed signs of having coccidiosis and even though I moved quicker with her I couldn’t save her. I moved Sammy and Miss Margaret out of the large pen and decided to spell it for at least 6 mths. I moved Sammy and Miss M into my smaller pen. They both seemed fine and they had bonded well. A couple of days went by and then Miss M showed signs of coccidiosis.I treated her as advised and Sam also even though he seemed fine. Sam showed no signs of illness at any time. He had been on coccivet since very young. I always drop a bit of dirt and grass into the bag and start my greys on coccivet at that point. As Sam had grown up here from a little pinky he also hadn’t had the stress of moving to a new place and a new ‘mum”. Stress is one of the worst enemies of grey kangaroos. I took Miss M out of the pen and bought her inside .She seemed to rally and I thought all was well but she went downhill again a couple of days later and died on Dec 29th. Poor Sammy was alone. I was offered a couple of other greys a bit younger than him but I was to nervous and upset to bring anymore here at that point in time.I decided that I would just spend more time with Sammy.I used to have breakfast with him then we would go off for a bush walk.He seemed quite happy to go into his pen and have a good sleep as it was hot during the day. I would give him his evening milk about 6pm take him for a walk about then he would stay around in the house paddock with the red-necks till about 8pm when I would put him into his pen for the night. He had a stuffed pillow hanging from a tree in the pen that he practised jumping and kicking with. I was advised to treat him every 3 weeks with baycox. I didn’t feel comfortable with this but the advise was from someone far more knowledgeable than me so I followed it.Sammy continued to grow and thrive and we were constant companions. Sam Feb 2022 – 8 kilo standing at my I got a call from the macropod co asking me if I would be willing to take 3 Swamp wallabies .Swamp wallabies are not susceptible to coccidiosis and could go into my large pen.I eventually decided that I would as the big pen was a good space for them. Posted in Uncategorized Posted on June 17, 2022 by wildlife Sunday 14th Nov was a big day . Jasmine came to Wombat Creek and bought her 3 little greys to move in with Sammy and Nikki. Handsome , a boy ,Precious and Miss Margaret two girls. She had them for 31/2 months , hard to part with them but they needed more space. 5 babies in bed Handsome was a tall lanky fellow weighing 4895 grams. He settled in well , loved his milk and within a few days was taking advantage of the large space covering lots of area with long bounds when we would all go out walking in the pen. Miss Margaret also settled in well and I felt that she and Nikki recognised each other as Michelle had them together as very young ones before passing Nikki to me and then Miss M to Jasmine a bit later.Miss M was a bit younger than Nikki. She was 4255 grams when she came here.She was a slower milk drinker than the others and even with coaxing often never drunk all her formula. She loved cuddles and always wanted to be close to me.These 2 would always stay around with me while I had my lunch in the pen. My lunch spot Precious was also tall and lanky and was the heavier of the 3, 4995 grams. She was more aloof and was a bit of a loner but they all got along well and settled in, They all started to fill out and look better than on intake , enjoying the space of the large pen. Although they were all together I spent quite a bit of time with them in the mornings and evenings. They liked it after I had given them all their milk to go out into the pen with me for as long as I could stay. Sam was whirlwind and he didn’t care who was in the shed and who was out in the paddock.He spent hours out there grazing and didn’t care if he was out there till all hours of the night well after the others had come back to shed and hopped into their bags! I thought because I hadn’t had these 3 as younger babies they wouldn’t bond to me the same way so I wouldn’t be able to take them outside of the pen. They proved me wrong and after about 3 weeks I was able to take them out. I couldn’t take them all together of course as notable to keep an eye on all of them if something scared them and they all scattered.I would take 1 or 2 depending on who let me know they wanted to come! It was great and they all loved their walks outside. Grazing in the pen In the pen Posted in Uncategorized Posted on May 29, 2022 by wildlife 28th June 2021 Larry and I went to Singleton to Michelle and Ron’s place. They are both hardworking dedicated carers. It was lovely to meet them and see the little ones Michelle had in care. Michelle had very kindly agreed that Nikki could come to me to be a buddy for Sammy. Nikki came in to Michelle 9/5/2021 weighing 560g on intake. The next day she was taken to RSPCA vet Singleton for a check. She had damaged back legs and a wheezy chest. Given x- ray for legs , no permanent damage , soft tissue swelling but with normal bone opacity, growth plates evident no abnormalities detected. She was given injectable antibiotics for pneumonia and cream given to Michelle to apply to bruising on her legs . Panadol was used for leg pain and also later used meloxicam for pain but switched back to Panadol .Poor little Nikki, a lot to go through at that early stage of development. Bad enough to lose mum’s natural immunoglobulins which in marsupials carry on for an extended period of time during lactation. Antibiotics really mess up gut flora in marsupials but unfortunately sometimes necessary. No water was given by Michelle with milk formula as she was told it was not needed. Wombaroo milk replacement is a very concentrated form of food ,it’s not fluid. Universal milk formulas are very diluted and already have a large quantity of water in the made up milk. Mum’s milk would depend on weather conditions .Example – her milk would change to a more watery consistency in very warm weather. The correct amount of water should be added to milk feed at the time of feeding. Michelle used vytrate for hydration and scouring. Michelle was instructed to give Nikki yoghurt with each feed consistently from 5/6/2021 until transfer to me on 28/6/2021.This was to help restore gut flora. I do believe in the use of yoghurt, but only in moderation .Macropods are lactose intolerant and lactose can lead to blindness. I always use impact when I have a young joey in care and I believe it could have been very beneficial for Nikki if Michelle had been advised to use it. Sam now flat fur coming through – getting his daily doze of sun Nikki weighed 1525 grams when transferred to me. Michelle had been having continual problems with her gut but felt she was on the mend when passed to me. The switch to another carer must have had a negative effect on her. Her faces was sloppy and she didn’t pellet. my daily wash ! Grey kangaroos are very easily stressed. I began giving Nikki some water and also used impact , she continued gaining weight but continued to produce sloppy faeces. Her faeces then became green but controlled ,this determined it was not thrush. She also started losing weight. I called Lynda who thought that the problem was that her system had been compromised and she had depleted gut flora. Lynda got me to use colloidal silver,10ml between each meal and after 2 days her faeces started forming, after 4 days she started pelleting , eating well again and gaining weight. Although she looked well and settled into a happy little joey she would probably always have a compromised immune system. The colloidal silver worked well for Nikki .I have used it with other joeys but not with the same success. Sammy and Nikki became firm buddies and thrived on being together. Sam and Nikki happy together Sam and Nikki now starting to eat grass . roots and dirt Once the little guys start eating grass I put them on a daily doze of coccivet. Greys are susceptible to coccidiosis which is an intestinal tract infection caused by a single-celled organism (a protozoa) called coccidia. Coccivet (amprolium) is used as a preventative for this awful disease. Greys are the most easily stressed and the most complex of all kangaroo species. Wet weather conditions make it very hard to keep the ground clear of faeces when the animals are confined in care if rain becomes very heavy. Coccidiosis is contracted by ingesting contaminated faeces. Sam and Nikki were happy and well adjusted.They continued to thrive and eventually moved to the outside pen which they loved. They would come walking with me everyday and we were having a great time. I got a call asking me if I would take another 3 greys about the same size and make a group. 5 grey kangaroos would have been to many in my small pen. Larry and I decided we would build a large pen and take the other 3.It is hard for people to find suitable soft release areas and kangaroos must be moved on from backyards once they reach a certain age. My initial reluctance was that I hadn’t raised the others from a young age and I wouldn’t be able to bush walk them as they would not think of me as “mum” . Sam and Nikki loved their walks , however I thought that maybe they would enjoy being part of a group more ….I had never had more than 2 together and have always been told that a group of greys is better so the decision was made. The building began and with the help of our friend and neighbour Ken he & Larry completed the pen in the next month.We moved Sam and Nikki into it to get them used to being in there. They were aprox. 4500grams . Niki finding her “hop”showing off – Sam watching Posted in Uncategorized Posted on May 16, 2022 by wildlife Sat 24th April 2021 – Larry decided to go to Merriwa Races with some friends. As they approached the entry a car a couple in front hit a grey kangaroo on the road.She was a young mother with a joey in pouch . Larry immediately went to the scene but the poor mother had died with the impact but little pinkie in pouch alive. He removed the baby and wrapped him to keep him warm , hopefully maintaining mum’s body temp, then drove back home 30ks with joey which he gave to me and told me he had already named him Sam. Sam was aprox. 500 grams which made him about 4 mths old. A newborn joey is about the size of a peanut . He was so fragile , ears almost flat and eyes still closed , a tiny little creature. So started my love a fair with Sammy!! I was terrified of either having his body temp to hot or to cold . I used a hot water bottle and monitored temp with a digital thermometer. The temp never stays even for long so it’s a continuous process of moving heat and padding around. I had been reading about getting a pet incubator as heard they are very good. I decided that as they needed to be on continuously wouldn’t be good here as we are off grid and use only solar. In hindsight I have asked myself many times why I didn’t just have him attached to me all the time in a small bag close to my body for body heat and so he could hear my heartbeat. I did that with the first grey joey I raised ‘Bozzo”. I have realised that I listen a lot to other people and I quite often doubt myself imagining that others are always going to know better . People say that you shouldn’t handle a joey all the time and I do agree but having joey in a bag attached to one’s self so they are getting your natural body heat is quite different. I wish I had done that with Sam as it was 100% effective with Bozzo. Naturally you have to have a warm place on the ready where you put baby when necessary. applying pawpaw over Sam’s pink skin fuless skin – you can see how small he is ! After a few days Sam began to feed quite well .By the 10th May he was sucking his teat independently for his milk and I was able to stop syringe feeding.He had put on weight and was now aprox. 670grams .I transitioned him to a slightly stronger milk formula. This happens naturally in mum’s pouch. The inside of the pouch is warm, nearly fur-less, and has four nipples that supply milk with different nutrient levels. The pouch is lined with sweat glands that release antimicrobial fluid to protect the joey from germs, viruses and parasites. How amazing they are! Because joeys are naturally kept at a high humidity in the pouch I used pawpaw ointment to rub over Sammy’s pink furless skin to keep it from drying out. I noticed Sam’s heels had small patches where the leathery skin wasn’t covering. This worried me a bit so I called Lynda who said to stop using flannel inner bags, as they draw the moisture, and change to single knit jersey.She said she didn’t think it would be a lingering problem and to spread the pawpaw onto his heels frequently. She said Sam was probably a restless little fellow and turned himself a lot in his bag , rubbing his delicate little heels. Lynda was correct and eventually he grew the leathery covering he needed. Sam continued to grow and by the time he was 1500 grams I thought I would see if I could get another little joey so he didn’t have to grow up alone. Sam having a big stretch Sam May 11th. He will soon have a friend. Sam likes his dummy! I made a call to the macropod Wildlife Aid macropod co to ask if someone might have a little joey in care about Sam’s weight they would let me have as a buddy for Sammy. Michelle very kindly allowed me to have Nikki.Michelle had 3 little ones in care as at that time . Posted in Uncategorized After the Drought and Fire Posted on July 25, 2021 by wildlife Larry and I both felt exhausted after things got back to some normality .Driving miles to find some grass, constantly feeding support food and cleaning up became a thing of the past. After Wally , Che and Raul had all left to live their wild existence we really felt like we needed a break. We only took on a Magpie Oct 2020 who was in a bad way .he stayed with us for 6 weeks and made a full recovery and flew off which was good. By April 2021 we decided it was time to start taking in some wildlife that needed care once again. We were no longer members of WIRES as being in the wrong demographic we couldn’t access any support from them and the cost of the animals we had been caring for over the years and then during the drought had taken a financial toll on us. The Wildlife group in this area is Wildlife Aid. We had made inquiries a couple of years earlier about the possibility of joining this group and we went to Muswellbrook to meet the couple that were running things. We didn’t find their practises agreeable to things we believed so decided not to apply for membership. When the drought was on I had run a fun raiser on Facebook and I received a message from Meg who was one of the committee members of Wildlife Aid .It was encouraging us to join them. Being part of a group has many benefits for the animals and us if part of a good network. We decided to take another look so put some application forms in. We found that there had been a restructure and the people that had put us off were no longer involved in the group .Our applications were accepted and we are now part of a lovely group of people all trying to do their best to help wildlife.	36,548
When looking for local movers in Blacksburg, VA look no further than Dunmar Moving Services. Dunmar is a full-service organization that has been in the moving and storage industry since 1970. Did you know that we offer customizable commercial and residential services? Our dedicated Blacksburg movers offer a plethora of customizable commercial and residential services. Being affiliated with the Allied Van Lines, and with Virginia Intrastate authority, Dunmar can serve the international, national, and local customers. Our Main Services Include: Logistics and Last Mile Freight Delivery and Freight Storage However, we offer other specialized services within our main categories. With the help of sister companies, Dunmar has succeeded in expanding its original services to incorporate record management and exhibit services for the business community and tradeshow industry respectively. Our dedicated Blacksburg movers also offer these services to its customers, in addition to other commercial and residential services. Moreover, we are highly appreciated and recognized by Allied Van Lines as one of its most established booking and hauling agents. In addition to the local and long distance services, our company in Blacksburg, VA is dedicated to offering our clients with a top-notch moving experience that allows them to sit back and relax knowing that all their heavy lifting is taken care of. Dunmar has the facilities, tools, and experience to help in any of your storage or moving needs. Additionally, Dunmar Moving Services stands out among other companies in Blacksburg, VA by offering long- and short-term storage solutions. Whether it’s temporary storage when in between moves or it’s a more permanent solution for your belongings, we have an industry-leading facility that is designed to cater to these kinds of needs. At Dunmar, our full moving and storage services make it possible for us to offer the best quality services to our clients. With our dedicated Blacksburg movers to support your needs, we are certain that you’ll not be disappointed with what our experts have to offer. If you have any questions regarding our services, feel free to give us a call. You can also contact our experts for a free no-obligation estimate.	2,366
Since 2006, Move With Grace has been known for an unparalleled commitment to offering healing services like group & private yoga, pilates and dance classes and educating our community about healthy foods to remedy ailing minds and bodies. We are now living with new standards of public health, interpersonal connections and hopefully building compassion towards those we do not even know by treating ourselves well and interact with the world in a healthy way. We encourage your to We will be streaming classes online and offering videos to keep your workouts fresh. Thank you for keeping our community alive and for your support as we continue to go to work to support the community with our healing juices and food! Check out this page for links to get started again! In 2006 Grace Tappin opened the first yoga studio in the Clinton Hill/Fort Greene area of her hometown Brooklyn. Previously, Grace was a graduate of the Spence School and an alumni of Cornell University School of Arts & Sciences. She was a former all season athlete and dancer trained in ballet, jazz, modern and musical theatre. Her journey to teaching yoga began as an apprentice to Amma Wilson a Brooklyn yogi then year later she was certified by Yoga skills Kemetic Yoga school, Equinox Institute Pilates and Barre Intensity. Grace has been teaching yoga, meditation & awareness based practices to NYC youth and adults since 2006. Our first location at Myrtle and Washington was a humble DIY space with offerings of yoga, pilates, dance, fitness and space rental for artists and fitness entrepreneurs in need of commercial space. The business quickly grew to be known as a space that was welcoming to blossoming yoga teachers and a true community space for all ages, body types and levels of yoga experience. At the time many studios were focused on intense power vinyasa classes, so we made sure to have offerings of beginner's classes, gentle, meditation and classes for seniors. In 2006 Grace also introduced her signature class Flow & Restore™ now a popular class for yogis of all levels that combines slow vinyasa flow & restorative yoga in one class. Our juice bar located just across from the studio is curated by Grace as well. Grace's journey to healthy eating began in high school when her brother introduced her to a vegan lifestyle, ital foods and martial arts. As a yoga student she found a network of Brooklyn based holistic wellness teachers already on the path of healthy living which gave her the tools to study and practice raw food eating and juice fasting. At the time we learned about healthy eating through books & teachers! Using love & mindfulness as our pillar; Move With Grace Juice bar is dedicated to offering alternatives to processed & sugary foods for the community which suffers from high levels of diabetes and high blood pressure. We also offer the largest selection of super foods to create truly unique juices, smoothies, salads and açai bowls that are good for your unique bodies! Experience our business through quality instruction and quality juices to get 100% involved with your self-development and betterment.	3,168
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or TuneIn to stream this episode through your smartphone or tablet. Fear, Vet Med, and how our resistance has us screwing up our own lives, that's what we're talking about in Episode 34. Welcome to the Joyful DVM Podcast. I'm your host, Veterinarian, and Certified Life Coach, Cari Wise. Whether you're dealing with the challenges in Vet Med, struggling with self-confidence, or you're just trying to figure out how to create a life and a career that you actually enjoy, you'll find encouragement, education, and empowering concepts you can apply right away. Let's get started. Hey everybody. Welcome to Episode 34. By the time this podcast episode publishes, it's going to be the year 2021, and I have no idea what the world's going to be like when we actually get to this day. But I do know one thing: I know that a lot of us at the time that I'm recording this, a lot of us are feeling excited, and a lot of us are feeling a little bit scared. Both are completely normal, emotional reactions. So today, I wanted to spend some time talking about fear and specifically why feeling fear is totally normal in Veterinary Medicine. And more importantly, why resistance to fear is what gets us in the most trouble. See, fear is the most primitive emotion that we experience. It had a whole lot of use thousands of years ago. So it's usefulness, If you will, was probably thousands of years ago, because it was the mechanism by which the human species was able to stay alive. It's like any other animal species. When we feel fear, our sympathetic nervous system kicks in. You know, that fight or flight mechanism, they start to engage, and what happens with us physiologically feels like a life or death situation. This is super useful when predators are chasing you, but today, not so much. Today, we are almost never in that type of danger. Almost never in imminent threat of death. Our minds and bodies, they don't know that though. When we feel afraid, our instinct is to retreat. Fight if we have to, but getting out of the situation even better. We don't like the way that it feels to experience fear, and here's what's fascinating. Most of us are actually completely unfamiliar with actual fear. What we are experiencing most of the time is the resistance to fear. Let me explain. In the oldest areas of our brains, our lower brains, a relationship between fear and death exists. Fear was the signal that life-threatening danger was present. That signal set off what we know today to be the sympathetic nervous system - fight or flight - with the purpose of preserving life. The other way that life was preserved was to avoid dangerous situations. You know, those situations in which the emotion of fear was experienced. Now let's fast forward to today and tack on Veterinary Medicine as another factor. When an animal doesn't respond, as we anticipate to treatment, we often fear we've handled the case the wrong way, or that we've missed something. When a client becomes belligerent or even flat out accuses us of misconduct, we fear they will smear us on social media or turn us into the board. When we do any procedures such as a dog's spay or cystotomy that we haven't done often enough to be confident in our psychomotor skills, we fear we've messed up, even though we have no evidence of a mistake in most cases. And when we spend in thoughts that replay how we handled a case or a situation, we fear we might have done something wrong. Without stopping to really consider what the actual fear means, our lower brains take it and run with it leading to this conclusion: fear means the risk of death, therefore something here needs to be fixed, solved, or avoided in the future. This is the subconscious thought process, but what we are consciously aware of in those situations is how terrible it feels in any of those cases. We consciously draw our own conclusions, which typically boil down to one of just two things: another human is doing something wrong, like the belligerent client, or more often, that we've done something wrong. We then often say things like, "I just can't take this. I can't do this." And what we really mean is that we don't want to feel that way again in the future. So we get to work trying to control all the things to make sure that we never end up in a situation like this one again. Those situations are exactly the four causes of veterinary medical anxiety that I've shared before: Unexpected Outcomes, Personal Inexperience, Human Interactions, and Prior Decisions. Here's the truth: no matter what we do, we will never be able to control any of those things. Unexpected Outcomes - you can't predict the future. You can only do your best with the information and resources available. How an animal responds to treatment is dependent on its own physiology and never on you. Personal Inexperience - it takes three to five years in practice to establish your rhythm, to find your style, to identify your preference,s and to perfect your techniques. Psychomotor skills improve with repetition. Everyone starts somewhere. Every case is a zebra until you manage it yourself for the first time. This is the practice of Veterinary Medicine. Your experience is what it is at any given moment. That changes over time, but you can't force it to be different in an instant. Give yourself grace and compassion to simply be human. Human Interactions - you will never control the other humans. People get to say and do and choose whatever they want. It was never your job to make sure they made the right choices. The way people feel is not your responsibility. You can't make them feel bad any more than they can make you feel bad. Remember: Think, Feel, Act. What you think creates the way that you feel emotionally and those emotions drive your actions. Just focus on your part of the equation - providing a medical recommendation and following through with what they decide - all the rest of it, not your lane. Prior Decisions - you can't predict the future. This means you can't determine with any degree of certainty that a different decision in the past would have resulted in a more desirable outcome today. Every time we say, "I should have", we are arguing with the truth of what is, and we are believing it would be different if we had acted or chosen differently before. We have zero evidence of this being true. It only serves to hurt our self-confidence. So, do you see the solution to all of those from a lower brain perspective? Control or Retreat. Over time we learn that we can't control, but instead of recognizing our ability to control these things is not an extension of our value or our capability as a veterinary professional, we conclude that we are bad at this job or not cut out for this job and so we retreat or quit. We also miss a very important piece of information. We are capable of feeling the emotion of fear. We have survived over and over again, and we can and do intentionally choose to engage in situations where we may feel fear and when we choose this it's because it's worth it to us on some level. What causes us the most suffering is not actually experiencing the fear, it's resisting it. It's trying to keep it from happening. It is by making the presence of fear mean more than it actually does. So we feel afraid sometimes. So what? Are we in life-threatening danger? A quick look around helps us to conclude not in most situations. So then what's the worst that can happen? A client gets angry and takes action in some way. A patient dies. You make a human mistake. These things can happen, but they have always been a potential consequence in a medical practice of any kind. This is why it's called practice. This is why we have liability insurance when our humanness shows up. These things aren't happening because you are a bad Vet or a bad Vet Tech. These things wouldn't be eliminated if you were a good Vet or a good Vet Tech. This is just part of the profession that we chose, and those types of fears are not limited to medicine. Electricians, Mechanics, Plumbers - they all worry about these types of things too. They all worry that they've done something within the realm of their job that's put another human at risk or cause another human to be angry. The greatest gift that we can give ourselves is to accept that fear is part of the human experience. The impact of fear actually dissipates when we become familiar with how it feels. We do this by allowing it to exist. As we allow it, we can start to recognize how the presence or absence of fear plays no role in determining what we are capable of doing in our lives and the impact we are capable of making in the world. It's the resistance to the fear that messes everything up for us. Resisting fear. Pushing it away. Believing it wouldn't exist if we were better. All of these things amplify the experience of fear. Resisting fear makes it grow. It makes it worse. The human experience is 50-50 positive and negative. We can fight the 50% negative; allow its existence to mean that we are flawed, withdraw from our lives and to save isolation. Or we can choose where we get to experience our negative 50. Vet Med exists to serve clients and treat patients. Half the time, it will feel uncomfortable and nearly all of that will come from fear. Fear is not a problem. Fear is just an emotion. It is a vibration that we feel in our bodies. It is only created by our thinking. Our lower brain, which is interpreting our environment is dangerous only because it is constantly in unfamiliar territory, brings fear to the surface. Our higher brain allows us to see that we are not in danger. Our higher brain allows us to engage in the reason why we are here and allows us to remember that no matter the outcome, we always do the best we can with the information and resources available at the time. That is our only job - to do our best. When we learn to let fear come along for the ride and stop resisting it and blaming it on all the things we'll never control, then we truly begin to experience the untouchable joys, not only of Vet Med but the entire life experience. Okay, friends, if this message leaves you feeling a little helpful, you should really consider joining us at Vet Life Academy. This is what we do there. We learn about the real reasons why we feel the way we do; why we make the choices we make; and how to start living our lives and participating in our careers in a way that has us deliberately creating instead of existing as passengers in a world without choices. It's more important now than ever for us to recognize our authority and our ability to choose for ourselves. There are no victims in Vet Med. Vet Med is simply the catalyst that opens our eyes to our opportunity to be in living our lives on our own terms. We become open to change when our current reality becomes intolerable. The path to burnout and career regret has been clearly marked by those who've gone before us; by those who speak out in anger about the consequences of this career; but share no solutions. So I ask, who are you listening to? Who are your influences? Guard your mind. Broaden your perspective. If your sources of information only paint a dismal picture of life and Vet Med careers in the future; if they constantly bitch and complain about the reality of what is; and if they blame others for the state of their lives without considering the impact of their own choices and how that has actually created what exists for them today, then I'm going to be really frank. You need a new influence. You will create for yourself that what you spend the most time thinking about. In Vet Life Academy, you learn the skills and have access to tools to help you master intentional thinking. You're not broken. You've done the best you can with what you understood about yourself and the world up until this point in time. You recognize on some level that this is not enough. You want something more. You want something different. Here's the bad news: changing jobs or careers won't solve this for you. Now, here's the very best news: you have total power to begin changing it immediately for yourself. You're powerful. You are capable. You have unlimited potential. If you want to learn more about all of that, Vet Life Academy is a great place to start. To learn more, check out my latest webinar over joyfuldvm.com/webinar. Alright, my friends, that's going to wrap it up for this week and I'll see you next time. Thank you for listening to the Joyful DVM Podcast. If you'd like to learn more about the concepts and ideas discussed here, and how to apply them to your own life to create confidence and empowerment for yourself, you'll love Vet Life Academy. To check it out and learn more, visit joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademy. And if you're loving this podcast, I'd appreciate it if you'd share it with your friends and leave us a review on iTunes.	13,100
Quantifying employee benefits is a complex, multidimensional effort. On one axis, there are numerous policies: healthcare, pharmacy, disability, dental, vision, life, and other insurance coverages that employees expect. On the other axis, there are multiple carriers/vendors, within an enterprise ecosystem, who stratify policies based on price and extent of coverage. Voluntary benefits and varying cost brackets for the employee further compound complexity. The sheer number of permutations and combinations is staggering. To make matters even more complicated, the process of reconciling employee enrollment with corresponding policies—while taking into account coverage changes—is often carried out manually, with heavy reliance on multiple spreadsheets and disparate data sources. For employers, brokers, consultants, TPAs, carriers, captive & association administrators—or anybody who’s involved in the process—the situation is akin to wrangling an octopus. And it’s not just the sheer volume. Benefits administration, which is composed of Billing, Reconciliation, and Payment (BRP) processes, is highly susceptible to error. Organizations need a solution that starts at the source, and holistically examines the plan and contract rules, employee count, and changes in the employee lifecycle. The system should collate the full array of insurance plans, the carriers that provide them and their method for handling based on employer and employee needs. This information also needs to match with the policy information on the carrier’s side to determine the amount to be paid across an account. And all this has to be done while also ensuring employees receive their enrolled coverage from the vendor. It’s a massive lift. Now, imagine if a solution could do all of this, automatically. Enter, AdminaHealth. In the words of Robert A. Bull, AdminaHealth CEO, “The AdminaHealth Billing Suite® automates benefits reconciliation, invoice consolidation, and payment management across the landscape of employee benefits. Even the most complex client requirements or plan architecture can be managed through our AdminaHealth Billing Suite.” Through its SaaS-based platform, complete with a rule-based architecture, the AdminaHealth Billing Suite automates BRP by going across an account’s population of active employees to create a consolidated and reconciled monthly invoice and the associated payments, including the amount owed to each provider (vendors/carriers, the ones with the insurance policies). AdminaHealth’s Billing Suite relies on AI-based algorithms and a robust rules engine. In addition to enforcing state and federal mandates, pricing, and contractual agreements, clients can define their own plan rules to meet their specific requirements. Data is handled via industry-standard formats like EDI, XML, API, or custom formats (per client and/or their vendors’ requirements). “The AdminaHealth Billing Suite creates one bill with one associated payment for each vendor, covering all insurance products that a client has in place for their employees,” notes Bull. The suite combines total reconciliation of enrollment, payroll, fees, invoices, and payment with fast vendor reporting. The reporting is crucial–it ensures that findings that require immediate action or correction are promptly communicated to the vendor. The end-to-end solution also features payment management for friction-free payment approval and electronic transaction execution, such as captive member premiums and vendor payments. And in a world where business intelligence proves its value every day, AdminaHealth’s Billing Suite’s data analytics helps clients make better business decisions surrounding their employee benefits. Employee Focus, Employer Ease While the AdminaHealth Billing Suite processes and features are a boon to organizations, one of the most noteworthy advantages is the value it provides to employees—or more specifically, the benefits that each employee opts for, which can differ broadly from employee to employee and job profile to job profile. One of the clearest examples is with worksite benefits. Employers are now placing greater emphasis on offering worksite relevant benefits that best support each employee based on their specific job function. What it comes down to is that employee benefits packages are no longer a one-size-fits-all model. There are different benefits and insurance for the type of work performed, the type of employee, their age, the coverages they need, and term of care or annuities. With so many variations for staff to select from, organizations often rely on benefit consultants, who help the employer plan and coordinate their employee benefits. The consultant’s job becomes more complex depending on how the employer plans to roll-out benefits, the collection of employee requirements, and the supporting technology platforms. With AdminaHealth’s platform, employers can offer more options to their employees to meet their specific needs—without increasing the employer’s administrative burden to manage all options and their associated reconciliations and payments. The platform ensures a better translation of employees’ needs to healthcare and selected voluntary benefits. Once plan rules are captured, AdminaHealth automates the processes. For example, within just weeks, AdminaHealth can add a full set of voluntary benefits for an employee with a health care-only plan. By modifying the rules and ingesting the additional files into enrolled and voluntary benefits during employee enrollment, AdminaHealth automates the invoice consolidation and reconciliation—replacing a manually intensive process that often creates delays and errors in operations. AdminaHealth also manages employee additions, life event changes, and terminations as received from enrollment systems and maintains their accuracy. The system will calculate and generate simplified bills that are reconciled and ready for payment. By facilitating a variety of employee profiles, the platform enables healthcare and voluntary benefit changes. Through automation, clients realize significant operational savings and reduced effort as the monthly emphasis is limited to resolving exceptions that the automated processes could not reconcile. The AdminaHealth Billing Suite is offered to brokers, consultants, carriers, associations, captives, and TPAs as well as third party enrollment and benefits administration providers who can “white label” the solution to maintain their brand. Expanding Capabilities, Innovating Constantly In 2014, Salus Finance, the parent of AdminaHealth, was formed as a risk-mitigating financial liquidity product helping organizations transition from fully insured to self-funded. The liquidity product gave employers the ability to maximize the benefits of self-funding and assist in the claim forecasting and reserve process. Not being able to find a software solution to manage the consolidation, reconciliation, and payment of their customers’ bills, the company built its own solution—and quickly realized that the standalone capabilities of the platform could help businesses beyond just those transitioning to self-funding. AdminaHealth was launched in 2016 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Salus Finance, with a focus on offering standalone software capabilities. In 2018, AdminaHealth relaunched its software on a flexible platform to support a scalable SaaS solution with enhanced capabilities to serve fully insured, self-funded, and hybrid plans from any enrollment partner and with any vendor. With its strong industry and compliance knowledge, passion for architecture and scale, and focus on customer satisfaction, AdminaHealth’s team drove solutions and development forward during all these phases. “In many ways, we run like a startup in terms of the culture,” says Bull. “Our team operates on a predominantly collaborative model, working horizontally across a very flat organization. Everyone wears multiple hats to help each other succeed and bring forth the spirit of teamwork—all together, improving the solutions we offer.” AdminaHealth’s ability to ingest enrollment and automate billing and payments is its calling card, but this is just an early step in the company’s evolution. The company is now looking to add more automation and cognitive capabilities into the platform. Their goal is two-fold: to further enhance analytics while integrating with even more benefits administration and enrollment systems. AdminaHealth is also heavily focused on improving their “straight-through processing” to create handshakes through APIs and other repeatable integration options. Other capabilities, such as tracking commissions and ensuring dependent eligibility, are also on the near-term roadmap. The company’s core idea is that while benefits may get more complex from a coverage standpoint, the processing should only be made simpler. Going forward, AdminaHealth predicts an industry movement toward outcomes in healthcare and value-based reimbursement, and continued product diversification in voluntary benefits. Whatever developments in employee benefits BRP are on the horizon, the company’s culture of innovation is helping them—and their clients—keep pace. Integrity, excellence, shared success, customer focus, and the pursuit of high-quality results are the cornerstones that AdminaHealth is built on. AdminaHealth® is an API-First cloud-based provider of the industry-recognized AdminaHealth Billing Suite® supporting healthcare, insurance, and voluntary benefits. Our SaaS platform automates bill consolidation and reconciliation and streamlines payment management. We integrate with leading Enrollment and Benefit Administration systems to ensure accurate premium billing, resulting in significant operational efficiencies. We support all billing types and coverages for small, medium, and enterprise businesses. We are the only billing SaaS solution that has adopted the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and has earned the elite HITRUST CSF Certification®. AdminaHealth® featured as a Top 10 Billing & Invoicing Solution Company to Watch of 2022, a Top 25 HR Tech Solutions Provider of 2020, a Top 10 InsureTech of 2019 , and a Top 10 HR Tech Startup of 2020!	10,590
Indoor Air Quality Testing Kits - Boise, Id Home inspection and assessment experts for Water quality and Indoor air quality testing Boise, Id Home inspection and assessment experts for Water quality and Indoor air quality testing Indoor Air Quality Testing – Find Out What Your Home is Contaminated With Indoor Air Quality Testing – Find Out What Your Home is Contaminated With Indoor air quality testing is important because many individuals live in small spaces with poor indoor air quality and do not even realize it. It’s so commonplace to just assume that the air circulating inside the home or office is clean and safe. However, in reality, offices, homes, and businesses alike can contain a host of indoor air contaminants. Many of which are dangerous to the health of those that spend their day inside. One type of indoor air contaminant that many persons do not consider when they need to become more aware of their indoor air quality is asthma. Asthma is a condition that causes an asthmatic attack to develop. The symptoms of asthma include coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. The irritants that cause these effects can be anything from a change in the weather to a certain type of pollen. If an asthmatic individual has an attack, it can cause an intense and long-lasting irritation that can last for hours or days. A second common type of indoor air pollution that should be tested for air particulates. Particles in outdoor air pollution can cause people to suffer from irritation as well. These particles are very fine and can enter the respiratory system and get caught in small crevices where they can remain undigested for days or weeks. This chronic irritation and discomfort can lead to a number of different health conditions including asthma and other lung disorders. Many people fail to realize that they are exposed to indoor air pollution at work. When working in a sealed enclosed area, a worker may not be aware that he or she is exposed to potentially dangerous levels of mold and mildew. In a matter of seconds, a worker can develop serious problems. Many businesses have strict guidelines for their employees regarding the health and safety of those who work in the building. One of the most common gases emitted by a typical household is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a natural gas that remains in the atmosphere. However, prolonged exposure to high levels of this gas can lead to serious health issues. Carbon dioxide is one of the leading contributors to indoor air quality testing. It is the second leading contributor to volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which are widely recognized as some of the most harmful environmental contaminants. Other common gases emitted by a typical household include sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Both of these are easily detectable and may be the cause of annoying symptoms for some individuals. Many individuals who suffer from these symptoms can take advantage of the common indoor air quality testing kits that are available to take home and use in their homes. Short-Term Test Kits Indoor air quality testing kits are available for the protection of those who suffer from short-term or chronic lung cancer. Indoor air quality testing is especially important in homes where more than one individual will use a common air conditioning system. In order for a test to be conclusive, both individuals must submit to a test. A short-term test can identify harmful chemicals while a long-term test can identify common contaminants that can pose a health risk. This type of kit is especially important if a person has a family member with lung cancer. The dangers of indoor air quality issues are compounded when there is no effective way to remove pollutants from the air. Homes that have windows and doors that are open all the time are the number one place where many families are exposed to poor air quality. If these windows and doors are left open even for a moment, this can release pollutants into the air that can remain in the home for days or even weeks. These pollutants may not pose a health risk at the moment, but there is a good chance that they could over time.	4,291
Silver and white are hair colours that are so incredibly on trend and fashionable that it’s no surprise that they’re becoming increasingly popular! Indeed, opting … updated on October 24, 2022 January 8, 2021 Hair Color Hairstyles 19 Ways to Show Sliver and White Hair for Spring Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, it will have been impossible for you to miss the boom in silver and white hair on the …	417
Josh Groban is a famous actor and singer from the United States. He is also a songwriter and record producer. In 2007, he was the best-selling artist in America. For his acting efforts, he has won many nominations and awards. Josh Groban by Lunchbox LP licensed under CC BY 2.0 Are you wondering how old and tall is Josh Groban? No more wonder! You have landed in the right place, and we are sure that we will help you out. This article will discuss his parents, siblings, and sexuality details. Keep reading this article to find out what you need to know about the dashing star. So let’s have a brief look at him! So before doing anything else, let’s look at the star’s life. Joshua Winslow Groban is an American songwriter, actor, singer, and record producer born February 27, 1981, in Los Angeles, California. His first four solo albums were declared multi-platinum, and he was a prominent blockbuster hit performer in the United States in 2007. He went to Bridges Academy and then to Interlochen Center for the Arts, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in musical theatre. He enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University for a few months of study. How old and tall is Josh Groban? Let’s find it out! On 27 February 1981, the handsome celebrity was born in Los Angeles, California, USA (as already mentioned above). He is 42 years old as of 2022. Josh Groban by christopher simon licensed under CC BY 2.0 Every year on February 27th, he enjoys his birthday as a Pisces, his zodiac sign. He is also of Jewish, Norwegian, and German ancestry and has American nationality. He stands 5′ 10′′ (1.8 m) tall and weighs roughly 161 pounds (73 kg). In his photographs, he also looks to be rather tall. Groban is recognized for his baritone-tenor voice and has black hair. Maybe you’re curious to know about the singer celebrity, anyways; the legendary artist was born in a middle-class home with both parents. Jack Groban, his father, was a Jewish merchant, while Lindy Groban (née Johnston), his mother, was a middle school teacher at a Christian school. After marrying his mother, his father became a Christian. The Episcopal Church is his parents’ faith (TEC) His father is of Ukrainian and Polish ethnicity, while his mother is German, English, and Norwegian. The ethnicity of the star is white. Does the famous actor have any siblings? Yes! He had only one sibling named Chris Groban, his younger brother, reared alongside him. Like other people, you may also think about Groban’s sexuality, and it’s exciting to know is he a guy or not? Without any doubt, he is a guy! In the past, he has been dating many famous women celebrities. Josh Groban by Captain-tucker licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 He responded to those people who wonder about his sexuality; he claims he is unconcerned. Someone has hypothesized or wished to conjecture — whatever the case, that’s OK. I’m not homosexual, but even if I were, I wouldn’t consider it a negative trait. OK, great, hypothesize all you like but let’s speak about it,” I’d say if I were. The famous hero claims he is unconcerned with what others presume of him because homosexual people almost always influence him. See also J Balvin and His Girlfriend Valentina Ferrer's Dating Timeline 2022 Well, he is not married and is currently dating someone. That isn’t to say he hasn’t chatted up a girl or three in his time. Over the years, the musician has been linked to many well-known musicians and actresses, some of whom are probably responsible for the singer’s heartfelt love songs. Since 2017, he has been dating Schuyler Helford, a famous actor, and writer. We hope that reading this article helps you to find out how old and tall is josh Groban; His parents, siblings, and sexuality details. Anyways, the legendary artist is not homosexual, many people supposed that he is a guy, but he cleared to all that he is a male. Other details about him are discussed above. So read the article carefully to understand it well. Thank you, friends, for keeping in contact with us. Stay happy! You may also be interested to read this article: How Old Is Dakota Fanning? And Her Net Worth in 2022!	4,459
THE IMPORTANCE OF A CLASSICAL LEGACY. The writer Marina Valensise was recently appointed CEO of the Italian National Institute of Ancient Drama (Istituto Nazionale del Dramma Antico, INDA) which manages the ancient Greek Theatre of Syracuse. Valensise was formerly head of the Special Secretariat of the Italian Minister for Cultural Heritage, Alberto Ronchey, and from 2012 to 2016 she was Director of the Italian Institute of Culture in Paris. Marina Valensise, does all your previous experience come into play in your role as CEO of the ancient Greek theatre in Syracuse? Yes, it sums up all my different experiences, and this is why I’m so gratified, although it’s not an easy job. You have to cope with many varied aspects, from local politics, to interest groups, to the coronavirus pandemic emergency and now war, to weather and the whimsical attitudes of very sensitive artists. You have to be very confident in your own means, listen to others, and know that it’s a job where your mission is to work with people as a group. Being a writer, I know that you can work on your own, but in this role you have to be able to deal with a team. What is the story of INDA? The INDA Foundation was started in1913 by a group of liberal aristocrats in Sicily who wanted both to renew the ancient Greek Theatre of Syracuse and to reinvigorate European theatre through classical works. How long has this theatre existed? Since the 5th century before Christ, when Syracuse was one of the most powerful empires in the Mediterranean. The theatre was built on a hill dedicated to Apollo called Colle Temenite. At that time the Greek theatre was not only a place to set plays of comedy and tragedy, but was specially devoted to the civic religion of Syracuse. It was needed to re-establish links within the community, and farmers and peasants were paid to go to theatre. Greek presence was not only strong in Sicily but also in many parts of Italy, including Naples. Is the ancient Greek tradition part of the origins of the Italian tradition? Indeed, it is something that belongs to the Italian identity. Naples, Reggio Calabria, also Taranto, were Greek cities and they have very important Greek histories. Their past is a Greek past. Syracuse, Catania, Agrigento, all the eastern coast of Sicily up to Messina were colonies of Greek cities. But some scholars follow an older tradition that it was called Magna Graecia because the ancient original population of Pelasgi were rooted in southern Italy in the region that is now called Calabria. From there they spread all around the Mediterranean. Following this ancient Pythagorean tradition, Magna Graecia is not so called due to the expansion of Greek cities, but, on the contrary, it represents the mythological pelasgian origin of the original Greek population. They spoke Greek, and they were speaking it in Syracuse. It was a Greek city. It was conquered by the Romans, but you can feel in every corner of the town the legacy of the ancient Greeks. The Acropolis of Syracuse is now Piazza del Duomo, the Dome of Syracuse devoted to Santa Lucia that is built on the ancient Acropolis and on the Temple of Minerva. You can still see the Doric columns that are used as the pilasters in the building of the church. “At that time the Greek theatre was not only a place to set plays of comedy and tragedy, but was specially devoted to the civic religion of Syracuse.” The Greek Theatre in its full capacity, before the pandemic Marina Valensise, what is the history of the enormous theatre? The golden age was when Syracuse was a huge, important port and one of the most powerful cities in the Mediterranean. Half of Sicily belonged to Dionysius I, the tyrant of Syracuse who was the host of Plato, as Hieron was previously the host of Aeschylus, who wrote “Women of Mount Aetna” for him and staged his play “The Persians” in Syracuse. After the Roman conquest the theatre was still used, as a set for Roman theatre, but then there was a continuous decline linked to Christianity and the Middle Ages, where the theatrical experience was not really allowed because the ecclesiastical community was more important than the civic community. Did the theatre become a religious place? No, the theatre was abandoned. King Charles V occupied Syracuse during the Renaissance and he took the stones of the ancient Greek theatre to rebuild the fortress of the island of Ortigia. They used the theatre as a quarry in order to build the Renaissance town. Does musical theatre originate from this ancient background? Melodrama, musical theatre, was born when a group of artists, musicians, intellectuals, and composers such as the father of Galileo Galilei, assembled together at the Camerata de’ Bardi in Florence to study the Greek tragedies. They invented opera. Monteverdi, Jacopo Peri, Caccini, Emilio de’ Cavalieri, the great founders of Melodrama, started by studying ancient Greek Drama Theatre. When was the Greek Theatre of Syracuse rebuilt? The Greek Theatre was never rebuilt. It is a monumental ruin, but it still works because INDA creates an audience that watches the shows that we set up every year. At the end of the 19th century, a great archaeologist called Paolo Orsi – the founder of Modern Archaeology in Italy who was the superintendent of archaeology in southern Italy – launched excavation campaigns in and around Syracuse. He was surrounded by a group of patrons, liberal aristocrats who were fond of the antiquities which they thought were the real science of life, the real patrimony to restore in order to give strength to modern times. One of them was Count Tommaso Mario Gargallo, an eclectic artist, a sculptor and a very great humanist who knew Greek history. He could read Greek and with his brother, Filippo Gargallo, he decided to finance the rebirth of the Greek theatre, not only in terms of safeguarding the monument, but especially in terms of its function. Acting? Acting. At the beginning of the 20th century all around Europe there was this idea to go back to classical popular theatre. The fashionable Bayreuth Festival by Wagner was one of the first to re-found modern theatre through popular religious experience. The Gargallo brothers financed the rebirth and the safeguarding of the monument, but they also financed a civic committee that called on a very famous academician and translator, called Ettore Romagnoli who knew Sicily very well. They charged him to set some plays that were written in the 5th century before Christ, and the first cycle that Romagnoli set up was the “Oresteia” trilogy by Aeschylus: “Agamemnon”, “The Libation Bearers” and “The Eumenides”. In 1913 the play of Agamemnon started the INDA Foundation, and seven years later, in 1921, after the interruption due to the First World War and the Spanish flu pandemic, with the same Romagnoli they staged the second act of “Oresteia”, “The Libation Bearers”. Your appointment as CEO of INDA was made two years ago by the Italian Ministry of Culture. When did the state get involved? At the beginning, from 1913 up to 1925, it was just a civic committee composed by Fratelli Gargallo and a bunch of elite liberal aristocrats and professionals of Syracuse and Sicily. Mussolini came to power in October 1922 and was so impressed by this renaissance of antique theatre that two years later he decided to transform the committee into Istituto Nazionale del Dramma Antico, INDA. Since then the governance was always splintered, because the city of Syracuse, the founders, have a very important, strong and influential role. From 1913 to 1928 the artistic direction was given to Ettore Romagnoli. Then he was dismissed and replaced. “The Italian language evolves and to set up a show of the fifth century BC you have to adapt it to the language that you speak nowadays.” Marina Valensise, what is your job as CEO of INDA? I am on the board, which decides the cultural direction and artistic choices; what the foundation has to do, its main objectives and aims. I sign the budget, and I am responsible for all that is concerned with administration. How long is your season? Two and a half months. Every year we have three shows, generally two tragedies and one comedy. We are not only a public theatre, but we are also a research centre, an archive, a library. Every year we ask for a new translation, and this year the new translation of Oedipus Rex is by Francesco Morosi, a young scholar from Normale di Pisa, who rewrote and retranslated Sophocles’ text. The Italian language evolves and to set up a show of the fifth century BC you have to adapt it to the language that you speak nowadays. This is a very important and consistent effort for us. We’re very proud also to announce this year the great translation done by Giorgio Ieranò, a professor at Trento University who is one of the most talented Italian Greek scholars. He translated the “Iphigenia in Tauris” that will be staged by Jacopo Gassmann as the third work. Whereas the “Oresteia” trilogy by Aeschylus – “Agamemnon”, “The Libation Bearers” and “The Eumenides” – is translated by Walter Lapini. Did you close during the pandemic? We did not, because in 2020 we set up a short season called “Per Voci Sole” with 8 shows. There were no great shows with masses of artists and hundreds of chorus, showmen and singers. We concentrated on eight monologues, and we chose eight great popular actors, amongst them Laura Morante and Luigi Lo Cascio. Is Robert Carsen one of the directors this year? Robert Carsen will direct “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles; it will be his debut in Syracuse. He’s a very famous opera director, but he’s also a complete theatre man. He was in Salzburg last year with Handel’s “Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno”. He was at La Scala with a reprise of a “Don Giovanni” production, and at the beginning of May 2022 at Opera Bastille with “Elektra” by Strauss whose libretto was written by Hugo von Hoffmannsthal. The premiere of Carsen’s “Oedipus Rex” in Syracuse is on May 18th, and it will be the most eagerly anticipated show of this 57th season. On May 17th Davide Livermore, who is also a great opera director, will stage another very important premiere “Agamemnon”. And on June 17th Jacopo Gassmann will be staging “Iphigenia in Tauris”, the drama about the daughter of Agamemnon who was sacrificed because of the war, and she was saved by Artemis and placed in the Tauris land, that is the actual Crimea. Your audience comes from all over the world and the performances are in Italian. Do you have surtitles? No, we cannot, there is nowhere suitable for them. The ceiling of the theatre is the sky, and the backstage of the theatre is the sea. It’s an open space. The ancient Greek theatre myths are universally known. When you talk about Oedipus you know that it is not only about incest, because it’s the story of the quest of the truth by a man who doesn’t know that he has married his mother, that he has killed his father, and who slowly, little by little, discovers his destiny. How many does the theatre hold? This year, after two years of pandemic, we return to the full capacity of 5,000. There are 45 shows: 20 of “Oedipus”, 15 of “Agamemnon” and 10 of “Iphigenia”. We are looking forward to a lot of people coming from all over the world, from Australia, from California, from Wisconsin, from Massachusetts. Does all this give Syracuse a new cultural prestige? Enormous, and it is not only prestige but also of great economic value. We have calculated that for every Euro invested in a theatrical performance the revenue that goes to the town is multiplied by eight. A scene from Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, directed by Robert Carsen. Creon (interpreted by Paolo Mazzarelli) helps Oedipus who is blinded by shame (interpreted by Giuseppe Sartori). Photo by Tommaso Le Pera. A scene from Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, directed by Robert Carsen. The dialogue between Tiresias (interpreted by Graziano Pazza) and Oedipus (interpreted by Giuseppe Sartori). Photo by Tommaso Le Pera. A performance of Aeschylus’ Libation Bearers directed by Davide Livermore at the ancient Greek Theatre in 2021 A scene from Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, directed by Davide Livermore: Clitemnestra (interpreted by Laura Marinoni) and Egisto (interpreted by Stefano Santospago) kill Cassandra (interpreted by Linda Gennari) in front of the ghost of Iphigenia. Photo by Tommaso Le Pera. Scene from Aeschlus’ Agamemnon, directed by Davide Livermore. The diabolic couple of Argos, Clitemnestra (interpreted by Laura Marinoni) and Egisto (interpreted by Stefano Santospago). Photo by Tommaso Le Pera. “Since I am from Southern Italy it is a great moral gratification to have the opportunity to show the importance of the classical legacy in a modern contemporary way.” Marina Valensise, who are the actors? Famous artists who are able to play in a huge open air theatre. They must be very athletic and charismatic. Not every actor has these qualities. This year Maddalena Crippa will play Jocasta, the wife and mother of Oedipus. Oedipus is played by Giuseppe Sartori, and we have many other actors who are very famous in their field, like Linda Gennari who plays Cassandra, and Anna Della Rosa who plays Iphigenia. How are the acoustics? Absolutely perfect, because the theatre is sculptured on a hill. You can even hear whispers from wherever you are sitting. No, we don’t. Until now we have always been very lucky because generally the gods are with us. When the Sun goes down and the shows start, the weather is generally nice. We hope that this year we will not have any surprises. What do you do for the rest of the year? To organise such a huge show, with 400 people involved, you have to prepare all the sets, all the sonography, all the costumes. We start work in December. We also organise a classical studies conference every year and publish a review called “Dioniso, Rivista di Studi sul Teatro Antico”, directed by Guido Paduano, who is one of the most important Italian specialists of Greek literature and a great translator. Last year he translated Euripides’ “The Bacchantes”. Are you in competition with the Greek theatre that is performed in Greece? There is no competition, there is collaboration, because many of our shows are staged in Epidaurus. There is a very intense exchange that originates from Italy, and last year, for instance, we launched a series of conferences. For every show we arranged a conference through the Italian Cultural Institute in Athens, in London, in New York, and in Madrid, Barcelona and in Buenos Aires. You are also a writer. What are your plans for that aspect of your career? Since I am from Southern Italy it is a great moral gratification to have the opportunity to show the importance of the classical legacy in a modern contemporary way, but I still work as a writer and write articles for newspapers and essays. My last book is a biography of Luciana Frassati Gawronska, an Italian liberal born in the famous Turin family who were the founders of La Stampa. I’m working on a new book that is a collection of essays called On the Edge of the Abyss, Europe on the Edge of the Second World War. It is the story of a bunch of intellectuals, writers and artists, and they are represented in a narrative essay. I consider it a new attempt to write a unique history of Europe. Related Posts December 13, 2015 July 8, 2018 August 12, 2018 February 4, 2018 Dec 4, 2022 \| Art & Design, Cinema & Theatre, Politics & Economics, Post Slider Nov 27, 2022 \| Literature & Education, Politics & Economics, Post Slider Nov 20, 2022 \| Art & Design, Post Slider Enter your email to subscribe to Alain Elkann Interviews and receive links to new interviews. You have successfully subscribed to the weekly Alain Elkann Interviews newsletter. ©1989-2022 Alain Elkann. All Rights Reserved. \| Designed by Mor PRIVACY POLICY We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Manage consent This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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Journalist/stand-up comedian/single mom extraordinaire … my not so average journey to maybe, possibly, probably not …. finally getting it right. I haven’t blogged in a while and for that I apologize. If you follow me on FB you know why. I’ve been busy! The Great Alaskan Adventure has begun! Today will be my first day on air at my new station, KTVA. I’m reporting nightside, and I think my story might be about the city of Anchorage possibly canceling their moose hunts this year. (Or a part of them, I really need to study this a little more as it’s very foreign to me.) There is a meeting tonight to discuss the repercussions/benefits from such an action. I’m glad my first story involves a moose. A fire, shooting, stabbing, or school board meeting would be way too lower 48 for me. (This is news, and the story topic is subject to change at any moment.) The station is a work in progress. GCI, the cable company up here, bought out KTVA about two years ago and has completely rebuilt the studios, purchased all new equipment, hired many new people, and now call themselves the New KTVA. Another station up here has dominated the news world, and we are now primed to give them a hefty dose of competition. It’s exciting to be a part of a new beginning! The set is amazing, and won awards last year for Set of the Year. Later this week I will co-anchor the 6 o’clock show so I will get the opportunity to spend some QT with it! Thus far everyone has been very friendly and inviting, as not to long ago most of them were me, just getting here themselves. As for getting settled, a lot of people have reached out with questions about the move, the family dynamics involved, and various other questions. It’s been hard to respond to everyone so here goes: The twins, along with their babysitter, will be arriving within a few weeks. They’re staying here for the duration, however long that ends up being, and they’re excited about the mountains, worried about Bigfoot, and can’t wait to see their new home. The big boys, being a tougher age to disrupt their world of school, friends, and activities, will be visiting in March and then up for the entire summer. We face time regularly, text all the time, and they are excited about the adventures waiting for them up here! It’s almost 10 am, it’s getting light outside. George left last night and so I’m on my own now. It hasn’t really hit me yet. He and I had some tearful moments while he was here, but dropping him at the airport last night, somehow I got through it. (I think mostly because it was cold, and the car was warm, so I wanted back in,) He helped me get settled, car shopped with me, had a few adventures, and will be back soon. Love that crazy man. I’ll be throwing myself into my work and giving it all I’ve got. I’ll be back in CT for a long weekend in mid-February. Counting the days until my days have some six year old giggles in them again. There are 3,351 miles between Anchorage and Hartford and 4,468 miles by car. Related This entry was posted in Uncategorized on January 6, 2015 by jacquies1107. ← Mile High Club How Cold is Cold?!?! → 2 thoughts on “Welcome to Anchorage” Denise January 6, 2015 at 11:45 pm Butch February 7, 2015 at 1:48 am You are insightful and you are living my dream,always wanted to be a writer,guess that is why I would write down my dreams when I awoke before a would forget them. The little I know about you I really like,you were easy to talk with and as what you are without knowing that much personally is there are alot of losers that let you get away!	3,810
Naturally raised eggs taste great and will contain valuable nutrients to support our bodies. My favourite eggs have been from Diamond Valley Farms near Black Diamond. These eggs come from hens who are allowed to roam in a large enclosure out in the fresh air, and in the winter are cage-free inside the barn. They are also given a nutrient-dense feed that contains many different superfoods (including garlic and apple cider vinegar) to keep them healthy. If you can get farm fresh eggs from a farmer who can tell you how they raise their hens, you’ll notice a difference in the taste and quality of the eggs. Visit your local farmer’s market and talk to farmers. Often vendors will have pictures and information on their farms, and even allow you to visit so you can learn how it is your food is raised. It is not always possible to get eggs straight from the farm, so check out Community Natural Foods, Planet Organic, or Amaranth for naturally raised eggs. I also have used Organic Rabbit River Eggs from Superstore which raises their hens cage-free (free run) and humanely (they are SPCA certified to be humane). Labels like “free range” or “free run” are not regulated, so check out the brand of eggs you are buying to ensure that they are naturally raised. Free Run usually means the hens are raised inside in a barn on shavings and allowed to run around the enclosure. Free range often means the hens are raised out in a pasture. But again, these terms are not regulated so it is important to check into the brand you are buying. Often hens are given flax seed in their feed to produce eggs that contain omega 3 fatty acids. I have noticed grocery stores are selling Omega-3 eggs. These eggs will contain more of this beneficial fatty acid, but it doesn’t mean that the hens were raised humanely. Lift eggs out of the carton and inspect, checking for cracks and dried egg liquid on the box to ensure there are no broken eggs. Store eggs in the fridge for about 1 month to ensure that they stay fresh. Keep eggs in their carton because the eggshell is porous and will often absorb odours from other foods. If buying eggs from a farmer ask if they wash their eggs before they sell them. If they don’t, you will need to wash and clean them for bacteria. Article by: Carrie Dancey, RHN Share this article: Leave a reply Click here to cancel the reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Book Michelle to speak. Wake your group up to the reality of poor nutrition. Get inspired to take action. Michelle is a gifted and passionate speaker who has solutions for families that work. Book her to speak to your group or teach a simple, whole food recipe. The bigger the group, the better.	2,956
* The prediction is valid for the year 2022 (the Tiger), beginning on February 1, 2022, and ending on January 21, 2023. In the year 2022, people born under the Chinese zodiac animal sign of the Sheep (or Goat) will have a lot of luck. Not only will they be free of the negative influence of the Fan Tai Sui (Clashing Tai Sui, Grand Duke Jupiter, or the Command of Chinese astrology) from the previous year, but they will also receive a great deal of support and favor from a number of auspicious stars. Their fortune will be very good and strong in general. Their luck in career and love, in particular, will improve, and they will have a successful career and love life. When things are going well, however, a group of ominous stars will appear, and things will be prone to change, so the Sheep guys must remain vigilant. Health People born under the Chinese zodiac animal sign of the Sheep are likely to have excellent health. On the one hand, they will be free of the previous year’s influence of Fan Tai Sui (Offend “Tai Sui,” Grand Duke Jupiter). On the other hand, a slew of lucky stars will aid them. There will be no major surprises or accidents, and overall fortune will be on the rise. Those suffering from chronic diseases will have a much better chance of recovering completely if they pay attention to their maintenance and personal care. At the same time, the Sheep guys may experience death and funerals due to the ominous stars of “Si Fu (Death Symbol); for those Sheep guys with elderly family members, they should be more concerned about their health. Accidental injuries and disasters will be handled by the ominous star of ” Ban An” (literally, “Pulling Saddle”). As a result, the Sheep guys are not allowed to travel for business or travel long distances for fear of injury. In 2022, the Sheep horoscope guys’ overall relationship fortune will be favourable. Unmarried people, in particular, should expect to have a sweet love life this year. Sheep men who are in a stable relationship can propose to their partners and have children by the end of the year. The Sheep horoscope men who are single may have the chance to meet their significant others. The Horse, Rabbit, and Pig are the most compatible zodiac animal signs with the Sheep. If the Sheep men know people of the opposite sex who are born under these zodiac animal signs, they can approach and interact with them more often. For married people, the good fortune of a successful romance is not all good. The rising romance luck will increase the likelihood of temptation and extramarital affairs. Career The Sheep’s career fortune will be very good in 2022, thanks to the assistance of many lucky stars. When the auspicious star of “Yu Tang” () reigns supreme, employers will recognize the personal talents of the sheep. Office workers and clerks can fully exercise and display their personal talents with the help of the lucky star of “Yu Tang,” and gain their boss’s appreciation and value. In the meantime, the auspicious star of “Yue De” () will favor the development of interpersonal relationships. As a result, the Sheep men will have a harmonious interpersonal relationship this year, and their career will run smoothly, with all difficulties resolved with the patrons’ blessing. People born under the Sheep horoscope animal sign will have a mixed financial fortune in 2022. There will be many ominous stars that will make it difficult for the Sheep to prosper. As a result, the Sheep are expected to be mentally ready. On the plus side, the Sheep men will benefit from the auspicious stars of “Yue De” and “Tian Xi” in the Year of the Tiger, and their full-time financial incomes will increase, possibly even doubling; on the minus side, many ominous stars will appear in the life of the Sheep, such as the ominous star of “Xiao Hao (,literally “Small Loss”). Even if it only suffers minor losses, the sum of many minor losses adds up to a significant sum of money. As a result, the Sheep horoscope are expected to manage their wealth carefully and allocate it appropriately. Lucky Directions: East and West Favourable colours: Yellow. A yellowish hue is found in fertile soils that are associated with progress and prosperity. Lucky Numbers: 1 and 7 Lucky Months: January, March and November in the Chinese Lunar Months. Unlucky Months: June and December. Lucky Element: Earth. which complements metal but is overwhelmed by the element of wood. Feng Shui objects for Good luck: Feng Shui Green Pi Yao: will bring you good luck and fortune. He is said to be able to bring you good fortune, increase your wealth, and improve your business. Feng shui egg stone: a symbol that brings you business success and good health. It’s also a fertility symbol, indicating a better life ahead.	5,007
Christian culture places great value on acting happy. It mandates that if you know Jesus you will know peace and joy, and it parlays these two things into acting as if everything in your life is perfect. (Remember, you are a walking advertisement for Jesus.) Interestingly, the Bible doesn't once mention Jesus laughing. It talks much more about his lamenting than his rejoicing and it says he was a "man of sorrows, acquainted with grief." (Isaiah 53:3) Children are taught to act happy and be grateful. Refusing to smile for pictures is unacceptable. Being sorrowful or angry is de-emphasized and for the most part is considered somewhat shameful. Posted by stephy at 9:17 PM 34 comments: Anonymous said... Great note on Isaiah 53. Interesting, that he's not recorded as laughing but was so 'acquainted with grief'. Never thought about that before - and I'm a former PK! August 13, 2008 at 10:49 AM Anonymous said... Also, the Osteens photo is so timely and perfect (as they are). August 13, 2008 at 11:11 AM I am reminded of the following exchange from In the Name of the Rose Jorge de Burgos: Laughter is a devilish wind which deforms, uh, the lineaments of the face and makes men look like monkeys. Jorge de Burgos: There is nothing in the Scriptures to say that he did. William of Baskerville: And there's nothing in the Scriptures to say that he did not. Why, even the saints have been known to employ comedy, to ridicule the enemies of the Faith. For example, when the pagans plunged St. Maurice into the boiling water, he complained that his bath was too cold. The Sultan put his hand in... scalded himself. August 13, 2008 at 10:24 PM Anonymous said... I can almost taste this photo, and it tastes like 12 packets of Sweet 'n' Low August 14, 2008 at 1:41 PM the larry king interviews on Joel are interesting. i love the Sweet n Low comment from Dave...so true. August 20, 2008 at 12:42 AM Anonymous said... I'm so happy that you used Joel's photo for this post. He is the personification of the self-worshiping “christian” culture you so poignantly describe on this blog. August 22, 2008 at 10:17 PM Anonymous said... She looks like she wants to eat me! August 28, 2008 at 5:43 AM Unknown said... I live in atlanta, ga and take marta. This guy is everywhere. I want to punch him...ha. August 28, 2008 at 7:22 PM 1. laughing is fun. 2. laughing is the only exercise i'm consistent at. 3. frowning is bad- it causes deep furrows in your glabella. 4. botox is injected in your glabella. 5. yes, i play scrabble. 6. i look young because i get my laugh on. September 2, 2008 at 10:20 PM Anonymous said... I really want to punch this guy in his face. I HATE him. yes, this was not an educated comment. I HATE him. December 18, 2008 at 11:30 AM Anonymous said... As a pastor's wife and a very new reader to your blog I find some of your blog disturbing,unbelievable and some hilarious. Disturbing because what you say is true. Unbelievable since I wonder where you pulled your info from and hilarious because you are spot on. As a Christian I simply want to be real. No fake smiles. Just simply genuine. May 13, 2009 at 2:15 AM stephy said... That's awesome. I can only imagine being a pastor's wife and the pressure or feeling like you might need to act a certain way because at least for me, as a pastor's kid, the pressure was enormous. I am so much more profoundly 'ministered to' (to use the Christianese :) by a pastor's wife or any Christian showing me their sorrow and grief as well as their happy face. So, thanks for wanting to be genuine. :) May 13, 2009 at 7:07 AM I do love that this post poking fun at Christians pictures two people who couldn't even spell Christian, let alone know what one is. It should be noted that most "Christians" who think along these lines are theologically, and generally, immature. June 7, 2009 at 4:02 PM Unknown said... Sorry for posting so much, but I'm enamored of this blog. And, as usual, you are spot on. It's almost as if Christians think it is a sin to be unhappy for any reason. My fundamentalist parents embodied this ideology perfectly. Any negative emotions were swept under the rug in favor of an entirely superficial, happy demeanor. July 19, 2009 at 2:09 PM stephy said... I really appreciate your commenting Roman. I love all comments even the ones that disagree because my hope is to foster some dialogue here. July 19, 2009 at 2:17 PM Anonymous said... This is the stuff mental illnesses are made of. September 7, 2009 at 11:44 PM stephy said... It honestly is, Anonymous. September 8, 2009 at 7:10 AM It is worth mentioning that this is also true of American culture generally: September 8, 2009 at 11:48 AM Anonymous said... I knew an ultra happy-acting Christian door-to-door happy Christian book salesman. I said it was so obvious he was just trying to sell something. It was dishonest to act happy all the time. "But Mel," he replied with all sincerity, "I don't have the gift of honesty." September 8, 2009 at 11:03 PM Beth said... I think this is why I ended up with depression. October 28, 2009 at 11:10 AM stephy said... I think it plays a part in why I have it, too. October 28, 2009 at 11:12 AM Beth said... You say you're a pk, Stephy, so I'm assuming that you too had to deal with the "I have to be perfect or my parents' ministry will suffer" mentality growing up? I know I did. (mk here) Also, I never felt like I could be real because clearly, who I really was was wrong. :S October 28, 2009 at 12:19 PM Anonymous said... I don't mean to mitigate your sense of special self-pity -- well, actually I do -- but these syndromes are not exclusive to PKs or MKs or COAs. I used to blame my trouble on being an EK, but it turns out MKs, FBs, RCKs and MRXCs all suffer the same malady, even if they're not XNs. October 28, 2009 at 12:38 PM stephy said... Obviously not everyone in the world with depression was a PK or an MK. October 28, 2009 at 12:40 PM Anonymous said... This comment has been removed by the author. October 28, 2009 at 1:19 PM Anonymous said... Evidently not so obviously, many other types of kids were under similar or identical pressures said to be borne only by the PK or MK. For example, "parenting" or "reputation" can be substituted for "ministry" in the phrase "had to deal with the 'I have to be perfect or my parents' ministry will suffer' mentality." The route to depression is only one aspect of childhood, supposed special, that is actually common. Generally the moral and social development of the P/MK is not nearly so distinctive as many of them seem to think. The corollary is that P/MKs have a wealth of missed opportunity for growth and solidarity, of overlooked human resources, eg people who can be their friends, supporters, and teachers. Others don't have to be preachers' or missionaries' kids to love and understand them. They can open up and receive blessing from people outside of their presumed isolated tribe. October 28, 2009 at 1:21 PM stephy said... Shhh, I'm wallowing in my special sense of self-pity. October 28, 2009 at 1:26 PM Beth said... Mel T, I'm sorry I wasn't more clear when I made the comment to Stephy about having a similar common background. I did not mean to attribute the childhood pressure of perfection from parents and the greater community to something that ONLY mks, pks, etc., suffered. In fact, for me, this sense of needing to be perfect was only part of why I suffered from depression. I would list the other factors that contributed to it, but I don't feel like it would be wise or safe for me to be vulnerable on this forum. Again, I apologize for not allowing for an extensive rundown on every person who has ever suffered from depression due to enforced rigid behavior as a child. I think it would've taken too long to discuss and would not have had bearing on the common ground that I seem to share with the author of this blog. October 28, 2009 at 4:49 PM Anonymous said... Okay. I'll let you get back. To that common ground. That you seem to share. October 28, 2009 at 7:44 PM Phil Stricker said... I agree with what you wrote, but I don't agree with using jewish (old testament) scripture from hundreds of years before Jesus was born to describe him in hindsight. April 27, 2011 at 7:29 PM stephy said... April 27, 2011 at 7:37 PM had a mom complain to my senior pastor once that I might not be saved since I'm not happy-happy joy-joy all the time. Not displaying the joy of The Lord enough ... November 2, 2011 at 11:43 AM Esther said... I think it's fair to say that the Old Testament description of "a man of many sorrows" is not inaccurate. It takes a special level of despair to exude blood. I hate when people expect that someone who is a Christian has to always look or act happy, even in the midst of hardships. I was fussed at a week after my grandmother died because I needed to "just get over it" because it wasn't a Christian thing to still be grieving and look less than peppy. When I suffered from Post-Partum Depression and had to be hospitalized twice after my first daughter was born, I was chastised for not being happy, told I was "choosing to wallow", told that I "needed to be happy and believe and have faith", etc. News flash: it's a natural thing to be unhappy sometimes, it doesn't make you a bad Christian, it makes you human. For those who prefer to look at the New Testament rather than the Old Testament, "Jesus wept". Being a Christian does not strip us of our humanity, and it is not a sin to feel negative emotions. November 7, 2011 at 1:37 AM Anonymous said... This reminded me of a time when I was attending my then boyfriend (now husband)'s church... They were all praying for a group of missionaries headed to Mexico (I might add that this was my 2nd our 3rd time attending a Sunday morning service and half of the church was screaming in tongues and it was terrifying to me at the time, I was 16). My husband had a disagreement with his parents before church that morning so he was wearing a frown, and not actively participating in the huge (scary) show/prayer taking place. The pastor's wife (who was also a pastor herself) yelled at my boyfriend and called him out for not being cheerful. All eyes were on him, in shame. He had been attending this church since he was 5 years old. He wasn't being disrespectful, he wasn't making a scene, he was simply an outsider trying to overcome a personal issue at that moment. We got up and walked out, (I was super pissed) the pastor's son followed us out to the car and basically explained that sometimes even if you're not "feeling it" you need to fake it for the benefit of others. Let's just say, that this was the beginning of the end for us... We have been together 15 years now, and the toll that church took on my husband is devastating. He has internal battles with himself daily and suffers irreparable damage from spiritual abuse. I love my husband, and it kills me to see him struggle to this day. August 28, 2012 at 2:14 PM Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) previously hosted here Hi. This is a scientific approach to highlight and explain stuff Christian culture likes. They are pretty predictable. Seattle, United States "Why do people in church seem like cheerful, brainless tourists on a packaged tour of the Absolute? … Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? ...we should all be wearing crash helmets". —Annie Dillard, Teaching a Stone to Talk	12,227
Still waiting for a second Super Bowl win after 31 years but British Bears fan Michael Salter hasn't given up hope. He previews tomorrow's match-up with the Ravens. by Michael Salter October 14, 2017 How did you become a Bears Fan? Ahhh, the heady summer days of 1986… It was the 3rd August, the summer stretched out before 12-year-old me into what seemed like eternity. Little did I know that that day promised to ruin my life! I was friends with the boy next door and wandered around that Sunday evening to find him staring at the screen, where a team in white were being hit very hard by a team in dark blue. I was watching the American Bowl at Wembley. Being 12, I wanted to support the winning team. That was the Bears. I did not know they had just won the Super Bowl, nor could I have known that 31 years later I would still be waiting for a second Super Bowl victory. If I had any conception that there lay ahead of me winters of disappointment and frustration, springs of optimism, summers of hype and Autumns of crashing down to reality… you know what, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Embed from Getty Images As I type, I am wearing my Hester jersey. On the walls is a signed Devin Hester jersey and a photo of him rounding the Colts kicker on his way to a touchdown on the opening kick-off of Super Bowl XLI – an act which had me dancing around [Ravens Flock UK editor] Shane Richmond’s front room! Next to that is a signed Brian Urlacher jersey. Throughout the study is various Bears paraphernalia and my soon to be born son has his first Bears item ready for his homecoming. If he’s a Packers fan he can live in the shed! How do Bears fans tend to feel about the Ravens? I think Bears fans feel some empathy for Ravens fans. The teams are very similar in their model: strong defense, so-so (at best) offense. We are envious of your front office, though. Until Ryan Pace took over two years ago, our front office resembled a clown car full of disaster. Our draft record was poor; we looked on enviously at Ozzie’s ability to amass draft picks. It will be Interesting to see if both Urlacher and Ray Lewis get into the Hall of Fame this year! What games between our teams stick in your memory and are there any memorable players who have played for both teams? The stars were in alignment and I found myself in Chicago on the weekend of the Bears v Ravens in 2013, when Shane was in the US visiting family. We got ourselves some tickets and walked to Soldier Feld to witness a game that even a football diehard would have difficulty remembering but for one-thing: the tail-end of a hurricane that hit Chicago and caused a three-hour suspension of play. For three-hours Shane and I stood, crammed into the walkway under the West Stand of the ground, not able to move as the rain battered down and the wind howled. The game ended in OT with a Bears victory 23-20. Embed from Getty Images There seems to be something of a hostage-exchange going on between the Bears and Ravens in terms of players and coaches: Mike Singletary played for us and coached your LBs; Jim Harbaugh played for us and you; the aforementioned Devin Hester played for us and… um… put on your uniform; Bobby Engram was a steady WR for us and now coaches your WRs; Pernell McPhee came to us in free agency a couple of years ago and, when healthy, is an absolute beast at OLB. But I think we can all agree that the highpoint has to be Marc Trestman. Having taken Lovie Smith’s 10-6 team and promptly crashed it into an 8-8 wall (followed by 5-11 in his second year) he left the shores of Lake Michigan to take up the role of offensive coordinator for you. Bizarrely, his love of tight ends did not seem to carry across to Baltimore. I hear he quickly became part of the annual Cull of the Coordinators in Baltimore. How has your season been so far? The season so far has assumed the usual cycle: summer hype (there were whispers of the playoffs) foundered on reality. For the third year running injuries have decimated our team, most frustratingly at the positions we were already thin at: WR and ILB. There have been high points: beating the steelers, right?!? We also should have beaten the Falcons in week one but Jordan Howard dropped a pass which was right in his hands when he was uncovered at the goal line! Little did we know then that the real Mike Glennon would appear. He was sold to us as a game-manager; it turned out he was a turnover machine (eight in 11 quarters). He was also the king of the checkdown, often turning down a 10-yard pass to an open WR or TE on third and eight in favour of a pass to the RB behind the line of scrimmage. It got so bad that against Green Bay, when we were down 28 points and so, traditional logic dictates, had to pass, GB went cover 1 and cover 0 for long periods and put eight in the box to stop the run! They were not at all worried about us passing. Twitter and the net has been on fire over dropping Mike Glennon to the bench (a wish they got last week) and the promotion of first-round rookie Mitchel Trubisky to starting QB. His first week: against a good Minnesota D on Monday night… No pressure Mitch! By all accounts he did well. Yes, it was a simplified gameplan for him that appeared to remove half of the field from his decision making processes, and there were some rookie errors, but if we are really seeing the emergence of the Bears’ QB of the future then I can accept that. Embed from Getty Images What would you say are the keys to this Sunday’s game? Our O-line has been strong and provided Glennon with good, clean pockets. Many of Glennon’s sacks came from him not feeling the pressure. Trubisky can certainly can move, so what this does mean is that we fans will be denied the football equivalent of the Easter Island statues in QB play this week. If Glennon and Flacco were both playing, I doubt we would see any positive rushing yards between them!. If the Bears line can protect consistently against the Ravens and give Trubisky time then it could be entertaining. Tarik Cohen (a 4th round rookie RB) has the ability to take the ball all the way every time he touches it. With Trubisky’s accuracy and ability to keep plays alive with his mobility, it could be a long day for your defence. That said, Trubisky does not have many WR options. This week the Bears promoted Tanner Gentry to the active roster. He’s a rookie WR who developed a great rapport with Trubisky during the preseason. As far as the Bears D is concerned, on its day it can be a frightening front seven. Leonard Floyd is having a strong second season at OLB and Akiem Hicks (DE) is really living up to the contract extension the Bears gave him recently. The back end is something of a work-in-progress, but is improving and has three good corners. It’s been described as “bend-but-don’t-break”, which I think is a polite way to say it gives up yards consistently and kind of ignores the fact that we got tonked by the Buccaneers and Packers. However, Glennon’s turnovers didn’t help! Having seen the Ravens “play” at Wembley this year I think the edge is with the Bears. However, 31 years of Bears fandom have taught me that if there’s a way to lose a game, the Bears will find it, and a rookie QB going up against a D that creates turnovers could be a recipe for disaster for the Bears. Especially when Suggs is breathing down your neck! My heart says Bears by three. My head, however, says Ravens by 7 with a big day for your defence confusing Trubisky. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Leave a Reply Cancel reply Email (required) (Address never made public) Name (required) Connecting to %s Notify me of new comments via email. Δ Previous Post Next Post Latest podcast episodes #057 - A bit more pain - Week 12 recap & Week 13 Denver Broncos Preview w/ Colum Cronin of the Irish NFL Show. #056 - An awful looking win - Week 11 Recap & Week 12 Preview @ Jaguars w/ Jake Brooksbank #055 - UKRavens Mid-Season Awards, BYE week roundup & Week 11 Preview vs Carolina Panthers w/ Nikki Bozeman	8,718
June 1, 2015 January 5, 2018 Categories canned hunting, conservation, hunting, lion, wildlifeafrica, animals, cannedhunting, conservation, eco, filming, filmmaking, gopro, horror, hunting, lion, lions, save, southafrica, trophyhunting, undercover, wildlife70 Comments on The truth behind my lion selfie As I apprehensively shuffled into the caged box, my gut clenched and my heart stopped…I immediately knew that I was in a bad place, and I desperately wanted to run straight back out and find comfort in my friends hiding out in the car. But something stronger told me to carry on, something told me that by enduring the next hour in this awful place I could find hope to make a positive change to the hell that I currently found myself encased in. After an hour of enduring the heartbreaking pain of filming undercover, I spent the next hour crying and shaking at what I had seen. I was both so angry and upset that I couldn’t decide between having an emotional breakdown and marching straight back into the building to punch the guy in the face. And that’s when I decided that I could try my absolute hardest to turn my experience into a huge positive…and that’s when I came up with this experiment. I’m sure many of you recognise this photo, as I spammed it across my social media platforms just before returning back to England. Within minutes of uploading the image, likes and comments immediately began to pour in, as I predicted they would. Everyone loves to see a cute lion cub gazing into the camera, heightened by the fact he had his paw on my shoulder as I stare lovingly into his beautiful big eyes. Now I’m assuming from the huge number of likes and adoring comments across my social media that what you don’t know is that this is the image you will see in just a few years’ time of this once majestic lion. So after signing the guestbook with fake names and ID numbers, our presenter, my camera and I trail into the self-proclaimed “eco-park”, nervously pondering what we were about to encounter. I played the part of English tourist, this being my first time in Africa, and I’m looking forward to seeing a real lion up close! One of the enclosures that I was taken into contained three lion cubs. At merely three weeks old we were told that they had been taken away from their mother who was in another enclosure far away and the cubs were given “lion milk formula”. The sad thing is that the guide answered absolutely every question that I put to him…without thinking that anything was wrong with this situation…Knowing full well that every single person who pets these poor cubs in their enclosures is making them get more and more accustomed to humans, therefore losing their natural instinctual fear of people. Sadly there are many places in South Africa just like this one – they claim to be a good place for animals, which thousands of tourists believe. They make millions by attracting tourists from all over the world to see, hold, and interact with ‘wild animals’. There are currently only about 2,000 lions left in the wild in South Africa whilst there are over 8,000 currently in captivity. (Even as I write this, it has just been reported that an American woman was mauled to death by a lion today in the Lion Park in Johannesburg, which lets you drive through as long as you keep your windows closed. Of course there are always those who don’t listen to rules and as the woman opened her window a lion reached through and grabbed her. Had these lions not been exposed to people their entire lives they wouldn’t have lost their instinctual fear of humans and would have kept well away. Now I’m just praying that the lion doesn’t lose his life due to human stupidity.) While you see a cute lion, happy to be involved in the selfie culture of today, this cub’s future is actually headed for the canned hunting industry. So while you dream about stroking, holding and taking your own selfies with lions just like my adorable model cub, you are contributing to a multi-million dollar industry which results in a bullet lodged in this lion’s brain – to put it straight to you. (Sorry) If you are not familiar with the term ‘canned hunting’, lets use the example of the lion in my selfie, and lets call him Leo. When Leo reaches an age when he is too big to cuddle he will be taken on walks with tourists who pay big bucks for that ‘privilege’. When Leo gets to two years old he will be too big/dangerous to interact with people closely, although he is now very comfortable with the idea of people, after interacting with hundreds every week. Leo will then be left in an enclosure until he reaches his prime – therefore looking his most impressive – at about six years old, when a canned hunter will travel to South Africa, after paying around $38,000, to point his bigman gun at Leo whilst sitting in the safety of a vehicle, accompanied by guides to protect him. Meat will even be put out for Leo so that the hunter will know exactly where he will be. And as Leo has been around people since he was taken from his mother at two weeks old, he has no reason to fear the hunter. Now that the bullet is lodged in Leo’s brain, lets take a selfie next to this trophy…what a brave ‘hunter’. What is the skill in pulling a trigger on a target you know will stay within the few square metres that you have set it up to be in? So that’s the brutal and honest truth. And while you may venture to these places and think that they are doing good for conservation due to the sheer volume of animals held in these places, know that these animals are suffering greatly – both physically from malnutrition and poor living conditions, and mentally after being taken from their mothers at such a young age. The horrors that I saw whilst filming undercover included hyenas in cages with lions “to see if they will be friends”, I experienced an attempted attack by an older tiger cub who I was told was “just playing” as his claws close to plowed into me, hissing caracals being shoved into my arms, and three week old lion cubs with chunks of their fur missing. Is this conservation? Is this right? All I ask is that you share this message so that our children can grow up knowing the beauty of the natural and rightful King of the jungle. Related Previous Post Finding the fun in 28 hours Next Post A response to my Lion Selfie 70 thoughts on “The truth behind my lion selfie” June 10, 2015 at 7:04 am I too visited a lodge where lions were bred and kept for hunting and was totally shocked that this happened. I naively thought that hunting took place in a more ‘natural’ environment. However it’s big business in Africa and obviously a money maker, with hunting engrained in the blood of many so it will be unfortunately so hard to change this situation. June 10, 2015 at 12:34 pm The truth always leaves a mark in ones heart. Thank you for your bravery and for bringing this ugly, barbaric truth out in the open. We need to stand together on this and petition or do something to help these voiceless but perfectly created animals. Jen says: June 10, 2015 at 5:28 pm Thanks so much for going “undercover” and exposing this reality in such a raw way. Too often people talk about making change, but do nothing. Huge props to you and I hope you’ll continue to use your experiences behind the scenes to bring this to light and, hopefully, help save a few animals’ lives. Awesome RJ James says: June 11, 2015 at 9:33 am Thank you!!! I wish people would realise these things naturally. But it’s people like you who give us hope.. I also spread the word, although about elephants and the tourist industries in Asian countries that use elephants for tourism rides, and street beggars, and the baby elephant swimming at the beach. I don’t know how many times I have to keep putting it out there for people to finally see that these animals are not happy, are not being well looked after, and it is not conservation. So thank you again for your story, I hope more people like us come out and try and educate the masses so these animals can live in peace. Namaste Kaz stocker says: June 11, 2015 at 7:40 pm its truly heart breaking to read but so necessary. Thank you for being brave and reporting this we need more people to do the same xxx June 11, 2015 at 10:24 pm Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am so against this canned hunting that some people seem to think is great. Let’s try and shame those people who participate. I thought that the days of big game hunting were over and that the word was now “conservation”. Seems I was wrong. This is not hunting. This is selfish gratification with no thought for the animals. We are certainly making a mess of this planet. Maybe it’s time for a return to the days of dinosaurs and no humans. June 12, 2015 at 10:37 am Thank you for being brave and sharing your experience! May this help to educate those eager tourists to think twice before supporting a cub petting prison…. Toni says: June 12, 2015 at 7:03 pm I am a South African. I am Proud Of the beautiful species we have here. You have opened my eyes. I have never thought about it like this. Thank You. The Wildlife here should be just that. “Left in the wild”. Excellent Article. June 14, 2015 at 4:21 pm June 23, 2015 at 8:09 am Well said Jess. Too frequently people don’t want to see the truth behind this mess. It takes courage to put it out there. I salute you June 26, 2015 at 3:33 pm Thank you for showing people the dark sidr of such tourist attraction. This should not be allowed; same with zoos and places like Marineland… Let’s hope wild animals will be respected for who they are one day. August 17, 2015 at 1:58 pm Pingback: Lions extinct by 2030? – According to Jess February 21, 2019 at 2:59 pm Oh my goodness, this is devastating. Why is this happening?! Thank you for exposing the truths of this tourist trap. These animals deserve better.	10,582
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Posted byDr. Corinne Hyde May 9, 2013 July 14, 2014 Posted inschool reform, standardized testingTags:Michael Pollan, processed education, standardized testing, unprocessed education, unschooling In San Francisco at the end of April, I had the opportunity to hear James Paul Gee speak a couple of times about learning and new media literacy. Gee has done a lot of great work in the field of video games and learning and new media literacies, but what struck me the most was a topic that he kept coming back to; the problems with processed food. He drew parallels more than once between the nation’s consumption of processed foods leading to illness and death and the nation’s educational problems. My ears perked up as soon as he began talking about the dangers of processed foods, since with the last year I’ve read a couple of Michael Pollan’s books, and subsequently purged almost all of the processed foods from my fridge and pantry. Gee’s words really stuck with me over the last couple of weeks, and I finally realized why. What we have right now in the United States is Processed Education, and it’s killing learning. So what do I mean by Processed Education? It’s the status quo. It’s the factory model, one size fits all, standardized testing version of “education” that is happening as we speak in our public schools. I call it processed, because it is top down. It is state and federal legislators making educational decisions. It is Race to the Top. It is state standardized tests (the Monsanto of education; an attempt to educate everyone that ends up destroying everything good about education). Processed Education is the equivalent of feeding everyone government cheese so that no one goes hungry. What I call Unprocessed Education draws on a number of different sources for wisdom on teaching and learning. The Waldorf approach to education, Montessori education, constructivism, sociocultural theory, and unschooling, among others, have informed this view, along with the reality that most kids need a place to go during the day while parents are working in our current economic reality. I call it Unprocessed Education, because like the unprocessed food movement, it puts control back where it belongs. In the unprocessed food movement, that’s with home cooks, parents, and individuals; people like me who are making their own bread and avoiding GMOs. In unprocessed education, that should be students, teachers, and parents. They are where the power should sit, they are where the money should go, and they will be the evidence of learning. I’ve boiled my anti-Processed Education rantings down into a nice, handy-dandy chart for you to have and share. Isn’t that nice? Do you agree? Disagree? What is stopping us from moving to Unprocessed Education? Reddit Related Posted byDr. Corinne Hyde May 9, 2013 July 14, 2014 Posted inschool reform, standardized testingTags:Michael Pollan, processed education, standardized testing, unprocessed education, unschooling Published by Dr. Corinne Hyde I'm an Assistant Teaching Professor of Clinical Education at the University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education. My research focuses on faculty adaptation to online learning, synchronous virtual classrooms, and the intersection of learning theory and technology. I teach mostly learning theory and technology/new media literacy courses to graduate students. Prior to becoming a professor, I was a classroom teacher in a high needs school in Los Angeles, a private educational administrator, a community preschool teacher, and a behavior interventionist. I hold a B.S. in Elementary Education from The University of Central Florida, and a M.S.Ed. in Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, with a focus in Educational Psychology, from the University of Southern California. I have been certified as a classroom teacher in FL, CA, and LA, and I hold administration and ELD certifications in California and Louisiana. I currently live in Louisiana with my husband, my daughter, and my 3 dogs. View more posts Previous Post Previous post: Next Post Next post: Beautiful Moments in the Extended Classroom 4 thoughts on “Unprocessed Education” May 23, 2013 at 7:02 PM Is there any hope for teachers to be able to implement these things, especially if they are working in a school with a huge bureaucracy? May 23, 2013 at 7:54 PM I think some of these can be implemented within any school. Others, though, would require a groundswell of educators fighting back against the educational bureaucracy in order to happen. October 12, 2014 at 7:04 PM love this! totally saving this chart for my future students. October 18, 2014 at 4:48 PM Hi to every body, it’s my first visit of this weblog; this weblog consists of awesome and really good data in favor of	5,060
More than just daycare, The Goddard School located in Fanwood offers a child care program that nurtures a lifelong love of learning by providing dedicated teachers in a private preschool setting. The Goddard School can be found at 324 South Avenue . The following is offered: Childcare Services - In Fanwood there are 0 other Childcare Services. An overview can be found here. Keywords The Goddard School, private preschool, educational daycare, early childhood development, childcare, preschool teaching philosophy, play-based learning in early childhood, play-based curriculum, preschool goals and objectives, school quality standards, infant development programs, learning programs for toddlers, play-based preschool, private pre-k programs, private kindergarten school, school-age childcare, early childhood enrichment programs, mealtime routines for children, educational summer camps, science summer camp, tech summer camps, engineering camps for kids, art summer camp, math summer camp. Write a review This listing was not reviewed yet: Your review for The Goddard School Submit your Review Owner - Tracy Brace As a resident of Scotch Plains and a parent of three children, Tracy opened a childcare center to fulfill her personal need for a safe, loving and stimulating preschool environment for her own children, as well as to pursue a rewarding profession where she can have a meaningful impact on the daily lives of children and their families. Tracy earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her MBA at NYU's Stern School of Business. She started her career in financial research. She has been working in early childhood education and operating The Goddard School located in Fanwood, NJ since 2007. Director of Education – Tricia Ferrara Tricia has more than 15 years of experience working in early childhood. She worked for Gymboree for nine years, first as an Instructor and then as Program Director as well as a Regional Trainer. After a brief period as a Corporate Trainer outside of the childcare industry, Tricia was excited to join a preschool environment working with children and joined The Goddard School located in Fanwood, NJ (near Scotch Plains and Westfield) in December of 2008. Tricia has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Rutgers University. Her expertise in early childhood education and training as well as her vibrant personality has been a huge asset to our school! Ms. Jackie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance and Psychology from Rider University. She has a true passion for dance and movement and loves teaching to all ages. She especially loves to teach dance to younger students and has been working as a dance instructor and with the preschool age for over 7 years. Ms. Jackie loves working with the preschool ages and believes that so much can be taught through movement. She has so much fun teaching and dancing with students. Ms. Amanda joins The Goddard School with an interest in working with many families and their children to foster a lifelong love of learning and a positive introduction to school. Ms. Amanda is attending college locally and is studying Child Development. She has worked with infants and toddlers as a caregiver. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and is committed to the art of dance. Ms. Amanda will pursue a degree in Early Childhood Education with a specialty in Special Education. Ms. Carol graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Kean University. Ms. Carol double majored in Elementary Education and Sociology. Ms. Carol has 35 years of experience working with children ages six weeks through 15 years of age. Ms. Carol loves to spark learning in children through song, creative art projects and sensory explorations. She has two beautiful girls of her own, Cheyenne and Morgan. She enjoys reading, and swimming in her spare time. Ms. Carol loves children and feels honored to be a part of the Goddard School. Ms. Gianna is a graduate of Montclair State University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Family Studies. She has always loved working with children and families, and is excited to continue to take part in the development of the students at The Goddard School. Ms. Gianna believes that the students not only learn from us, but we can learn from them as well! She has experience as an intern counselor at Stepping Forward Counseling Center in Chatham, as well as a teacher at My Gym in New Providence. In her free time, Ms. Gianna loves shopping, going to the beach, and going to concerts. Ms. Gianna is so excited to continue her journey at The Goddard School with the amazing staff and students! Mr Joshua Mr. Josh is a graduate of The University of Delaware and was born and raised in Delaware before moving to New Jersey in 2017. He has been working in childcare for several years both as a lead teacher and as an assistant teacher for children as young as 2 years of age through thirteen years old. He most enjoys promoting literacy and physical activity in the children in his classroom and can always be counted on for a fun, interactive song or game. Ms. Kate has always adored working and interacting with children. She has been employed in child care in the past and grew up with a mother who taught young children for almost three decades and counting. She currently has her certification with the Childhood Development Association for preschool age and continues to learn everyday how to be a better teacher. Ms Kate is a mother herself to a little girl who is already a sweet and wonderful baby! Each school year brings more exciting memories and experiences that Ms Kate will always cherish for years to come! Mr Matthew Matt went to high school at Montana Academy in Marion, MT. He loves working with children, which he has done extensively, including working as an Assistant Teacher at Woodland Montessori School in Kalispell, MT and at Temple Sholom of West Essex in Cedar Grove, NJ. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Administration from Purdue University Global. He was a camper for 7 years at Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, MA and he loves the outdoors. He backpacked across the Green Mountains in Vermont for 3 months and can make traps and start a fire with a bow drill. He is also a television and movie buff and enjoys listening to music. Ms. Michelle earned her Bachelor’s degree in psychology, a Masters degree in Public Health and is completing her Masters coursework in psychology at Bay Path University in Massachusetts. She has proudly and consistently been on the Dean’s list! She was one of the first peer mentors at her school to focus on the online community for students. While studying online, she maintained a full time position as an Assistant Director with My Gym in Westfield, NJ. She loves educating children on fitness and health! She is a strong believer that everything happens for a reason and is very excited about her journey with The Goddard School. Ms. Nicolette lives in Central, New Jersey and joins The Goddard School with a passion for caring for children, watching them grow and helping them learn. One of her favorite things to do is swim, so she decided to become a swim instructor. Ms. Nicolette taught swim lessons to children ranging from age 6 months to 15 years of age and found it to be very rewarding. Ms. Nicolette is completing her Child Development Associate Credential. In her free time, she enjoys watching sports, spending time with her family and friends and ANYTHING related to Disney! She is eager to begin her journey with The Goddard School and all the opportunities that will follow. Ms. Sara was born and raised in New Jersey and comes from a big Italian family! She has worked with children ages infant through kindergarten for fifteen years. She knew from a young age she wanted to be a teacher and to help children learn and grow. She earned her Child Development Associate Credential to assert the most current knowledge in her everyday teaching. Nothing brings her more joy than her job! She loves summer time and enjoys working out, watching movies and is a Disney fanatic! Ms. Tiffany graduated from Caldwell College with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. After attaining her degree, Ms. Tiffany earned her Preschool through Grade 3 certificate. Ms. Tiffany has been working in the Early Childhood field for twenty years. She has worked with children, ages ranging from twelve months to five years of age. Ms. Tiffany has been working at the Goddard School since it opened in January of 2008. Ms. Tiffany has always wanted to work with children and cultivating young minds is what inspired her to pursue a career in teaching. Ms. Ashley eagerly joined The Goddard School as an assistant teacher. She has worked with children for 8 years as a childcare provider. She is currently earning her degree in early childhood education. Her favorite part about childcare is watching her students develop and grow. She enjoys spending her weekends with family and watching movies…..in the warmer weather, you can find her at the beach! Ms. Bryanah joins The Goddard School with a penchant for making others smile. She is a family oriented person who looks forward to spreading positivity between people and especially among children. Ms. Bryanah aspires to become a certified nurse midwife to provide care to woman during pregnancy, through childbirth. In the meantime, she is eager to get to know the families and children at The Goddard School. Ms Kaitlyn Ms. Kaitlyn has aspired to teach and work with children from the time she was a child. She is a student at Kean University where she studies Elementary Education (K-6) & (5-8) as well as English Writing. Upon graduation, she will also be endorsed as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities. Ms. Kaitlyn has experience caring for children of all ages, which propelled her passion for watching children grow; she finds child development fascinating. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, coloring, taking walks (especially with her dog, Zeus), and being with family and friends. She is thrilled to be a part of The Goddard School and is excited to extend a love of learning to every student she can! Ms. Kaylee is currently a senior attending Montclair State University. She is a Family Science Major and enrolled in the Education Program (P-3). She has worked with children for five years in summer camps and as a childcare provider. Kaylee loves creating and teaching arts & crafts. In her personal time, she enjoys baking for her friends and family. Kaylee is looking forward to new and fun experiences with The Goddard School! Ms. Kiesha graduated from Sandford Brown Institute with a Medical Assistant certificate. She is interested in pursuing a degree in Nursing. She has worked in the education field for several years with children from infancy through four years of age. Ms. Kiesha, a proud mother of three, enjoys providing her wealth of experience with families as they navigate the world of parenthood! For fun, she enjoys spending time with her children, shopping and watching television. Ms. Kiesha enjoys partaking in the development of a child as they learn and grow. Ms. Lara is a resident of Westfield with three children. She graduated from Hood College with a Bachelors of Arts degree. After being a stay-at-home mom for many years with a disabled child she decided to start volunteering with children and completed the CASA program for Union County. She enjoys serving children and youth who are at risk and in the foster-care system from birth through adulthood. It is a very rewarding opportunity with a caring and supportive community. Ms. Lohanne attends Union County Vocational-Technical High School and joins The Goddard School as an intern. She is a lifelong New Jersey resident that enjoys Brazilian food and culture. Ms. Lohanne loves people, in particular children. Ms. Lohanne loves to teach small children through play, a child will not even know they are learning things because they are having so much fun! This fall, Ms. Lohanne is enrolled at Rutgers University Business School to study Business Management to become self-employed in the future. She enjoys creating new styles and interesting looks with cosmetics and hair and feels that everyone is beautiful from the inside out! Ms. Marin resides locally and is herself a graduate of The Goddard School located in Fanwood! She has experience working with children from being a camp counselor in addition to years of babysitting experience with children of various ages. She is looking forward to attending college next year. She loves reading, exploring new places and is passionate about protecting the environment. Marin has been a gymnast since she was 5 years old. My name is Mayah and I am a student at Kean University majoring in criminal justice with a minor in early childhood education. I aspire to create outreach programs for troubled youth. I have a passion for helping children as well as seeing others reach their highest potential. I have sufficient experience working with children as I have worked at childcare centers and have cared for children in their home. I enjoy arts and crafts, and plan on implementing my creativity within the classroom. I enjoy nature, music, and spending quality time with my loved ones. I am so excited to start my new journey here at The Goddard School. Ms. Meg grew up locally and intended to work in childcare for as long as she can remember! She earned her Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education and is currently completing her Elementary Education Bachelors Degree with a dual certification in English Writing. She has worked with children of varied ages for many years. As a camp counselor, dance instructor and tutor, she found that working with children is most rewarding! She enjoys playing with her cat Winston, spending time with her friends and family and creating art, specifically drawing, painting and photography. Ms. Meg is looking forward to helping our students grow and expects to make some personal growth herself! Hello, my name is Melanie and I graduated from UCTech from the Teacher Education Academy. I have lived in New Jersey my entire life and am bilingual; I speak both Portuguese and English. I attended Kean University and took American Sign Language and loved it so much I plan on minoring in it in college. I will be attending The College of New Jersey in the fall and will be a part of the 5-year Early Childhood Special Education program and earn both my Bachelors and Masters during that time. I love to meet new people, and especially love working with children. I cannot see myself pursuing any other profession without small children being involved. I play soccer and was also a part of the track and field team, so I enjoy being active as well. I enjoy going on new adventures and coming up with new ways to make an already fun activity more fun. Ms. Michelle studied at Ocean County College and has worked with children for over 15 years. She continues to enjoy working with the children at the Goddard School. Her goal is to help children develop a positive experience with learning and to leave a lasting impression in their hearts. This is a crucial time in their development and Ms. Michelle feels honored to be a part of it! In her free time she likes hanging with family, friends and the love of her life. She also likes to listen to podcasts, dance to music, watch crime shows (Law and Order) and enjoys taking a walk on a beautiful day! Ms. Nataly is a Visual Arts major at Montclair State University, with a concentration on Art Education. She intends on one day becoming an art teacher. In her free time she enjoys writing, painting, drawing and just being creative in general! Through her experience in babysitting, she learned just how much she enjoys spending time with children. She joins The Goddard School hoping to continue learning and growing along with the children, and being able to share her own creativity with our students. Ms. Nicole recently moved from Florida to New Jersey. She has worked with children ages infant through 12 years of age in various capacities. Her first professional exposure to children was as a childcare provider and tutor. She has also worked as a teachers assistant. While in that role, she had an opportunity to experience helping children in a school setting. In her free time she enjoys dancing, cooking/baking and spending time with her family. A fun fact about Ms. Nicole is that she is a life time member of the Delaware Raritan Girl Scouts! Mr Ryan Mr. Ryan is a student at the University of Michigan studying political science and communications. When he is home on breaks and over the summer, he looks forward to spending time with the children and coworkers. He has experience working with children as a camp and bus counselor and he loves sharing his knowledge of Chinese with the students. Ryan’s loves music and is a staff music writer for his college newspaper. He also loves to travel and some of his favorite trips include Morocco, China and the Galapagos Islands. He also likes hiking and snowboarding. Ms. Sam joins the Goddard School family with enthusiasm! She exudes a passion for helping kids grow and reach their full potential. Ms. Sam has experience with ages varying from infant to school age as a caregiver and teacher of the art of dance. She has been a dance teacher for many years and believes that music and movement are great ways to express oneself. Ms. Sam is a proponent for positivity and intends on leaving a mark wherever she goes. She aspires to become a Play Therapist. In her free time, Ms. Sam loves to read, dance, enjoy time with family and to be outdoors. Ms. Sam is so excited to begin her journey with The Goddard School and meet all the families and the children! Ms. Sarah was born and raised locally and graduated from the College of Saint Elizabeth with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art. Ms. Sarah is completing her Child Development Associate Credential. Previously, Ms. Sarah worked as a child care provider as well as a child-care attendant at a fitness facility and fell in love with working with children. Ms. Sarah previously volunteered at the Cranford First Aid Squad. She enjoys staying active with yoga, hiking and walking her dog Gabby. She also loves being creative with painting, drawing and photography, and intends on extending her love for fun and creativity into the classroom!	19,045
I don’t fit in anywhere. Specifically, clothing sections in stores. I’m finding it more and more complicated to shop for myself because all the clothes in the “Juniors” section are a bit too “not work friendly” but clothes in “Women’s” are a little to “frumpy mom”. So where do I buy clothes? When pregnant, you shop the maternity for the most part. Or just find something that you already own that will suffice until the little bundle is born and you’re back in your favorite clothes. I’m lost. I’m at the in-between age of clothes. Too old for “Juniors” and too young for “Women’s”. Even Old Navy is beginning to bother me. In the past, I could easily hit Old Navy and find 10 things I wanted. Now, maybe just a pair of pants and a top. I actually do a lot of online shopping for clothes. I can sort by the item I want (shirt, pants or jeans) as well as sort by size. It’s the trying on part and feeling the fabric I miss out on. So, am I the only one who feels stuck between “Juniors” and “Women’s”? Got any great stores or suggestions? Because, I need some new clothes! Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Posted on March 9, 2011 by jessi. This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ Recent Posts Marlo at 24 Months Marlo at 23 Months Marlo at 22 Months Marlo at 21 Months jessi on Marlo at 23 Months MikeO on Marlo at 23 Months Carrying stuff by bike: trailer - Business Unusual on 500 +1 Archives Select Month May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 July 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005	3,291
Rocca d’Orcia is a typical medieval town: stone arches and a large old cistern with Tintinnano Fortress watching over it. It changed hands several times. Legend has it that it never fell through force, but due to traitors who opened the gates at night. In 1207 in the Borgo, for the first time in Europe a charter was issued to define the duties and rights of the people toward their lords:Charta Libertatis. Documents and myth point to the fact that Saint Catherine of Siena stayed here in 1367, receiving the divine gift of writing as an illiterate right here. Chapter #2 Bagni San Filippo is a well-known spa destination, where you can take a dip in the naturally healing sulphur waters of Fosso Bianco, the stream that flows through the town carving a special chalky conformation down the years called the White Whale. In the nearby woods visit the Grotta di San Filippo Benizi, the Florentine monk, who in 1269 sought refuge in this magical place in the wilds to flee his probable appointment as pope. Chapter #3 Campiglia d’Orcia stands between the valley and Amiata. In the twelfth century it belonged to the Visconti, who made it famous in 1155 upon freeing Arnaldo da Brescia, the Roman heretic who hid in the Briccole, along Via Francigena, to escape at night, hence becoming the prophet of freedom and good government. Higher up, you find Rocca di Campigliola, which rises up amid the fields, an abode to fairies said to cut the wheat on June nights. In the morning farmers would wake up to find their bales already made, filling other harvesters so much with envy that, beneath the sun, they said, “If only they had fields in Campigliola!” Chapter #4 Among the natural white firs and the springs, you find Vivo d’Orcia. The two hermitages make their presence felt: San Pietro, in the Cervini area, built on top of the remains of the Camaldolese monastery by Pope Marcel II, and the superior hermitage of San Benedetto (or Ermicciolo). Here there have always been countless clefts, caves and rocks, regularly occupied by thieves, shepherds and hermits. The most famous of these is the Devil’s Chair, named after the tradition where the demon sat waiting to scare passersby and to confront hermits who were able to oppose him. Chapter #5 Castiglione d'Orcia, with its strategic position over the whole of the Val d'Orcia, along the Via Francigena, was the stronghold of theAldobrandeschi family for centuries. The Aldobrandesca Fortress rises up above the medieval town, where you can visit the bridge house, which was converted by Conte Riario into a noble residence in the seventeenth century, the walls, rooms and various other. In the town centre you find Piazza il Vecchietta, named after the fifteenth-century Sienese painter Lorenzo di Pietro, known as il Vecchietta, which tradition has it was a native of this town.	2,903
The acclaimed aerosol artist discusses his collaborations with Chanel, Richard Mille, Hermès and Airbus — and what motivates him to create, in the streets or the stratosphere. Photography by Jin Cheng Wong Today, he’s sought-after by art collectors and luxury brands. But it wasn’t so long ago that French graffiti artist Kongo was hotly pursued by the law. “Graffiti hasn’t always been regarded as ‘street art’. Until quite recently, we were just considered to be vandals,” Kongo says. “The police would arrest me. I’d say, ‘But I’m making art, making beauty!’” Back in the day, he explains, “I didn’t exhibit my work, except in the street. I didn’t do any shows. I didn’t have any deals with galleries, no dealings with the art world. What I was doing was really underground. I was only known in the graffiti world.” Things began to change after Kongo was approached in 2008 by Hermès artistic director, Pierre-Alexis Dumas. “Hermes asked me to do a window display at a boutique in Hong Kong — they gave me carte blanche, so I did something,” Kongo recalls. “I guess they liked it, because a few months later, Monsieur Dumas gave me a call and proposed another commission.” The enviable task: to design one of the brand’s trademark Carré scarves. “It was a big challenge to me to be doing something really close to my graphic vocabulary in the luxury world. At the time, I thought, okay, ‘Why not?’ I didn’t realise the impact it would have in the art world and the luxury world,” Kongo says. “That brought my work into the spotlight, which allowed me to begin working with galleries, holding shows, and pursuing more collaborations in luxury.” Subsequent to his successful Hermès mash-up, Kongo forged alliances with several other luxury powerhouses, including exclusive watchmaker Richard Mille. That collaboration resulted in the creation of the 30-piece limited-edition RM68-01 watch, which originally sold for over US$700,000 each and today change hands for millions. Kongo explains: “I first met Richard Mille at a dinner a friend invited me to. This really nice guy introduced himself, told me he had a watch brand — I didn’t know it. He asked me, ‘What do you do? Oh, graffiti? You mean painting on the walls?’ I said, ‘Yeah, walls, trains, trucks, everywhere.’ Richard asked to see some pictures of my graffiti, so I showed him some, on my phone. We started drinking and laughing together, had a really nice night.” A few days later, Kongo says, he invited Mille to the opening of his new show in Paris at the renowned Gallerie Matignon. Mille turned up to the exhibition with former Ferrari boss Jean Todt and his partner, the actress Michelle Yeoh. “We stayed in touch and soon after, Richard proposed to me doing a watch. He said, ‘I think we can do something that has never been done in the world of horology: painting the tourbillon movement.’ The tourbillon is an intricate movement, Richard informed me. ‘This will be a challenge.’ I told him, ‘Hey, no problem. I’ll burn it.’” What Kongo did not realise was that he would spend the next two years on the project. “I worked for all that time in Switzerland with the best hands in horology, going through all these headaches. Because this is an haute-complication watch, it’s not only a matter of painting. You have to be careful with the weights, you have to get the good balance of the painting on the movement, and the paint has to stay on forever. It was an immense challenge — I spent one year just to develop the techniques — but we had so much fun. Despite the difficulties, it was a great journey.” Of having the chance to work with the late, great Karl Lagerfeld — on what would unfortunately turn out to be among his last designs for Chanel, Kongo says, “That was crazy. That was crazy! Even now I cannot believe it. You know, Chanel had never done a full-scale collaboration with an artist before. Only maybe for one bag or for one shirt — but not an entire collection. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to get to know Karl Lagerfeld.” ‘The Kaiser’ called on Kongo when he was conceptualising the Chanel Métiers d’Art 2018/19 collection, which would be shown at The Met gallery in New York just a few months before Lagerfeld’s death. “I spent one month in the studio, not a Chanel studio but Karl’s own studio in Quai Voltaire, in the heart of Paris,” Kongo recalls. “The energy there was so, so crazy. I did many paintings and Chanel bought 12 for creating the collection. Meeting someone like Karl Lagerfeld, as an artist, that was really inspiring — seeing his work ethic, how full of ideas he was, his culture, just crazy.” In the years since transitioning from the streets to gallery walls (not to mention tourbillons and couture gowns), Kongo has held successful exhibitions all around the world, including the establishment in 2019 of a hybrid studio / gallery at The Mill in Singapore. Kongo recently returned to the space to brush the dust off part-complete works he hadn’t seen since the outbreak of the pandemic. “It’s the longest I’ve ever left any of my works unfinished,” Kongo says, walking Boulevard around his current show at The Mill. In addition to brand-new pieces and recently completed pre-pandemic art, the collection includes Kongo’s one-of-a-kind Medicom 1,000% [email protected] figures, embellished in leather handcrafted by bespoke trunk maker, Pinel et Pinel of Paris. “Excellence is my mantra,” Kongo says. “Ten years ago they asked me to do a [email protected], and I refused, because they had many artists doing it, it would have been factory-made. But doing it this way, the way we have done it now — in leather, which no-one had done before, working with the maroquiniers, where they’re handcrafted, unique, painted by hand… Then, it’s interesting.” With refreshing candour, Kongo says, “Of course, I like to get a good cheque, but for me, it’s not about that. I’m really selective about who I work with. I refuse 90 percent of the projects I’m offered. To me, what’s important is telling a story together with the collaborator. This is why, I think, I get the chance to work with people like Richard Mille, Karl Lagerfeld, or Airbus, who recently asked me to do a business jet cabin.” Kongo says he found that aeronautical opportunity particularly exciting because it allowed him to work with specialists in numerous different metiers. He loved seeing his art on carpets, woodwork, engraved metals and so forth, and grasping the manufacturing challenges involved. “For me, it’s not about money. It’s about how to bring the same energy I used in the streets, to make something elegant. To make it not simply clothing, or a watch or a plane, but a piece of art.” He strokes his beard philosophically, and ponders, “Maybe I’m wrong. I see so many artists, they put their name on a product, they take a cheque — and they don’t care. Me, I need more meaning. I need to be telling a story.”	6,929
Sunday, June 16th – Weekend box office for Man of Steel: A superhero-worthy US$125.1 million in North America, breaking Toy Story 3’s record for biggest June opening weekend ever and second best debut of year next to Iron Man 3. Next up: Man of Steel 2 with good chunk to be filmed in Vancouver. EW has fun keeping track of “Inappropriate Tweets about Henry Cavill“. Sunday, June 16th – Continuum 2×08 Second Listen airs on Showcase: Kiera (Rachel Nichols) investigates the mysterious disappearance of several deceased time traveler’s bodies; Alec (Erik Knudsen) is taken hostage by Garza on orders from his future self. Sunday, June 16th – The Killing 3×04 Head Shots airs on AMC: Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) and Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman) team up to find the “voice” on the tapes.’; Seward (Peter Sarsgaard) is given reason to stop acting up in prison. Sunday, June 16th – Falling Skies 3×03 Badlands airs on TNT: Humans attack Charleston with new President Tom Mason (Noah Wyle) on the frontlines. And concern grows about the mole among them. Sunday, June 16th – Godzilla main unit at Japanese village set on Front Street in New Westminster. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Bryan Cranston spotted on set. Sunday, June 16th – Godzilla 2nd unit films controlled parachute jump from crane on Thurlow in downtown Vancouver. Friday, June 14th – Mireille Enos, Joel Kinnaman and Elias Koteas film The Killing seasson 3 finale in east Vancouver neighbourhood. Friday, June 14th – Man of Steel opens in theatres. BC filming of the Superman reboot starring Henry Cavill. Spot the BC actor: Ian Tracey, Tahmoh Penikett, Mike Dopud and others. Friday, June 14th – Arrow starts filming season 2 on July 9th according to DGBC production list. Thursday, June 13th – Man of Steel screening for Vancouver crew. Thursday, June 13th – YVRShoots Series – Best of BC-made TV and Film at Leo Awards from Continuum to Camera Shy Thursday, June 13th – EW’s first look at Once Upon a Time‘s Ginnifer Goodwin as Jackie Kennedy for the docudrama Killing Kennedy. Wednesday, June 12th – The Killing films scenes with Joel Kinnaman and Jewel Staite on the fifth floor gallery of the curtain wall inside the Vancouver Public Library atrium. Wednesday, June 12th – Bruce Boxleitner guest-stars on Cedar Cove with Andie MacDowell Tuesday, June 11th – Director Zach Snyder discusses Man of Steel 2., with portion to be filmed in Vancouver, starting January 2014 via @lemon_buzz. Tuesday, June 11th – Hugh Dillon of Continuum and The Killing films indie The Last Crop on Chinatown roof. Tuesday, June 11th – King & Maxwell films around The Bay downtown. Tuesday, June 11th – DirecTV renews Rogue with Thandie Newton for second season of 10 episodes. Tuesday, June 11th – Deadline reports that NBC orders rewrite and revamping of filmed-in-Vancouver pilot Victor with`John Stamos Read More »WEEK: June 10-16, 2013	2,880
I almost didn’t write this post, because I’m afraid you’ll have trouble believing this really happened. But, really, these folks are too funny not to share. On Saturday, Don was busy in a meeting, and I had read all the magazines I brought, and there was nothing good on TV. So, I hopped on the bus…and went shopping! I did a little damage and called the bus to come and get me. (These are small vans that have seats down each side and across the back). When it got there, it was full, and I had to go to the seats across the back. We stopped and let all those folks out at the beach. And, I thought I was going to have a quiet ride back. BUT WAIT…THERE’S MORE! here comes a family of 8…not intending to miss this bus–no matter what! And, friends, it took me about 30 seconds to realize the ‘crazies’ had found me…and were riding on my bus! The door closed behind them…and off we went! First to speak was the little boy…around first grade. His arms were folded and his lips were poked out. When he realized that no one was paying him any attention, he said,” Yeah, that’s right! I’m mad as he!” Well! My eyes popped, and I thought that if that had been one of mine, he would be walking his sassy self back to the motel! His Daddy thought that was highly entertaining and very funny. His Grandaddy stood up and walked over to him, pulled him up and swatted him on the rear. Then he looked at him and said, You apologize to that lady, right now!” And, he was pointing at ME! (I didn’t want an apology…I didn’t want to even be on this bus!) Grandaddy continued…”You ain’t no hooligan, and you ain’t no bad boy…but, you sure is rude! Now apologize before I have them stop this bus.” The boy grudgingly said that he was sorry, and then, he tried to stomp in the aisle…so we would all know he was mad ,as well as being embarrassed. At that exact moment the bus hit a bump…and he went flying over his sister’s feet, and landed in his Mother’s lap. OH! MY! She jumped up and started yelling, “Get offa me, boy…you know I’ve got the vertical. And you’s gonna get it, too if you don’t get move!” She pushed him then and he landed on the floor of the bus. {Friends, this family of 8, and myself were the only ones on the bus. And, I really did not know whether I should get off and walk the 3 miles back to the hotel or just sit veeeeeery still and hope they forgot I was there. ………..Also…what exactly IS ‘vertical’? Well, she had it , and she had it bad!} The boy got up, and began easing his way toward the back of the bus where I was sitting very quietly. He sat down beside me. Which was a mite scary…cause I knew he had a streak of the meanness in him, and if Grandaddy got started again, I didn’t want to be too close. There was a stream of blood running from his knee, going in 2 directions when it hit the top of his foot. I turned to him and said, “Did you hurt yourself when you fell?” He nodded his head. He was near tears, and no one from his family said anything to him. I looked in my purse and found a tissue and a bandaid and asked his Mother if it was OK for him to have it. She said, “I don’t care.” I fixed the bandaid and put it on his knee. And, he said, “Thank-you.” I said, “You are very welcome. And, thank you for apologizing for saying what you did. I really don’t think words like that are very nice.” Just then his Daddy (who looked amazingly like Snp Dgg. Yes, there is really someone with that name) said, “Ro-berta, sit up straight, you getting me hot!” WELL!!! She said, “I can’t help it. You know I’m taking medication pills…I’m sick and and you ain’t helping me none.” Then, Grandaddy said, “Baby girl, you come on back home and I’ll get you to a good doctor and your Mama will take care of you.” “Daddy, you know I ain’t coming home, I’m staying with my husband,” she said. Grandmother piped up now and said, ” And,I ain’t fixing to take care of her…she got herself into this d mess, she can d* sure get herself out.” (Wonder where Little Boy learned to talk?) Grandaddy said to Ro-berta, “You know he’s what gave you that verticalization in the first place!” [Throughout this whole strange episode, the two baby sisters and the older sister were having a grand ole time. They all 3 had T*tsie Rll Pps. Yum-my! They were having a science lesson of sorts. JUST HOW STICKY DOES A TTSIE RLL PP GET WHEN YOU ROLL IT DOWN YOUR LEG…AND IN YOUR HAIR…AND YOUR SISTER’S HAIR! At least they weren’t cussing. And, actually, this was pretty tame behavior considering their lineage!!!] But, the real show is back with Ro-berta… Then, people, she stood up. And then she fell down…into the aisle. “Somebody help me. I’m stuck here on this bus with all you stupid people who don’t even know I’m a sick woman!” Daddy got on one side and Hubby got on the other, and they pulled her up, and deposited her back on the seat next to Snoop. I moved to the far back corner in an attempt to stay clear of whatever came next. The boy who had moved with me, said to me, “They’s all crazy. Just crazy.” And, I really felt sorry for the little fella…for about 10 seconds. Then he leaned over and whispered to me…”and there ain’t no snow in Desitin!” Yes, he said ‘Desitin.’ O. Sweet. Pickles. I know this is some kind of test from the Lord above…just wanting to see if I’ll crack! I was feeling quite close at that moment! Little boy was still looking at me. I said, “No. No, you’re right. There is not any snow here in Destin.” He said, “Is there ever any snow here?” “No, there’s not. It is too far south for it to snow here,” I said. And for the life of me I could not remember if it snowed here when it snowed in Dothan. But, I didn’t say anymore than I had to. Then he said, “They told me we was coming to ‘Desitin’ to see the snow. I been looking for it.” Now, I was back feeling sorry for him. They were messing with his mind. They had suceeded…he was properly confused…….It was only 87 degrees. Snow weather. Little boy then said, “My Mama is sick…the doctor says she has the ‘vertical’. “I’m sorry” I said, “but, I really don’t know what that is.” Now, here’s where I should have just kept my mouth shut…but I felt like I was already so involved in their lives…and, y’all, I could not help myself. “Roberta, that sounds pretty bad,” I said, “what exactly did the doctor tell you.” {Why. No, I did not feel like I was being nosy. I knew more about them than I ever cared to know, already.} She said,”Well, he put me in a MRI and it banged around on my brain. But, he said it was OK. Then, he stuck needles in my legs and my btt, and said I was having ‘nervous damage.’ He gave me some medication pills. Said I had the vertical. I get real dizzy, and the room starts spinning. Sometimes I feel like I can’t breathe.” AHA! I put all the clues together. “Did he call it Vertigo? ” I asked. “Yep, that’s what he said, ” she said. “Well, you will be fine if you just take your medicine,” I said. Just keep on taking it and be careful not to fall.” That dumb ole husband looked up then and said, “She better be able to cook my supper and keep up the house. I ain’t caring if she’s got vertical or not!” This made me mad. I knew I would be getting out soon . I looked at the boy and said, “You help your Mama, and let her rest and she will get better a lot quicker.” “Yes, Ma’am, I will,” he said. And, I walked to the door before I said anything else . When the door opened, I looked at the hubby and said, “I’m a nurse. And, I have known a lot of people who have had vertigo. I even had it once myself. It takes a lot of rest to get better. So, that means YOU have to clean the house, and YOU have to cook supper…and YOU have to take care of the children till she gets better! His mouth fell open… I got off the bus…hurried inside and ducked into the nearest restroom…in case they were coming after me. By this time, I didn’t know if I was still mad…scared…or a little bit of both. But, I DID know one thing—I was glad they were ON the bus, and I was OFF! I do not condone the use of bad language, but, I thought you needed to hear ALL the things that were said on this strange ride in ‘Desitin’. And, I really did get a degree in nursing. Related Posts April 23, 2010 Love Being a Nonny April 23, 2010 at 10:52 am Reply I know I probably shouldn't have, but I laughed all the way through this! There are some real crazies out there. And sadly, the children that grow up in that life, repeat the behavior. Hope you didn't give them Kat's address!!:) Leah Belle April 23, 2010 at 11:07 am Reply that is tooooooo much. thanks for sharing a truly hilarious (and yet truly sad story). Jillian, Inc April 23, 2010 at 11:16 am Reply Oh my lord. That's all I can say. Just Breathe April 23, 2010 at 11:54 am Reply I love what you said when you got off the bus – you go girl! Wow, what a time you had riding on that bus Hopefully you touched the heart of that little boy. racheld April 23, 2010 at 11:58 am Reply OH, Hon!! They DO find you. You must have some kind of Goofball GPS implant, sending out the beacon to the goony-birds. This is hilarious and so tragic on so many levels, I cannot address it in my mind, let alone on paper. And this: "The boy who had moved with me" I read as "who had moved IN with me," the first time, and said, "Good for him!!! He'll be WAY better off!" There's an even more somber edge to this—if they came to Desitin looking for snow, maybe they live in ALABAMA. Keetha Denise Broyles April 23, 2010 at 12:00 pm Reply LOL!!!! What a hoot of a ride. I had GUESSED it was vertigo, couldn't think of anything else it COULD be. I hope "Mr. Sn*p Dg" heeds your admonitions! But I wouldn't hold my breath. nancygrayce April 23, 2010 at 2:02 pm Reply Poor Ro-berta! I have vertical myself now and again and it is not fun….but sounds like maybe her family is! Allison April 23, 2010 at 3:16 pm Reply We are headed to "Desitin" in a few weeks…Hope we don't run in to these quacks! Southern Lady April 23, 2010 at 8:22 pm Reply Tonja, you are a braver soul than I would have been … good for you for speaking up. I doubt it did a bit of good, but at least you showed the little boy what kindness is and tried to help poor Ro-berta. Sad, but so funny that they chose YOUR bus out of all the shuttle buses. I'm just sorry that Joy wasn't with there to share it with you. Musicaljean April 23, 2010 at 8:51 pm Reply I was reading this to Dick as we drove to Lancaster County this evening. I could hardly read because I was laughing so hard. But by the end I felt like crying because those kids having no choice but to grow up in that environment felt way too familiar to me. And that dear Ro-berta, beyond sad. Kat April 23, 2010 at 9:13 pm Reply Only YOU would find the crazies! LOL I've never had THAT kind of experience here, but I've also never ridden on the shuttles either. It IS Spring Break here so you just never know who you might meet. LOL Gram April 23, 2010 at 9:45 pm Reply I laughed and laughed even though it probably wasn't very Christian. You do seem to be in the right or wrong place at the right time. But what a great exit you made. June Bug April 23, 2010 at 9:45 pm Reply Nurse Tonja…you were put on that bus to put a band-aid on that child…probably the kindest thing that had been done for him in a long time. As to what you spoke to the dad…well said; he needed that too! I imagine the mother was rejoicing inside to know there was one person in the bus that truly cared about her needs. God bless you sweet girl, and God bless that little boy to remember you forever. Sherrie April 23, 2010 at 9:59 pm Reply OMGosh you need to write a book!!!! however this story was not only funny but very sad. Melissa April 24, 2010 at 7:06 am Reply Oh. My. Stars. Hilarious…but so sad at the same time. Glad you were able to help that little boy. So many of our kids just need someone to show them a little attention and care about them. Gail April 25, 2010 at 9:39 am Reply This was great…Proving of course…God truly, truly opens doors for us and allows the strangers to arrive! "O) Job well done!!!! June Bug May 8, 2010 at 4:48 pm Reply To open your blog and see sweet Ella's smiling, beautiful face brought tears to my eyes. I know you miss her dearly on this first Mother's Day without her; she would say, "Tonja Lynn, it's okay to cry for me and release the hurt, but also rejoice with me and someday, we'll be back in each other's arms again. You and Joy are carrying on my traditions beautifully and I am honored with your memories. Happy Mother's Day to you, my darling daughters!" Melissa May 8, 2010 at 5:18 pm Reply Oh Tonja, what a beautiful tribute to your mother! I know this is going to be a tough weekend for you, and I will be praying for you & your family! Tonight when I go to Graceville to eat shrimp with my husband's grandmother & family for Mother's Day, I will think of your mom! racheld May 8, 2010 at 6:01 pm Reply I can wish her no better legacy than to live on in the loving memories of her family and friends. nancygrayce May 8, 2010 at 9:07 pm Reply So precious! Brings tears to my eyes and sorrow mixed with joy. Gram May 8, 2010 at 10:31 pm Reply What a wonderful tribute to your Mother. We were blessed to have such wonderful women as our Mothers. May you feel her love around you tomorrow. Just Breathe May 9, 2010 at 1:23 pm Reply Tonja, this is a beautiful post filled with memories of your mother and her joy for life. I love the way you did this. I pray your day will be filled with her never ending love for you. ((HUGS)) Southern Lady May 9, 2010 at 4:44 pm Reply I've had you on my mind all weekend, Tonja. I knew it would be a sad one for you, but your sweet and loving tribute to your beautiful mom says it all. I know she is smiling down on you and Joy from Heaven, with a heart overflowing with pride and love for her girls. Jillian, Inc May 9, 2010 at 9:32 pm Reply Oh Tonja- I can only imagine how much you must be missing your sweet mom. Thinking of you and holding you close in my heart! Kat May 10, 2010 at 12:20 am Reply Such a sweet post about your sweet and beautiful Mom. Leave a Reply to Cancel Reply Name (required) Mail (required) Δ « Previous post I am a Christian woman who has survived many years on the planet. God has blessed me with a wonderful family: husband, 3 sons, a dear DIL, and a precious grandson. I also have dear friends to keep me inspired. I am an artist of sorts and am finding my way through the great blessing of retirement. I recently retired after 20 years as a music teacher. Life is good! "All your sons will be taught by the Lord; and great will be their peace." Isaiah 54:13 Read their stories... 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I am a blogger living in New York. This is my blog, where I post about interior design and decoration. Never miss out on new stuff. Socialize with me April 21, 2010 April 23, 2010 July 16, 2010 Family Interior design Photography Recent Posts October 10, 2022 June 25, 2022	17,964
The first step is to have a 100% role clarity. That is, you are certain that what you are focusing your time and energy on, is what you should be focused on. To ensure that you have role clarity, follow the two steps below. With your manager, agree on the answer to the question, “What are my key responsibilities?” Most full-time employees have between four to six key responsibilities. If you have more than six responsibilities, it is worth checking if your role has become too big for one person. Unfortunately, roles that are too big for one person usually rise to the surface when someone leaves and are then replaced by two or three people! When you confirm your key responsibilities with your manager, you must also confirm how each of those responsibilities will be measured. Both quantitative and qualitative measures are fine, and a single responsibility may have more than one measure. These measures answer the question, “How are you performing in your role?” While most people have clear responsibilities set out in their position description, they do not have clear, agreed measures that indicate how the person is performing in their role. If you are not clear about how your performance will be measured, then the probability that you will be spending time on aspects of your role that either isn’t important or don’t actually contribute to your performance will be high. “Is it okay to have a qualitative performance measure that reflects that you and your manager agree that you are on track, or not?” The answer is a resounding, “Yes” While it is best to have quantitative measures, sometimes they aren’t easy to identify. In these circumstances, you may simply agree with your manager to maintain communication about this responsibility and the two of you will regularly meet and agree on your performance, specific to that responsibility. The outcome of this step is that you will have a clear list of key responsibilities, as well as a clear list of measures for each of those responsibilities. Should the “goalposts move” simply assess your performance up until that date against your agreed criteria, clarify your changed or new responsibilities, identify and clarify your measures for your new set of responsibilities and get on with performing your role. If you work in an annual performance review system, then all you have to do is take the agreed assessment of your performance up until the date your role changed and add it to the assessment of the performance of your role for the rest of the year. This is a lot easier to do than most people believe. Step two The majority of people I have worked with have never performed this step prior to me working with them. I encourage you to take the time to be different and to help yourself stand out from the crowd. In order for you to successfully achieve the agreed performance measures for your key responsibilities, who are the specific people with whom you need to work with so you can be successful in your role? The first person on your list will be your manager, then any colleagues with whom you work (these are often the people in your team). Next, identify people in other departments upon whom you rely on for their support if you are to be successful in your role. Keep in mind that anyone who receives the output of your work, so they can do their work, is a customer of yours. These people need to be on your list too. Finally, are they any suppliers and or customers with whom you have direct contact? As a guide, the average number of people named on this list is 18. Please note, this is an average, so your number may be lower or higher. No matter how many people are on your list, each of these people requires your direct input so that your relationship is as effective as possible. Ineffective relationships with key people that matter to the performance of your role will have a negative impact on your performance. To complete this step, you must identify how you are nurturing each of these relationships. Literally write down one action that you are already doing, or could do to nurture that relationship. If you get stuck, and can’t think of an action, here’s a simple, yet highly effective one to implement when you are communicating with them. Listen. Period. Each time you make contact with them, make sure that you listen to what they say. You don’t have to agree with them, but you must ensure that they get the message that you understood what they said. At the very least, I promise you that listening will not damage your relationship with them. Once role clarity is established, you ought to have a conversation with your manager about how you are performing, including how you are going with nurturing the relationships associated with your role. These conversations should occur at least eight times per year. Role clarity is easy to say but is lacking for far too many people. Follow the two steps above and your role clarity will be significantly improved. If you are leading people and have direct reports, then I encourage you to complete these two steps with each of your reports. The clarity you will gain will benefit both of you!	5,177
Often when we talk about hybrid work, our conversations are centered on employees’ increased sense of autonomy. But while most employees embrace this newfound flexibility, employers have struggled to find the best approach. What happens to workplace effectiveness when employers are allowed to work any time, anywhere, and however they choose? Do managers have to change their approach to management? What improves and what gets worse? Best practices for hybrid work Hybrid work models are just starting to emerge and there is little consensus on how to implement them properly. Having to worry more about employees’ mental health is just the start of what management must deal with. Teleworking (the OG term for WFH) has been around since the 1970s but companies have only recently started to address it for the majority of their workforce. At the peak of the pandemic when most countries were under lockdown, an estimated 40 to 50% of people were working from home. In the IT and Education sectors it is 60%. Once workers got a taste of this, they wanted more. For many companies, hybrid work came about as a way to get people back to the office, if only for a few days a week for meetings. For employers, there’s less to like about hybrid work. Employers fear a loss of control, lowered productivity, and the end of corporate culture. But these are largely an illusion. Hybrid work is the new normal Hybrid work was already happening when the pandemic hit. Forward-thinking Silicon Valley companies led the way, allowing their employees to work from home at least some or all of the time. Twitter employees can decide whether they prefer to work from home or come into the office, permanently. Apple and Google expect employees to work in the office a few days a week but delayed a permanent transition to hybrid work due to recent COVID-19 variants. Financial services firms, Citigroup, HSBC and Standard Chartered are doing something similar. Jack Kellam, researcher with Autonomy UK, who studies the future of work says that hybrid work is emerging due to a broad recognition of changing attitudes toward work. “Both the office and home can be productive,” he says. “It all comes down to working practices. People appreciate the opportunity to have autonomy. That’s why we are seeing hybrid work come more to the fore.” Radical flexibility as a right, not a privilege Gartner calls this radical flexibility. Employees are starting to see it as more of a right than a privilege. “The expectation of radical flexibility is likely to make a hybrid workforce model more prevalent in the post-COVID-19 world.” Having a choice over where, when, and how you work empowers employees. But leadership must adopt new practices in order to adapt. Otherwise, they risk losing their ability to attract and retain quality employees. Kellam says companies should view this as an opportunity rather than a crisis. For some companies, the pandemic proved that WFH is a viable option for their company. While others still cling to what he calls “received wisdom” about productivity that is out of date. Does hybrid “work” for your company? Whether or not hybrid work can work for your company depends on the industry and the nature of the work your employees do. Hybrid work makes more sense for employees that do most of their work on their own and regularly engage in deep work, for example, writers, coders, and designers: knowledge workers. These people can easily manage the few Zoom calls they have each week to sync up with co-workers and use Slack and Asana to keep them on the same page as their team the rest of the time. In some company cultures where in-person meetings are the norm or in an industrial or factory context, this isn’t possible. Hourly workers, such as some Amazon employees, require access to a warehouse or a delivery truck. It is impossible for a construction worker to work from home. The same is true of people that work at fast food restaurants or in retail. During the pandemic, we saw what can happen when students and teachers can only interact through little boxes on a screen and it wasn’t good. Benefits for employees who work from home For employees, this way of working promises many benefits, such as greater autonomy, fewer hours commuting, and increased time for personal errands such as picking the kids up from school and doctor’s visits. But, as with any untested hypothetical on paper, reality is often another story. “Remote working can bring many benefits, but there is a very real danger that it will result in people working more hours with no clear boundaries between work and home life impacting on mental health,” says Will Stronge, Director of Research at Autonomy. Messaging apps best ways to monitor employees remotely While so-called workplace surveillance tools that allow management to view their employees screens have been available for some time, it is really less sophisticated messaging and project management apps like Slack and Asana that are your best bets for keeping tabs on your employees, according to Kellam. Employees happily use them because they provide benefits to individuals and teams first and management second. Also, employees know that they are expected to respond to messages in a timely manner and most do so, no matter what else they are doing. “The power of surveillance works best when you do it yourself,” says Kellam. Similarly, Zoom and Google Meet all let you see who is attending and participating in a meeting. Newer tools such as Poised go even further, analyzing sentiment and engagement in real-time. But again Poised is designed for workers (other attendees can’t see how you’ve performed) to improve their meeting effectiveness, not as a way to see if someone nodded off during the presentation. To be truly effective, digital tools need to do more than just connect people. They need to engage and delight. Adding an analytics layer gives people managers what they need to perform active listening (not surveillance) and make sure employees are getting the support they need. Analytics software that looks at sentiment in the aggregate can surface early warning signs such as mental health issues or a lack of engagement—top downsides to hybrid work. It can help you combat burnout, foster more meaningful connections, and reduce proximity bias. Prior to COVID-19, it was enough for people managers just to track general demographic, geographic, and behavioral data. With hybrid work, you need to understand how your employees are feeling, too. Trust your employees Hybrid work may account for increased productivity, but what’s missing from this discussion is an effective way to measure said productivity. Without this, you won’t know if hybrid work is having a positive or negative effect on business outcomes. Managers who subscribe to the school of management by walking around are facing more of an adjustment than those who have always put more trust in their employees. It sounds simplistic, but management starts with the hiring process. When you hire good employees, they tend to perform well. That’s not to say that performance can slide. But it’s generally true, no matter where they are working. “I think you have to trust your people,” says Robert Chan, Senior VP, Head of People Analytics at City Nation Bank in Los Angeles. “Some managers aren’t comfortable with the lack of oversight but for me personally, that’s not the way I like to manage anyway. As long as you get the work done, I don’t care how you allocate your hours. It’s just a different mindset.” Maintaining equality between remote and on-site workers What managers really want is more visibility into what their employees are doing. Without this, the early warning signs of burnout can be much harder to detect. A recent phenomenon known as quiet quitting (where employees put in the same hours but only do the work they think they are being paid for) is much worse with hybrid work because you may not know how your employees are spending their time. Furthermore, it creates a gap between remote workers and those that are in the office that may be unfair to the remote workers. Office workers may be perceived as working harder, which is unfair to employees at home who are engaged in deep work that produces meaningful business outcomes for your company. Proximity bias—the subconscious tendency to value and reward physical presence—is even more of a problem for those who prefer to WFH. This especially includes women, minorities and parents with young children. A lack of face-to-face social stimulation and positive reinforcement keeps people engaged in their work and is absent from remote work. Spending just three days each week in the office, on average, can limit encounters between any two workers by 64% compared with pre-pandemic norms, according to the Economist. The gap widens to 84% in potential interactions for those in the office two days a week. Planning for a hybrid work model Hybrid work complicates resource planning. With fewer people coming in less frequently, many of midtown Manhattan’s office towers remain largely empty. People managers might not be directly responsible for filling seats but they are impacted due to difficulties of onboarding and providing desk space when needed. Planning for a hybrid work model is different than for remote versus on-site. Consider hot-desking, which allows workers to share a single physical workstation or space at different times or on different days. This can be combined with job sharing, a concept that is becoming increasingly popular as people’s concept of what work is continues to expand. Autonomy offers a more utopian approach. According to its research in The New Normal, hybrid work isn’t just about having a choice between WFH or going into the office. The paper specifically calls out third spaces such as working from a cafe, co-working space, or community work centers as an increasingly popular option that can give employees the socialization they crave without the formality of an office. Autonomy sees this as a way for local governments to capitalize on retail spaces abandoned during the pandemic. These multi-use work centers could allow for childcare, book club meetings, art shows, and concerts, essentially becoming the new town square. Set yourself up for success Hybrid work may give you increased productivity from employees who work better on their own, and open you up to a world of talent you may not have otherwise had access to. With access to tools like people analytics and collaboration analytics, you’ll have a better understanding of how your hybrid work plan is impacting your employees, so that you can adjust accordingly. Learn how Visier’s new offering can help you build an effective hybrid workforce. Lee Sherman is a data-driven journalist with 30 years experience covering technology, personal finance, music, and fashion. He prides himself on his ability to make complex topics more relatable. When not writing about the future of work, he enjoys film photography, playing synthesizers, and traveling. Be the first to know! Top 25 HR Leaders to Watch in 2023 The past year has seen many changes in business, HR, and the world. Meet the top 25 HR Leaders who will guide us in 2023. New Survey: Top 5 Reasons Employees Distrust Employers and Top 5 Why They Do New research shows employees have a lot of trust in their employer, but here are the top five reasons they distrust them. What Comes After the Great Resignation? The workplace has undeniably changed. What comes after the Great Resignation? Here are our seven predictions for what's next.	11,771
Nidhi Investments is a leading Wealth Planning firm with the perfect blend of expertise, experience, empathy and excellence. We have been adding value to the lives of our clients from 14 States of India and 6 Countries across the globe from 2010. Our CEO Prof. Saurabh Bajaj is an MBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) Mumbai, one of the top 10 management institutes in India. He holds the prestigious FRM (Financial Risk Manager) degree awarded by Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP), USA. Till date, there are less than 15,000 professionals in the world, who have been honoured with this degree. He has also been awarded CFGP (Chartered Financial Goal Planner) and AFGP Certification by AAFM (American Academy of Financial Markets). After his MBA, he joined J P Morgan, the second largest Investment Bank in the world. He has worked with J P Morgan as Risk Analyst for more than two years. Prof. Bajaj sits as an Investment Expert on the Expert Panel of CAClubindia.com and MBAClubindia.com. He has been awarded the title of “Best Article Writer” by CAClubindia.com in Jan 2012 and was selected among “Top 5 Technical writers” from all over Indian in Feb 2013. His articles published on www.professorbajaj.com are popular not only in India but 78 Countries over the globe. Prof. Bajaj has been invited by various TV channels like SPIN TV, CNBC TV18, UTV Bloomberg etc for programs like “Expert Advice”, “What Markets Want?” , “Budget Analysis” etc. He has also been invited by Prestigious Organisations like Rotary Clubs, Lions Club, Royal Bank of Scotland, Vidyalankar Institute of technology, Agroha Vikas Trust, Fr. Agnel College, Union MF, Vivekanand College, Rajasthan Mandal etc. for Expert Lecture on various topics like “Smart Investing”, “Financial Wellbeing” “Financial Freedom, “Life is a Celebration”, “Email Etiquettes” etc. Soft Skills has become an inevitable part of every selection process and teaching learning process these days. The students from small towns and tier II cities, in spite of being talented and well equipped with technical skills, are seen struggling in the selection process. This is because of their lack of exposure to these soft skills. Mr. Bajaj has a zeal for training candidates to develop these skills and has been imparting the same on since last two years. This zeal and passion inspired him to set up his own firm called “Knowledge Circle” which aims to train candidates for soft skills. Till date, he has trained 4500+ participants from more than 210 organizations across various fields of soft skills. He has been associated with MSBTE (Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education) to conduct Soft skills training workshop for the faculties of Polytechnic Colleges in Entire Maharashtra (Mumbai Region, Pune Region, Aurangabad Region and Nagpur Region) since last 6 years. He has also been associated with ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) for training CA Students on various topics related to Communications skills, Group Discussions etc. Apart from these, he has conducted “Capacity Building Soft Skills workshop for Faculties” at ITI Gunj, ITI Pusad, ITI Digras and ITI Umarkhed. This was the first ever soft skills workshop for faculties in the history of ITI’s in Vidarbha. He was also invited by Shivaji Education Society to conduct similar Soft skills workshops for the faculties and office staff of Shivaji Junior College Pusad, Shivaji High School Pusad, Shivaji Vidyalaya Belora and Shivaji Vidyalaya Bhojla. He has conducted training workshop on “Effective Presentation Skills” for the relationship managers of HDFC Mutual Fund, Andheri Branch, Mumbai. He has also been invited at College of Management and Computer Science, Yavatmal, College of Dairy Technology, Warud, B N College of Engineering, Pusad, B D College of Engineering, Wardha, College of Engineering and Technology, Akola, Dr.N.P.Hirani Institute of Polytechnic, Pusad etc. for the Guest lecture on “Developing Interview Skills”. For more information you can visit and subscribe our YouTube Channel Nidhi Investments provide services mainly in, but not limited to, following areas Its merely not about buying products. It's about assessing 3 things viz, Where I am Today? (Current Assessment) Where do I want to be (after a certain timeframe)? (Goal Setting) Which Path do I follow to get there? To be able to reach the desire goals, one needs to have a proper plan in place, and we at Nidhi Investments do complete financial planning for you Investment Planning Already made investments and now confused what to do with them? Not to worry. We are there to guide you at every step to have a re-look at your existing investments to make the portfolio optimum for you. Planning to start a new business? Planning to make a new investment? What could be the risks involved with the same. We will help you to identify all the risks related to your business / investments and also the ways to mitigate the same. Tax Planning As Law suggests, Tax Evasion is illegal, Tax planning is not. We will help you to reduce your tax outgo by planning it the right way. Got Windfall Gains? Inherited some super-normal amount of wealth and confused how to manage the same? We will design the perfect plan for you, which would help you to protect your wealth and grow it too. 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On our trip to Walt Disney World a few weeks ago, my husband celebrated his 40th birthday. Since it was a “milestone” birthday, I wanted to make his birthday extra special. He is a great husband and an awesome dad to our kids, and we really wanted to suprise him with something fabulous. Yes, I did say surprise. That was the difficult part, planning birthday surpirses from 1100 miles away and keeping it a secret with FIVE children in the loop (okay, I guess baby girl doesn’t REALLY count since she is only 4 months old and cannot talk). It was difficult but not impossible. Like I said, I wanted to make his birthday fabulous and started brainstorming with DIZKRAZKATE, who would be traveling with us, about possible ideas. Our first idea was of course “Top of the World Lounge” at Bay Lake Towers, since BLT would be our “home” for this trip. This was a great idea and after discussing it, we decided that we would just make it the four of us (myself, DIZKRAZKATE and our DH’s) and leave all 8 of our children with my parents (Nana and Poppy) who were also traveling with us (Thanks again, Nana and Poppy). Now, if you have children, you are well aware that “grown ups only” nights are few and far between, and with five children (one a newborn) it is almost impossible. So planning a grown ups evening would be something DH would truly appreciate…you know, grown up drinks, grown up conversation (or an actual conversation that wouldn’t be interrupted twenty times by bathroom requests and “he hit me” ‘s). After checking with Nana and Poppy, we were all set for our “drinks and Wishes” evening on the night of his birthday. A couple of days later, I started thinking that this really was a HUGE birthday and I really wanted to make a big deal about it. I mean, seriously, how many people get to celebrate their 40th birthday at WDW with their family and closest friends? So, I started doing some research online to see what else I could find. My first stop was obviously the Moms Panel. I submitted a question to see if they had any ideas as to what to do for a 40th birthday celebration. Unfortunately, the request forms are word limiting,and because of this I was unable to include that we had already made dining reservation (as we were on the dining plan and had made those reservations five months earlier). So, it was a bit disappointing when I did in fact receive a respone that advised me to make dining reservations at his favorite restaurant. Back to square one…. Grand I While playing around on the Disney website, I came across the Disney Floral and Gifts link. There, the kids and I looked though a few possibilities for a birthday surprise. They really liked the “Mickey’s Big Birthday Wish” package. While it would be an awesome gift, I was not convinced that this was the fabulous birthday surprise DH would love. After doing a little more searching, I found the Disney Recreation link. Holy cow! I discovered a whole new area of WDW resort activites, of which I had no idea exsisted. Golf reservation, bike rentals, fishing, speciality crusies….SPECIALITY CRUISES! That was is!! After reading some reviews on various Disney related forums, I discovered that the crusies could be a bit pricey, were really awesome, but they booked up fast. It was advised on one site to make your reservations six months in advance…uh oh! It was Wednesday afternoon and his birthday was the following Wednesday. After discussing it with the kids, we decided to see if by some miricle we could book a cruise. The next day I called WDW-PLAY (yes, I know I waited yet another day, but I couldn’t make the reservations while DH was home…). After explaining my situation with the wonderful cast member on the other line, she began looking to see what might be available for that day. If you are unfamiliar with the speciality crusies, here’s the low-down. Basically, Disney has a couple of boats, in various sizes and capacities, that take you around the Seven Seas Lagoon (near Magic Kingdom), Bay Lake (near Magic Kingdom) or Crecent Lake (Epcot). You can rent these boats by the hour, for however long you’d like. Most people rent them for viewing fireworks on special occasions (weddings, birthdays, marriage proposals..etc). There are endless options, from just a basic drive around the lagoon to adding a hot meal, complete with butler service. You can even have them pipe in the sound from the fireworks show, usually for an additional fee, depending on which boat you choose. So after talking for a few minutes with the CM, I realized it was going to take a miracle for this to work. Because of the size of our party (there were 14 of us), we could only fit on the Grand I Yacht. Plus, it had to be available on a Wishes” night (I got the impression from the CM that they do not run the specialty cruises on the nights of the MNSSHP, but I am not certain) . So after A LOT of clicking and checking….we were in luck!! The boat was open…but on Sunday night, not Wednesday night, the night of his birthday. I decided to book it. Since we had already made plans for drinks on his birthday, planning the cruise on Sunday night would be just fine, plus he wouldn’t expect a birthday celebration days before the actual day! Given several choices, I chose to meet the Grand I at the marina at the Polynesian Resort (I was informed later that the Grand I never launches from there because the water is more shallow). Fast forward to Sunday evening…..The plan for the evening was to eat our quick service dinner at Captain Cook’s at the Polynesan Resort and then take a lesurily stroll down by the marina. This is where, unbeknownst to DH, that we would pick up the Grand I. Dinner went as expected and we were right on time. As we started down towards the Marina, the kids started getting squirrley. The kids were AWESOME in keeping this whole plan a secret. At this point, they all knew about it and that is no easy task for all 7 kids, ages 11, 8, 7, 6, 6, 4, & 3 to keep that big of a secret. But as we got closer, they got excited. When we approached the water, there was a pontoon boat waiting at the dock decorated with a big “Happy Birthday” sign and balloons. Of course, when the kids saw this, they were jumping out of their skin. DH saw it and joked “Hey is that boat for me?”. I brushed him off with a “why would that be for you?” comment and we continued on our walk to “find the beach” You may be wondering why we did not just get on the boat at that time. Well, here is the deal. Like I mentioned before, you book by the hour and on the Grand I, the hour is quite expensive. Your time starts when you get on that boat. Since we were somewhat early (we were to meet the boat at 8:15 so we could be out on the water for wishes), I did not want to get charged extra. So as the rest of my party went along to “find the beach”, I ran back to the boat, just to double check that we were in the right place. At the boat, I asked the VERY VERY helpful captain if he was waiting for us…he checked and double checked and said “no”. After talking a bit….I was at the wrong boat (duh, okay, I DO know the difference between a yacht and a pontoon, but with all the excitement and sleep deprivation…….well, I guess the birthday balloons confused me). He made a few calls and told me the yacht would be waiting for us at the far end of the pier. Since it was getting close to the time. I quickly found the rest of our party and we made our way to the other, and very VACANT side of the pier. Panic!! I rushed back to the other boat to find the VERY VERY helpful pontoon captain and told him the boat was not there. He quickly called David, one of the CM in charge of the Marina who met us on our empty side of the dock. While David made several calls to find locate Grand I, time was ticking down to the start of “Wishes” and DH was becoming more and more annoyed because we were waiting at an empty dock. Thankfully, baby girl was a bit fussy and so he was walking with her, trying to get her to sleep. After a few calls, the captain of the Grand I said he had already picked up his party at the Polynesan and they were out on the water. Um ..No! We were sitting right there…… DH and a sleepy Baby Girl aboard the Grand I Here’s what happened. Remember the pontoon with the birthday decor? Well that party got on our boat (see, I’m not the only one who didn’t think of the difference between a yacht and a pontoon boat) and apparently at the same moment the marina was calling to find the Grand I, the people on our yacht were having an argument with the captain about the price they were to pay for their cruise, since it was VERY VERY different from what they were quoted when making their reservation. Needless to say the Grand I was on it’s way to pick up the “right” party-US!. At this point, I was upset, not mad but disappointed. My plan to just walk on the boat while the kids yelled “Happy Birthday” was ruined. Since we waited so long, I had to tell DH what had happened. He, of course, thought it was still awesome, especially that all of us could keep a secret! Finally, the Grand I returned with 10 disgruntled people and pick up 14 more disgruntled people…..I’m kidding…I was fine once I knew that they would in fact get us out in time for the fireworks, which is all I really wanted anyway. As the boat moved quickly (very, very quickly) to get us in viewing position, we explored the yacht. It was spectacular!! With 3 bedrooms, 2 bathroom, and kitchen, it was incredible. The kids were beyond excited and DH was quite estatic himself. We were able to get to the viewing spot just in time for “Wishes” to begin. The sound from the show was piped into the yacht and is was the BEST fireworks experience of my life!! Afterwards, we cruised around the lagoon for the rest of our hour. We were even able to catch the Electrical Water Pagent. The captain did offer to take us around for however long we wanted at no extra charge, but we polietly declined as it was getting late and we did not want to spoil the evening with crabby children. In typical WDW excellence, David took half off my bill, which I really appreciated. And while, perhaps things didnt go EXACTLY how I had invisioned , our specialty cruise proved to be a great time a DH had a “magical” birthday surprise!! Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Subscribe and receive my “Hand Washing” Printable FREE PLUS: You'll get all my best parenting advice, family travel tips, and healthy family living ideas, right to your inbox I hate spam too--which is why I'll never send you any. And I will never share your email with anyone--ever! Previous Post Next Post Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ I'm Marge, content creator and mama of six. 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Print it, hang it, and keep your family healthy Archives Select Month April 2018 January 2018 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 May 2017 April 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 September 2015 August 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 October 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 March 2013 October 2012 September 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011	12,221
Dalhousie University has proposed to increase international tuition by almost 16 per cent for the 2023-2024 school year. Earlier this fall, Dalhousie University proposed a tuition increase and tuition guarantee for international students entering Dal studies next year. By proposing a tuition guarantee for incoming international students, their tuition will remain the same for each year they study at Dal. This guarantee aims to provide “international students and their families with more clarity and confidence in the cost of their degree program – cost certainty in the face of external factors like inflation,” as discussed in the proposal. What is Dal proposing? The guarantee will only impact international students studying in the faculties of agriculture, arts and social sciences, computer science, engineering, management and science. These faculties have a higher proportion of international students than other faculties. This guarantee would only impact international students entering Dal for the 2023-2024 school year. Current international students’ tuition will continue to be subject to changes, such as inflation, much like that of domestic students. According to the document, Dal views its low international tuition compared to other schools in the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities as a failure to be competitive nationally and offer sufficient support to international students. Proposed tuition increases will depend in part on the faculty a student studies in. As of now, the faculty of agriculture’s international tuition is expected to rise from $22,437 to $25,950. The faculty of sciences and arts and social sciences are proposed to increase to $31,900, from their respective $26,613 and $25,458 totals. The engineering faculty will see the highest tuition in the coming school year, with its tuition rising from $29,660 to $40,800. That’s a 37.6 per cent jump. Overall, the combined tuition hike will be about 15.6 per cent. Additional increases will be determined annually, based on budgetary consultation by the university. Dal said it wants to use the increase in revenue through the tuition boost to better support international students on campus. It plans to put the money into merit-based scholarships and bursaries for international students and to increase funding for student financial assistance programs. Dal also hopes to hire additional faculty and staff in the impacted faculties to support international students better, such as student advisors. Dalhousie University views its low international tuition as not competitive with other schools of its size, such as the University of Alberta or Western University. (Graph created by Angela Capobianco) Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) President Aparna Mohan isn’t impressed with this proposal or how it’s been handled by the university. “There is a rush to get this in front of the board [of governors] because admissions for next year open soon,” she said. While Dal is open to student feedback, Mohan said Dal is rushing through the process. As a result, she said that’s a reason students were given little notice of the consultation meetings that took place over Microsoft Teams on Oct. 14 and Oct. 17. “With how disruptive this term has been, it seems to be intentional that they’re using this as a distraction to push this through.” During the most recent Dalhousie Board of Governors meeting on Oct. 18, the international tuition fee proposal discussion was held in-camera, or in private. Mohan therefore, couldn’t provide much insight into the questions asked during that portion of the meeting. But she’s heard students’ thoughts. “Even though current international students aren’t impacted by the increase,” she said, “they feel that this is a profound injustice. People are looking for support in building resistance.” Shivam Chauhan, the international student representative with the DSU, echoed Mohan’s sentiment during the DSU’s Oct. 25 council meeting. He asked what could be done to counter the increases and better inform international students about Dal’s proposal. The DSU is looking for a way to respond collaboratively and productively with Dal, especially in ensuring that Dal adheres to its promise to support international students, as outlined in its proposal. Mohan said the DSU sees Dal’s track record of keeping promises to international students as shaky, citing the last time there was a tuition increase in 2019. “Part of our response is to pressure Dal to adhere to its promise [of] international student support,” Mohan said. The DSU is considering protesting the increase, similar to in 2019. That protest saw students participating in a 48-hour sit-in in the Dal president’s office. The DSU hopes to garner more grassroots student advocacy this time. It is working with the Dalhousie International Student Association to create an in-person town hall to ensure that the Dal administration hears student voices. “We can never guarantee outcomes with advocacy,” Mohan added, “but what we can do is ensure that the outcome is favourable by using favourable and productive channels.” Dal will present the proposed international tuition model to the board of governors on Nov. 22, the last board meeting before the end of the fall semester. ← Chemistry students faint in lab, no cause given by university Name (required) Email (will not be published) (required) Tweets by @DalGazette Advertising Write for the Gazette Email Address Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions. Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again. The Dalhousie Gazette is settled in K’jipuktuk (Halifax) of Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people, where we work, play and live.	6,079
How much stock exactly one should keep in his portfolio? Number of stock that you should keep. Question that is in there in every investors mind. But, everyone has different answers. In this article we will tell you healthy number that you should have your eye on. Credit: Image by dawnfu via pixabay Almost everyone who wants to invest in has some kind of strategy to pick a stock and invest in it. Some actually think and invest while others hear from somewhere and pick stocks and of course stock market is so tempting they end up investing in it without giving second thought. Whatever it is. But, main thing in which even smart investor tends to become loose is when story comes to portfolio allocation. And yes, picking up and investing in stock market is one skill while portfolio allocation is another thing. And the main secret that can lead you to become good investor is money management. And I have seen many many people who are really good at picking up stock but bad at portfolio management. And portfolio management starts with determining how much stocks you should keep in your portfolio. So that you can allocate money to be invested particular stock. And if we are talking in percentage format then one successful investor and author Seth Klarman once said, “For any investor, it is safe to say that no single stock should be more than 5-6% of the entire portfolio. This is Rule No 1 of stock investment. Whatever the other rules are, Rule No 1 always holds true. In the book titled, the “Intelligent Investor”, Benjamin Graham has mentioned that one can build a perfectly diversified equity portfolio with 10 to 30 stocks. Again, this numbers are average. Whenever you say investor it may mean person with 1000 dollars portfolio or the person with trillion dollars portfolio. So the number of stocks can’t be the same with for everyone. However, you need to understand that the number of stocks in one’s portfolio is not about “random investing”. In fact, equity investment is anything but random investing. Everyone has their own styles of investing and hence need to choose the stocks according to his own risk appetite and sector preference. For example, an aggressive investor may opt for growth stocks while a sector biased person might opt for a heavy exposure in a particular sector. The truth is that there is no one size fits all solution and many factors need to be taken into account to arrive at the ideal number of stocks in your portfolio. So, there are Factors that should be considered while opting for the ideal number of stocks in the portfolio. like Tolerance to risk: which is an obvious factor that needs to be accounted for: Your own tolerance to risk. How much risk you are ready to take while investing in stock market. It would help you choose an industry, sector, stock, etc. once you are aware of your own risk appetite. Let us understand this with an example. If the stock of one company tanks or underperforms, the impact on your overall portfolio is minimal if the percentage holding of that particular stock is low. Hence, the first rule of investment holds true here. Thus, once you know your own tolerance to risk, you can opt for traditional large-cap stocks or value stocks or even growth stocks. Next factor is how much return do you expect while investing in market. As the number of stocks in your portfolio increases, the overall returns on your entire portfolio usually decreases. This is because some stocks in the stock market usually out-perform the others while most stocks give an average return. So, the high returns of a few good stocks average down due to the performance of other stocks in the total portfolio. So, higher the return expectation lower should be the diversification, so that you can concentrate on certain companies only, provided you have complete confidence in them. Best example here is Berkshire Hathaway’s Apple stock which forms 44% of entire portfolio. While stock like American express has around 6% allocation in Berkshire Hathaway portfolio. That denotes warren buffet has more confidence on Apple than American Express. And that paid of as Apple has given tremendous amount of profit to Berkshire than any other stock in his portfolio in short period of time. Research: Apart from this lot of things also depends on your research before investment. Like Quality of research and quantity of information you gather before making an investment play an important role in the diversification of stocks in your portfolio and to decide how many stocks should you buy. Whenever it comes to research people get confused what to look for as there are a number of aspects that you need to consider for your research like: The company’s fundamentals: I mean Fundamentals need to be analyzed before opting for the stock which includes earnings, profitability, projected cash flow per year, annual reports, performance and operating margins. There are lot of things that need to be considered here. Remember, opting for a company is like marrying the same. You need to be 100% confident in the growth propositions of the company and then choose to be a part of the same. Higher the operating margins, the higher is the efficiency of the company. Your research should include analysing Capital Structure: Capital structure of the company is an important parameter. A conservative capital structure is a good indicator of stability and liquidity so that the company’s dependence on long-term debt is low. And investors love company with low debt and higher profit. Now next is management. Management is a key performance indicator of the company and a stock performs well only if the management is focussed and growth-oriented. So, research about management is also of the utmost importance. If you have researched well then you can focus on a concentrated portfolio to maximise returns. And you should also consider the time period in which you are going to hold the stocks. Because, Stocks give the best returns over the long-term. Some stocks do give overnight returns also, but that is not a sustainable portfolio. And Value investors who wish to create a healthy stock portfolio should not depend on overnight returns. Equity is a long-term investment and most people use the ‘buy-and-hold’ for the same. And I would like to suggest to you people from my personal experience that The higher the duration of your investment, the lesser you need to diversify your portfolio to maximize returns. Because it is observed that company usually need years to grow its profit and to win the trust of the consumers, so over a period of time its share price will also increase as it starts giving solid revenue numbers. Importance of Cash Buffer: More than the ideal number of stocks in a portfolio in USA, the trickier question is the level of diversification. While some investors believe that they should remain invested 100% of the time, others like to have a healthy cash balance for investment opportunities that might come at any point in time. Because, USA is heaven for companies and new businesses and lot of people love to list companies from all over the world in USA. However, the financial crisis situations have proved beyond doubt that being 100% invested at any point in time might not be a great solution as a crisis can come without prior notice and the correction might be much lower than your risk tolerance. At this point withdrawing your investments may lead you to incur a loss. And probability of this being happening is very high in such crisis. So, having a cash buffer is a healthy habit. So, having 15-20% of your portfolio cash balanced is always a good idea to maintain your healthy portfolio and it also gives you a buffer to even invest when the market tanks where most of the big investors try to buy. Remember the quote of warren buffet that when people sell he buys. So, you must consider cash keeping in your buffer. And this is how it also effects on number of stocks in your portfolio. So in Conclusion, for most investors the number of stocks in their portfolio should ideally between 15 to 25, depending on the investment strategy and portfolio size. The investment strategy also determines how many stocks you should own; whether you want a concentrated portfolio of high dividend-yielding blue-chip stocks or if you are investing in high growth small cap stock or in another strategy of you want portfolio to diversify it to a larger number of stocks to lower the overall risk of investment. Its individual’s choice and only you can choose your style of investment So on and on The final decision is actually yours. Joel Greenblatt ,a value investor and author of the famous book ‘The Little Book That Beats the Market’ says,“Over the short term, Mr. Market acts like a wildly emotional guy who can buy or sell stocks at depressed or inflated prices but over the long run, it’s a completely different story: Mr. Market gets it right”. And he does have a point. There is lot of noise and mixed sentiments of investors of you start lowering your time horizon. So, go ahead, diversify but not overdo it as the stock market does know how to play it right anyway. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Recent Posts How to Retire as Multi Millionaire with Low Salary Warren Buffett Secret Formula that He Taught us About American Stock Market and Investment Today’s 1990 Coca-Cola like Stocks that One Should Consider for Analysis before doing Investment. Trading or Investing in United States of America Stock Market. Which is profitable? No comments to show. Warren Buffett’s Money Machine that you would love to know. Warren Buffet 3 Secret Indicators that helped him generate $100 Billion USD Dog at Ohio Middle School gets her own yearbook Terms and Conditions © 2022 Finance Talk • Built with GeneratePress Go to mobile version Warren Buffett’s Money Machine that you would love to know. Warren Buffet 3 Secret Indicators that helped him generate $100 Billion USD Warren Buffett Investment Checklist Dog at Ohio Middle School gets her own yearbook	10,606
The children live together in cottages with nine or ten others in their age group and one houseparent. Every cottage provides a comfortable, family-style atmosphere. There are two or three children in each bedroom. Children can arrange their furniture, decorate with posters or pictures from home, and bring toys, a radio, and other items that will make their room feel comfortable. New England Kurn Hattin Homes Receives Neighborhood Grant from Rite Aid Healthy Futures Archives Select Month December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 June 2018 May 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 September 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 September 2010 July 2010	2,213
We are excited to share last year's premiere Holiday broadcast, "A Classic Christmas," featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Robert Thies. Thies is praised for his grace, lyricism and many accomplishments—including winning the Gold Medal at the International Prokofiev Competition, making him the first American to win a Russian piano competition since Van Cliburn in 1958. This festive performance was recorded exclusively for Yamaha’s DisklavierTV™ viewers, and is available for the entire month of December for optimum enjoyment throughout the holiday season! Enjoy holiday classics such as "Away in a Manger," "The Holly and The Ivy," "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Silent Night" performed by this talented concert pianist. This uncut, unedited performance was previously recorded exclusively for DisklavierTV on November 22, 2013 in Buena Park, CA. We are excited to share last year's premiere Holiday broadcast, "A Classic Christmas," featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Robert Thies. Thies is praised for his grace, lyricism and many accomplishments—including winning the Gold Medal at the International Prokofiev Competition, making him the first American to win a Russian piano competition since Van Cliburn in 1958. This festive performance was recorded exclusively for Yamaha’s DisklavierTV™ viewers, and is available for the entire month of December for optimum enjoyment throughout the holiday season! Enjoy holiday classics such as "Away in a Manger," "The Holly and The Ivy," "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Silent Night" performed by this talented concert pianist. This uncut, unedited performance was previously recorded exclusively for DisklavierTV on November 22, 2013 in Buena Park, CA. A Classic Christmas, 2013 Holiday Special We are excited to share last year's premiere Holiday broadcast, A Classic Christmas, featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Robert Thies. Thies is praised for his grace, lyricism and many accomplishments—including winning the Gold Medal at the International Prokofiev Competition, making him the first American to win a Russian piano competition since Van Cliburn in 1958. This festive performance was recorded exclusively for Yamaha’s DisklavierTV™ viewers, and is available for the entire month of December for optimum enjoyment throughout the holiday season! Enjoy holiday classics such as Away in a Manger, The Holly and The Ivy, The Little Drummer Boy and Silent Night performed by this talented concert pianist. This uncut, unedited performance was previously recorded exclusively for DisklavierTV on November 22, 2013 in Buena Park, CA. We are excited to share last year's premiere Holiday broadcast, "A Classic Christmas," featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Robert Thies. Thies is praised for his grace, lyricism and many accomplishments—including winning the Gold Medal at the International Prokofiev Competition, making him the first American to win a Russian piano competition since Van Cliburn in 1958. This festive performance was recorded exclusively for Yamaha’s DisklavierTV™ viewers, and is available for the entire month of December for optimum enjoyment throughout the holiday season! Enjoy holiday classics such as "Away in a Manger," "The Holly and The Ivy," "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Silent Night" performed by this talented concert pianist. This uncut, unedited performance was previously recorded exclusively for DisklavierTV on November 22, 2013 in Buena Park, CA. We are excited to share last year's premiere Holiday broadcast, "A Classic Christmas," featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Robert Thies. Thies is praised for his grace, lyricism and many accomplishments—including winning the Gold Medal at the International Prokofiev Competition, making him the first American to win a Russian piano competition since Van Cliburn in 1958. This festive performance was recorded exclusively for Yamaha’s DisklavierTV™ viewers, and is available for the entire month of December for optimum enjoyment throughout the holiday season! Enjoy holiday classics such as "Away in a Manger," "The Holly and The Ivy," "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Silent Night" performed by this talented concert pianist. This uncut, unedited performance was previously recorded exclusively for DisklavierTV on November 22, 2013 in Buena Park, CA. A Classic Christmas, 2013 Holiday Special We are excited to share last year's premiere Holiday broadcast, A Classic Christmas, featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Robert Thies. Thies is praised for his grace, lyricism and many accomplishments—including winning the Gold Medal at the International Prokofiev Competition, making him the first American to win a Russian piano competition since Van Cliburn in 1958. This festive performance was recorded exclusively for Yamaha’s DisklavierTV™ viewers, and is available for the entire month of December for optimum enjoyment throughout the holiday season! Enjoy holiday classics such as Away in a Manger, The Holly and The Ivy, The Little Drummer Boy and Silent Night performed by this talented concert pianist. This uncut, unedited performance was previously recorded exclusively for DisklavierTV on November 22, 2013 in Buena Park, CA.	5,408
Our lad Guy Martin pulled out a hat trick with his three wins this weekend at the Ulster GP. All being closely followed on his heels by the Dunlop lads amongst others. With an unmatched average lap speed of 132.938mph on his second of seven laps in the Superbike he pipped Michael Dunlop by 0.054s. At that speed that is as close as you can get! The big Suzuki is running well, the team are on top form and Guy can celebrate with a good cuppa or two! “Well done wor Chief!” Posted on August 17, 2013 at 8:34 pm in Guy Martin, Racing \| RSS feed \| Reply \| Trackback URL 2 Comments to “Done Good at Dundrod” August 18, 2013 at 1:14 pm Now then, According to the weekly comic[MCN], which I just happen to have to hand.. there is a great deal of dissent amongst the Ulster front runners just now. The news is.. G.Martin is unsettled and very unhappy with the results on the Tyco Suzuki and is moving toward Honda, tho’ not yet signed. And the Tyco people are hoping that Mr Martin will stay with them. Hmmmmm. I am NOT a M.Dunlop fan and have not enough space here to say why, but NOT.! Dunlop, a Honda team rider in the dream team with John McGuinness.. has not been offered a contract by Honda.! oops! Dunlop NOT best pleased apparently.. and being a voluble Irishman has had plenty to say about it.. it says here.. Handbags at dawn then.. let’s wait and see.? It’s just that time of year for the hot-seat-shuffle. Who sits where.? B geordiebiker August 18, 2013 at 1:38 pm I saw Guy renewed with Tas last week. Seems pleased with his Suzuki… McGuiness and the Dunlop’s on the magical Honda being his main opponents just now. Should be a good season next year! We’ll see where Michael D settles..	1,760
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I am a part of a family that is really big on table top games; board games, word games, dice games, puzzles and most of all card games. I think my love of games really started with a simple deck of cards. I can't remember one family get-together that didn't eventually involve sitting around the table and playing late into the evening. The amount of laughter that would take place over a game of 13 Gin was always a highlight of any time spent with my extended family. Games are good for us on so many levels. For kids it teaches problem solving, sportsmanship, strategy and dexterity, (amongst many other things). There is a certain level of learning how to win and lose with grace as well. For families, it's an amazing way to spend a screen-free time together. When I was a young person, as a family we would do "media fasts" where we would spend 40 days without screens. We were never really distressed with these times. First of all mobile phones were not really a thing, but my siblings and I replaced screens with boardgames. I will never forget the hours and hours my brother and I would spend playing Risk or Scrabble. I am incredibly awkward when entering a new group of people. This may seem like a random piece of information, but my anxiety goes into overdrive and I freeze, like a deer in the headlights. That being said, in my early 20s I moved to the UK to train as a Youth Worker. During these years the only way I found to overcome my anxiety at "drop in" nights was to sit down with a deck of cards and just start shuffling. It always surprised me how quickly young people would join me around a table to learn games. I discovered very quickly that my anxiety would fade and I would find solace in teaching and playing games. From that point forward, nearly all the youth work I did throughout the years, would involve table top games or a couple decks of cards. Sarah and I owe our friendship to our mutual love of boardgames. We met up for our first game night nearly 7 years ago and I still remember what we played. It was only a few months later we were having our first experience with D&D. This led to spending heaps of time planning out meals for our sessions and just enjoying being in each other's company, which would ultimately lead to our Wayfarer's League. Table top games are so important; they force us to be fully present. We switch off our screens and enjoy engaging in a shared experience. Many of my favourite memories are of staying up ridiculously late playing Uno while camping, or getting a huge table of people playing the card game Mao during my university residential, or discovering my sister and I have a psychic connection while learning to play The Mind. I am sure, like many of you, this list could go on forever. Now my favourite games are cooperative and I always go out of my way to try to find new and unusual games that tell interactive stories. You can never go wrong getting me a board game as a gift. At Wayfarer's League we want to help you make more of these memories. And in spite of our current global "situation," we hope we have been able to successfully provide such a space. We do a lot that revolves around TTRPGs (Table Top Roll Playing Games), but really we are a community that facilitates gaming of all sorts. Check out the "Boardgames" channel on our Discord Server as well as our events page to find out what boardgames we have running at the moment. For now we are limited to online gaming, but eventually, when we are in the place to do so, we hope to provide a physical location as well. In the meantime, let's continue to make some fantastic gaming memories anyway we can! What is your favourite table top gaming memory? Share with us in the comments. • • Tales from the Table 4 likes. Post not marked as liked4 Recent Posts £20 Character Commissions!! 2 likes. Post not marked as liked2 Wayfarer's News: 2 years in the bag 3 likes. Post not marked as liked3 4 likes. Post not marked as liked4 ©2020 by Wayfarer's League Ltd - Wayfarer's League Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales (company no. 13035922)	4,239
A group of young people, mostly girls, has been able to engage with the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus in an interactive session that took place yesterday afternoon at the National Assembly’s headquarters at Ile Du Port. The two-hour session, organised in collaboration with the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC), was to educate the young people on the role of parliamentarians, encourage them to take a career in politics and become future leaders. It was being held under the theme of the ‘Empowering the Youth’ and it coincided with International Day of Democracy on September 15. When addressing the group, the chairperson of the Women Parliamentary Caucus, Regina Esparon, highlighted the role of the committee to promote women’s interest and integrity in parliament as well as the society as a whole. Mrs Esparon pointed out that women are underrepresented in politics compared to men. She gave the example of Rwanda where politics is dominated by women with 61.3 percent in their assembly and 36 percent in their senate compared to Seychelles where there is only 22.86 percent of women in parliament. She added that their speaker and deputy speaker are also women. It should be noted that the highest number of women parliamentarians were in the 2011 National Assembly where there were 16. It had varied between seven and ten since 1993 and for the present seventh National Assembly, out of the 33 members, seven are women. “That is why one of our objectives is to increase the number of women elected in parliament by generating more interest for them to participate in the country’s politics, despite the challenges and barriers that prevent women from going into politics,” said MNA Esparon. She urged the young girls to take up a career in politics and to become future parliamentarians. “As women parliamentarians we can push for your voices to be heard and promote equality and respect for human rights,” added Mrs Esparon. Yesterday’s event comprised two presentations, firstly by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Roger Mancienne, who focused on leadership, what it meant to be a leader, and qualities required to be a good leader. For her part, the chairperson of the Women Parliamentary Caucus, who is also the elected member for Roche Caiman, Honourable Audrey Vidot, talked about community engagement and how the young girls could make a difference in their schools and districts. The presentations were followed by questions from those present, who included students from secondary schools in the vicinity of Victoria. The schools represented were Perseverance, English River, Belonie, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Independent, International School, as well as former members of the Seychelles National Youth Assembly. Questions raised focused on elections, procedures to become a member of the National Assembly, the role of various committees and challenges faced by women parliamentarians at district level and in parliament. They also wanted to know what the MNAs, especially the women, were doing to encourage young girls to come forward and take up leadership positions, the relationship between members of the opposing parties, and whether they were being good role models for girls who aspire to become politicians. The young girls who spoke to the media after the interactive session welcomed it and described it as very interesting and called for more such events for young people. Lara Seraphine, from English River secondary, said she was happy they have been able to ask pertinent questions related to women in politics and other topical issues. “I am glad that they have been able to answer our questions about issues that are not necessarily talked about much and they have given their commitment to address these questions in the National Assembly. I do hope they address more youth-related issues because the National Assembly do not talk much about young people compared to other issues like the economy or government work,” said Ms Seraphine. For her part, Greasy Esparon from English River secondary school, said the session was too short and such interesting topics should be done regularly. “We have plenty of questions that were not asked due to time constraint and I know that more young girls would want to hear what was discussed today so, increase the frequency to allow more young people to hear these interesting topics. Let us do it on a monthly basis,” said Ms Esparon. Greasy, who aspires to become a politician, will be standing in the upcoming national election for the Seychelles National Youth Assembly. She follows the National Assembly closely and said yesterday’s discussion was an eye-opener. “I am interested in politics because I see there is a need to have more young women bring forth topics related to us. This is not happening as much right now and so our voices are not heard and we lack support. I hope I am elected so that I can represent young people and help my school and district move further up,” she said. Mariella Barreau from Plaisance secondary school who also aspires to be a member of parliament, said she was inspired by the encouraging words from the chairperson and the vice- chairperson of the Women Parliamentary Caucus. “I am glad they shared their political journey and encouraged us to follow our dreams and not to listen to words of discouragement. I wished the session was longer because I had so many questions I wanted to ask them,” she concluded. Honourable Esparon and Vidot who were the main speakers representing their committee, answered the questions with the help of two other panellists, Speaker Mancienne and deputy chief executive of the SNYC, Ghislaine Belmont. They were assisted by other members of parliament present, namely the leader of government business, Bernard Georges; the leader of the opposition, Sebastien Pillay; and deputy Speaker, Gervais Henrie. Photos by Joena Meme A student addressing her question to the panelists A partial view of the young aspiring politicians attending the session	6,234
Wednesday afternoon, 4 PM. Just after teaching a third semester molecular biology class I notice in the corridor that the light is on in my boss’s office. Professor Lous has been travelling so much that her presence in the department is a rather rare event. I don’t want to talk to her but I don’t know when she will deign to grace her place of work with her presence again. I take a deep breath and knock on the door. Lous’ slightly high-pitch suggests irritation at being found at work. I enter her office to be told, not in so many words, ‘oh get lost, I have so many more pressing matters to tend to than you!’ She says this in her tone. Her words are polite but direct, to deflect any possibility of small talk. “Miriam, nice to see you! What can I do for you?” “I wondered if you already have news about my contract.” A frown quickly forms on Lous’ forehead. It would seem my simple words are rather puzzling. “I don’t quite see… you still have about three months left… and then I will try to extend it.” There is a short rhetorical pause. I grind my teeth, softly I hope, while looking around the small office with its beautiful plants and old wooden cabinets full of books and papers. I am thinking about what to say next. I do not want to leave. I do not want shooed away as if me and my life plans are but a trifling irritant. After a few seconds it is Lous who comes up with some words; “You do want to stay, right?” Again, this is well-trodden and very dull ground. “Yeah, yes, I do,” I say quickly. “It is just that…. How sure is it that I can stay?” “I am optimistic, but I can’t promise you anything. I am waiting to hear back from the Head of School. The School needs to partly fund you.” “I know. I just would like to know when the decision will be taken, that’s all.” “These things never are as easy as you imagine. There are many factors. Many last minute decisions… But they all know that we just submitted our paper to Cell and there is more in the pipeline. Seriously Miriam, I am optimistic.” “I know. But I just think that if I am to leave, it’s only fair I know sooner rather than later. I would need to start applying for other positions now. Probably I should even have started applying months ago… And anyway the insecurity drives me nuts. Uncertainty is an enemy of concentration, isn’t it?” Lous nods understandingly. “I know. It is. I will ask if a decision can be made in the next few weeks.” “Good,” I say, trying to live into the modicum of relief to be taken from Lous’ dubious intention. “I will let you know as soon as anything is decided. But until that time, don’t worry too much, focus on the next paper, okay? Every result will enhance your chances.” “Okay,” I say, a bit happier, smile weakly and leave the office. I pass the mailboxes on the ground floor and pull out all free magazines, advertisement and college announcements that have piled up over the last week; out of my own mailbox and close colleagues. Slightly out of balance, due to carrying a tree of paper waste, I waddle to the other end of the building. I open the door of our office with my shoulder and I drop the pile of unreadable waffle on the small table next to the entrance. I walk to “Mail for you,” I say handing him an envelope. “Receiving letters in the hashtag era is never a good sign,” he sighs from behind his desk, which is straining under the astonishing piles of scientific papers, books and student reports – an accidental monument to academic slavery. “Yep… either a bill or a rejection,” I suggest. He tears the letter open, with haste, and reads it, with a frown. “What is it?” “Oh, just a spot of excellent news to take home with me for the evening.” I raise my eyebrows. Marcel sighs and reads the letter aloud, saying that he was thanked for his application and interview as a Junior Professor in Darmstadt but that they have appointed someone else to the post. He is welcome to apply again should anything similar come up. “Oh nooo… you were set on it. Weren’t you?” “Well, set on it… set on it…. only in so far as the application took a hell lot of time, and it would have been nice to get away from Uncle Scrooge.” Uncle Scrooge is his professor, and a penny-pincher par excellence. Eleven months a year Uncle Scrooge invests vast amounts of time and energy ensuring no atom is wasted in his lab. Then in December he splashes cash like Oliver Reed at an Irish stag do. This is, of course, because no academics want to give money back but usually there are limits. However, not with Uncle Scrooge; all sorts of chemicals, plasmids, cells and you-name-it are purchased with gleeful abandon, and without due consideration to their actual usefulness. “I suppose you were really keen on it then?” “That’s right. On a positive note…at least I don’ t have to move to Darmstadt.” “True. I don’t think anyone ever moved to Darmstadt out of free will.” “Right. No one does.” “Hmmm… at some point. There are suitable openings in academia maybe twice a year for me…” “You will get extended, right?” Did you find apk for android? You can find new Free Android Games and apps. Share this entry Share on Facebook Share by Mail	5,503
D-Day for AdWords copywriters and Google’s editorial review team has arrived; the previously announced global rollout of Expanded Text Ads occurring on July 27 (local time). The new mobile-focussed ad format is a major change to the standard version and the character restrictions we’ve all grown used to. For those needing the reminder: a 25 character headline, two description lines of no more than 35 characters. While the change may not sound significant — we now get two headlines of 30 characters each and an 80-character single line description — in practice, it is. Ads take up more space, while the two-line headline means they also stand out more. But, more than this, the lengthier description line means that copywriters need not, in most cases, scratch their heads trying to find appropriate abbreviations, while struggling to get a natural break between the two description lines. In writing ETA ads during the Google beta test, and for clients now that ETA ads are available to all accounts, we’ve been able to be more expansive in our copy, naturally enough. But, more than this, with the additional characters (and second headline) ad copy just reads better. Rather than sounding like the breathless words of someone who has just run up all 1,103 steps of Auckland’s Sky Tower, our best ETA copy reads more naturally. Funnily enough, they read like more traditional ad copy (where character limits are never really an issue). The old format ads are still in use, and new ads can still be written in the old format up until October 26. Concurrent with the release of Expanded Text Ads, Google has started rolling out updated device bid adjustments to AdWords. The new feature, which lets advertisers set base bid adjustments for mobiles, computers and tablets, is not immediately available in all accounts, however. Complete rollout is expected to take a few months. Why should you care? We’re already fans of the new ad format, in case you didn’t realise. The second headline and longer description line give us room to include additional details, but we’re also expecting higher clickthrough rates from the new format. For the time being, we are working to update ad copy for all our clients. New ads are being written in both the old and new formats, for A/B testing. As for device bid adjustments, the lack thereof has been a sore point for most advertisers over the past three and a half years (when Google’s introduction of Enhanced Campaigns limited device bidding options). Ad performance for some clients can vary significantly by device type, and the bid adjustment update is long overdue. Click here for more search marketing news. The latest news about web marketing, SEO, PPC Advertising & Web Analytics. But only the stuff that matters from a New Zealand perspective. Delivered to your inbox each Monday. If you found this useful, please tell your friends. Jeremy is a Partner and Senior Consultant at SureFire. Jeremy has been working in search since 1996, when he joined the Australian search engine, LookSmart. After relocating to San Francisco, he was instrumental in the development of the company’s paid search ad platform. At analytics company Coremetrics (now owned by IBM) he established an in-house search agency managing campaigns for Coremetrics clients such as Macy’s, Bass Pro and Lands End. At Acxiom he managed members of the pioneering SEO firm Marketleap and worked with clients such as Capital One, American General Finance and Kaiser Health. Joining SureFire in 2009, he is the head of Paid Search Advertising and oversees the delivery of AdWords and other PPC campaigns. He also helps clients make sense of their website data.	3,709
by Eva Fannon (USA) \| Nov 10, 2010 \| Being Thankful, Culture, Eva Fannon, Family, Motherhood, Parenting, USA \| 37 comments A few days ago I sat down at my computer (after the girls were asleep, the next day’s lunches were packed and the kitchen was cleaned up…but that may be another post) to catch up on personal e-mail and Facebook. As I was scrolling through my friends’ updates, I came across one from a friend who wrote, “Awww, my husband just bought me my push gift! I love you honey!!” I had to re-read the post and then asked myself…a WHAT gift? I opened up a new window to do an internet search. The first listing that the search engine came up with, by Parenting Magazine, gave it away – “10 Amazing Push Gifts: Presents for New Moms”. The subheading read, “Start dropping hints about these amazing presents for new mommies.” My first reaction? What rock have I been living under that I have never heard of a push gift? My second reaction? Really? A push gift? I’ve heard so many stories from women who have had trouble getting pregnant, or don’t get to carry their pregnancies to term — getting your newborn child isn’t enough of a gift? My husband was working on his laptop nearby, so I turned and asked him if he had ever heard of a “push gift”. Without looking up, he says, “a what gift?” I respond, “a push gift”. He then looks up at me and says, “use it in a sentence”. I laugh and don’t feel so bad that I’m not the only one who has never heard of the term. So this “push gift” concept has peaked my interest, and I proceed to open the second listing, which is from Wikipedia. As it turns out, the practice of giving a gift to celebrate a birth can be traced back to India and England. Wikipedia doesn’t elaborate much more on this, so anyone from India or England reading this post, please do feel free to share about this tradition! In some ways that I know of, I would say people do this here, in the US. Women are thrown baby showers before delivering and get baby gifts. I didn’t even have a baby shower with my second baby and still received welcome gifts for my baby girl right before and after she was born. I also like to offer to cook something for friends with a new baby — a casserole, ziti or lasagna – you know how crazy that time is after you get home from the hospital with a new baby! I would call those push gifts, but apparently they don’t meet the definition. So what is a “push gift”? According to Wikipedia, a “push gift” is a present given to a new mother by her partner when she gives birth to their child. “In practice the present may be given before or after the birth, or even in the delivery room. The giving of push presents has grown in the United States in recent years.” Well, wanting to know more, I click on two news article links that Wikipedia has posted under their entry. Wow – it turns out that push gifts are usually expensive gifts – and most of the time jewelry! I decide to check my copy of Emily Post’s Etiquette book for any additional information, but guess what? While there are references to baby gifts, “push gift” is not even in the index. When in doubt, Emily Post is my go-to resource for etiquette guidelines, so this makes me smile. We’ve all got our “push” stories, some were express deliveries, others marathons, and some with complications that completely altered what we expected the process to be like. After both of my deliveries, I have been grateful for the gift of life itself….two beautiful and healthy daughters. Sure, my body is not the same as it was before I was ever pregnant…and I’ll admit that a pair of diamond earring studs would be nice to have, but I would rather put the money in the kids’ 529 college savings accounts, a house, or a family vacation. Right now I am thankful to be healthy to be able to enjoy the ups and handle the downs that come with the very important title of “Mommy”. No “push present” could ever make me feel that good. So, what do you think about push gifts? Did you get one? If you didn’t, do you wish you did? If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to the World Moms Blog RSS feed. Thanks for traveling with us around the globe! Welcome back! We also share some additional content on our Facebook page. Have you liked World Moms Blog on Facebook yet? Eva Fannon is a working mom who lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her hubby and two girls. She was born and raised on the east coast and followed her husband out west when he got a job offer that he couldn't refuse. Eva has always been a planner, so it took her a while to accept that no matter how much you plan and prepare, being a mom means a new and different state of "normal". Despite the craziness on most weekday mornings (getting a family of four out the door in time for work and school is no easy task!), she wouldn't trade being a mother for anything in the world. She and her husband are working on introducing the girls to the things they love - travel, the great outdoors, and enjoying time with family and friends. Eva can be found on Twitter @evafannon. Asta Burrows on November 10, 2010 at 3:59 am All though I have never heard the term “push gift” used before, my husband did actually give me a ring after I was finished eh pushing… This is quite common I believe especially amongst our friends in the UK. (I hate the name of it though, “push gift”, doesn’t sound very nice or romantic does it!) I do agree that it is a bit of a strange thing as, like you say, you have just received (or pushed out) the biggest gift possible (i.e. your baby) – but at the same time I just love my ring (I would just like to clarify that it is not an expensive piece of jewelry, just a wee ‘token’ evafannon on November 10, 2010 at 12:24 pm Hi Asta – you’re right, “push gift” does not sound very romantic! And I’m sure the wee token serves as a nice reminder of the memories of that day Asta Burrows on November 10, 2010 at 3:59 am All though I have never heard the term “push gift” used before, my husband did actually give me a ring after I was finished eh pushing… This is quite common I believe especially amongst our friends in the UK. (I hate the name of it though, “push gift”, doesn’t sound very nice or romantic does it!) I do agree that it is a bit of a strange thing as, like you say, you have just received (or pushed out) the biggest gift possible (i.e. your baby) – but at the same time I just love my ring (I would just like to clarify that it is not an expensive piece of jewelry, just a wee ‘token’ evafannon on November 10, 2010 at 12:24 pm Hi Asta – you’re right, “push gift” does not sound very romantic! And I’m sure the wee token serves as a nice reminder of the memories of that day Kate @ UpsideBackwards on November 10, 2010 at 4:11 am I haven’t heard of “push gifts” – and find the name somewhat distasteful, to tell the truth! I have heard of “maternity rings”, in place of (or as well as!) “eternity rings” traditionally given as a (first?) wedding anniversary gift from a husband to his wife – often a companion piece to the engagement ring, so that the two bracket the wedding ring. I didn’t get a maternity or eternity ring, and didn’t want them, but it amused me that my husband thought I was making it up when I mentioned the concept one day! evafannon on November 10, 2010 at 12:26 pm I hadn’t heard of the maternity rings Kate – interesting – thanks for sharing! Kate @ UpsideBackwards on November 10, 2010 at 4:11 am I haven’t heard of “push gifts” – and find the name somewhat distasteful, to tell the truth! I have heard of “maternity rings”, in place of (or as well as!) “eternity rings” traditionally given as a (first?) wedding anniversary gift from a husband to his wife – often a companion piece to the engagement ring, so that the two bracket the wedding ring. I didn’t get a maternity or eternity ring, and didn’t want them, but it amused me that my husband thought I was making it up when I mentioned the concept one day! evafannon on November 10, 2010 at 12:26 pm I hadn’t heard of the maternity rings Kate – interesting – thanks for sharing! jenny on November 10, 2010 at 9:28 am I love your take on the push-gift Eva! Asta you’re correct, in the UK it’s traditional to receive an “eternity ring” as a gift from your significant other after giving birth. And like yours, usually they are just a “wee token”, nothing too extravagant. I agree with Kate@upsidebackwards, the term “push gifts” is very distasteful!! evafannon on November 10, 2010 at 12:30 pm Thanks Jenny! jenny on November 10, 2010 at 9:28 am I love your take on the push-gift Eva! Asta you’re correct, in the UK it’s traditional to receive an “eternity ring” as a gift from your significant other after giving birth. And like yours, usually they are just a “wee token”, nothing too extravagant. I agree with Kate@upsidebackwards, the term “push gifts” is very distasteful!! runningforautism on November 10, 2010 at 9:37 am I’ve never heard of it, and if I were the queen of definitions I’d give the term a completely different meaning. It would be used to denote a very large stress ball thrust into the labouring mom’s arms by the panicking Dad-to-be as he desperately says, “Here’s your push gift, honey. Please stop punching me in the face every time you have a contraction!” evafannon on November 10, 2010 at 12:32 pm You have me laughing out loud runningforautism on November 10, 2010 at 9:37 am I’ve never heard of it, and if I were the queen of definitions I’d give the term a completely different meaning. It would be used to denote a very large stress ball thrust into the labouring mom’s arms by the panicking Dad-to-be as he desperately says, “Here’s your push gift, honey. Please stop punching me in the face every time you have a contraction!” evafannon on November 10, 2010 at 12:32 pm You have me laughing out loud transplantedx3 on November 10, 2010 at 12:13 pm hmmm, what if, er, you didn’t “push”?!? haha. Alas, I’ve never heard of the term, either. I poseed the ladies here in the PICU and none of them have heard the term either. Babies are excellent gifts, but I suppose a little bit of ‘bling’ wouldn’t be refused!! Great post! ;D evafannon on November 10, 2010 at 12:36 pm Good point – what if you didn’t push? With my first I was overdue, found out she had managed to flip to present breech, had an external cephalic version (I was determined to labor and have a vaginal delivery!), got induced, there were complications, and after 24 hours of chaos, ended up with a c-section. I’m thinking maternity gift or baby gift would be a more appropriate term. transplantedx3 on November 10, 2010 at 12:13 pm hmmm, what if, er, you didn’t “push”?!? haha. Alas, I’ve never heard of the term, either. I poseed the ladies here in the PICU and none of them have heard the term either. Babies are excellent gifts, but I suppose a little bit of ‘bling’ wouldn’t be refused!! Great post! ;D evafannon on November 10, 2010 at 12:36 pm Good point – what if you didn’t push? With my first I was overdue, found out she had managed to flip to present breech, had an external cephalic version (I was determined to labor and have a vaginal delivery!), got induced, there were complications, and after 24 hours of chaos, ended up with a c-section. I’m thinking maternity gift or baby gift would be a more appropriate term. Maggie on November 10, 2010 at 12:24 pm So let me see…if I lived in the UK, I would have gotten a push gift and if I lived in Norway, I would have gotten a really nice, long maternity leave with pay. Now, if we can combine the two, we’d be looking at a very sweet Caribbean vacay! It would be great for the new baby and parents to bond and relax to the sounds of the sea. Let’s bring that tradition to the US! evafannon on November 10, 2010 at 12:37 pm Maggie on November 10, 2010 at 12:24 pm So let me see…if I lived in the UK, I would have gotten a push gift and if I lived in Norway, I would have gotten a really nice, long maternity leave with pay. Now, if we can combine the two, we’d be looking at a very sweet Caribbean vacay! It would be great for the new baby and parents to bond and relax to the sounds of the sea. Let’s bring that tradition to the US! evafannon on November 10, 2010 at 12:37 pm Veronica Samuels on November 10, 2010 at 3:24 pm I so dislike the term “push” gift, too! For me, it feels like it downplays the victory. We “push” carts in the grocery store, too. And you moms are right — what about those that didn’t push? I did receive a gift after having my daughter, but like you, Eva, I have heard the term “push gift” only from a post on facebook! I received a pendant of a mom and baby from my husband, nothing flashy, just something extra to celebrate the day. But, I really loved your post. The true gift is the baby!! That is for sure. Veronica Samuels on November 10, 2010 at 3:24 pm I so dislike the term “push” gift, too! For me, it feels like it downplays the victory. We “push” carts in the grocery store, too. And you moms are right — what about those that didn’t push? I did receive a gift after having my daughter, but like you, Eva, I have heard the term “push gift” only from a post on facebook! I received a pendant of a mom and baby from my husband, nothing flashy, just something extra to celebrate the day. But, I really loved your post. The true gift is the baby!! That is for sure. Courtney Cappallo on November 10, 2010 at 3:53 pm I heard of the push gift when I was pregnant with my 1st daughter. I told my husband that I wanted fresh flowers more than anything to decorate my hospital room. My sister had dried her roses after her first daughter was born and I loved that idea. I dried the flowers and have them set aside for her to handle when she is older. Another term that was new to me when I became pregnant with my 2nd child was a sprinkle – which I found out was a party for a woman having her 2nd, 3rd and so forth child. My girlfriend informed me that at a baby shower you receive most of the main gifts you’ll need for your children. She explained that sprinkles still pamper the mother (again) to be, the mothers just don’t get mounds and mounds of gifts. It’s more laid back. evafannon on November 11, 2010 at 12:20 pm I LOVE the dried flowers idea Courtney! I have some dried flowers from my wedding bouquet in a little frame that is nestled into the lid of a box where I keep jewelry. I had not heard the idea of a “sprinkle”, but that’s great! Learning a lot from everyone’s response to my post – thanks everyone! Maggie on November 11, 2010 at 12:00 am Maggie on November 11, 2010 at 12:00 am Asta Burrows on November 11, 2010 at 1:55 am Here we don’t get “showers” or “sprinkels” – but we all give presents when we first meet the baby. Some of our friends gave presents to me instead of the baby, it took me totally by surprise but it was so nice. I remember receiving tea, chocolate and shower gel from a friend, nothing fancy, but I still think it is the most considerate present I have ever got (just a little something to tell me to look after myself as well). evafannon on November 11, 2010 at 12:21 pm Such a good reminder Asta – for moms to take care of themselves Asta Burrows on November 11, 2010 at 1:55 am Here we don’t get “showers” or “sprinkels” – but we all give presents when we first meet the baby. Some of our friends gave presents to me instead of the baby, it took me totally by surprise but it was so nice. I remember receiving tea, chocolate and shower gel from a friend, nothing fancy, but I still think it is the most considerate present I have ever got (just a little something to tell me to look after myself as well). evafannon on November 11, 2010 at 12:21 pm Such a good reminder Asta – for moms to take care of themselves Netherland on December 30, 2010 at 6:01 pm I kid you not when I tell you, that each of my 5 children were my “push gifts”, but my husband would always bring me an exotic bouquet of flowers. He knew I hated roses, because they were so common and so easy to get. So after delivering he would bring me flowers I’d never seen or heard of, i.e. “lady slippers” I worked hard and long for each one (with the exception of my daughter – only 30 minutes to deliver her), and there is nothing anyone could buy for me having a baby. My babies were more than enough of a gift. I brought the seeds, my husband brought the water, together we have a bouquet that I hope to have last a life-time. So many people seem to need to have someone always buying them something. evafannon on December 30, 2010 at 9:04 pm Netherland, I love the analogy of your children to the bouquet you and your husband have put together – that is beautiful. And you are so right, our children are indeed our push gifts Netherland on December 30, 2010 at 6:01 pm I kid you not when I tell you, that each of my 5 children were my “push gifts”, but my husband would always bring me an exotic bouquet of flowers. He knew I hated roses, because they were so common and so easy to get. So after delivering he would bring me flowers I’d never seen or heard of, i.e. “lady slippers” I worked hard and long for each one (with the exception of my daughter – only 30 minutes to deliver her), and there is nothing anyone could buy for me having a baby. My babies were more than enough of a gift. I brought the seeds, my husband brought the water, together we have a bouquet that I hope to have last a life-time. So many people seem to need to have someone always buying them something. evafannon on December 30, 2010 at 9:04 pm Netherland, I love the analogy of your children to the bouquet you and your husband have put together – that is beautiful. And you are so right, our children are indeed our push gifts Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Awarded “Best Reporting on the UN” by the UNCA 2015 Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team. You have Successfully Subscribed! Click a Date to Catch Up on Posts! 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There are no hotels, just guesthouses and huts. The beach front is lined with shacks housing restaurants, most of these are temporary structures, rebuilt each season. There’s one main road which is lined with stalls and restaurants. There are a couple of general stalls, lots of internet cafes (mostly shared modems at Rs40/hr), and several travel agents. There are a few places that will swap or sell books, handy as we’re reaching the end of our selection. Each morning we sit by the sea eating our breakfast, and most days you can see dolphins playing in the sea. They jump clear out of the water, sometimes even doing backflips. We’ve seen all kinds of other wildlife here too; a mongoose, kingfishers, woodpeckers, a dung beetle (!), and bee-eaters. Since we’ve been here the place has got busier; new stalls have been set up, new shacks built, more beach-sellers have arrived and there are more visitors here. Ivon’s, where we’re staying was full up a few days ago, but there are now a few rooms available as people have moved on. There are quite a few of the “hippy” types here, whirling poi around, smoking chillums, and playing out of tune guitars. There are also loads of Israelis, mostly straight out of doing their national service. They’re not very popular with the locals as they like too much “boom boom” (trance and techno) and sit around all day with their chillums. Lots of people do yoga on the beach in the mornings, which isn’t too bad, apart from when it’s blokes in posing pouches…. enough to put you right off your breakfast. We’ve even considered doing a yoga course ourselves, but haven’t achieved sufficient momentum yet, and if we move on on the 6th Dec, we probably won’t get around to it. Now the good news… I’ve got the technology together to upload photos, so I’ll give that a go in the next few days. Resting in Arambol Still haven’t managed to find somewhere that I can use my card reader, so I have more than a weeks worth of daily diary to upload, and I really want to upload some of the photos we’ve taken. My search will continue… We’re in Arambol, staying in an excellent guesthouse called Ivon’s Holiday Calm. Nice tiled room with balcony and attached bathroom. No air-con, but a fan. We bought a Flying Carpet hammock from The Arambol Hammock Co. and that is proving very useful for chilling out in. Our balcony overlooks the family compound of the owner of the guesthouse (a guy called Martin Rodrigues). The compound is filled with coconut palms, and is also home to countless pigs, chickens and dogs. The pigs eat any leftover food or other compostable stuff. The guesthouse is about 3 minutes walk (through a coconut grove) to the beautiful beach. The beach is still used for fishing, but also plays host to the various visitors to Arambol; travellers, long term residents, beach sellers, visiting Indians etc. There are loads of bars and restauants along the beach, and all the ones we’ve tried in the week and a half since we arrived have been very good. The seafood is naturally very fresh, though still more expensive than the great veggie Indian food we’ve come to love. Our daily routine here tends to be:- Sit on beach for an hour. Go for swim in the sea Return to room for a shower Sit in hammock reading until the sun cools down. Watch the sun set (about 6pm) Go for dinner (usually until 9pm) Back to the room for a read and then sleep. Not bad really. Food and drink costs us about five pounds a day, our room is about two pounds seventy per night. We’ll be staying here until at least 6th December, maybe longer, depending on how busy it gets… Fri 5th November, 2004 Nigel Leave a comment Quick update as I’ve not managed to upload my notes for a week. We flew to Bombay/Mumbai on Saturday, arrived at hour hotel and wandered a bit. After a rather expensive (for India) meal at a Chinese restaurant, we returned to our room to find several cockroaches running about. Vic couldn’t face sleeping there so we did a late night move to the very posh Taj President hotel. Way above our budget but if it meant we could sleep it’d do. On Monday evening, despite Vic feeling very poorly (upset stomach and sore throat) we got the sleeper train to Goa. That was an experience and one the guide books didn’t really prepare you for but we survived it well enough, and both agreed that it wouldn’t seem such a challenge next time as we’d know what to expect. We’ve been staying at a lovely guest house called Panjim Pousada (owned by the same people as the Panjim Inn, which is next door). Thu 4th November, 2004 Nigel Leave a comment My birthday (Or something along those lines). Vic had drawn and painted a lovely birthday card for me, complete with a picture of a monkey riding on an elephant. My Mum and Dad had given me a card when we left the UK which I opened on my birthday as instructed to find some cash (always useful!). We decided that it would do us both some good to get into town so we walked the short distance to the town centre and visited a pharmacy and bookshop. It was a pleasant walk in the sunshine and we both liked Panjim (despite the repeated offers to sell us wallets and drums). Vic took me to the Baskins Robbins ice cream parlour for a birthday ice cream. Very good it was too. Vic still ill Wed 3rd November, 2004 Nigel Leave a comment With little sign of Vic getting better we had a quiet day in resting and reading, eating at the Panjim Inn again. As Vic was still rough, we opted to stay an extra night at the Panjim Pousada so that we would leave for our next stop, Arambol on the North coast of Goa, on Saturday morning. Getting to Goa Morning arrived, and the train still had a long way to go. We talked to our neighbours and their children, Gavin and Gail (the whole family spoke very good English), and read our guidebooks, occasionally looking out of the window to glimpse the changing landscape. As we got closer to Goa, the land became greener, with river and streams and eventually palm trees. We arrived at our destination at about noon, and made our way off the train with crowds of Indian passengers (very few Westerners seemed to get off at that stop). Passing along the platform we found that to reach the station building with its associated taxi rank etc, we had to climb down onto the tracks, walk across them and then clamber up the other side. We quickly found a taxi to take us to Panjim (also known as Panaji) where we had booked some accomodation. Vic’s voice had started to go, so we needed to get her to somewhere clean and relaxing. Arriving at Panjim, the taxi dropped us outside the Panjim Inn, which is owned by the same person as the neighbouring Panjim Pousada where we had booked. We were soon ensconced in our room, a large airy room with a fan and air-conditioner and balcony overlooking a quiet garden courtyard. Just what we had hoped for. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and eating and drinking at the Panjim Inn’s restaurant. Our train wasn’t due to leave Victoria Terminus (VT, now renamed CST) until 10.40pm so we had some time to kill. We packed up some of our belongings which we had decided were surplus to requirements (clothes and the paintings we had bought in Jaipur) and arranged for the Business Centre at the hotel to post them home for us. That lightened our luggage enough to let us carry the clothes we had bought in Udaipur. Vic came down with food poisoning, possibly from the previous evenings prawn risotto, and followed that up with a sore throat, so the rest of the day was spent resting and trying unsuccessfully to postpone the train journey. The hotel Duty Manager kindly let us stay in our room until 7pm and then we had a last meal at the hotel restaurant before catching a cab to the station. Vic’s sore throat had developed into what looked to me like tonsillitis, so she wasn’t feeling too happy. That wasn’t helped when we found that the train to Goa was two hours late. We dumped our bags down on the platform and sat down on them to wait. Time passed… slowly. Many of the men wjpho walked past took a keen interest in Vic, a little too keen in most cases, staring blatantly at her. One man was staring so intnently as he walked along that he walked straight into someone coming in the opposite direction. I found that if I stared back at them they’d soon look away; some kind of possessive male thing I guess. That kept me entertained for some of the time while we waited. The train finally turned up at 12.20am, and we found our carriage easily. The train carriages had a corridor down one side with a two-tiered bunk on one side and an open compartment of two three-tier bunks on the other. We had the top and middle of one of the latter bunks. The rest of the compartment was occupied by a very nice Indian family with two kids who were all going to Goa. We arranged our bags and said hello to the family and sat quietly for an hour or so while the train started its journey. Throughout the journey, men would walk along the corridor selling sandwiches, coffee and chai. As people started to look tired we pulled the bunks down and made our beds before climbing up the frame at the end to reach our bunks. The night passed slowly and we slept intermittently, at first the motion of the train and lack of space keeping me awake, eventually the constant rocking putting me to sleep, to be woken by the cramped space making a limb go numb.	9,920
Just out of curiosity I decided to purchase Cravewell Yogurt Sphere Fruit Crunch. I've seen many videos floating at reels of freeze-dried fruits. I wanted to know what it would taste. I went to pick the following sold at Fourtify Market Online Shopee Philippines. The flavors I had picked are the following: Cravewell Raspberry Peach Yogurt Sphere for PHP 119.00 ($2.13). For me the Raspberry is really sour and the Peach is powder texture in your mouth. Cravewell Apple Strawberry Fruit Crunch for PHP 119.00 ($2.13). I liked the taste of the apple and strawberry. Cravewell Peach, Strawberry and Blueberry Yogurt Sphere for PHP 119.00 ($2.13) wasn't my best choice. Yet the family members liked it better where we all have different taste buds from everyone else. I place all packs in a bowl for you all to see how it looked the portion are really meant for snacking. NOTE: Carmina is not selling or advertising for Cravewell Yogurt Sphere Fruit Crunch from Fourtify Market Online S Other Apps Read more November 18, 2020 Living in the Philippines sometime you come across an animal who comes to your room unannounced smelling your breakfast on your desk when you're working. The best way to catch mice trying to steal your bread from you is placing a sticky mouse board made of paper and cut it in the middle to make two pieces than having to use only one. Of course remember to place you bait the bread that the mice wanted to steal from you this way you can catch it from coming back to you. In my picture you can see the mice was trying to escape from the sticky paper and landed on my rug a way to grab the mice to transfer back to the sticky paper is holding the rug slowly and making a way the mice lands back in place to the sticky board just take some common sense. Have a plastic bag ready to place the sticky board and mice inside by folding it this way the mice doesn't run away or goes to you. You start to experience having mice in your home you begin to be an expert how to catch them make sure th Other Apps Read more Thai Mango in the Philippines November 18, 2020 Giving yourself a treat once in awhile is good when you feel you deserve it on the days you feel something good to yourself. We often deserve a break from food being served in our home. There is no need to feel guilty what you eat just be satisfied in what food you decide to treat yourself for a meal this time I decided to order Thai food. I was craving to eat some noodles and it took me awhile to decide where to place my order through Grab Food. I made the right choice I had ordered at Thai Mango in Kamuning. I had ordered their set menu that came with Pad Thai, Thai Fried Chicken, Mango Sticky Rice and Tamarind Iced Tea sound good for a big treat for me. The container is cool and you know us we can re-used the item over again after it has been washed comes with a lid. Outcome the Pad Thai is mild spicy you can taste the tamarind from the sauce of the noodles with tofu and all the basic ingredients in a Pad Thai taste delicious my cravings went away. Thai Fried Chicken came with vineg	3,241
I don't have cancer....yet. Cancer is in my family though. My grandma, mom and older sister all had it. My two best friends lost their daughters to cancer. Locally, we have the opportunity to support cancer research with the Relay For Life. You can even donate through this website. And if you get a letter in the mail asking for donations to support a runner in the Team in Training marathons, give generously. Cancer is an enemy waiting to take your loved ones from you and it must be stopped. Support continued research with all your might. The life you save may be your own! This is a little poem I made up for my friend who is "traveling the path". 10 years ago tomorrow, she lost her oldest daughter, Amber, to cancer. Since then, she has written a book and supported cancer research by running marathons, donations of time and money, helping with Daffodil Days and many other Cancer related activities. You can find her blog HERE. Hop on over and leave her some words of encouragement. I love you Janine! You really are my BEST friend! Other Apps Cancer support Health Spirit Other Apps Comments Popular posts from this blog July 10, 2009 Ok, you probably thought I fell off the face of the earth right? Nope, there is just alot happening around here. The next event is Beckie's Baby Shower this Sunday. Decided to make my very first Diaper Cake and these are just a few of the pictures. The first thing I did was watch about 20 YouTube videos describing how to do it. Then I bought my supplies and put it together roughly first then more refined about a day later. This is a close up of the baby sock roses with mitten leaves. Yes, that video DOES exist! Next is a close up of wrist rattles and a little caterpiller radio that makes soothing sounds for baby. Background ribbon is from WalMart and the blanket set is from the Jungle Adventure Collection at K-mart. The topper for our "Jungle" themed cake is a Silver Back Ganz Gorilla . These little links slipped easily over the ribbon and added a little extra bling to the sides of the cake. Each layer consists of diapers along with extras like washcloths, bu Other Apps Read more August 29, 2008 The Picture - Half Empty or Half Full? Many of you who know me know I've been fighting a battle with Graves' Disease for about a year and a half. It was diagnosed in February of 2007. I was so very sick back then I actually thought I was going to die! One of the main symptoms was a rapid heartbeat and mine was probably 110 beats a minute. I was put on Methimazole, about 40 mg. per day to knock down the worst of the symptoms. That has gradually been reduced until now my dose is 5 mg. a day. Then I got some really bad news this week, my numbers are beginning to rise again. My Dr. called on Wednesday and told me he wanted to do the radioactive iodine treatment. I just don't feel ready for that at all. He gave me until the 7th of November, my next appointment, to "see the numbers change". He says to take the medicine every other day and in two weeks go off it all together. Yeah, the numbers will change and it won't be for the better I'm sure. So, I went on the Other Apps 6 comments Read more February 16, 2020 Back with Week #7 of my 52 weeks of pie! Like most of us, I wanted to create a really beautiful pie, well actually a tart, especially for my Valentine, Wes. It had to be chocolate, decadent and beautiful all at the same time. After looking high and low on the internet for something good, I decided on THIS wonderful Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart featured on the Frayed Apron Blog. I mean, look at her picture! Who wouldn't want to make and eat this??!! (From the Frayed Apron Blog) Now, you may say a Tart isn't a Pie but it actually is. It has a crust and a filling so in my book, its a VARIETY of pie. Over the course of my "52 Weeks of Pie," you will see tarts, pies and galettes, a free form type of pie. So keep checking back, you'll be glad you did! The first different thing for me was the crust. It's put together much like the others with just the addition of cocoa powder. I did use the vodka again instead of the water or milk as suggested because	4,480
As American psychologist Amy Cuddy puts it so well, “To understand other people and their life stories – who they are and the forces that shaped them – we need to understand ourselves and our life stories – who we are and the forces that shaped us. Too many of us still don’t understand ourselves well enough to take a step back. Developing a deep and honest self-awareness is an essential part of the radical learning we need to do today. » Do you want to know more about our services and our professionals? Leadership expertises. What is self-knowledge. Self-knowledge is knowing oneself. It is knowing what makes us move, act and decide. It is knowing our resources and our areas of greatest fragility or weakness. It is being vigilant with regards to some of our behaviors that can take over automatically (to the detriment of other behaviors more adapted to the situation) and that act against our objectives and actions as leaders. Helping others can be an important source of motivation for a leader. Understanding that over-investing in helping others can put the leader in difficulty in his or her daily challenges is an important realization. Learning to make good use of one’s extreme attention to detail is an undeniable asset in managing oneself and one’s time as a leader. How can we ensure that what can become a form of extreme perfectionism does not become a trap? Realizing that one puts other people’s priorities before one’s own in a quasi-systematic way is the first step in a process of personal and professional development. Becoming aware of this self-sabotage makes it possible to decide what to do about it when old automatisms reappear. Understanding as a leader that you lean more on the introverted side or on the extroverted side can lead you to guide a team in a more efficient way only by changing a few parameters that will make all the difference in your daily work as a leader. It also allows you to better manage your leader’s energy: know where your limits are and manage them intelligently. Detecting behavioral intolerances in interactions with others allows the leader to develop other behavioral responses in order to maintain the best possible communication with his collaborators on a daily basis. Once detected, these irritants can be managed in order, for example, to give feedback correctly, to live positively with employees and to convey his messages and values on an ongoing basis. Our services Are you looking for a support service? Training? Coaching? Or conferences? Leadership expertises The challenges of self-knowledge. Without self-knowledge, it is more difficult to take a step back from the events that occur in one’s daily life as a leader. Knowing oneself better enables leaders to better assume one’s responsibilities and decisions. Self-knowledge allows us to know our strengths, the actions or behaviors we adopt with desire and passion; and the actions and behaviors we adopt with more difficulty and for which it will become necessary to find different motivational strategies. Self-knowledge allows you to take a step back from your own development as a leader; it allows you to develop in an adapted way and to always move forward. Knowing oneself better also makes it possible to detect external stress triggers. Once these elements are known, it is easier to manage them. Knowing which situations are the most stressful for a leader and what are the triggers of this stress, makes it possible to work on reducing the intensity of the stress or its appearance altogether. Viktor Frankl said that “between a stimulus and its response, there is a space. And within that space lies our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. » Not falling into our behavioural automatisms and developing a wider range of behavioural responses is proof of our great adaptability. This is true self-leadership. At Become a Leader, self-knowledge is developed during profil’INC’s debriefing, the inventory of personalities, assertiveness and adaptability that we offer to our participants at the very beginning of the leadership development program. This self-knowledge is then enriched during the first two days of the leadership development program through exercises emanating from coaching, neuro-linguistic programming or the neurocognitive and behavioural approach. Regardless of the sectors in which leaders operate, this self-knowledge is necessary for leadership development. Discover leadership expertise with Becoming leaderSee more Discover the challenges of leadership with Becoming leaderSee more Discover the areas of leadership with Becoming leaderSee more © Devenez Leader, 2021. All rights reserved Becoming Leader's mission is to help leaders grow and make their teams and organizations grow. Terms of sales This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.	5,980
Have you been experiencing tightness or pain in your shoulders? You’re not the only one. Shoulder pain can happen to any of us, especially as we age. Thankfully, there are many ways to combat shoulder pain, and one of the simplest ways is with some simple shoulder stretches. If you haven't realized by now, stretching is super important! And not only before or after exercise, but also as a stand-alone workout that is part of an injury prevention and flexibility routine. What causes shoulder pain? Shoulder pain can be triggered due to a wide variety of reasons. It can range from something as simple as sitting with bad posture at your desk to sleeping strangely, or even the following: A rotator cuff injury: One of the most common physical injuries, the rotator cuff consists of four muscles and tendons that work together to stabilize your shoulders. The pain usually occurs as a result of a tear in this area of the shoulder. Tendonitis: This condition tends to locate around your shoulders’ rotator cuffs and often is exacerbated through regular movements that require lifting your arm above your head -- think front crawls in swimming or serving in tennis. Frozen shoulder: Also known as adhesive capsulitis, this painful predicament limits your range of motion and, in especially severe cases, may cause your arm to stiffen up to the point of immobility. Osteoarthritis: Characterized by damaged joints that radiate chronic pain, this condition can express itself in any area of the body, including in and around the shoulders. Performing shoulder stretches daily can help with many of these conditions. However, If you think your shoulder pain is something more serious than bad posture or a restless night’s sleep, be sure to visit your doctor so that they can take a closer look. In addition to incorporating neck and shoulder stretches into your day-to-day routine, there are four tweaks you can make to regular activities to avoid developing pain. Here are some prophylactic tips to prevent shoulder and neck pain: Believe it or not, working on improving your core strength is a great way to prevent and reduce pain. Your core muscles are responsible for stabilizing your body as a whole, and by strengthening them, you may benefit from better posture and in turn, less shoulder pain. Invest in a better pillow. Sometimes, you get what you pay for, and this definitely applies to pillows, too. No need to spring for the most expensive brand on the market, but at least try to find something that provides your head and neck with the right support. Orthopedic pillows are an excellent option if you struggle with neck or shoulder strains. However, if you’re a side sleeper, you may want to check out body pillows that you can rest your neck on. One size doesn’t fit all, so test out different pillows to find the best fit for you. Avoid hunching over when using your smartphone. Try to hold your phone up to eye level whenever possible, so you don’t strain the back of your neck. The same goes for your laptop -- invest in a stand so that you're at eye-level and your gaze stays around the top third of the screen. Set reminders to check your posture during the day. Just a small notification on your calendar or phone can prompt you to correct your posture or perhaps do a couple of quick shoulder stretches at your desk. This one’s a classic – it’s effective, reduces stress in the back, and is a great way to open up your shoulders. Sit or stand with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your chest open and your shoulders pulled back, down, and away from your ears. While keeping your shoulders pulled back and standing straight, stretch one arm across your chest. Use the opposite hand to press the arm into your body to create a stretch. Repeat the stretch with the opposite arm. You can’t go wrong with this beneficial stretch. It’s excellent for the triceps as well as for improving your shoulders’ range of motion. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, then reach one arm towards the sky, bending at the elbow. Drop your hand to the middle of your upper back, palm laid on your spine. With the opposite hand, grab your elbow and gently pull it across to deepen the stretch. Breathe deep, relax your neck and shoulders and hold for at least 20 seconds. Repeat the stretch on your opposite arm. This stretch may just be the most satisfying one on the list! Give it a shot when you feel you’ve been hunched over all day. Place both of your hands on a wall so they form a 90-degree angle to your body, like a wall push-up. Take a few steps back and straighten your arms. Keeping your palms flat against the wall bow your upper body forward. Make sure to keep your shoulders back, down and away from your ears. Take a few deep breaths in this position and relax into the stretch. The best part about this stretch is that you can do it anywhere – even while sitting in front of your computer screen at work. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart (or stay seated if you're in the car or at a desk). Shrug your shoulders up to your ears, and then roll them forwards in a circular motion. Repeat the forward circles for 10 to 15 reps. Do exactly the same movement, yet this time roll your shoulders backward. Repeat the circular movement for 10 to 15 reps. Neck and shoulder stretches can make a difference By adding more neck and shoulder stretches to your day, you can start to relieve stress and even improve the range of motion in this area. Taking just a few moments out of your day to do these simple stretches can help ease pain or discomfort due to hunching over at a computer, wearing a heavy backpack or sleeping in an unusual position. Remember, taking time for yourself to stretch and be present in your body is the perfect way to release the tension we so often carry on our shoulders, chest, and backs. In this busy world, you deserve to give your body a little love, and shoulder stretches are a great way to do that.	6,171
Looking around Sam’s forbidden lair, Mia wasn’t sure what to think. She had no idea it was as large a room as it was. Not that it was huge, but for a secret room tucked inside of the walls of an office building, it was bigger than she’d imagined. All sorts of contraptions and furniture pieces were set about, most of them oddly shaped. Mia couldn’t imagine what Sam used some of them for. She had a feeling she was about to find out when it came to at least one of them. He tugged on her arm to get her moving, but he didn’t have to yank hard to get her to go. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t curious to find out what he had in mind. Her throat still burned a little from the deep throat fucking, but she was wet and quaking to feel him inside of her. Sam led her to what looked like a spider’s web hung in the middle of the room. “Lie down,” he snapped. She wasn’t sure how she would even mount the apparatus. It looked as if it might not even hold her weight. But with his prodding, she grabbed hold o Locked Chapter Continue to read this book on the APP Sam is mentally deranged and Mia is not better. She has the right to walk away but no she still crave for animalistic sex. Poor Beau in love with an unworthy woman. But then love does not ask why Previous ChapterNext Chapter Related chapters Shared by the Sexy Billionaire Twins Machine Still sore from the intense pounding Sam had given her, Mia watched as Sam readied whatever he had in store for her next. She wasn’t certain what all of the contraptions he’d assembled on a stand near the web she was still attached to might be, but one of them was a giant dildo the likes of which she’d never seen before. It made even Sam’s enormous member look underwhelming. Was he intending for her to take all of that in? Would it even fit?Sam attached the phallic shaped item to some sort of machine and brought it closer to her, not putting it inside of her—not yet, anyway. Then, he took two clips attached to long cords which were plugged into the machine and pulled them over to her, walking around to the side of the web as he did so.They were nipple clasps, that much she recognized. Her tits were still erect from all of his sucking. When he attached the cold metal pieces to them, it stung. He didn’t tighten them, which Mia thought might be a good thing, though she had no idea what Shared by the Sexy Billionaire Twins Missing “Thanks a lot for your help, Reggie,” Beau said, hanging up his cell phone. With a satisfied smile, he stared out the window at the fabulous view of Chicago for a few minutes. Finally, everything was starting to come together.A light knock on his door let him know Emily had arrived to get him for his meeting. “Come in,” he said, still smiling.Emily breezed in the door, holding the files he’d be needing. “Good morning, Beau. Here are the reports you asked for and—what has gotten into you?” She stopped, staring at him, her eyes wide as she giggled.“Huh? Oh, nothing. I just… got some good news. That’s all.”“Well, I hope it has to do with Mia. We really had a nice time the other night at dinner. She’s such a wonderful person. It’s really too bad she has to work for Sam.”“Hopefully, that won’t be the case for too much longer,” he said, standing and taking the files from his secretary. “I just heard from my friend Reggie. He owns a marketing firm down the street.”“The one Mia applied Shared by the Sexy Billionaire Twins Fight His brother was pissed. It was clear to Sam that Beau suspected what he’d done to Mia, despite his best attempts to keep his temper under control in front of the clients seated next to them in the conference room.Sam couldn’t help but flash a devilish grin. If only Beau could see his beautiful girlfriend now, her legs spread wide as Sam’s machine fucked her brains out. He would come unhinged. That’s what happened when his little brother tried to play with fire, though. Of course, he’d get burned. For Beau to think that he could possibly attempt to steal Mia away from him was absolutely ridiculous.Beau left the room under the guise of going to get his secretary, Emily, to bring in the coffee he had suggested, but Sam was fairly certain Beau just needed a moment to attempt to compose himself. It would be fun to watch Beau’s futile attempts to keep himself calm while they met with the representatives from Seleka Enterprises. Beau would do his best to rush through so he could confront h Shared by the Sexy Billionaire Twins Salvation Mia’s entire body was vibrating, her head fuzzy, and she didn’t know how much more she could take from Sam’s contraption when she heard the door opening. Her eyes were slitted as she looked up, assuming it was him, coming to do more to her. In a way, she would welcome the human contact, even if she didn’t think she could handle anyone touching her most sensitive parts now. They were swollen and so delicate, she wasn’t even sure she could manage to sit quietly behind her desk, given the opportunity to do so.Sam was moving quickly as he turned the machine off, causing the vibrations streaming down the wires attached to her nipples and nub to stop. He removed the giant dildo from inside of her as well. Mia’s body continued to feel as if she were being assaulted. She lay back on the netting, trying to still herself and draw a deep breath into her lungs.The voice she heard wasn’t Sam’s though, and when she realized there were two men in the room, and the other one was Beau, she immediat Shared by the Sexy Billionaire Twins Epilogue Mia Eason set the phone down in its cradle and glanced over the paperwork in front of her. Everything was in order, and she was ready to go into the conference room to present her marketing campaign to one of the biggest clients her new company had ever acquired. If she could sink this account, Whitaker and Eason would be on the map.Three years after she’d quit working as Sam Whitaker’s secretary, she and her fiancé, Beau, had decided it was time for them to start their own marketing agency. It had been difficult for her to leave her job at Reggie Smith’s company, Smith and Associates. She’d been so happy working for him for almost three years between the time that she quit Whitaker and Whitaker. Reggie had really taken her under his wing and taught her everything she needed to know about being a successful marketer in such a large market. She’d finished her degree and quickly climbed the ranks at Smith and Associates. Even though Beau had helped her get the job in the first place, t	6,561
1.Delivery will be done according to the product Stock. Due to unavoidable reasons, delivery of the product may take longer than the promised delivery time of the seller. 2. AjkerDeal reserves the right to cancel your order at any time for unavoidable reasons, even after order confirmation. In this case, if the advance price is paid, the required information for refund (BKash No. / Rocket No. / Card No. and others) and if you do not accept the product after courier for product delivery, the money will be refunded within 10 working days after the product is returned. 3. For products that have a price tag on them and if for some reason the price of ajkerdeal is higher than that, in case of extra price you have to register a complaint by mail to [email protected] within 48 hours. If your complaint is correct, the extra value you paid will be refunded within 10 working days by Bkash. 0/5 Rating Post Review Questions & Answers about this Product AjkerDeal is a marketplace. All products are supplied by the merchant / seller and they are responsible for the quality of the product. That is why customers are advised to buy products by looking at the ratings and reviews of merchants and products. If you have any complaints about the merchant or product, contact Ajkerdeal immediately.	1,364
So yes this month is going to be out of order and kind of random because sometimes that’s how we roll. I took the easy route for costumes this year, I basically said “find something in the midst of the costumes and various things that we have and make it work”. And in the end they all did great, Leighton was Peyton Manning, Caedmon was a knight, Edric was a monkey, Paxton was a giraffe and Coppelia was Piglet. I had a fleece dragon suit that I wear when it is cold and so I wore that. Edric believes that I can actually fly when I wear the dragon suit, I told him that I can only fly when everyone is sleeping at night, so if I put it on when its cold he always asks to watch me fly. We hosted the pre-neighborhood pizza party before all the kids headed out. We had had a huge bull elk in our neighborhood all week and the evening of Halloween the elk came and settled in the yard across the way. Just as all the kids started out in their massive group for trick or treating the bull elk started bugling which was really cool. We had a great time and got WAY too much candy. The kids picked out 15 pieces each and then willingly donated all the rest to the switch witch and got a couple of family games instead. I was glad to get all the candy out of the house so I’m not tempted by it. Related Recent Posts Scouts…. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path. Proverbs 3:5-6 Archives Select Month November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013	3,200
A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate – it's up to you! When is it? Every Saturday at 9:00am. Where is it? The event takes place at Westbury Town Common, Mary Street, Westbury, TAS 7303. See Course page for more details. What does it cost to join in? Nothing - it's free! but please register before you first come along. Only ever register with parkrun once and don't forget to bring a scannable copy of your barcode (request a reminder). If you forget it, you won't get a time. How fast do I have to be? We all take part for our own enjoyment. Please come along and join in whatever your pace! Westbury Town Common parkrun needs you! It is entirely organised by volunteers - email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to help. We're friendly! Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee at Made in Meander Valley located at 170 King Street, opposite the Village Green - please come and join us!	1,001
CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) — Two children are hospitalized after being shot by their father, who then killed himself, Chandler police said Sunday. Police didn't immediately release the name of the deceased dad or the names and ages of the wounded juveniles who are in stable condition and... Police: Off-duty officer shoots 2, 1 fatally, kills herself Nov. 15, 2022 17:52 PM EST ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — An off-duty police officer in western New York state shot a woman to death, wounded another woman and then killed herself during a domestic dispute, police said. The shootings happened shortly before 7:30 p.m. Monday at a home in Rochester, police said.... NYPD says man killed in shootout after firing at officers Nov. 11, 2022 08:17 AM EST NEW YORK (AP) — A domestic violence suspect was killed in a shootout after he fired at officers in Brooklyn, police said. Several of the officers were taken to hospitals for treatment, Chief of Patrol Jeffrey Maddrey said at a news conference early Friday, but details of the... Police: Man killed wife, sister, man before fatal gun battle Nov. 06, 2022 15:37 PM EST UNITYVILLE, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say a domestic dispute in central Pennsylvania over the weekend led to a triple homicide and a shootout with state police that ended with the death of the suspect. Officials in Lycoming County said troopers responding at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday... Miles Bridges pleads no contest to domestic violence charge Nov. 03, 2022 22:28 PM EDT Miles Bridges pleaded no contest Thursday in Los Angeles to one felony count of injuring a child's parent, agreeing to do so in exchange for three years probation and no jail time. The restricted free agent who spent his first four NBA seasons with the Charlotte Hornets will also... Slain Vegas officer saluted as family man, mentor to many Oct. 28, 2022 18:36 PM EDT LAS VEGAS (AP) — Family members and colleagues saluted a 23-year veteran Las Vegas police officer, father and mentor to many on Friday, after he was shot and killed this month in the line of duty while responding to an early morning curbside domestic violence call. Poster-sized... Ex-boyfriend guilty of murder in killing of 17-year-old girl Oct. 27, 2022 18:40 PM EDT WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — A Delaware man who lured his ex-girlfriend to a wooded area and beat her to death with a baseball bat was convicted Thursday of first-degree murder and other crimes. A jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Noah Sharp, 21, guilty of... Police fatally shoot man following chase, domestic dispute Oct. 24, 2022 18:53 PM EDT HAYWARD, Calif. (AP) — An armed man who officials say was involved in a domestic dispute and later led police on a chase and attempted a carjacking at gunpoint in the San Francisco Bay Area was fatally shot by police Monday, authorities said. Hayward police officers were called... Oct. 23, 2022 20:52 PM EDT ATLANTA (AP) — Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 24 points, Nick Richards added a career-high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a reserve role, and the Charlotte Hornets coasted to a 126-109 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night. The Hornets won decisively despite being without... Democrat for Florida governor dismisses manager over arrest Oct. 21, 2022 18:42 PM EDT MIAMI (AP) — Florida gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist’s campaign manager has left his position after being charged in a domestic violence case. Austin Durrer was charged Tuesday with misdemeanor assault in Dorchester County, Maryland, according to online court records. ...	3,593
On average, the price of a teddy bear puppy can range anywhere from $450 to $1,500 and will greatly depend on the exact “teddy bear” breed you’re looking to adopt. Keep in mind that some may be more in demand than others, often raising the price quite a bit. How much does a Shichon puppy cost? In general, the Shichon puppy price is anywhere between $1000 and $2000. However, the price can go a bit higher depending on the breeder and the bloodlines. Will the price of dogs go back down? To conclude, dog prices are not likely to go down by much after the lockdown ends. It comes down to the law of supply and demand which is a theory we have known for a long time. Are Shichon hard to potty train? The Shichon is a cross between a Shih Tzu and a Bichon Frise. Potty training a Shichon can be very time consuming and extremely frustrating. … It eliminates the time and frustration out of potty training a Shichon puppy or a Shichon adult dog. Are teddy bear dogs easy to train? The Teddy Bear Dog is a cross between a Shih Tzu and a Bichon Frise. Potty training a Teddy Bear Dog can be very time consuming and extremely frustrating. … The Puppy Apartment has taken all the benefits of the most popular potty training methods and combined them into one magical device and potty training system. IT IS INTERESTING: Does dog urine keep snakes away? About the author I love dogs so much. For me, a dog in the house is happiness and joy every day. When my close friends come to visit me, we always go for a walk in the forest on a leash. If you haven’t got yourself a dog yet, that’s very good! After all, the most important thing is love and care for her. You should never have a dog if you are not ready for it. ATTENTION TO RIGHT HOLDERS! All materials are posted on the site strictly for informational and educational purposes! If you believe that the posting of any material infringes your copyright, be sure to contact us through the contact form and your material will be removed!	2,057
Dr. Martin Routh, president of Magdalen College for 63 years, was the last Oxford don to wear a wig in the 18th- century style, and this he did until he died in his 100th year in 1854. He had been born on the 25th anniversary of the death of Peter the Great, who banned beards from the imperial court while tolerating court wigs. As St. Petersburg is the Liverpool of Russia, it is intriguing to learn from philologists that the local Liverpudlian accent pronounces “hair and heir” and “hairpiece and herpes” the same. Received opinion is that hair loss is in proportion to intelligence. One thinks just off the top of one’s head of William Shakespeare, William Cullen Bryant, Herbert Spencer, Octave Cremazie, Wilbur Wright, and Dwight David Eisenhower. The bearded Bard of Avon seems to have been a bit defensive about his alopecia, for he says in his Comedy of Errors, “There’s many a man hath more hair than wit.” It may well be that incorporeal angels would appear to us as totally bald by virtue of their perfect intelligence. Hair is a liability. Absalom, never to be equated in IQ with the angels, was doomed when his rampant follicles got caught up the branches of an oak tree. Elisha conjured up two she-bears to tear apart 42 children as punishment for the first bald joke mentioned in history. “Go up thou bald head” (2 Kings 2:23) is a fragile jest, but something may have been lost in translation. At Athens, traditionally bald St. Paul converted Dionysius the Areopagite, a man frequently confused with Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite, whose writing could have been lost to the world without the Latin translations of Erigena, who was funded in the ninth century by Charles the Bald. St. Paul tolerated hair only when it was covered, and tonsure has long been the style of a life of perfection. Seutonius writes that after vain Julius Caesar’s success over Pompey on the plains of Pharsalia, the Roman Senate voted him permission to wear the laurel wreath all the time, thus concealing his bald spot. After smallpox, Elizabeth I took to hairpieces and the Queen of Scots wore a wig to her execution in Fotheringay Castle. In his History of the English Speaking Peoples, Churchill describes how her severed head dropped, leaving the executioner holing nothing but the chignon. This romantic Mary was born, coincidentally, on the bicentenary of the death of Snori Sturluson; his epic Heimskringla is virtually a hymn to the Norwegian kings who were congenitally hirsute, from Harald the Fairhaired up to 1177 when bald intelligence entered the royal succession. A man’s wig plaited with a queue and tied with a black ribbon was the fashion of George Washington and other Founding Fathers. One fabled exception was Benjamin Franklin, whose bust of him shown wigless was venerated in the Cathedral of Notre Dame during the Reign of Terror. In 1761, Franklin was in London representing the Pennsylvania Assembly on tax matters concerning proprietary estates when Hogarth published his engravings of Five Orders of Periwigs. Fifteen years later, as representative of his new nation and adulated as man bien dans sa peau, his accounts while at the Hotel d’Hambourg show expenditures for several wigs that he may have worn when not in a Rousseauan mood. Different in attitude was the son of the poetess Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Edward, a rather eccentric Arabic scholar who purchased in Paris a wig made completely of iron. At 63, he died as Franklin was signing the Declaration of Independence. The plaited wig originally was called the “Ramillie” after the 1706 Battle of Ramillies won by the first Duke of Marlborough on May 23. Such was being worn by the duke’s equerry, Colonel Bringfield, when his entire head was sheered off by a cannonball as he was holding the duke’s stirrup. During his leisurely pontificate, Pope Benedict XIII discouraged the Roman cardinals from wearing wigs. In 19th-century New York, Bishop Hughes and Cardinal McCloskey sported toupees without incident, unlike Archbishop Cosmo Gordon Lang of the Church of England, whose wig got caught in a chandelier in the episcopal palace at York in 1908. Exactly 300 years after the birth of the gradually glabrous Elizabeth I, the prematurely bald cardinal, Henry Manning, wrote: “Nine-tenths of our bishops and priests neither know nor care more for a Bishop’s wig than for a broccoli head.” These were his exact words. It is important that they be so for, if bewigged Dr. Routh ever said anything memorable, it was his parting advice to a youth who had asked for some wisdom to support him on life’s long journey: “Always verify your quotations.” *Originally published in Crisis Magazine The Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture is a project of The Thomas More College of Liberal Arts. Support Copyright © 2022 Thomas More College of Liberal Arts. All rights reserved. Thomas More College of Liberal Arts Events Was America's Founding Fatally Flawed by the Provenance of Its Ideas? with Robert Reilly The Death and Resurrection of Rome: 5th–10th Century with Joseph Pearce The Best and Worst of Times: 11th–13th Century with Joseph Pearce Rupture and Reformation: 14th–16th Century with Joseph Pearce Religion and Superstition: 17th–18th Century with Joseph Pearce The Latest with Joseph Pearce The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful: History in Three Dimensions with Joseph Pearce	5,699
“Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say, and say it hot.” ― D.H. Lawrence Tag: responsibility January 1, 2012 September 21, 2016 jamieahughes10 Comments A week or so before Christmas, there was a family sitting on a corner in our neighborhood. They were holding posters covered in pictures of their dog that had run away a day or so before. They were on that corner most of the day, even into the twilight hours, and they flagged over anyone who looked half interested in helping them keep an eye out for her. The next day, these little signs, smaller versions of the posters, showed up on trees and telephone poles around that same intersection and up and down the other nearby streets. Each one had at least four color photos and was in a sheet protector to keep it clean and dry. There are quite a few folks in our area who have dogs of their own and make use of the tree-lined sidewalks both morning and afternoon canine constitutionals, naturally keeping their eyes (and noses) on the lookout for the MIA hound. I’d also like to think that more than one Twilight Bark was sent out to aid in the search, but as I’m human, I’m not privy to that dependable line of communication. Anyone who has had a pet run away can tell you it is a gut wrenching experience. Traffic, other animals, cruel humans, and the elements—any of those things can harm a critter used to “three hots and cot” in a home where they’re loved and cared for. Sometimes, a kind person finds them and brings them home; other times, they wander back into the yard of their own accord. However, more often than not, the four-legged members of our families don’t make it back. In fact, according to the American Humane Society, over ten million pets are reported missing every year, and only 17% of lost dogs and 2% of lost cats are ever returned to their owners. Our dog, Shadow, who passed away in 2010, was an old fella by the time the pet microchip came out. His digging under the fence and chasing squirrel days were long behind him. However, I couldn’t imagine owning a dog today without having this device, especially in a large city where thousands of animals go unclaimed and are put down. There are quite a few companies who sell the chips for less than $100, and they can be implanted by your veterinarian. After that, they need to be registered in state and national databases so your buddy can be returned to you, and that registration needs to be updated every time you move. It really requires little to no effort, and it more than doubles the chances of finding your lost pet. I just wanted a reason to put a picture of Shad Shad in a blog… I don’t know about you, but the sight of those handmade “Lost Dog/Cat” posters always breaks my heart because I remember what it was like to wait for a cat that never came home. (Shadow also vanished a time or two, but he was never gone for more than a few hours. Still, that was not much fun for little Harpo if you know what I’m saying.) What makes it worse for me is when those posters continue to hang, week after week, until they’re so soaked with rain they disintegrate and fall from their tacks or shrivel up like a mummy and fade in the blistering heat. Eventually, they all disappear, and I never know the outcome of the story. I try to imagine the positive in all cases, but I know that statistics don’t lie. However, with the Yorkshire Terrier in my neck of the woods, I saw something I had never seen before. A few days ago, each and every one of the signs were still hanging there, with one addendum, a huge piece of duct tape on which the phrase “We Found Her” was written in black Sharpie marker! I’m no graphologist, but judging by the jaunty, bubble shaped letters, I can imagine the girls who got their dog back were pretty John Brown thrilled about it. The courtesy of this gesture touched me deeply. Not only was I happy beyond measure that that dog was home with its family, but I was also grateful that a group of people cared enough to update the status of their situation in a simple but obvious way. As far as I’m concerned, that sign can stay up forever. It reminds me that happy endings are possible and that kindness both exists and is rewarded. Posted in LifeTagged cat, dog, found, joy, kindness, lost, pet, responsibility Author headshot by Ben Rollins View Posts by Date December 2022 M T W T S S « Jan Archives Select Month January 2022 December 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 February 2021 July 2020 March 2020 November 2019 October 2019 April 2019 March 2019 January 2019 August 2018 June 2018 May 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 November 2017 September 2017 June 2017 May 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 June 2016 May 2016 March 2016 February 2016 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011	5,703
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Sign up for the Chickasaw Nation Productions Mailing List for information about feature and documentary films, short history film projects, educational videos and more, featuring the Chickasaw Nation and its people. Name: A native of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, Cindy Pickett is best known for her role as Ferris Bueller’s loving and unsuspecting mother, Katie, in the 1986 classic American comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Cindy has played numerous recurring roles such as the tall, striking “Jackie Marler-Spaulding” on Guiding Light in the 1970s, as “Dr. Carol Novino” in St. Elsewhere in the 1980s, and as “Marjorie Sweeney” in Hyperion Bay during the 1990s. She has guest starred on many popular television shows, including The Client List, Burn Notice, Medium, Crossing Jordan, Cold Case, Ghost Whisperer, CSI: Miami and Without a Trace. She starred in the TV movie I Know My Name is Steven, for which she received critical acclaim as “Kay Stayner,” the mother of a boy who was a kidnap victim for several years. She played “Admiral Gray” in Star Trek Equinox: The Night of Time and was featured in Opus of an Angel, Being Rose and Wrapped Up in Christmas. Frances Dinsmore Davis was the theatre instructor at Oklahoma College for Women while Te Ata attended and had a great impact on her life. She served as Te Ata’s mentor and encouraged her to pursue a career in the theatre, and in particular, to become a performer who brought the beauty of Native American culture to the stage.	1,575
As Civil Trial Attorneys Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, Gregg Tabakin & Brian Kincaid Can Pay Referral Fees for Matters Referred to Them FSKS is honored to have two Certified Civil Trial Attorneys on our team: Gregg Tabakin and Brian Kincaid. With extensive experience representing clients in a wide range of successful legal cases at trial, Gregg and Brian have earned a reputation for excellence among their colleagues and clients alike. Whether you need help navigating complex legal processes or someone to advocate on your behalf, Gregg and Brian bring decades of civil trial experience to every matter they handle. What’s more, under the FSKS Referral Fee Program (discussed in more detail below), and in accordance with the law, Gregg and Brian may pay a referral fee for matters that are referred to them. Read on to learn more about Gregg and Brian and the importance and benefits of their Certified Civil Trial Attorney status. Gregg Tabakin is a Certified Civil Trial Attorney in NJ who has been with FSKS for 26 years. Mr. Tabakin’s practice focuses on Commercial Litigation for both Plaintiffs and Defendants, Employment Law relating to wrongful termination and discrimination, Accountant Malpractice, Real Estate Matters, and General Contractual Disputes. He currently leads FSKS’s class action defense team, defending financial institutions and other companies in various consumer protection class actions. Brian Kincaid is a Certified Civil Trial Attorney in NJ who has been practicing law at FSKS for over 29 years. Mr. Kincaid specializes in Family Law Litigation, Personal Injury cases from settlement to trial, and Municipal Court cases surrounding local ordinance violations and DWIs. Mr. Kincaid is a Certified Family Law Mediator specializing in divorce cases, typically involving custody issues and visitation. To become a Certified Family Law Mediator, you must complete extensive mediator training and take continuing education courses to maintain your certification. Mr. Kincaid strongly believes that parties who choose mediation are at a “good point” in their case because, at the end of the day, litigation is costly, and mediation helps parties arrive at common-sense solutions. The mediation process is not binding unless the parties sign an agreement at the end. How to Become a Certified Civil Trial Attorney in NJ The New Jersey Supreme Court Board on Trial Attorney Certification grants certification to attorneys who meet specific requirements set forth by the Board. In order to become certified in a particular area of law, such as Civil Trial Law, Criminal Trial Law, Matrimonial Law, Municipal Court Law, or Workers’ Compensation Law, an attorney must have: Been a member in good standing of the NJ bar for over 5 years Fulfilled ongoing continuing legal education requirements Demonstrated a substantial level of experience in preparation of litigated matters Been favorably evaluated by other attorneys and judges familiar with his or her character and ability Taken and passed a written examination covering various aspects of practice in the designated specialty Accumulated at least 60 CLE credits Each area of expertise requires its own separate application and examination. Every five years, you must be recertified. For Brian and Gregg, this is their third time being recertified in the State of New Jersey, where only 2% of attorneys are Certified Civil Trial Attorneys. According to New Jersey Courts, as of December 2016, only 1,650 attorneys held Board certification out of 75,000 active lawyers within the state. At FSKS, our Referral Service Program, in accordance with the law, invites referrals from both in and out-of-state attorneys and clients. Mr. Tabakin and Mr. Kincaid can pay a referral fee or divide a fee with the referring attorney without regard to services performed or anticipated. The referring attorney does not have to work on the case nor be a Certified Trial Attorney. FSKS is on Your Side With Gregg Tabakin and Brian Kincaid on our team, we’re honored to provide our clients with the highest quality of legal counsel and representation. Their track level of success at trial and superior knowledge, education, and experience in their specialized areas of law is widely recognized. If you have a legal matter that Gregg ([email protected]) or Brian ([email protected]) can help with, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our office at (973) 538-4700 to set up a consultation. Related Posts November 8, 2022 October 11, 2022 September 14, 2022 Top Strategies for Estate Planning and Protection During Market Volatility August 9, 2022 FSKS is a complete legal service provider skilled at litigating all types of civil matters as well as designing and implementing non-litigation solutions for our clients. Per Committee on Attorney Advertising Ethics Opinion 42, this advertising is not approved by the New Jersey Supreme Court.	5,171
Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s work marketplace. We serve everyone from one-person startups to over 30% of the Fortune 100 with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential. Last year, more than $3.3 billion of work was done through Upwork by skilled professionals who are gaining more control by finding work they are passionate about and innovating their careers. The Upwork Sales team brings our on-demand talent platform and services to small, medium and large businesses. We are looking for a Director of Sales to join our team and continue building on our sales strategy, world-class sales process, and our success within the Enterprise segment. We are looking for a collaborative, deal – centric and data-driven Director of Sales. This position is responsible for leading the account executive team and maximizing new deal acquisition to meet overall company goals, ensuring an exceptional team environment through strong leadership. The Director of Sales will be responsible for the growth, training, and development of highly motivated sales team members. The ideal candidate is a proven performer who has met and exceeded revenue goals, operational goals and is a hands-on coach for the sales organization, and will guide the success of the sales team in areas of account acquisition, accurate forecasting, sales performance analysis, and sales methodology. They will also work closely to provide timely feedback to senior leadership in both sales and marketing for go-to-market strategies. Your Responsibilities: Lead and inspire a team of Sales Managers/ front line leaders who run the day to day operations of teams of Account Executives. Create, develop and motivate a high performing team by mentoring, challenging, and developing frontline sales managers and sales representatives. Oversee the sales execution strategies and tactics focused on quota attainment by the Enterprise New Business team. This includes deep knowledge in prospecting, opportunity management, objection handling and closing. Develop plans and strategies for customer acquisition and achieving the company’s sales goals Create and manage an accurate forecast of monthly and quarterly sales. Create a culture of continued success goal achievement through talent management, coaching, and training Provide positive feedback and celebrate managers’ and sales reps success; Provide corrective feedback to inspire the team to stretch and perform their best Define and deploy best practice prospecting methodologies and processes across all aspects of the lead generation workflow Monitor team performance, provide ongoing feedback and apply clear, consistent performance standards aligned with sales goals Foster cooperation, communication and commitment among team members Encourage collaboration within and across organizational boundaries Partner with marketing and Sales Leadership on the Enterprise SDR and Growth teams Play a critical role in ensuring tight coordination and collaboration across Sales, Solutions, and Services What it takes to catch our eye: Experience managing Managers is required Consistent and measurable track record of success Ability to sell into multiple departments within a single company Demonstrated experience with recruiting, hiring, managing, and mentoring a successful sales team Demonstrated experience with building and successfully scaling sales processes Ability to adapt quickly depending on the sales need Coaching and mentoring sales people through deals Experience with a “land and expand” sales philosophy highly preferred Experience working closely with cross-functional stakeholders across Marketing, Sales Operations, Enablement and Product team. Expertise with Salesforce, Domo, and Outreach is a plus Come change how the world works. At Upwork, you’ll shape talent solutions for how the world works today. We are a remote-first organization working together to create exciting remote work opportunities for a global community of professionals. While we have physical offices in San Francisco and Chicago, currently we also hire full-time employees in 19 states in the United States. Our vibrant culture is built on shared values and our mission to create economic opportunities so that people have better lives. We foster amazing teams, put our community first, and have a bias toward action. We encourage everyone to bring their whole selves to work and grow together through development opportunities, mentorship, and employee resource groups. And oh yeah, we’ve also got amazing benefits – including medical insurance for you and your family, unlimited PTO, 401(k) with matching, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and a generous Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Check out our Life at Upwork page to learn more about our benefits and the employee experience. Upwork is proudly committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we never discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. To learn more about how Upwork processes and protects your personal information as part of the application process, please review our Global Job Applicant Privacy Notice. Tell us about the interview process for this job Upwork utilizes both phone and video interviews. The first interview is a phone conversation with the recruiter. If selected by the recruiter, you will advance to a phone conversation with the hiring manager. The next step is the video interview, which is a collaboration among team members at Upwork. The number of video interviews you'll participate in depends on the role, but typically you can expect 2-3 interviews. You will also likely be asked to complete a skills assessment during this stage. After your first interview, if you will be moving forward in the process the reference check process will begin. Tell us about your diversity and inclusion efforts Diversity, inclusion and belonging (DIBs) is who Upwork is. Our vision for diversity, inclusion and belonging is dignity, purpose, community and fairness at the center of every working moment. We know can't fulfill our company mission - to create economic opportunities so people have better lives - without a dedicated strategic investment in diversity, inclusion and belonging, both within our corporate teams and on the Upwork platform. We approach the work on our inclusion strategy as specific, not singular. We resist the urge to recycle popular practices. We balance impact with practicality. Upwork also has 8 Upwork Belonging Communities (UBCs) which create spaces that center the professional needs and goals of all Upwork employees who identify as LGBTQIA+, Black, Hispanic/Latino/a/x/e, Pan-Asian, veterans, women, caregivers and/or neurodiverse. UBCs make it more possible for team members to find their unique fit within our One Upwork community without having to sacrifice meaningful aspects of their identities. Do you have an active contract with ICE? No To apply for this job please visit boards.greenhouse.io. Reddit Related Get the latest updates from Techqueria in your inbox every month. Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Δ Support Techqueria’s efforts to elevate Latinx professionals in tech by becoming an on-going patron or making a one-time donation. Techqueria is eliminating the racial equity gap in tech by providing resources and support to Latinx professionals in tech. Powered by Curator.io Techqueria is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves the largest community of Latinx professionals in the tech industry.	8,192
New sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences came into force on 1 February 2016 (see https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/HS-offences-definitive-guideline-FINAL-web1.pdf). The sentencing judge is now required to make a step by step assessment based on the degree of culpability, the level of harm or potential harm caused by the offence and the size of the defendant organisation by reference to its turnover (not profit). There are four categories of organisation: ‘micro’ (under £2m turnover), ‘small’ (£2m – 10m), ‘medium’ (£10m – £50m) and ‘large’ (£50m plus). A review of the fines imposed by the courts on companies last month demonstrates the significant impact the guidelines are having and that big organisations are now facing substantially higher fines for safety failings than in the past. In early May, the builders’ retailer Travis Perkins was fined £2m and ordered to pay costs of £114,812.76 for two health and safety offences in relation to the death of a customer at its Milton Keynes store in 2012. While loading planks of wood onto the roof rack of his Land Rover, the customer fell backwards into the path of a company vehicle operating in the yard and was crushed. The judge said this “was an accident waiting to happen”. A few days later, Balfour Beatty Utilities Solutions Limited was fined £2.6m and ordered to pay costs of £54,000. The company pleaded guilty to breaching section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, regulation 31 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The case related to an accident six years ago when a subcontractor’s employee was killed while working in a trench that collapsed. The incident was originally investigated by the police but handed over to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after it was satisfied the alleged failings did not amount to corporate manslaughter. Despite the lengthy delay in HSE bringing proceedings, the new guidelines still applied. Frozen Food giant McCains were fined £800,000 for safety failings after an engineer nearly lost his arm when examining a conveyor belt of a factory machine in August 2014. It was found the machine did not have the correct guard fitted. There was also a large fine for occupational health failings. Asset International Limited was fined a total of £200,000 after pleading guilty to offences under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. The pipe manufacturing company uses vibrating tools in its operation. Between April 2014 and July 2015 there were seven cases of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). HSE said that no sufficient risk assessment or health surveillance had been carried out. And finally, on the last day of May 2016, global energy company ScottishPower was fined £1.75m for a breach of section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work ect Act 1974 after a worker was seriously scalded at a power station in Scotland in 2013. The plant controller was injured when he opened a faulty valve that emitted high temperature steam. HSE said that ScottishPower was aware of the defective valve but failed to repair or replace it. All eyes will now be on the forthcoming sentencing at Stafford Crown Court of Merlin Attractions, the owner of Alton Towers. In April, the company admitted charges of health and safety breaches following the incident in June last year, extensively reported in the media, when one of the carriages of the Smiler rollercoaster crashed into a stationary carriage leaving five people seriously injured. At the hearing in the magistrates’ court the company was told that it “may be ordered to pay a very large fine”. New sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences came into force on 1 February 2016 (see https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/HS-offences-definitive-guideline-FINAL-web1.pdf). The sentencing judge is now required to make a step by step assessment based on the degree of culpability, the level of harm or potential harm caused by the offence and the size of the defendant organisation by reference to its turnover (not profit). There are four categories of organisation: ‘micro’ (under £2m turnover), ‘small’ (£2m – 10m), ‘medium’ (£10m – £50m) and ‘large’ (£50m plus). A review of the fines imposed by the courts on companies last month demonstrates the significant impact the guidelines are having and that big organisations are now facing substantially higher fines for safety failings than in the past. In early May, the builders’ retailer Travis Perkins was fined £2m and ordered to pay costs of £114,812.76 for two health and safety offences in relation to the death of a customer at its Milton Keynes store in 2012. While loading planks of wood onto the roof rack of his Land Rover, the customer fell backwards into the path of a company vehicle operating in the yard and was crushed. The judge said this “was an accident waiting to happen”. A few days later, Balfour Beatty Utilities Solutions Limited was fined £2.6m and ordered to pay costs of £54,000. The company pleaded guilty to breaching section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, regulation 31 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The case related to an accident six years ago when a subcontractor’s employee was killed while working in a trench that collapsed. The incident was originally investigated by the police but handed over to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after it was satisfied the alleged failings did not amount to corporate manslaughter. Despite the lengthy delay in HSE bringing proceedings, the new guidelines still applied. Frozen Food giant McCains were fined £800,000 for safety failings after an engineer nearly lost his arm when examining a conveyor belt of a factory machine in August 2014. It was found the machine did not have the correct guard fitted. There was also a large fine for occupational health failings. Asset International Limited was fined a total of £200,000 after pleading guilty to offences under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. The pipe manufacturing company uses vibrating tools in its operation. Between April 2014 and July 2015 there were seven cases of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). HSE said that no sufficient risk assessment or health surveillance had been carried out. And finally, on the last day of May 2016, global energy company ScottishPower was fined £1.75m for a breach of section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work ect Act 1974 after a worker was seriously scalded at a power station in Scotland in 2013. The plant controller was injured when he opened a faulty valve that emitted high temperature steam. HSE said that ScottishPower was aware of the defective valve but failed to repair or replace it. All eyes will now be on the forthcoming sentencing at Stafford Crown Court of Merlin Attractions, the owner of Alton Towers. In April, the company admitted charges of health and safety breaches following the incident in June last year, extensively reported in the media, when one of the carriages of the Smiler rollercoaster crashed into a stationary carriage leaving five people seriously injured. At the hearing in the magistrates’ court the company was told that it “may be ordered to pay a very large fine”. About the author Bivonas Law was established in 1997 and from the outset has acted in serious criminal and regulatory investigations, together with a number of notorious commercial disputes. View articles by Bivonas Law LLP Senior Management	8,129
OFF THE MAP is a blog about maps by mapmaker Connie Brown. When she isn't painting commissioned maps, she entertains Deep Thoughts about the intersections of cartography with the absurdity of life, the Treaty of Tordasillas, the classrom, monsters & putti, Jasper Johns and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Recent Posts New Mapping Workshop: Osher Map Library, June 5-7 September 2015 April 2015 February 2015 March 2014 November 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 January 2013 November 2012 October 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 May 2011 March 2011 February 2011 December 2010 October 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 November 2009 February 2008 December 2006 April 2006 October 2005 March 2003 November 2001 July 2000 February 2000 December 1999 November 1999 September 1999 February 1999 September 1998 July 1998 December 1st 2006 Small talk nothing. When Connie Brown and Julie Ruff met at a PTA function in 1989, their chat led to a new - and lucrative - business for the two stay-at-home moms: creating custom maps. "We were pleased to discover that we shared an interest in scientific art, especially from centuries past," says Brown. Though neither one had any formal art or cartographic training, they started dabbling in mapmaking. "We essentially apprenticed ourselves to old maps," says Brown. Adds Ruff, "We would go to exhibits and pore over books." Then, as Brown likes to tell the story, they "hit upon this damned good idea along the way." Working together as Redstone Studios (www.redstonestudios.com) - run from their homes in Durham, Connecticut, and New York City - the duo draw and paint maps that detail the important places and moments of their clients' lives. "Almost everything can be celebrated geographically," explains Brown, such as the route adoptive parents took from the U.S. to pick up their new daughter in China or the area surrounding a family's much-loved summer cottage. Though many of the themes are modern, the look of the maps is straight out of a history book - they'd probably fool Blackbeard himself. Ruff, 55, and Brown, 53, have created hundreds of maps since they started. Some of their most memorable commissions include a map a breast-cancer patient commissioned for her doctor of his favorite summer getaway, another detailing the training schedule - and final result - of a runner's first New York City Marathon, and another, "How the Cross Family First Came to America," that, quite literally, put an entire family on the map. Both artists love the challenge of telling a story graphically. Ruff once drew a map of a Navy officer's 26-year career - but had to come up with a creative solution for hinting at all the secret submarine missions he couldn't mention. "I drew three dashed lines that started to fade, and he really liked that," she said. Now, for clients who aren't quite ready to commission one-of-a-kind pieces, Redstone is producing limited edition maps of "beloved places." Printed with archival pigment on 100 percent rag paper, the launch collection includes Martha's Vineyard, Costa Rica, and Tuscany. But no matter the map, neither artist makes a single pencil mark until she has enough background information to do the job justice. For commissions, that includes many discussions with the client to find out as much as possible about the characters, the place, or the events they want to detail. The work is "enriched by all the interaction with people," says Brown. "Some maps end up being so much more profound than you thought they'd be."	3,742
Get the information you’ve been searching for without the pressure of a sales pitch. We’re happy to answer questions first and only book an appointment if you’re interested in taking the next step. These are some common questions we get that we can help you answer: Is solar worth it? How much does solar cost? Is my home a good setup for solar panels? Do solar panels pay for themselves? Is solar power cheaper than the electric company? As a solar installer, and one of the best solar companies in the US, we have all of the information you’ve been searching for. To answer most of your questions, we will need information on your average electricity usage, your electricity provider, and what you’re looking to accomplish by installing a Solar System.	754
2022- War crimes in Syria: Video shows mass shooting by Assad regime - Magazine, Healty And Sport News Health German Health German Joint armament project: G7 countries develop new fighter jet USA: Basketball player Brittney Griner landed in Texas – politics Volodymyr Zelensky accuses Russian forces of intensively mining the territories they are abandoning War crimes in Syria: Video shows mass shooting by Assad regime A previously unknown video shows for the first time a mass shooting by security forces of the Assad regime in 2013 in the capital Damascus – filmed by the perpetrators themselves. The video, which apparently comes from Syrian intelligence circles and the ARD political magazine Report Mainz leaked documents a total of ten shootings in six minutes and 43 seconds. You can see how people in uniform lead people to a pit dug in a deserted street in the middle of the day. The eyes are blindfolded with adhesive foil, hands tied with cable ties. People are pushed into the pit and shot – sometimes they are asked to jump and then shot in the air. Routine execution of the crimes Researchers from the Netherlands Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies, NIOD, examined the video over a period of two years. They assume that the Tadamon district was the scene of the crime. The shootings took place near a mosque and a wedding hall in an area previously heavily damaged by the regime, says a researcher who asked to remain anonymous. In an interview with Report Mainz says Uğur Üngör, a professor at the NIOD and an expert in perpetrator research: “Never before have we seen perpetrators carrying out their crimes so clearly. They take the victims, they shoot the victims, they joke with each other and carry out the massacre of helpless victims very routinely out of.” Uğur Üngör, a professor at the NIOD and an expert in perpetrator research, holds the Assad regime directly responsible for the crimes documented in the video. Image: SWR Researcher: Assad regime wanted to “clean up” region The date contained in the video, April 16, 2013, is believed to be correct based on further research, such as interviews with local non-governmental organizations. A total of more than 40 victims are counted. They could have identified the bodies of five people. They were probably arrested beforehand at checkpoints or in their homes. “I believe this massacre was committed to ‘cleanse’ the border region between the rebels and the Assad regime,” Üngör suspects. According to media and activist reports, the Tadamon district was fought over by both the rebels and the Assad regime between 2012 and 2013. Two suspects identified According to its own statements, NIOD identified two perpetrators in the video and spoke directly to one of the perpetrators. Accordingly, it is a member of Department 227 of the Syrian military intelligence service. Numerous reports by human rights organizations have accused this department of systematic violence and torture, for example in prisons. The man can be clearly seen in the video in several shootings and also has a Facebook page. According to the researchers, personal information and face comparisons clearly showed that it was the same person. The video shows Assad’s security forces shooting ten people dead. Image: SWR “I’ve killed a lot of people, I don’t remember how many.” Report Mainz was able to evaluate conversations and video chats with the man. In it he reported that he had been responsible for a certain front during the war for several years. Literally he said: “I have killed many people. I do not remember how many.” Confronted with the video, the man is said not to have denied that he was the person in the pictures. A suspected superior and colonel described the secret service employee as a “hero” in another video chat. He also said literally: “We have the right to kill those who attack and destroy our country. Why are you taking them to prison to kill them? I can do that right away on the street. In prison I have to tell them Give them a number, feed them. So they’re a liability to the state.” “Perpetrators are the Assad regime” Üngör holds the Assad regime directly responsible for the crimes documented in the video, especially since President Bashar Al-Assad appoints the heads of the secret services. “There are several hierarchical levels between the main shooter and President Assad himself,” he explains. “And there aren’t many. Undoubtedly, the perpetrators not only have a connection to the Assad regime, they are the Assad regime.” He assumes that the Assad regime systematically recorded such crimes on camera – as evidence that executions had been carried out or, he suspects, to be able to blackmail those involved at a later point in time. Video as evidence “fantastic” Several scientists whom Report Mainz who showed the video are shocked by the mass shootings documented in it. The Swiss Carla del Ponte, former chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague and until 2017 a member of a UN commission of inquiry into the crimes in Syria, said that the video did not surprise her: “It’s everyday life in the Syrian war, it’s incredible [Täter] they’re all proud of what they’ve done, that’s why they film.” As evidence, the video is “fantastic” and could be a “good basis” for an indictment. “Of course it would be good for Syria if Germany opened an investigation,” said del Ponte. Carla del Ponte, former chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague and until 2017 a member of a UN commission of inquiry into the crimes in Syria, sees the video as important evidence. Image: SWR Federal prosecutor does not comment The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office in Karlsruhe, which has already accused several Syrian citizens of crimes against humanity on the basis of the so-called universal legal principle, does not want to comment on request as to whether they are investigating on the basis of the video. A written statement states that the public is informed “regularly only in the event of arrests and indictments as well as extensive searches”. On request, the Federal Foreign Office writes that with a view to applying the principle of universal jurisdiction, other states are encouraged to “go in the same direction”. The UN Human Rights Council is currently negotiating an extension of the mandate of the UN Commission of Inquiry into Syria. The Syrian Embassy in Berlin has not responded to a questionnaire on mass shootings and President Assad’s accountability.	6,906
Welcome to the first installment of “Let’s Have a Motorcycle Conversation.” I am going to be talking with members of the North Carolina motorcycle community, and putting those interviews on my Blog. My first guest is Kris Weiss of Raleigh. Kris is the incoming president of the Raleigh HOG Chapter based out of Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson. His current job is the Executive Pastor of Finances at Focus Church in Raleigh. Prior to beginning that position in 2020, he had worked for 14 years as the Director of Marketing and Promotions at Ray Price Harley-Davidson (and then Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson). When Kris was at that job back in 2009, he approached me about becoming a sponsor of Capital City Bikefest. I remain very grateful to Kris for approaching me back in 2009 because since then I have sponsored Capital City Bikefest every year except 2020 (due to COVID). Gary: Hey, Kris. How are you doing? Kris: I’m doing great, Gary. Thanks. Gary: Good. So, tell me Kris, what do you remember about the first time you drove a motorcycle? Kris: The first time was probably with some friends when I was barely a teenager. I dared to get on their dirt bike in their backyard and I think I flipped one up doing a wheelie and I toppled another over on wet grass and uh … but I knew I was hooked at that point. Gary: And why did you know you were hooked? Kris: (Laugh) There was a certain adrenaline rush and what I did with that over my years after I got married. We would drive down to Daytona Beach not for the Daytona Bike Rally but if you go to the beach you can rent a dirt bike across the street and walk it over to the beach and ride it up and down the beach. So I started doing that for a couple years just on vacation and I thought boy this is really great. I have got to do this one day. Gary: (Laugh) What was the first motorcycle that you could call yours? Kris: I bought a used Yamaha V-Star 1100 in 2006. My wife and I were raising 4 kids. Our oldest child was getting ready to drive. She said you should give our daughter your car and you go get a motorcycle. I was like you bet. So, I went out and bought my first used motorcycle right away. Gary: How long did you have that and what was your next bike? Do you remember? Kris: Yeah. So, I bought that probably in May of ’06 and I was looking in the paper for a job and I saw an ad in the paper to work at the Harley dealer (Ray Price) as a rental manager and I started there in July and I stopped riding the Yamaha because I was able to ride the rental bikes all the time, the Harleys. And so that is when I started riding Harley-Davidson in ’06 and then I sold the Yamaha not too soon after that. Gary: So, what do you currently ride? Gary: Now have you had that since ’08 or did you buy it over the last few years? Kris: I bought it about 2 years ago. Gary: And why do you like that bike? Kris: Well I love it because my wife can ride comfortably on the back. I can put all my stuff in the various tour pack saddlebags and go long distance if I want to. I mainly commute with it almost every day, but it is very versatile and I do a lot with it and it’s got great pipes, great sound, great sound system and I love it a lot. Gary: I know at least when you were still at Ray Price you really kept up with the number of miles that everybody or the people in the HOG Chapter would put on their bike. Do you know about how many miles you ride per year or maybe over the last year how many miles you have put on your bike? Kris: Yeah, I do between 8,000 and 10,000 a year Gary: I never realized that your first job at Ray Price was in the rental department. Kris: Right. Gary: And so did you move from there to Marketing and Promotions? Kris: I did after about 5 or 6 months the general manager at the time said that they were having a position that need filled and he thought I would do well as the marketing director and I was excited for that move. Gary: And so that would have been … was that ’06 – ’07 somewhere in there? Kris: Right. Yeah. So, beginning of ’07 is when I started the marketing position. Gary: And you … So you had that for a number of years. Right? Gary: Now I know that you left that job and started working at Focus Church and I know that you are a pastor. What is your current position with Focus Church and what led you to that? Kris: Yeah. I am the Executive Pastor of Finance so I work with all the bookkeeping and the finances and the big budget … the big picture stuff. What would help make sense about why this happened is before I even started working at Ray Price I was actually an associate pastor and before I was an associate pastor. 15 to 18 years ago, I was a rental car manager for 8 years so what happened was when I was working at the church as an associate pastor they had a budget crisis and I was the last one hired. I had to go find a job so when I went to look for a job that is where I saw the ad in the paper for the Harley rental manager. I took the rental experience I had from renting cars for 8 years and having just bought a motorcycle, it was the perfect fit and all these years I’ve still been a pastor and I’ve still been involved with the same church. I’ve never left you know that calling of being a pastor and I always did both, the Harley business and the pastoral business. As you may have known I have done a number of weddings even at the dealership and for customers and employees and hospital visits, even funerals, and you know I kind of became the dealership chaplain for all those years. Gary: So it sounds like your pastoring throughout the years has intertwined with your motorcycling. Kris: That’s right. It has kind of been .. My life all blends together. I don’t really segment things whether it is professional or the church life or even my personal life. When we have people over for dinner who were customers, they become friends and so you know it all ties together. I am not sure who is a customer, who is a friend, (laughter) or who goes to my church. I just hang out with everybody. Gary: Sure. Like we tell our kids with their first part-time jobs or first full-time jobs it seems like you can always use those experiences later, or they are like building blocks. Kris: That’s right. You don’t have to stop one or burn a bridge on another. You can just add it. You can just add those on top of it. Gary: I know that you begin your Raleigh HOG Chapter presidency next month. What led you to want that post? Kris: Right. Well that was interesting. I loved my job at the dealership. It is the best job I have ever had. It had really become a family and the HOG Chapter is another family that I have been actively involved in for a couple of years and I was approached by a couple of folks who thought I would make a great director or president of the HOG Club and I thought about it. I said, well, yeah, I think that would be great, so they nominated me and I think it will be a great adventure for sure. I’m looking forward to it. Gary: I’m excited about you being the President. Have you thought about your goals or philosophy? Kris: Yeah, I’m excited. We’ve got a good board that’s helping me coming into it. You know one of the main mottos of the HOG Club is to ride and have fun. And I just want to instill that and build upon that. There has been so many great directors and leaders of the HOG Club and I just want to continue what they’ve done and make it where it is a community for people that they can ride and have fun, and can also make friendships, build relationships and make it really a big part of their life if they want to do that. It is a wonderful community and family. Gary: There is a number of annual rides that happen every year. Is there an annual ride that you really like participating in? Kris: One of my favorites that the HOG Club has done for probably a dozen years is the Tail of the Dragon Ride. I think they call it Tame the Dragon. So we go out to the Western part of North Carolina. We travel up there on a Wednesday. We then ride throughout the area all day Thursday, Friday, Saturday and then ride back Sunday. It’s several nights of great comradery and fellowship and riding and telling stories and really building those relationships that last a lifetime. So, that’s been my favorite annual ride that I really love going to. Gary: Is there a ride, not necessarily an annual ride, but just any ride that you’ve been on that you look back and say that was the most challenging? Kris: Yeah, for the first time I did a solo ride myself to Daytona Beach. My brother lives in the area there and I did it in July 2020. So, it was long, hot and challenging but so worthwhile and good memories. I really enjoyed doing that ride. It was great. Gary: So here is your chance to convince somebody to at least think about getting into riding a motorcycle, what would you say to then? Kris: Follow your passion if that is what you want to do. I talk to people, and you know, they hear my story and some people say wow I really want to do that. Some people say oh I could never do that. I just don’t have the nerve or whatever and I never really encourage them to do it. You know, if you don’t have that passion or if you are afraid then don’t do it. But if you do have … if you think you have something that is telling you to do that, the first thing I tell them to do is take that riding course at the dealership … the Riding Academy because that is the safest way and the best way to really get all the skills … to begin to get the skills you need to be a safe rider, to do it a long time and have fun. Gary: What is something about you outside of motorcycling that people might find surprising? Kris: Some people know or don’t know I’ve got 3 grandkids … all grandsons. So, that is one of those things that I thoroughly enjoy … being a grandparent. Gary: I’m going to finish up here with some rapid fire questions. They are just either one word or one phrase answers and let’s see where that goes. Gary: Favorite child. I’m just kidding. We won’t answer that one. Gary: I know that you officiate many weddings. Do you have sort of a favorite go to scripture if you officiate and they let you pick it? Kris: Corinthians I Chapter 13. A lot of people know that. Love is patient. Love is kind … And it goes on from there. But, yeah that is a good standard for sure. Gary: Is there a motorcycle ride on your bucket list? Kris: I have not been to Sturgis so I would like to check that off one day. Gary: Is there a famous person or a respected person that you’ve met that you thought man, I can’t believe I just met that person or shook their hand? Kris: Yeah. I went to a convention with Harley-Davidson and met some of the Harley-Davidson family there and that was amazing. I’ve got pictures of meeting them and that was a real inspiration. Gary: Well last one and since this is Christmas time. Favorite Christmas song? Gary: Thanks so much Kris! Categories Gary Poole Law Office, Motorcycle Community, Motorcycle Events Tags Harley-Davidson, Interview, Motorcycle Community, motorcycle events, Raleigh HOG Have you been injured in a motorcycle accident? Motorcycle Insurance Motorcycle Accident Attorney in North Carolina Car Accident Attorney in North Carolina The Law Office of Gary Poole, located in Chapel Hill, NC is pleased to serve clients in North Carolina including the cities of Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh (the Triangle), Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston- Salem, Fayetteville, Wilmington, Carrboro, Graham, Burlington, Mebane, Hillsborough, Cary, Apex, and Pittsboro, as well as the counties of Orange, Durham, Alamance, Chatham, and Wake, as well as Mecklenburg, Guilford, Forsythe, and Cumberland County.	12,359
Visit regularly for up-to-date information on relevant news, firm announcements and additions to our AZ Health Law Blog. Written by John Conley and Lauren Crawford On June 21, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (“OSHA”) emergency temporary standard (“ETS”) aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace went into effect.[1] OSHA found, in part, that the COVID-19 pandemic “presents a grave danger to workers in all healthcare settings” and issued the ETS in response.[2] Who is subject to the ETS? The ETS applies only to the healthcare sector and includes specific mandatory procedures employers must follow. Specifically, the ETS applies to healthcare “settings where any employee provides healthcare services or healthcare support services.”[3] OSHA defines “healthcare support services” to include “patient intake/admission, patient food services, equipment and facility maintenance, housekeeping services, healthcare laundry services, medical waste handling services, and medical equipment cleaning/reprocessing services.”[4] The ETS does not apply, however, to healthcare support services that are not performed in a healthcare setting. This would include, for example, off-site laundry and off-site medical billing.[5] Are any healthcare employers exempted from the ETS? The ETS specifically excludes: Distribution of prescriptions by pharmacists in retail settings; First aid provided by employees who are not licensed healthcare providers; Non-hospital ambulatory care settings where individuals are screened for COVID-19 before entering, and anyone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not permitted to enter the facility; Well-defined hospital ambulatory care settings where all employees are fully vaccinated and individuals are screened for COVID-19 before entering, and people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not permitted to enter the facility; Home healthcare settings where all employees are fully vaccinated, and non-employees are screened for COVID-19 before entering; Healthcare support services not performed in a healthcare setting; and Telehealth services where no direct patient care occurs. For an easy-to-follow graphic, OSHA released a diagram to assist employers in determining whether they are subject to the ETS. When is the ETS effective? The ETS was effective on June 21, 2021 when published in the Federal Register. Employers covered by the ETS are required to comply with all requirements within 14 days except for standards relating to physical barriers, training, and ventilation. Covered employers must comply with these requirements within 30 days of the effective date or by July 21, 2021. What does the ETS require? The ETS requires healthcare employers to observe various specific requirements, including: COVID-19 Plan. Implement a COVID-19 plan, which must be in writing for covered healthcare employers with more than 10 employees. Patient screening and management. Monitor points of entry and exit and screen patient and facility visitors. Transmission-based precautions. Implement necessary policies and procedures to adhere to standard and transmission-based precautions based on guidelines promulgated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”). PPE. Provide personal protective equipment, including face masks while workers are indoors or in vehicles together and respirators when employees are exposed to or engaging in aerosol-generating procedures with individuals with known or suspected cases of COVID-19. Distancing. Require physical distancing by at least 6 feet while indoors (unless such social distancing is not feasible for a specific activity). Cleaning and disinfection. Follow the CDC’s cleaning and disinfection guidelines. Take additional precautions to limit exposure and to disinfect areas when engaging in aerosol-generating procedures with individuals with known or suspected cases of COVID-19. Vaccination. Institute paid leave for COVID-19 vaccinations and recovery. Anti-retaliation. Institute anti-retaliation protections for employees engaging in actions required by the ETS. Record keeping and reporting. Maintain a COVID-19 log (only for those covered employers with more than 10 employees). A sample COVID-19 log and accompanying explanation on requirements may be found here. Report COVID-19 fatalities and hospitalizations to OSHA. Screenings and medical management. Follow medical management requirements, including: Daily health screenings (self-monitoring is acceptable); Employee notification of employers if an employee tests positive for COVID-19, suspects they have COVID-19, or has symptoms; Employer notification of employees within 24 hours of known cases; Removal of employees from the workplace in accordance with CDC guidance; and For covered employers with more than 10 employees, medical removal protection benefits for isolated or quarantined employees. All ETS procedures and protocols must be implemented at no cost to employees. What are the “medical removal protection benefits” employers must provide for isolated or quarantined employees? Employers with 10 to 499 employees are required to provide “medical removal protection benefits” to those employees who must be removed from work and required to isolate or quarantine due to suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection or exposure to COVID-19, and employers are required to provide the following: Permitting employees to work remotely while in self-isolation or quarantine so that they may continue to receive their regular pay and benefits. Paying employees who are unable to work remotely their regular pay, up to $1,400 per week, until the employee meets the return-to-work criteria of the ETS with the following caveats: Employees will receive their regular pay for the first 2 weeks of removal. Thereafter, they will receive only two-thirds of their regular pay, up to $200 per day. An employer’s payment obligation is reduced by the amount of compensation that the employee receives from any other source, including a publicly or employer-funded compensation program (e.g., employer paid sick leave, PTO, state or federal economic security benefits). Continuing to provide the benefits the employee is normally entitled (e.g., employer-sponsored health insurance) during the removal period. Ensuring that, whenever an employee returns to the workplace after a COVID-19-related workplace removal, the employee does not suffer any adverse action as a result of that removal from the workplace and ensuring that all the employee’s rights and benefits are maintained, including the employee’s right to their former job status, as if the employee had not been removed. Where can I find additional information on implementation? OSHA has created fact sheets and detailed responses to the most frequently asked questions regarding the ETS. This information can be found here. How long does the ETS last? The ETS is set to expire on December 21, 2021.[6] Covered healthcare employers must comply with the ETS until it expires. Will there be additional changes to the ETS? Given the President’s recent Executive Orders on COVID-19 vaccination for Federal employees and safety protocols for Federal contractors, OSHA may publish a revised ETS, and/or Congress or the White House could implement future COVID-related workplace legislative or regulatory requirements on healthcare employers.[7] Stay tuned. If you have questions about the ETS, compliance, or any COVID-19 employment-related issues, please contact John Conley. [1] Occupational Exposure to COVID-19; Emergency Temporary Standard, 86 Fed. Reg. 116, 32376 (June 21, 2021) (to be codified at 29 C.F.R. § 1910.502). The full text of OSHA’s ETS is available here. [3] Id. at 32462. [6] See 29 U.S.C. §§ 651-78, Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the “OSH Act”). The OSH Act provides that an ETS is effective until superseded by a permanent standard promulgated by the normal rulemaking provisions of the OSH Act. 29 U.S.C. § 655(c)(2). The OSH Act, however, requires OSHA to promulgate a permanent standard within six months of promulgating the ETS. Id. at (c)(3). [7] See Executive Order on Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors, available here, signed September 9, 2021; Executive Order on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees, available here, signed September 9, 2021.	8,539
The State Children’s Health Insurance Program is now known as the Children Health Insurance Program. The US Department Of Health and Human Services is responsible for administering it. The idea was to insure children in families with modest income. Still, the income was too high to qualify for Medicaid. It was only after the failure of Bill Clinton’s health proposal that CHIP came into the picture. With sponsorship from senators, CHIP got support from Hilary Clinton. Some people were in opposition to it. Still, SCHIP became part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Every state in the United States can design CHIP according to their policy with federal guidelines. So there is a variation in benefits, eligibility, and administration across various states. In the federal fiscal year 2010, CHIP covered 7.6 million children. Still, there are millions of uninsured children. The reason is that the families don’t qualify for CHIP. Also, the families drop out of the insurance plan after the annual increase in premiums. CHIP: How Does It Work? The CHIP or Children Health Insurance program provides medical coverage. The coverage is only for those who are under 19 years of age. It is a United States federal health program. Every state administers or names this program differently. In New York, they use the term Child Health Plus for it. Similarly, in Arkansas the title changes to ARKids. The federal government provides matching funds to their state. Medicaid administration is responsible for managing the Children Health Insurance Program. If you live in a family of four that earns up to $45000 a year then CHIP is for you. The limits may vary from state to state. There are multiple instances where families don’t gain benefits of CHIP from employers. They are not aware that something like Child Health Insurance Program exists. That’s why in 2009, congress allocated funds for raising awareness about this program. Also, helping more families to enroll in these insurance programs. Some children do qualify for Medicaid rather than CHIP. It depends on their income and other factors. Children’s Health Insurance Program covers multiple medical expenses free of cost. However, there are a few services that require co-payment. Some states need monthly premiums that won’t exceed 5 percent of your annual income. CHIP typically covers the following things: Hospital Care Doctor visits Laboratory services Emergency services X-rays Few states in the United States also provide coverage to parents and pregnant women. CHIP coverage is not time-bound. It can begin at any time and that too throughout the year. So you can immediately avail of the benefits of CHIP. Congress thought that passing the Affordable Care Act will replace CHIP. They thought that people won’t need any other form of insurance. Instead, the United States now has the Affordable Care Act, CHIP, and Medicaid. This has led to confusion amongst low-income families. People don’t really know which option is best for them. How Do You Qualify For Children Health Insurance Program Coverage? In 2017’s fiscal year, 9.46 million people got coverage from CHIP. Medicaid and CHIP payment commission gave out these stats. If you want to find out whether your child is eligible for CHIP or not then check with your state. Every state’s individual policy and the requirement is different. In case you are pregnant than before applying for CHIP check the program. In order to qualify for this insurance plan, your child is a citizen of the United States. Also, a permanent resident who is under the age of 19. Also, your child must be dependent. If a child’s relative or legal guardian spends more than half of the year with him then that’s enough. In order to fully qualify for the insurance plan, the annual household income matters. It should fall into the threshold set for the plan. Once the child is eligible for CHIP, premiums and other costs depend on your income. So if all these circumstances are true, you might end up insuring your child. What Does Children Health Insurance Program Cost? Some families need to pay premiums for Child Health Insurance Plan. In the United States, 30 states require parents to pay premiums for their children in CHIP. It depends on their annual income on how much they need to pay. Also, families with children who need special care need to spend more. However, the Children’s Hospital Association claims that most families don’t reach that stage. Also read: How to Choose a Health Insurance Policy? In 26 states, parents may have to pay some amount. These are not premiums but cost-sharing for treatment in hospital. There are a few services that require parents to pay the deductible. For example, non-preventive doctor visits or prescription drugs. Child health insurance benefits are many. Without insurance coverage, you will have to face the burden of paying high hospital bills. These days hospitals charge a lot of amounts from people. Families who cannot afford high-end healthcare will love this coverage. Once you enroll your child for the Child Health Insurance program, the benefits last for 12 months. If your child exceeds the set age limit or basic eligibility then the situation may change. Families need to renew CHIP every year in order to continue receiving coverage. It won’t be a problem as companies send notices 90 days prior to the end of the program. Families just need to fill out important information and they can renew the Child Health Insurance Program. Child health insurance plans prepare you for the worst scenarios. It is like a friend sharing your financial burden. You cannot compromise on your child’s health. So you have to pay a visit to doctors and get the treatments on time. Time doesn’t wait for anyone. If you go on and arrange funds when your child is already ill then it becomes the worst-case scenario. So go ahead and apply for a child health insurance plan. You can search online for websites that your government approves for applying to CHIP. We hope this article covers all the details on the Child Health Insurance Plan. Do give your suggestions and feedback on the topic.	6,216
Donald Trump has said a lot of silly stuff about Russia, from joking about Vladimir Putin helping to find Hillary’s deleted emails, to naïve musings about the extent of Russian interference into Western democratic elections. But far more important than what he has said is what Trump has done. That same caveat applies to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Start with two givens: Vladimir Putin is neither stupid nor content to watch an aging, shrinking, corrupt, and dysfunctional — but still large and nuclear — Russia recede to second- or third-power status. From 2009 to 2015, in one of the most remarkable and Machiavellian efforts in recent strategic history, Putin almost single-handedly parlayed a deserved losing hand into a winning one. He pulled this off by flattering, manipulating, threatening, and outsmarting an inept and politically obsessed Obama administration. Under the Obama presidency and the tenures of Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, Russia made astounding strategic gains — given its intrinsic economic, social, and military weaknesses. The Obama reaction was usually incoherent (Putin was caricatured as a “bored kid in the back of the classroom” or as captive of a macho shtick). After each aggressive Russian act, the administration lectured that “it is not in Russia’s interest to . . . ” — as if Obama knew better than a thuggish Putin what was best for autocratic Russia. A review of Russian inroads, presented in no particular order, is one of the more depressing chapters in post-war U.S. diplomatic history. Just watching the film clip of Hillary Clinton presenting the red, plastic Jacuzzi button to Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva remains painful, more so than even George W. Bush’s simplistic, reassuring commentary after he looked into Putin’s eyes. Under the Obama-Clinton reset protocols, Russia was freed from even the mild sanctions installed by the Bush administration, imposed for its 2008 Ossetian aggressions. As thanks, in early 2014, Russia outright annexed Crimea. It used its newfound American partnership as an excuse to bully Europe on matters of energy and policy, confident that under American reset, it would face little NATO pushback. Russia assumed de facto control over large sections of eastern Ukraine. Its aggression sent nations of Eastern Europe and the Baltic States into a panic and raised fears of another Ukrainian-like intervention — thereby wresting pro-Russians concessions on the premise that it was nearby and unpredictably dangerous while the U.S. was distant and predictably inert. Russia succeeded in helping to dismantle previously negotiated U.S. missile-defense arrangements with the Czech Republic and Poland. Russia since 2013 had sought to interfere in U.S. elections with impunity, so much so that as late as October 18, 2016, on the eve of the anticipated Clinton landslide, Obama mocked any suggestion that an entity could ever successfully warp the outcome of a U.S. election. (“There is no serious person out there who would suggest somehow that you could even rig America’s elections. There’s no evidence that that has happened in the past or that it will happen this time, and so I’d invite Mr. Trump to stop whining and make his case to get votes.”) After a near 40-year hiatus, Russia was invited into the Middle East by the Obama administration. It soon became the power broker in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq and to some extent offered passive-aggressive support for Israel and Turkey — a position of influence that it retains to this day and that would now be hard to undo. It posed as a “helper” to the Obama administration with Iran and helped broker the disastrous Iran deal — and then used U.S. acquiescence to Iran to fuel the ascendance of the Iran-Hezbollah-Assad crescent. Unlike the United States, Russia had no need to maintain the nuclear umbrella, which protected the clients of the U.S. post-war alliance. Despite America’s nuclear responsibilities, Russia convinced the Obama administration to cut back radically on our stockpile of deployable nuclear weapons. Such promised reductions in deliverable weapons came at a time of massive U.S. defense cuts and cancellations, and delays in missile defense. Russia was relieved by Obama’s efforts to stall fracking and make huge swathes of American territory off-limits for U.S. oil and gas exploration — as this would tighten global oil markets and enhance Russian petroleum export profits. The Obama administration inexplicably approved sale of a sizable portion of scarce U.S. uranium holdings to a Russian company, despite the fact that it was known that investors connected with the Kremlin and uranium interests had paid Bill Clinton $500,000 to give a speech in Moscow. In additions, the chairman of the so-called Uranium One consortium gave $2.5 million to the Clinton Foundation, a fact that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did not disclose, even though she had promised (during her confirmation process) to reveal all such possible conflicts of interest. Most significantly, the Obama administration had created a false orthodoxy of détente, a politically correct Lala Land, in which to question any of these lopsided Russian advantages was to be considered idiotic or unpatriotic. Mitt Romney learned that in the third 2012 presidential debate when he was tagged as a Cold War hack by a snarky Barack Obama for even suggesting that an opportunistic and conniving Russia was our chief geostrategic rival. Even when Putin became arrogant and greedy in his winnings, and finally, mostly through hacking, helped to collapse the disastrous Russian-reset misadventure, Hillary Clinton looked back on her role in Russian reset and made the astonishing claim that it had been a success: “I think it was a brilliant stroke, which in retrospect it appears even more so, because look at what we accomplished.” Barack Obama revealed himself with an open-mic promise to outgoing Russian puppet president Dmitri Medvedev, which, by any reasonable logic, could only be explained as a promise by Obama to retard U.S. missile-defense efforts in Europe in exchange for good Russian behavior during Obama’s reelection bid. (“On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved, but it’s important for him to give me space. . . . This is my last election. . . . After my election, I have more flexibility.”) Had Donald Trump been caught in such a private conversation offering a Russian president a quid pro quo — massaging future U.S. national defense policy in a pro-Russia direction in exchange for Russian behavior that would help Trump’s electoral chances — he would probably be facing impeachment on grounds of real Russian collusion. By the 2016 campaign, however, amid allegations of Russian hacking of Democratic and Clinton campaign communications, the Obama administration could no longer see its failed reset as “a brilliant stoke.” As a result, the architects of one of these embarrassing concessionary policies became not just embarrassed; she pointed to Trump’s loud bombast as proof that he’d colluded with and appeased the Russians. And so began the real collusion between the Clinton campaign and elements in the U.S. government to smear Trump as a Russian patsy. The odd result of such failed reset policies and bought opposition research was a yarn that the neophyte and recklessly talking Donald Trump was a clever Russian lackey. Yet Trump’s strategic, defense, and energy policies, and his later appointments of realist Russian skeptics — such as General James Mattis, General H. R. McMaster, Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo, and, yes, Rex Tillerson — were anathema to Moscow. In just its first year, the Trump administration has armed Ukrainians, reentered the Middle East to bomb ISIS, squared off against Russia, and decimated Russian mercenaries in Syria. Trump also has ensured that the U.S. is well placed to usurp Russia as the world’s largest oil producer within about twelve months. He upped the defense budget, ordered the updating of the nuclear arsenal, bantered NATO members to increase their defense contributions, and traveled to Eastern Europe to bolster Western solidarity, Given the media dismissal of Donald Trump and its eagerness to canonize Barack Obama’s eight years with another eight of Hillary Clinton, Russia by late 2016 went from a deity to a demon. It was reinvented as Mitt Romney’s enemy of liberal democracy, and, after the election, served as Hillary Clinton’s excuse for losing the election — and Putin became the new ally and collaborator of Donald Trump! Thus spread the fertilizer that fed the national hysteria leading to the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate a crime — active collusion with the Russians to warp an election — that likely did not exist. And if it did exist, it was probably committed by Hillary Clinton, her campaign, members of the Obama administration, and the miscreants of Fusion GPS. After months of politicized special-counsel investigations, together with House and Senate investigations, Americans are only now being apprised of what we always should have known from the beginning: 1) Russia implants chaos as cheaply as it can inside the U.S. How bold it is depends on how much it worries about a U.S. response. During the Obama reset tenure, it felt there were no repercussions and thus few bounds to its disinformation efforts. 2) Like the Obama administration and the Hillary Clinton campaign, Moscow was convinced that Hillary Clinton would win the nomination and would be a shoo-in during the general election. Predictably, Russia invested comparatively meager resources to encourage pro-Sanders and pro-Trump campaign efforts to stir up trouble. It may have hacked into the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign emails, and perhaps it even found access to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s private, illegal, and deleted emails to embarrass the likely future president and perhaps to find avenues for threats of future blackmail against her. Note well, that if the sure thing had happened — the election of Hillary Clinton — then no one but the Russians might have known, and possibly disclosed at a time and under conditions of their choosing, the shenanigans of Fusion GPS, Christopher Steele, and his Russian sources. 3) The result of the Russian-fed, Clinton-bought Steele dossier is as depressing as was the earlier Russian wins from the reset: The gullible and partisan FBI hierarchy is now discredited and compromised. The intelligence agencies, politicized under John Brennan and James Clapper, may soon share the embarrassments of the FBI. The critical FISA-court protocols have been undermined by deceit and untruth. The highest echelons of the Obama administration were probably complicit in surveillance of political opponents, spying that was predicated on Russian sources for a bogus dossier, and some Obama officials may well have committed felonies by unmasking the names of U.S. citizens and leaking them to the press. The verdict on Russia, the Obama administration, and the Clinton campaign is now becoming clearer. Russian reset resurrected Putin’s profile and hurt U.S. interests. It grew out of a partisan rebuke of the Bush administration’s perceived harshness to Russia and was later massaged to help Barack Obama’s reelection campaign by granting Russia concessions in hopes of a foreign-policy success that would lead to perceived calm. Russia deliberately inserted itself into the 2016 election, as it had in previous elections, because 1) it had suffered few if any prior consequences, 2) it wanted to sow chaos in the American political system, and 3) it saw a way to warp Clinton’s efforts to smear Donald Trump, first, no doubt to compromise a likely President Clinton, and, in unexpected fashion, later to undermine an actual President Trump. At very little cost, Russia has embarrassed American democracy, played the media for the partisans they are, completely discredited the Clinton campaign and name, and created a year of nonstop hysteria to undermine the Trump administration. And it is not over yet. Related ← Previous Post Next Post → Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Most of human history is full of the stories of peasants, subjects, or tribes. The concept of the "citizen," an idea we take for granted, is historically quite rare - and was, until recently, amongst America's most profoundly cherished ideals. But without shock treatment.... Victor Davis Hanson is the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution; his focus is classics and military history.	12,847
A design by University of Alabama at Birmingham student Hannah Rettig will adorn a refurbished school bus, essentially a mobile classroom, that will travel Woodlawn neighborhoods providing information and services to parents and children in an effort to help increase student success in school. Tagged under service to community Department of Art and Art History department of art and art history student news May 02, 2014 Donations of fabric from the Birmingham community are still needed for a giant fabric art installation being created to celebrate the University of Alabama at Birmingham Cultural Corridor. Tagged under events arts and humanities Department of Art and Art History April 30, 2014 UAB Presents Indian Art, Japanese Prints in Two Exhibitions Works of art made by women in rural India and prints from post-war Japan will be featured in two exhibitions presented by the University of Alabama at BirminghamDepartment of Art and Art History from June 5-July 17. Tagged under arts and humanities events Department of Art and Art History April 22, 2014 UAB Presents Artist Leslie Wayne: Mind the Gap June 5-July 17 The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Art and Art Historyand the Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts will present artist Leslie Wayne and an exhibition of her works, “Mind the Gap.” Tagged under arts and humanities events Department of Art and Art History April 17, 2014 BFA Student Works on Exhibition April 30-May 22 Student works including graphic design, drawing, painting, printmaking and photography will be featured in a new Bachelor of Fine Arts exhibition at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Abroms-Engel Institute for Visual Arts. The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is the undergraduate professional degree for studio art in the Department of Art and Art History. These exhibitions are the pinnacle of achievement for those students accepted into the BFA program at UAB. Tagged under arts and humanities events Department of Art and Art History department of art and art history student news April 08, 2014 This week, while the Birmingham Seven perform Ra’s music for “Sun Ra: Musician, Philosopher, and Poet,” the audience will see a set created by University of Alabama at Birmingham students, faculty and staff. Tagged under arts and humanities student achievement Department of Art and Art History department of art and art history student news service to community April 07, 2014 Join the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center and some of Birmingham’s most innovative artists for the second annual Light Dreams festival, a free celebration of art, music, dance and light. Tagged under arts and humanities events Department of Art and Art History department of computer science April 01, 2014 UAB Art Students Paint Bay of Pigs Memorial University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Art and Art History students are part of a big historical art project — so big, it is held inside an airplane hangar. Tagged under service to community arts and humanities Department of Art and Art History department of art and art history student news March 13, 2014 Fabric Artist to Install Large-scale Works at UAB with Help from Community Fabric and installation artist Amanda Browder will enlist the help of the community for two giant fabric installations at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, to celebrate the university’s new cultural corridor. Tagged under arts and humanities events Department of Art and Art History March 07, 2014 The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Art and Art History will host the Art History Master of Arts Symposium, an annual daylong symposium shared with the University of Alabama, on Friday, March 7, at the UAB Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts. Tagged under Department of Art and Art History research and innovation events February 27, 2014 UAB Painting Students Compete in Fundraiser to Provide School Art Supplies Students in University of Alabama at Birmingham Professor of Painting Gary Chapman's intermediate painting class will participate with 80 other artists in Salvador's Deli, an event at the Birmingham Museum of Art on March 2. The event will feature live music, local brews and food, and will showcase artwork made from food items created by local artists and art students. Tagged under service to community Department of Art and Art History department of art and art history student news events February 26, 2014 UAB Presents 38th Juried Student Exhibition with Juror George Ferrandi Artist George Ferrandi is the juror for this year’s University of Alabama at Birmingham Juried Student Exhibition, presented by the Department of Art and Art History. Tagged under arts and humanities student achievement Department of Art and Art History department of art and art history student news January 24, 2014 UAB Faculty Mentor, Student Leader to Attend a2ru Emerging Creatives Conference University of Alabama at Birmingham Assistant Professor of Art Doug Barrett, MFA, and senior Betsy Cates, who is majoring in studio art graphic design, have been chosen to attend the a2ru Emerging Creatives Student Conference from Thursday, Jan. 30, through Saturday, Feb. 1, at Stanford University. Tagged under student achievement faculty excellence arts and humanities Department of Art and Art History department of art and art history student news department of art and art history faculty news November 18, 2013 Selling a product is one thing—but how do you market a region in need of revival? If you're a graphic designer, like UAB assistant professor Doug Barrett, M.F.A., you approach it like any other commodity: Talk to the client, develop a true understanding of the product, and perhaps most important, find the story that will sell it. Tagged under Department of Art and Art History department of art and art history faculty news department of art and art history student news arts and sciences magazine Next Page 5 of 5 Undergraduate programs in immunology and cancer biology offer innovative, one-of-a-kind degrees Undergraduate programs in immunology and cancer biology are offering students one-of-a-kind educational experiences. Over the past 12 years, the UAB College of Arts and Sciences and the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine established five interdisciplinary undergraduate programs to promote STEM and biomedical majors and increase the future pipeline of highly skilled workers. The shared programs include: neuroscience, bioinformatics, genetics and genomic sciences, immunology, and cancer biology. “The founding goal of these programs was to bring innovative majors to Alabama’s brightest students to build the next generation of the biomedical workforce,” said Cristin Gavin, Ph.D., assistant dean for the Undergraduate Biomedical Programs in the Heersink School of Medicine and co-director of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program. “UAB’s intensive research environment spans both schools and provides the perfect ecosystem for high-impact practices such as undergraduate research and collaborative learning.” The Undergraduate Immunology Program was approved in 2016 and offered its first round of classes in 2017. It is an interdisciplinary program between the Department of Microbiology in the Heersink School of Medicine and the Department of Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. Prior to launching the undergraduate program, UAB only offered graduate-level degrees in immunology. “It made sense to extend our reach to undergraduates and build grassroots-level knowledge of immunology,” said Undergraduate Immunology Program Director Louis Justement, Ph.D. Immunology is the study of the immune system, which protects the human body against pathogens and toxins. However, “the immune system can kill you any day if it is dysregulated,” said Justement. Therefore, understanding how the immune system works and its potential impact on the human body is crucial. After two years of battling the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance and life-saving potential of studying the immune system has been significantly amplified. “Vaccines are a great example of immunologic success,” said Justement. “If that isn’t impactful, it’s hard to say what truly is.” Along with vaccines, immunology can also support early detection and treatment of cancer. Immunology is interdisciplinary by nature and has direct ties with the fields of biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, infectious diseases, neurobiology, endocrinology, and cardiology. “All of these topics are woven into the immunology curriculum,” said Rueben Burch, an alumnus of the immunology program who currently works at a biotechnology company in Seattle. The program’s curriculum is a sequenced path consisting of seven courses and research opportunities. Some of the required courses include "Introduction to Immune System," "Immunologically-Mediated Diseases," and "Microbial Pathogen-Immune System Interaction." Students are also required to participate in undergraduate research to help them acquire knowledge and skills in experimental design, data analysis, scientific writing, and oral presentation. Heather Bruns, Ph.D., co-director of the program, worked alongside Justement to build a four-year comprehensive undergraduate curriculum. “As we identified the knowledge and competencies that we wanted our students to possess, it was also important to us to include appropriate assessments in the curriculum to ensure that the program was providing an effective learning environment,” said Bruns. Since it is a relatively small program, students receive quality, hands-on mentorship from faculty. Kristine Farag, an alumnus of the program who is now enrolled at the Indiana University School of Medicine, sought and found valuable mentorship from Bruns. “Immunology program directors truly want to see their students succeed in every capacity, and they put in the time and effort to make that happen,” said Farag. Careers Studying the immune system can be a valuable option for those who have an interest in health professions and biomedical research. Graduates of the program may go on to pursue a variety of careers, including research, medicine, science policy, science communication, and medical technology. Hollis Graffeo, a current immunology major, chose immunology because she is interested in becoming a physician, and the same is true for many of her fellow classmates. Additionally, the sheer uniqueness of the program was attractive to her. “UAB is the only school in the country that offers the immunology [undergraduate] major, and [I think] this will make me stand out greatly as an applicant when I apply to medical school,” said Graffeo. Learn more about the immunology major at UAB. The Bachelor of Science in Cancer Biology at UAB officially launched in Fall 2020. The program is an interdisciplinary partnership between the Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology in the Heersink School of Medicine. These two departments initiated the cancer biology program because, “chemistry and cancer pair nicely together given the importance of chemical structure and drug discovery,” said Sadanandan Velu, Ph.D., co-director of the Undergraduate Cancer Biology Program. “Starting a program during the COVID-19 pandemic was certainly not ideal and unanticipated,” said Braden McFarland, Ph.D., co-director of the program. “However, everyone was on their computers and social media during that time, and the word spread about our program through cyberspace very quickly.” The program started with 13 students in Fall 2020 and has grown significantly. Currently, the directors anticipate 90 students in Fall 2022. Cancer biology focuses on the mechanisms underlying fundamental processes such as cell growth, the transformation of normal cells to cancer cells, and their spread. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, so its reach and impact is profound. “No matter the health profession, one will encounter cancer in their profession and their personal life,” said McFarland. Therefore, understanding the risks, early detection, and development of new therapies to combat cancer deaths is vital. Through the cancer biology program, students gain foundational knowledge of what cancer biology is and its application to cure and advance cancer research. The program provides a strong educational and research background. Velu explains that the academic training in this program is reinforced with a required research component, which provides students with early exposure to cancer research. Cancer biology majors participate in investigator-led programs in high-profile cancer research labs, the majority of which are in the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center—the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Alabama. Students can participate in research in any lab on campus with a focus on cancer. This includes basic or clinical research, as well as cancer nutrition or epidemiology. “Our current students have a palpable energy to learn everything about cancer, which is usually due to personal or family experiences with cancer,” said McFarland. Careers The UAB Undergraduate Cancer Biology program prepares students for academic and industrial career opportunities in cancer biology and life sciences, and it is a launch pad for students who want to research, treat, and fight cancer. Specifically, the program prepares students to excel in a variety of medical fields such as medicine, dentistry, optometry, physician training, and physician assistance. After completing the program, students might also pursue careers in biomedical research, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, veterinary sciences, medical technology, and public health policy. “Excellent faculty mentoring and career counseling are provided to students to identify graduate and professional programs or job opportunities most suited to their interests,” said Velu. Some students choose cancer biology for reasons beyond professional success. For example, Neeral Patel, one of the first cancer biology students at UAB, chose cancer biology because he watched his mother battle both ovarian and breast cancer growing up. “Birmingham became a second home to me, as our family would frequent UAB for my mom’s appointments and treatments. My mom’s battle is what initially sparked my interest in the medical field,” said Patel. “Although it is extremely early to know, this program has prepared me well in all things cancer. I look forward to exploring different specialties, while carrying all of the academic and non-academic skills this program and its faculty have taught me.” Learn more about the cancer biology major at UAB. The Chapman family has long believed that education transforms lives, and they are particularly committed to students who struggle with the costs of higher education. Alison and Karen Chapman.The Chapman family has long believed that education transforms lives, and they are particularly committed to students who struggle with the costs of higher education. To help provide these students with a path to an undergraduate degree, Alison Chapman, Ph.D., and her mother, Karen Chapman, have established the Chapman Family Endowed Scholarship in the Department of English. The endowment will serve as a lasting tribute to the Chapman family, including Alison’s late father, Lee Barton Chapman, M.D. A native of Birmingham, Alison Chapman joined UAB in 2000 where she currently serves as professor and chair of the Department of English. Alison graduated magna cum laude from Davidson College and earned her Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in English Renaissance literature, including Shakespeare and Milton. She is known for her vibrant and accessible teaching, and she especially enjoys working with students on their writing skills. Alison’s father, Lee Barton Chapman, was a graduate of the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and went on to become a beloved Birmingham-area surgeon. He was delighted to have his daughter join the UAB faculty and to watch the university become an ever more robust center of undergraduate learning. A lifetime intellectual and reader, Lee thought of himself as a ‘closet English major’ and usually had a stack of classic works on his bedside. He spent many of his vacations volunteering in medical clinics in developing countries, and, in his retirement, he was a tireless literacy tutor. Though Lee passed away in 2008, the family says he would be honored to support UAB students as they achieve their goal of earning a bachelor’s degree. Scholarship support ensures that students can set aside their financial concerns as they focus on their studies, empowering them to make a difference in their careers and communities. Generous gifts to the Chapman Family Endowed Scholarship will not only assist students who might not otherwise be able to attend UAB, but also pay tribute to the university that has been an important part of the Chapmans’ lives. Give to the Chapman Family Endowed Scholarship. Brasfields invest in the future of the Department of Computer Science For David and Phyllis Brasfield, Birmingham represents opportunity and growth. And, according to both Brasfields, UAB is at the heart of it all. Photo by Shannon RobinsonFor David and Phyllis Brasfield, Birmingham represents opportunity and growth. And, according to both Brasfields, the University of Alabama at Birmingham is at the heart of it all. “I think UAB is a hidden gem,” said Phyllis. “I just think it’s a wonderful university.” “For me, and for our companies, having access to all the talent that comes out of UAB has been one of the biggest benefits for me, personally,” added David, founder and CEO of NXTsoft, a secure data solutions software platform. The Brasfields’ relationship with UAB—and each other—began in the early 1980s. After graduating from high school, Phyllis was interested in a college that was both affordable and close to her hometown of Birmingham. David, on the other hand, wanted access to a first-class medical school. They explored their options and, eventually, both selected UAB. After arriving on campus, David pivoted from pre-med to computer science, and Phyllis pursued occupational therapy. Eventually, they crossed paths for the first time in a biology lab. The rest, as they say, is history. “We met and two years later we got married,” said David. “We lived on campus in Denman Hall.” The Brasfields finished their degrees and began building a life together in Birmingham. They raised four children—three of whom attended UAB—and David founded NXTsoft, which he still runs today. Although they graduated from UAB nearly 40 years ago, both Brasfields have stayed connected to the campus. Specifically, David has served on the Department of Computer Science Industrial Advisory Board, and, through that work, he has seen the department’s extraordinary growth in recent years. “Computer science, in general, is a great area to be in,” said David. “We have record enrollment.” Given their collective passion for both Birmingham and UAB, David and Phyllis were determined to find a way to support both faculty and students at the institution. In Spring 2022, they identified a clear area of need in the Department of Computer Science and, soon after, established the Phyllis and David Brasfield Endowed Faculty Scholar in Computer Science. “It was good to pour back into the school that’s been good to us and three of our kids,” said Phyllis. The generous gift will support the research efforts of a faculty member in the department. By doing so, the Brasfields hope to support recruitment and retainment efforts and, over time, attract innovative faculty members to UAB. “To help bring more kids to the university, we’ve got to have professors that want to teach here,” said David. “We want [the department] to have the ability to hire more professors, continue to grow, and handle the enrollment levels they’ve got. Also, the more students that come out of that program, the more opportunities there are for technology companies in Birmingham.” The College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Computer Science are grateful to the Brasfields for their gift and commitment to UAB. Mutually Beneficial: Mentorship in UAB’s award-winning PR program This spring, public relations students from UAB took home an astounding number of awards at the annual conference for the Public Relations Council of Alabama. Jacquelyn S. Shaia and Tehreem Khan. Photos by Studio Moderne.This spring, public relations students from UAB took home an astounding number of awards at the annual conference for the Public Relations Council of Alabama (PRCA)—the state’s largest organization for public relations practitioners. Students in the UAB Public Relations Council of Alabama/Public Relations Student Society of America (PRCA/PRSSA) won 46 individual awards and the UAB chapter was awarded the Bettie W. Hudgens Student Chapter of the Year Award. Senior Tehreem Khan was also named Student of the Year, an award that recognizes academic achievement in the field of public relations as well as leadership on campus and in the community. The UAB PRCA/PRSSA is a student-led organization open to students across campus who are interested in public relations. The organization conducts workshops, hosts networking events and guest speakers, and offers service-based learning in the community. The student group is a valuable extension of the public relations academic program in the Department of Communication Studies, where students take what they’re learning in the classroom and put it into practice. In 2016, Jacquelyn S. Shaia, J.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies and faculty advisor for the chapter, took a small but successful PRCA/PRSSA program and brought it to the national level. The student chapter received its first national recognition in 2020, earning the prestigious PRSSA Star Chapter of the Year award for the first time in the program’s history. Despite its small size—around 60 students and only one full-time faculty member—the UAB PR program has earned the reputation of being one of the finest in the country. Arts & Sciences magazine sat down with Shaia and Khan to learn more about the program and their collaborative mentoring relationship. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. A&S Magazine: Let's start with each of you telling me about yourself and how you ended up at UAB. Tehreem Khan: My name is Tehreem Khan. I am a communication studies major with a concentration in mass communications with a focus in public relations. I moved to Birmingham in 2016 [and attended] two years of high school here, and I knew that I was going to stay with my family. So, I was looking around at my local [higher education] options. My sister was already enrolled at UAB, and she said, “You need to go to UAB because that’s the best place Birmingham has.” So, she gave me a tour, and when I toured this campus, I fell in love with it. Jacquelyn Shaia: Mine’s a little longer... When I graduated from high school, I went to work the next day for a law firm in Montgomery. I always wanted to go to college, but I had no money to go to college. One of our clients was Dr. James Hicks, and he was the chair of the Division of Otolaryngology in the UAB School of Medicine’s Department of Surgery. I came to know Dr. Hicks when he was coming in and out of the office, and he said, “Well, if you want to go to college you should come to UAB.” So, I started working for Dr. Hicks at UAB while attending school. After I graduated from UAB, I got a scholarship to law school and went on to practice law for years in corporate at BellSouth where public relations was one of my clients. I later worked for the Business Council of Alabama as the head of strategic planning and fundraising. Then I was hired by Alabama Power [to serve as] the President and CEO of the Alabama Power Foundation as well as Senior Vice President of Public Relations, Economic Development, and Corporate Services. I also served as President and CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, recruiting industry to this state. It seemed like every job I had involved public relations in some capacity. Public relations is many things: it’s vitally strategic, it's relationship building, it's getting to know people, it's certainly getting to know your audience. It's tailoring your message to the audience so they can understand it. And, most importantly, it has to be ‘mutually beneficial’ for both parties—where both parties feel successful—in order to be effective. I had always wanted to get a Ph.D. I thought it would be fun—and it really was. [In 2002,] I started the Ph.D. program at the University of Alabama [in Tuscaloosa]. I started teaching media law and taught the entire time I worked on my Ph.D. After I received my doctorate, I really had no intention of working full-time teaching, but then I got a call from UAB. I taught media law and crisis management classes in UAB’s outstanding Honors College and now work with remarkable faculty in the Department of Communication Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. A&S: Tehreem, how did you become interested in PR? TK: As a child, I was involved in school debating competitions in both English and Urdu (Pakistan’s national language). Most of my family belongs to the education sector in Pakistan. My dad is a professor, and he always encouraged academic excellence, leadership, and public speaking. When I would go on the stage as a host or as a debater, his eyes would light up and that meant the world to me. [Also,] I would sit with him and watch news shows. It was very cool that when the [news] anchors were talking, [my family] would pause and listen; their opinion really mattered. And I thought that if they were changing the opinions of people who lived in my household, it meant they were changing the opinions of society at large. That was very inspiring to me, and I knew that I wanted a career in mass communication. The power of the pen and the power of voice really resonated with me ever since I was a child. When I got into UAB, I knew I wanted to do mass communication, [but] I didn't even know what PR was at that time. So, when I was taking an “Ethics and Leadership” [course] with Dr. Shaia, I gave a presentation, and then after the presentation, [Dr. Shaia] pulled me aside and said, “Tehreem, I want you in my program.” As a foreigner, especially, it meant a lot to me that someone in the U.S. is telling me, “Hey, I'll mentor you… I will lead you. I will support you. I will expose you to these opportunities.” So I consulted with my father, and he said, “You should definitely do this.” The next semester, I enrolled in all the PR classes. A&S: Dr. Shaia, what was your vision for the PRCA/PRSSA student chapter in relation to the public relations academic program? JS: The public relations student chapter was successful on its own when I took it on. It received Chapter of the Year from the Public Relations Council of Alabama (PRCA) for many years. But all the emphasis was on that Chapter of the Year [award], not on the individual development, and I wanted both. I also wanted to start extending nationally. We had absolutely no national involvement at all when I came in. So, the first year, off the bat, we had students who served on committees on the national Public Relations Student Society of America. Within a couple of years, we applied for Star Chapter (a national award), and we got it—and that had never been done before at UAB. We've been able to get that award every successive year since then. When I first came here, leadership and ethics was not a required part of the public relations [curriculum], and I truly believed it needed to be. So, we changed the catalog. We made “Ethics and Leadership” a required course in the public relations [academic program] because you cannot be a true professional without honesty and integrity and a firm understanding of how to apply those values in the workplace. Throughout the program, and particularly with the chapter work, I try to give [students] a heavy dose of what to expect in the professional world and a solid understanding of all the soft skills that they're going to need. I try to bring a perspective of experience on how it really works in the real world. The whole idea is to make our students as competitive as they can be when they graduate with all the skills they need to be successful. A&S: Tehreem, how has being in the student chapter set you up for success throughout your undergraduate career? TK: I think it has been critical… I think being part of the student chapter teaches skills that books cannot teach. Books can’t teach you [how to work with] people, and [being part of the chapter] helps you learn how to deal with different personalities. Some people want to be micromanaged, and some people want to work independently. Figuring out how everyone wants to work and [developing] your leadership strategy according to that [is important]. I also think becoming a part of the student organization is important because, as a student, you need reassurance that what you’re doing is worth it and to have [those] opportunities for recognition. [Also], I didn’t have the resources that [allowed me] to pay for my education in the United States on my own. But, as part of the student chapter, I was exposed to a lot of scholarship opportunities, which helped me pay for what I'm doing. "I literally walked into this program as a student, and I am proud to say that I'm leaving as a professional." — Tehreem Khan Simply put—[and] this might sound like a cliche statement—but I literally walked into this program as a student, and I am proud to say that I'm leaving as a professional. A&S: Tell me about the community engagement aspect of the program. JS: Oh, I love this. I love the community and our state and am extremely grateful to the strong practicing professionals we have in this field in the Southeast. I was adamant that [students] start working with practitioners and expand their networks. Professionals in the Southeast volunteer their time to critique our students’ work. More importantly, students get another set of eyes on their work. We also select small groups of students and then pair them with nonprofits based on each group's interest to create and deliver real public relations campaigns. There’s no shortage, as I tell the students, of noble causes in the state. There are opportunities everywhere, and we just have to look for them. These small nonprofits don't have any public relations support and are just so grateful for our help. The last class in the program is our capstone class, and we conclude with a competition. I bring in four PR practitioners from across the state who serve as judges and hear presentations on the campaigns from each of the student groups. After deliberation, they decide which campaign was the best and offer very valuable feedback on ways each of the campaigns can be improved. This is tremendously helpful to the students, and they graduate having strategically developed—and delivered—a very extensive campaign for a struggling nonprofit which badly needs help. TK: I think working with nonprofit organizations gives purpose. The other thing is the nonprofit organizations that we work with at UAB are pretty small. In a bigger organization, you [might] have a photographer, videographer, social media person, media relations person. But when working with a small nonprofit organization—and we are working for them pro bono—we are the photographer, we are the videographer, we are the social media person, and we are their media relations person. We are their PR person… so it not only helps them but builds our professional skills. It is an opportunity to do things out of our comfort zone. A&S: How does the mentor/mentee relationship between students and faculty lend itself to the program’s success? TK: [To some], it may be considered a weakness that it's a small program but, to me, it's a strength. We have a small group of [students] and one faculty member, which helps us build connections amongst ourselves and with Dr. Shaia. I’ve had a lot of people tell me, “You’re doing a great job!” You [also] need a person who is really honest with you, and with a mentor like [Dr. Shaia], you're going to know… So having those people who are not just appreciative of your good work, but also can tell you, “Here's what you're doing wrong,” so that you don't make those mistakes in a high-stakes situation… This is what mentorship is. JS: The thing I keep in mind on mentoring is students need to always trust you and know that when you give them positive [feedback], it's positive. And when you give them things that need to be improved upon, they can trust you. Suggestions for improvement must be delivered in a way in which the student understands it is for their own benefit. I'm a big believer in giving big jobs to people who maybe have never done them before. I expect them to succeed, and they do. They [succeed] because they realize that if they just pull from within, they can do this… And I'm going to be there to help them if they need help. They're able to build their confidence up. There's nothing more gratifying than to see a young person come in with talent, even though the talent is not fully developed. I have always believed you hire for attitude and train for skills, and I still believe that. Hire for attitude, train for skills every time. A mentor or leader cannot micromanage an individual and expect them to succeed and learn. People perform best when they have a strong understanding of the organizational framework—and can use their own talent and creativity to solve the problem. And so, I work with each student to be sure that we go where that student is—not where we think that student ought to be in relation to everybody else… And [I also ask myself] what do I need to do or change in order to develop that student to get them to where they need to be? TK: Dr. Shaia always says that everyone handles success well, but how you handle failure speaks to who you are as a person. And her statement helps me reflect and humbles me. She shares a lot of life advice in her classes, which I love about her—that’s part of her mentorship to every student. Learn more about the public relations program at UAB. Computer science achieves record enrollment growth The UAB Department of Computer Science has grown significantly in the past few years—both in the breadth of our academic program offerings and in our enrollment numbers. Currently, we offer four undergraduate programs, three master's programs, and a Ph.D. program. The combined number of majors at the undergraduate and graduate levels reached 920 in Spring 2022, representing a 318 percent increase from six years back. According to UAB’s most recent survey on first destinations of employment, 97 percent of our graduates found their first jobs within six months of graduating. Our graduates are highly sought-after by both industries and government agencies as cyber security specialists, software engineers, data scientists, IT system administrators, and application developers. Also, many of our students have turned into successful entrepreneurs, often starting their own companies in cutting-edge technology sectors. Our faculty are proud to be able to prepare the future workforce and support economic development priorities in Alabama and beyond. The success of the department can be attributed to multiple factors, the most important of which being the dedication of our faculty and staff to their jobs. The people within our department have exercised both bravery and adaptiveness in the rapidly evolving computing discipline and its associated industries, and I am proud of them for doing so. The second contributing factor is our ability to identify and establish degrees collaboratively in high-demand fields, including cyber security, bioinformatics, and data science. The third factor is our commitment to continuously improving curricula to respond to the fast-changing computing profession, often by taking advice from industry advisors of the department. Further, the department has invested heavily in keeping computing labs up to date with the latest hardware and software required by the curricula. The Department of Computer Science has also enjoyed fruitful collaborations with INTO UAB, an initiative that aims to increase the global diversity of the university’s student body. The department and INTO UAB have worked together to attract international students into our graduate programs. The collaboration has been a primary contributor to the phenomenal growth in enrollment numbers of the programs from 45 to 352 students in the past six years. To maintain our competitive edge, the department has focused our scholarly research in cyber security, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), biomedical applications, and high-performance computing. Our faculty conduct world class research in those areas, successively winning competitive research grants from federal, state, and industry funding programs. With the support and encouragement of stakeholders—including the newly established Phyllis and David Brasfield Endowed Faculty Scholar in Computer Science—the department plans to aggressively recruit multiple new faculty members of the highest caliber to support our growing academic programs and scholarly endeavors. Going forward, we are excited to work with the Department of Mathematics in proposing a new B.S. in Data Science degree with the goal of producing graduates with in-demand skills in AI and data analytics. We are also working on new courses to be included in the Blazer Core Curriculum to ensure future students from all disciplines develop critical data analytical skills and build the knowledge necessary to practice safe and effective digital lives. Read More: Computer science enrollment soars, powered by hot job market UAB’s TRIP Lab studies driver safety from a psychological point of view The UAB Department of Psychology is behind the wheel of an innovative research program designed to study driver behavior. Photos by Steve Wood.A driver fails to notice a stop sign and collides with another vehicle. While this type of scenario is all too common, it is possible that such a crash could be prevented in advance by consulting with a driving instructor or traffic engineer or…a psychologist? Yes, the UAB Department of Psychology is behind the wheel of an innovative research program designed to study driver behavior—especially among high school students—and use the gathered data to improve safety. The UAB Translational Research for Injury Prevention Laboratory, or TRIP Lab, was founded in 2009 by Despina Stavrinos, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Psychology. With the help of UAB student assistants, as well as an immersive SUV driving simulator acquired in 2016, the lab delves deep into the actions of distracted drivers. The goal is to find behavioral patterns that can be altered in order to make potential accidents less likely to occur. “I’ve always been interested in cognition and brain processees surrounding decision making and attention,” said Stavrinos. “When you think about those basic psychological processees, they develop over childhood into early adulthood. So, how do those things apply to a real-world context like driving? I’m a very applied researcher, and much of the work we do at UAB is addressing real-world problems.” “The UAB TRIP Lab aids in creating safer and more educated communities.” — Arlene Lester, State Farm At first glance, automotive safety might seem to be an area of research more suited to engineering than psychology. But as TRIP Lab assistant director Benjamin McManus, Ph.D., notes, “It’s still humans who are driving the car.” “Almost all crashes are due to some sort of human error that was preventable, and the number one contributor to that human error is some sort of inattention,” said McManus. “Psychologists are trained on cognition and attention development. So, this lab looks at motor vehicle collisions through the lens of psychology, focusing on attention development and human limitations as it relates to cognition.” The origin of TRIP Lab dates back to Stavrinos’ work in the mid-2000s with Department of Psychology University Professor David Schwebel, Ph.D., focusing on injury prevention among children as pedestrians crossing the street. Stavrinos also conducted postdoctoral work at UAB’s Injury Control Research Center (ICRC) with Russ Fine, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Medicine in the Heersink School of Medicine, where she founded the TRIP Lab. Professor Despina Stavrinos“My early work was looking at attention development—how we make decisions in real time—and applying it to things like how little kids cross the street,” said Stavrinos. “I translated that into driving. Because those same kids grow up, and now they’re behind the wheel…still with an immature brain that is continuing to develop. I was intrigued to learn how immature brain processes put these kids at risk, and what can we do to increase that learning to save lives.” Simulated Driving in a Real SUV The ability of TRIP Lab to gather such data has accelerated tremendously over the years. When the lab began, the driving simulator was a simpler desktop computer with integrated steering wheel, brake, and accelerator—cutting edge at the time. As a result, the lab was limited in the type and amount of data it could gather, and many of the research opportunities were small, single-year projects. That changed dramatically in 2016 when Honda Manufacturing of Alabama gave the lab a new Pilot SUV that had been built at its production facility in Lincoln, and the Alabama Department of Transportation provided funding for the creation of a fully immersive driving simulator with video screens on all sides of the vehicle. Future projects led to the addition of integrated eye tracking equipment. It is the only such simulator in the state of Alabama, and remains the only known SUV simulator in operation anywhere. Sitting in an actual vehicle with visuals all around provides an element of realism that substantially increases the lab’s data-gathering capabilities. This is especially important since the primary focus of the lab’s studies involves teenagers born in the 21st century who have grown up on technology that is both realistic and immersive. “With this simulator, when our participants get in it, they treat it seriously,” said Stavrinos. “So, we’re able to get a really good estimate of their real-world driving behavior.” This enhanced ability enabled TRIP Lab to quickly secure a multi-million dollar, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the changes that take place in teenage drivers in the months immediately after obtaining their license. “The most dangerous thing you’ll do in your lifetime is independent driving during those first months after getting your license,” said Stavrinos. “People teach teens how to drive in an empty parking lot, or have them drive a familiar route during the day in ideal conditions. Then they get their license and it’s like, ‘Here are the keys. Go.’” Benjamin McManus meets with the TRIP Lab team.“We want to know what teens learn during those first months of independent driving, and how they acquire improved skills. That way, we can find some training targets to accelerate that learning, so we can then reduce the amount of time when they’re at their highest risk.” Working with schools in the Greater Birmingham area, TRIP Lab brought in nearly 200 teenagers over the past five years to participate in the study. Once they become familiar with how to operate the simulator, the students take a few uneventful drives so researchers can establish a baseline of their ability. After that, things start to get a little chaotic. Cars may suddenly brake in front of them. A cell phone rings. A text comes in. Pedestrians nearly step into the roadway. “We can make the scenery look like a specific area, then program all these different customized scenarios for a variety of conditions,” said McManus. “We can get really detailed, including how many drops of rain per minute and how big are the droplets.” All along, data constantly are being gathered about how the driver reacts to these distractions, and where their eye focus is in the moments immediately before an incident occurs. “We record all their behaviors,” said Stavrinos. “When a hazard appears, how long does it take to respond? How do they maneuver around it? Do they brake? Do they swerve? What were their steering behaviors like? Their speed? Lane position? It’s a very powerful system where we get fine-grain information about their behavior.” “Then with the eye-tracking, we’re also able to see their visual reaction. Did they even see the hazard? Were they scanning for it? People sometimes have this tunneling effect during their first months of driving, so they just stare at the car in front of them. How many times did they glance around to notice what else is out there?” Stavrinos says the goal of the study is to shed some light on exactly how and when those improvements take place, providing specific suggestions on ways to better train students while they still have their learner's permit before becoming independent drivers. A Safe Place to Learn Braxton Wade, State Farm Sales Leader, and Arlene Lester, State Farm Corporate Responsibility Analyst, present a generous donation to the TRIP Lab.In addition to providing valuable research data, the simulator also enables teenagers to experience dangerous driving situations while operating in a secure environment, rather than out on the open road. In an attempt to reach as many high schoolers as possible, the TRIP Lab regularly takes a portable simulator to the Birmingham City Schools and works with students in driver’s ed classes. “It has helped the students feel more confident about driving,” said Sherri Huff, program specialist in physical education, health, and driver’s ed for Birmingham City Schools. “I hear comments all the time from students that they are apprehensive about getting their license. But if they can get some experience through the simulator, they feel less threatened about driving a motor vehicle.” “It’s fantastic that they have this opportunity to work with UAB to learn better driving skills and be more equipped with safety measures. I’m very grateful that we have this partnership. It’s made a world of difference for students who don’t feel as confident about driving. It’s helped them tremendously.” When the COVID-19 pandemic prevented in-person interaction with the schools, the TRIP Lab team created a virtual version of the program for young drivers available through Zoom sessions and YouTube videos. The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB) supported that program through a generous grant. Now, State Farm has joined RPCGB in helping to expand the distracted driving outreach program with a new grant that will enable the TRIP Lab to take the portable simulator to high schools throughout the state. “Helping people recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams is a part of our daily mission,” said Arlene Lester, corporate responsibility analyst at State Farm. “However, preventing the unexpected through education is also at the forefront of our mind. The UAB TRIP Lab aids in creating safer and more educated communities.” “I am impressed at the level of detail displayed in their research, and how they bring the research alive through their interaction with the students. The program emboldens students to listen, and then moves them to action as they learn about ways to engage on the road. They have made a remarkable difference in how teens accept their responsibility while driving, or even as a passenger. It is our honor to provide resources to promote their work across Alabama.” But it is not only high school students who are benefitting from the TRIP Lab. Stavrinos says more than 150 UAB students have worked in the lab as research assistants over the years. “From the beginning we’ve prioritized having students in the lab, and we allow them to really get involved,” said Stavrinos. “Students come in and engage in research depending upon where we are in our project. They develop protocols, work on data collection and data analysis. They can jump in at any stage of research. We want them to be integrated into the lab as fully as possible and have an opportunity to learn firsthand how research happens.” “I’m a very applied researcher, and much of the work we do at UAB is addressing real-world problems.” — Despina Stavrinos, Ph.D. “Oftentimes this is the first place they’ve ever participated in research. I had the opportunity to do that as an undergrad, and that’s what made me realize I wanted to do this as a career. So, I want to give undergrads that same opportunity to get into a lab and actually help design and run studies, analyze findings, and translate that to the community in terms of safety.” While the majority of the research assistants have come from the Department of Psychology, Stavrinos says the lab has welcomed students from a wide variety of disciplines, including engineering, nursing, medicine, public health, and education. “Transportation is a complex issue, so there are a lot of different perspectives on it,” said Stavrinos. Rachael George, a junior majoring in public health, began working in the TRIP Lab last year. She admits she was a bit hesitant at first since the lab operates under the umbrella of psychology. Ramsay High School students participating in TRIP Lab's distracted driving outreach program."When I first heard about the TRIP Lab, I thought it was kind of strange that they were studying cars in a psychology lab,” said George. “But I talked with some people who recommended it, and then heard a lecture from (Stavrinos) that made me interested in applying.” “It’s the right fit for me because it not only has the dedication to research, it also has the strong dedication to the translation aspect of going back into the community. I also really liked seeing some of the computer science stuff that happens. It’s just been a really great chance to get involved in research on campus, and to do more than just one thing at a research lab.” One way George has assisted with TRIP Lab’s outreach is by working to bulk up the lab’s various social media platforms. Over the past year, she says the lab’s follower count has doubled on both Instagram and Facebook—also, the lab recently established a new presence on TikTok. “I wanted to try to turn our social media into a way to reach students and other people who may be able to participate in the studies we’re running,” said George. “A lot of people are getting a chance to see the research process for the first time, and they didn’t realize how accessible it can be if they want to participate in a research lab or a study.” Moving forward, Stavrinos expects the TRIP Lab to do more research work in areas beyond teenage driving. She said that has already happened, as the lab has been approached by several other schools and departments throughout UAB. “Because we can customize our simulator scenarios, it has opened up so many research opportunities,” said Stavrinos. “The scientific community at UAB is asking about it. It’s branched into work involving medical patients. Clinicians want to know, ‘Can my patient drive safely with a certain condition, or after a certain medical procedure?’ So, we’ve branched out beyond just teen driver work, because we’re realizing that there are so many applications.” For example, the TRIP Lab has started a new project in collaboration with Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Ohio State University involving patients who are recovering from brain injuries, including concussions. “There are currently no guidelines on when somebody can return to driving after a concussion,” said Stavrinos. “Doctors base it on how you feel, but they’d rather have some objective data. Here, the simulator plays a really important role. The sim offers a very controlled, safe way to test what their capabilities look like.” Other research possibilities include changes in vision for night-time driving, the ability to drive following a hip procedure or leg/angle fracture, and returning to driving after a stroke. The SUV simulator even was utilized by a graduate student conducting a project involving parents properly using booster seats for infants. “The scenarios can be customized around the fundamental research question,” said Stavrinos. Those questions and scenarios likely will continue to change right along with technology. McManus points out that when the lab first started, the primary cause of driver distraction was texting on a cell phone. Now, new technologies have created new distractions—such as people using smart watches while driving. “The technology keeps changing, so the research has to keep moving with it,” said McManus. “That’s one of the things this lab has been able to do, is see the challenges in the future and move with them, both with our technology but also through research, education, and community engagement through outreach.” “That’s one of the strengths of the lab. We are able to adapt and keep moving.” As a result, drivers are able to keep moving as well. And to do so more safely. Creative people often seek out safe spaces where they can express themselves and connect with others. Alabama Poet Laureate Ashley M. Jones. Photos by Miyako StudiosCreative people often seek out safe spaces where they can express themselves and connect with others. These spaces can take many different forms: nature, studios, classrooms. For Ashley M. Jones—UAB alumna and Alabama’s 13th Poet Laureate—engaging with and advocating for access to such spaces is an essential part of her story and her vision for the state of Alabama. Creativity at Home Jones’ creative journey began at home, in Birmingham, when she was a toddler. Whether she was singing, painting, or watching public television (especially “Lambchop’s Play-Along” and “The Lawrence Welk Show”), she constantly found opportunities to exercise her creative voice. “I’ve been creative for as long as I’ve been alive,” said Jones. “A lot of that has to do with my family—my parents were very focused on making sure we were educated well and that we had time and space to be creative.” Throughout her childhood, she had access to hands-on learning experiences at home. She and her three siblings participated in daily lessons designed by their mother, which included unconventional toys ranging from a box with shoelaces to homemade Play-Doh. “There was an air of learning in our house,” said Jones. “From that early age, I was content to create things out of my own mind. I also loved reading books—I’d reread the same book over and over sometimes.” Her creativity and love for reading proved to be sources of strength as she later navigated two of Birmingham’s most dynamic schools: EPIC Elementary and the Alabama School of Fine Arts. While attending EPIC, Jones witnessed the power of creativity in a truly inclusive space. “It taught me that differences are useful and that they are to be celebrated,” said Jones. “It was a very inclusive and supportive environment, and it was very focused on creation.” That focus on creation prompted Jones and her classmates to collectively explore their interests and talents. Through that exploration, Jones found herself drawn to creative writing and making books. “I remember in first and second grade we were making books,” said Jones. “I really have been focused on creation from an early age. I learned that I wanted to write by making those books at school… I decided early on, ‘Okay, I’m going to be a writer. I’m going to write novels.’” EPIC was located next door to an institution that would later play a significant role in Jones’ life: the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As an elementary school student, Jones never explored UAB’s campus, though. That changed when she enrolled in the creative writing program at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA), a tuition-free arts and sciences school in downtown Birmingham that serves grades 7-12. At ASFA, she continued learning and writing in a supportive environment, and, in her junior year, one of her teachers took her on a tour of UAB. “We toured the University Honors Program (UHP). I remember that piquing my interest,” said Jones. “I wasn’t aware that there was this enclave where I could seamlessly transition from ASFA to another small, specialized program.” Finding Her Place at UAB Jones saw UAB as both a large, public institution and a place where students could feel at home. That combination was attractive to her. In addition, her older sister was already attending the university, and Jones knew she could look to her for support and guidance. So, after careful deliberation and consideration, Jones made the leap and enrolled at UAB. The minute she stepped foot on campus as a student, she knew she’d made the right decision. “I felt like I fit immediately,” said Jones. She was quick to seek out opportunities and spaces to exercise her creative talents, while developing new skills that she could leverage after graduation. She participated in the Multicultural Scholars Program—an academic program designed to support the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students—and served as an editor for Aura Literary Arts Review, a literary magazine published by UAB Student Media. Also, she was a member of the UHP. Through UHP, she found a close-knit community and a group of caring mentors—including Mike Sloane, Ph.D., the director of UHP and an associate professor in the Department of Psychology. “Ashley was a multi-talented undergraduate who excelled academically but was also immersed in extracurricular activities both within UHP and at UAB in general,” said Sloane. “She held some high-profile leadership roles in UHP and at UAB. Her maturity, dedication, and singularity of purpose were simply infectious. She was a true servant-leader.” “I’ve been creative for as long as I’ve been alive.” — Ashley M. Jones Along with her many affiliations and extracurricular activities, Jones was also a stellar English major. Through the Department of English, Jones participated in creative writing workshops where she continued to nurture her talent for crafting poems. Within no time, Jones was publishing her writing in Aura and Sanctuary—the honors program’s literary and arts journal—and receiving formal recognition for her work. In 2009, she earned First Place in Original Poetry at the Mersmann Awards, and, in 2011, she received the Gloria Goldstein Howton Creative Writing Scholarship. Along the way, she received significant support and mentorship from one faculty member in particular: James Braziel, associate professor in the Department of English. “When [James] came to UAB, I found somebody who I could depend on, who believed in my work,” said Jones. “He made room for me. He allowed me to explore creatively in whatever way I needed to. He’s still a very close friend of mine today.” James was not the only Braziel with whom Jones connected. She also worked alongside Tina Braziel, James’ spouse and director of UAB’s Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop. The Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop is sponsored by the Department of English and consists of a multi-week creative writing experience where high school students get to work closely with well-known authors. While working with Tina on the workshop, Jones learned how to manage and direct an arts-focused program, a skill that would prove to be valuable years later when Jones founded the Magic City Poetry Festival. According to Tina, throughout Jones’ experience with Ada Long, she embraced opportunities for young people to express themselves creatively. “As a volunteer and, later, as a coordinator for the Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop for high school students, Ashley took great care to help our students express what they intended clearly without imposing her ideas into their work,” said Tina. Connecting with Sonia Sanchez In addition to expressing herself creatively and empowering young people to do the same, Jones was discovering scholarly research for the first time through UAB’s Ronald McNair Scholars Program, a program that aims to increase the attainment of Ph.D. degrees by students from underrepresented communities. Specifically, Jones—who was one of the only English majors in the program—worked on a research project with Jacqueline Wood, Ph.D., former associate professor in the Department of English, that exposed her to a groundbreaking and world-renowned writer who served (and continues to serve) as a major source of inspiration: Sonia Sanchez. Sanchez was born in Birmingham and has published numerous books, plays, and volumes of poetry, including Homegirls and Handgrenades, which won an American Book Award. Through her research, Jones dove deep into Sanchez’s life and work, collecting over 1,000 articles about her. The project would come full circle several years later with Jones meeting and befriending Sanchez. The two met because Sanchez selected Jones for the 2019 Lucille Clifton Legacy Award from St. Mary's College of Maryland—it was an experience and honor that Jones could barely fathom during her undergraduate years. “I never imagined sitting in the library at UAB, collecting all of these articles…that I would get to meet her,” said Jones. “To know that I’m in community with her, I never would've imagined that could happen. In my mind, that first [research] experience at UAB kind of opened me up and set me up for a future I didn’t know existed.” While learning about Sanchez and looking to the future, Jones’ love for poetry continued to flourish. And, in turn, poetry began to reveal things to Jones. As she puts it, “Poetry has a unique ability to force us to see ourselves.” The Power of Poetry Jones describes her poetry in terms that are both powerful and personal. When she writes a poem, she “sees a part of my own humanity that maybe I haven’t seen before,” said Jones. “I think there’s a lot of empathy that can be created through reading and writing poetry and even self-love can be created.” Poetry gives us space to reflect and play, says Jones. “It gives you a chance to process something you haven’t been able to process before.” Given her deep connection to and love for poetry, it’s no surprise that Jones pivoted her long-term goal from writing novels to writing collections of poetry. With that in mind, after graduating from UAB in 2012, she enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program at Florida International University (FIU). Jones thrived at FIU. She received recognition for her work from groups like the Academy of American Poets and served as a John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Fellow. Although she appreciated her time at FIU, she often thought about Birmingham. She wanted to use her talents to make a positive impact back home in her community. After graduating in 2015, she found an opportunity to return to her hometown. The opportunity? Teaching creative writing at ASFA. When she returned to Birmingham to teach, she was determined to continue writing and sharing her poetry while also advocating for access to art in both the classroom and the community. “I really, really believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to create art or to have access to art and to not be judged for their art,” said Jones. Now, she is prepared to take that vision a step further in her role as Alabama’s newest Poet Laureate (2022-2026). According to the online Encyclopedia of Alabama, Alabama’s Poet Laureate “serves as the public face of poetry for the state,” often sharing poems in public spaces ranging from classrooms to libraries. The position was created in 1930 and, for the past 90 years, the governor has commissioned each Poet Laureate. Jones is the first Black person to serve in the role and the youngest Poet Laureate in the state’s history. Given her impressive creative output and accolades in recent years, the prestigious designation come as no surprise. Over the past decade, she published three poetry collections—Magic City Gospel, dark//thing, and REPARATIONS NOW!—and received numerous awards, including the 2015 Rona Jaffe Foundation Writer’s Award and the 2018 Lena-Miles Wever Todd Prize for Poetry from Pleiades Press. Her work has been featured on CNN, in the Academy of American Poets, and in POETRY. According to Jones, being Poet Laureate is about more than publishing and sharing her work, though. She wants to turn attention to other artists across the state, while advocating for more access to creative spaces and opportunities in every corner of Alabama. “I want to create space for those who maybe haven’t stepped out yet who are working in secret… to come out into the light and see that there's a supportive community around them,” said Jones. “I am really committed to bringing resources to all communities in our state. Organizing a community around poetry can be hard.” She plans to accomplish her goal by distributing arts funding to five regions evenly divided across Alabama. That said, she does not plan to stipulate how the grants will be spent—instead, she wants local communities to make decisions about how to invest the money. “I want the funds to be there for their use and not dictated by me,” said Jones. “I think this is a service position. It’s my job to promote poetry, yes, but also to serve the community. They already have agency and power and knowledge of themselves.” Jones has found several additional ways to promote poetry and creativity alongside her role as Poet Laureate. She co-directs the Birmingham Chapter of PEN America, a nonprofit organization that “works to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others.” Also, she regularly tours the state (and country) sharing her poems, and she is the founder and executive director of the Magic City Poetry Festival—a Birmingham-based celebration that highlights poetry, history, nonprofits, and culture workers. And she still teaches at her alma mater, ASFA—the position that brought her back to Birmingham. In the Classroom Through her role as a teacher, Jones believes she is in a position to offer the same life-changing educational and creative experiences that were so valuable to her as a young person. Given that significant responsibility, she is committed to using inclusive curriculum while creating space for students to express themselves creatively. “It's important for me that my students see themselves reflected in the curriculum,” said Jones. Specifically, she wants her students to see examples of writers that look like them, so they can open up and be more vulnerable. And, of course, Jones herself serves as a profound example for her students. She notes that, early on, she avoided disclosing much about her work outside of the classroom. Then, she quickly realized that young people are very adept at conducting research online. “They find out everything,” said Jones. Now, she embraces their collective awareness of her role as Poet Laureate. “You cannot get anything past them,” said Jones with a smile. “They said, ‘We want to celebrate! We want to be proud [of you].’ I've learned from them that it is important for me to be myself—the author, the Poet Laureate, the human—alongside my students so they can see that it’s possible.” And that’s exactly what she’s doing—showing her students and the people of Alabama what is possible when you share your creative voice openly with others. and the way it moves, and the way it shakes and jiggles and plops, and God made my smile and the thousand tears that fall from my eyes, God made the sun and the moon and the leaf held loosely in my godson’s perfect little hand, and God made the summer breeze and the guitar Ron Isley crooned over, and God made the grass and the bugs and the dogs and the trees, and God made all of our bodies to make waste, and God made even the waste that lives in us, and God made the way the and God made the rivers which make it possible for us to drink, and God made the clouds which hold the rain, and God made the birds which fly and the wolves that howl. God made the folds of my brain and the thoughts that burrow there. God made my belly, my uterus and all the little eggs which might become children—God made the doubt that rests there, like bubbling gas. God made the silence I wrap around myself some nights, alone. God made the music we sing and the music we hate. God made the ears which help us stay balanced, help us to hear what people say behind our backs and in front of them. God made sweet potato pie and aunties and mamas who know how to add just enough nutmeg. God made my whole body. And God made my grandma and her gold tooth, and God made my grandma and her curly wig, and God made my grandma I didn’t know, and God made my grandpa who was a ghost, and my grandpa who was a terror. God made fear and the way it slices us up thin and flimsy, God made the way a hand quivers before it strikes. God made pain. God made the blood which runs and keeps us running. God made an everlasting red. Liber offers expertise on the crisis in Ukraine Throughout the spring, George Liber served as UAB's expert on the war in Ukraine. Professor Emeritus George Liber. Photo by Steve Wood.On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched an unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine, igniting the largest conflict in Europe since the Second World War. As the United States, the European Union, and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) impose paralyzing sanctions on Russia and seek to supply Ukraine with the necessary weapons to stop Russia—without provoking a Russian response against Ukraine’s NATO neighbors—this war is generating a series of crises in the international energy and food supply chains. These crises are sparking sharp increases in worldwide inflation and generating food insecurity for tens of millions across the world. Given the global impact of the war in Ukraine, UAB immediately sought out an expert who could offer insights about the crisis to the general public. Thankfully, George Liber, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus from the Department of History, offered to share his knowledge, so people across Alabama (and the country) could better understand the invasion. “Almost everyone outside of Ukraine expected the government under President Volodymyr Zelensky to collapse within days of the invasion, but the citizens of Ukraine rallied behind their charismatic leader and slowed the Russian advance,” said Liber. “Unarmed civilians are the primary victims of this war.” Liber’s connection to Ukraine is deep and personal. He grew up in Gary, Indiana, in the 1960s, and his parents were Ukrainian refugees. He visited Ukraine for the first time in 1970 when he was a senior in high school, providing him an opportunity to explore the country his parents once called home. He, along with a group of fellow students, traveled Europe and the U.S.S.R., visiting numerous cities along the way including Kyiv, Lviv, Moscow, and Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). The experience had a profound impact on him. “As my first overseas trip, this exploration showed me the differences between my life in the United States and of those who lived in other countries, especially communist countries,” said Liber. Soon after returning from the trip, Liber graduated from high school and enrolled at Indiana University. While at IU, he majored in history and refined his scholarly interests within the discipline. “At first, I imagined that I would become a historian of the United States. Later, I chose to study the history of Eastern Europe, concentrating on Poland,” said Liber. He earned his bachelor’s degree, then went on to pursue an M.A. in History from Harvard University, hoping to study with Orest Subtelny, the first faculty member with a Ph.D. in Ukrainian Studies. According to Liber, Subtelny taught the history of Ukraine from a transnational and inter-imperial perspective, especially when he centered Ukraine within the Austro-Hungarian and Russian Empires. Subtelny made his specialty a part of global history and ensured his teaching was both accessible and interesting to a broader audience. This approach influenced Liber’s own teaching throughout his academic career. After completing his M.A. at Harvard, Liber continued his academic journey and earned a Ph.D. in History from Columbia University. And, beginning in the early 1980s, he found numerous opportunities to revisit (and briefly live in) both the U.S.S.R. and independent Ukraine—continuing the journey he began as a high school senior. Along with visiting, exploring, and studying the country, Liber also served in valuable roles for several of Ukraine’s elections. “I became a Short-Term Election Observer for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for the presidential elections in Ukraine in 2010 and 2019, and for the parliamentary elections there in October 2012,” said Liber. While Liber was deepening his connection to Ukraine, he was also building a career at UAB. He arrived on campus in 1987 and, throughout his tenure, published three monographs on the history of Ukraine in the 20th century. He often taught “Western Civilization (1500-present),” as well as, “The World Since 1945.” According to Liber, these courses provided him with opportunities to engage new students in lectures and coursework that would help them expand their perspectives of the world. It also challenged him to think about his research. “Teaching introductory courses helps those engaged in complex research projects to prepare to answer the fundamental questions all audiences want to know: ‘Why is this important? How does it affect me? My family?’” Liber explained. When teaching his intro courses, Liber often presented a nuanced view of history. Specifically, Liber wanted his students to understand the fragility of our modern world and the stakes the global community faces. “My mission—as I understood it—was to explain why the modern world works the way it works and how, over the course of centuries, our current rules-based world order and economic prosperity developed,” said Liber. “We think that this rules-based order is a permanent feature of our lives, but as Russia’s war against Ukraine has clearly demonstrated, this order is fracturable and in danger of collapsing.” In February 2022, Russia, the largest country in the world, attacked Ukraine, the largest country wholly within Europe. Given his expertise on Russia and Ukraine—as well as his ability to share complex historical information with non-historians—Liber was recruited by UAB’s University Relations team to serve as an expert media source on the crisis in Ukraine in February 2022. The media team soon discovered an interesting fact when they reached out to Liber: he’d just retired from UAB. His retirement did not stop him from sharing his insights, though. Quite the opposite. Soon after agreeing to serve as an expert source, Liber participated in numerous interviews with broadcast stations, including CBS 42 and WBRC FOX6 in Birmingham, and joined a series of virtual and in-person panels. “Although I had previously appeared in the local media during various crises in my 34 years at UAB, I had never received as many requests in so short a time,” said Liber. “I accepted every one. As I spoke to the media, I felt very self-conscious, as if I were participating in a reality TV show.” It was a valuable experience, but it was also difficult and painful for Liber to talk about the war. As he shared his knowledge with Alabamians, he often saw footage and photos of the destruction of cities, streets, and monuments he’d come to know over the past 40 years. What his parents and their generation experienced eight decades ago exploded in full force across television screens on a daily basis in the spring of 2022. Their past became a visual reality in the present. “History is a rational study of a very confusing and very emotional past, but when we live in the present—even if we are committed to a rational assessment of the world—events produce emotional impacts,” said Liber. “Historical tsunamis generate emotional consequences not only among the millions in their path, but also among those who report and analyze these current political and historical events from afar.” Liber sees this work as important—even if he was asked to do it during the first couple months of his retirement. Specifically, he thinks there is great value in scholars sharing their research with the public so people can better understand events that might impact their lives. He believes UAB faculty set a strong example of bringing scholarly research to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Just as UAB’s medical spokesmen and spokeswomen provided excellent television presentations (even if in 30-second sound bites!) about the spread of COVID-19 and the measures necessary to prevent vulnerable populations from infection, all scholars—especially historians and social scientists—need to learn to communicate to broader audiences the significance of what they do,” said Liber. It is a goal that ensures the public is well-informed and, in some cases, better prepared for world-changing moments and crises. After an unprecedented academic year, the College of Arts and Sciences community takes a moment to highlight the profound achievements of our faculty, students, alumni, and staff. After an unprecedented academic year, the UAB College of Arts and Sciences community takes a moment to highlight the profound achievements of our faculty, students, alumni, and staff. Although the pandemic prompted pivots and presented challenges, the people of the College exercised a determined and resilient spirit, and, now, we look to the future with optimism and hope. A New Day: Navigating a pandemic and looking to the future Arts and Sciences faculty gather to discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic. From left to right, Shahid Mukhtar, Kecia M. Thomas, Verna Keith, Rich Gere, Lauren Rast, and David Chan. Photo by Nik Layman.There is an ebb and flow to the world that stretches across the centuries. Breakdowns are followed by breakthroughs. Desolation sparks inspiration. Harsh reality is softened by imaginative artistry. And so, the plague of the 14th century led to the revival of the Renaissance. The flu pandemic of 1918-19 was followed by the Jazz Age of the Roaring Twenties. And the horrors of World War II were replaced by an outpouring of aesthetic creativity and scientific advancement. The world stands at the edge of another historic transition, as we emerge slowly from the COVID-19 pandemic. As difficult as the past 18 months have been (and the immediate future still appears to be), this is not unprecedented territory. There have always been challenging events to endure. And yet, the world somehow has always recovered, usually with a big assist from the arts and sciences. “The humanities are going to be needed when the pandemic is over,” said David Chan, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy. “One of the things you’re finding nowadays is that people need to find meaning… because it all seems so random. That’s where literature, art, philosophy all come in. They help people cope with change and disasters.” “How do you tell a story about all this so it helps [people] find meaning? These are questions that are being addressed in every branch of the humanities, and that’s where [the College of Arts and Sciences] brings something,” said Chan. Or as Rich Gere, MFA, professor and chair of the Department of Art and Art History, says, “Historically, if you look at resilience within community, after every major disaster, [society] looks to the arts to bring it back. Right after the first responders, the second responders are artists.” It is a daunting task, but one that the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is ready to handle. In August 2021, Dean Kecia M. Thomas, brought together five members of the College to discuss the challenges of the previous year, and the opportunities that are on the horizon. Even this roundtable was affected by the ongoing pandemic, as the late-summer surge in COVID-19 cases led to the scheduled in-person gathering being changed to a Zoom meeting. Still, the participants expressed optimism about the future and acknowledged the way CAS has handled things so far. Thomas took over as dean on Aug. 1, 2020. Not only did it mark a dramatic change in her life after spending the previous 27 years at the University of Georgia, but the move occurred in the midst of the pandemic. “This has been a really eventful year, and it’s not over,” Thomas said. “I’ve had to learn to give myself a little patience and grace as I’ve learned this new role in this new place in this new city.” Of course, life changed for everybody last year in some way, and the key was to adapt to the situation. For CAS faculty, that included suddenly being required to teach students through remote learning. “We had to learn the technology very quickly,” said Shahid Mukhtar, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biology. “CAS Information Technology helped us tremendously.” “It actually made us better teachers in the classroom, because now we know how we can effectively communicate with our students even when we’re not present in the same place. And when we come back to campus, we can utilize some of those newly acquired skills.” Indeed, the entire interaction between faculty and students has changed since the start of the pandemic. And, in an odd way, being apart actually helped bring both parties closer together. “One of the things that I learned was how to talk to students on a different kind of level,” said Verna Keith, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Sociology. “Since I’m the chair, they’re expecting a certain kind of interaction. But when I had to call them at home and check on them during this pandemic because we hadn’t heard from them, it generated a totally different kind of conversation.” “I realized that the position of chair when you’re in an office creates one kind of dynamic, but when you’re talking with somebody on the phone it created a different dynamic. They saw me in a different light, so we had a different kind of conversation.” This, in turn, created a different kind of relationship. One in which the teachers also depended upon the students for their own grounding. “I realized I get a sense of purpose from helping my students,” said Lauren Rast, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Physics. “Teaching them in ways that help their future and their careers. … It’s vital, not just for them but also for my own ability to maintain resilience.” Lessons learned One aspect of the Zoom experience that Dean Thomas enjoyed was the opportunity to see students and professional colleagues in a more relaxed atmosphere. “So many people have apologized during Zoom meetings when a toddler or a cat walked through the background,” Thomas said. “But I love it, because we don’t often get the opportunity to remind each other of our humanity. That we are full, whole people beyond these very limited roles that we occupy. … That we have rich lives outside of work. That’s what I’m going to hold onto coming out of this pandemic.” There also were professional positives to emerge from the remote approach. And in time, Gere said many of the early skeptics came to understand and appreciate those benefits. “I had people who self-proclaimed that they are not technology people and can’t teach online,” Gere said. “About halfway through the semester last fall they said, ‘Thank you for forcing me to do this.’ … Some faculty thought it was going to be a train wreck of a semester, but they did really well.” “One of the things I’ve also noticed is that everybody is always on time to a Zoom meeting. Thirty years in academia, I’ve never seen anything like it.” In addition, the acceptance of remote learning has opened up a wider array of guest lecturers. Keith pointed out that it is much easier for somebody to devote 90 minutes of time to talking with a class through a Zoom meeting, as opposed to traveling to Birmingham and speaking in person. “Zoom opened up a lot of avenues, because now we can expose our students to people all over the United States and internationally,” Keith said. “People have been generous about accepting engagements on Zoom. We’ve been able to bring some fairly prominent folks to talk to our students, and that’s probably going to continue.” Despite the heavier reliance on technology, there remained opportunities to inject a human element into the teaching. Rast said she began opening every remote class by simply asking the students if they were doing OK. Students in facemasks paint an outdoor mural at the UAB Solar House. “If you can humanize yourself, that helps you to connect,” said Rast. “It helps them to learn, but also to feel supported in the learning environment. I definitely plan to continue that.” While the response to COVID-19 dominated 2020, there were other important topics, including issues involving social justice and voting rights. “Certainly, health and the pandemic are the biggest things on everyone’s mind,” Thomas said. “But there are also the issues of race and social justice, and what people are calling ‘the national reckoning.’” “As we think about health, emerging technologies, and how we engage society—this issue of trying to establish an inclusive community and eradicate the injustices and inequities and disparities—how do the arts and sciences fit in with those [topics]? I think there is space for our disciplines to connect to all those areas.” Keith said one element of community engagement already underway in Birmingham is the Live HealthSmart Alabama project, which was the winner of the inaugural UAB Grand Challenge. The goal of the project is to dramatically improve the state of Alabama’s health rankings by the year 2030. Initially, the project consists of four demonstration communities, including one on the UAB campus. The UAB Minority Health & Health Disparities Research Center will work with the communities to promote nutrition, physical activity, and preventive wellness. “This offers a lot of opportunities for different aspects of CAS to be involved,” Keith said. “Some of us are involved in the research side, but you can also be involved as a faculty member or a student. This is one of those things where we can build community engagement into our classes and also involve students in this worthwhile project.” As for the overall social issues, Chan said the pandemic put a spotlight on the ways injustices and inequalities affect communities, providing relevant cases that can be used in coursework. “One of my colleagues teaches a class in Family and Philosophy. She deals with issues about families and raising children,” Chan said. “We have students who are working mothers, and they can have problems taking classes. She found that the pandemic gave her examples she could use in class that students could relate to, because they were actually experiencing that in their lives.” Career development and more While one of the primary purposes of higher education is to prepare students for a career, it also is a place where students learn about life itself. “I do believe, of course, that our students should be prepared to pursue a career when they graduate. But I also think that our mission is a little bit broader, and we need to serve the whole person,” Thomas said. The answer, once again, could involve community engagement. Mukhtar said he would like to see even more programs and workshops that showcase the engagement opportunities CAS has to offer, in order to help students determine the career path that might be best for them. “Some kids are first-generation college students. Who can guide them? Where is the information? What are their (career) paths?” Mukhtar said. “We need ... to educate students from the ground up.” One area of opportunity is in the field of data management. According to analysis by the Birmingham Business Alliance, data scientist jobs in the Birmingham region have increased by more than 45 percent over the past five years, and these positions on average pay 65 percent more (approximately $26,000 more annually) than jobs not requiring analysis skills. UAB is engaging in this growing field through the Magic City Data Collective, a partnership with the Birmingham Business Alliance and the Birmingham Education Foundation, with funding help through a grant from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The goal is to bring local students, researchers, and data experts together to work on projects, enabling students to improve their analytics and computational skills. “We recruited a really diverse student population, and in an interdisciplinary hands-on way these students were empowered to come up with results that were relevant to the city of Birmingham and will help make data-driven decisions for our community,” said Rast, who serves as the learning manager for the project. “When we have this information and locals are able to use data to make decisions and impact their community, that’s a positive thing we can do at the College of Arts and Sciences. It was my favorite thing that I’ve done all year.” Dean Thomas wrapped up the hour-long discussion by asking each participant for a parting thought. Their messages indicated that despite all the difficulties of the past 18 months (and counting), their outlook remains optimistic, propelled in part by the determination of CAS and UAB as a whole to work together for a better future. CHAN: “My message would be to build connections while you’re here, and stay connected after you leave. See what you can build here and then continue the relationships. This isn’t just some phase in a life—it is something that will be with you all your life.” RAST: “I’d love to engage with my fellow UAB faculty and staff and students across disciplines in ways that break silos. Because of the diversity of our UAB community and our background interests, there is a lot of opportunity for creativity and ideas that benefit our community.” MUKHTAR: “We are a UAB family. And one of the things we learned during this pandemic is that life is so fragile. Today we are together and the next day we are not. We’ve known this, but when you see it firsthand, then you really feel it and it touches you deeply inside. Today at the College of Arts and Sciences, we are closer to each other than we were two years ago. That affects all of us… So my message would be just to be together as a UAB family and be more productive as a member of the family.” KEITH: “I’d like to give a shout-out to the entire faculty in CAS… Our faculty are the people who are creative, who make discoveries, who produce knowledge. Rather than just being people who pass knowledge on, they are doing that work themselves. So students who come to UAB are lucky that they’re exposed to that. It’s something that will last them for a lifetime.” GERE: “I’d like to speak on behalf of my colleagues in theatre and dance and music. Because the last 18 months have been a reminder that the arts help pull everybody together… These are great and strong programs, and they attract top-notch students from Alabama and beyond.” Keeping human rights relevant during the pandemic Nothing brings human rights into focus quite like a global pandemic. Nothing brings human rights into focus quite like a global pandemic. At the UAB Institute for Human Rights (IHR), we knew from the beginning that no matter what adjustments we needed to make in our programming or day-to-day operations, we had important work to do bringing attention to the disparities and devastations that COVID-19 would invariably wreak on the world. While we were grappling with how the pandemic would impact our own lives, it became the focus and mission of the IHR to provide information and insight into the perspectives and experiences of people whose lives were impacted in vastly different (and often more devastating) ways. Our interns got to work researching and posting about the horrors of COVID-19 for the most vulnerable among us, focusing on how the pandemic was exposing and exacerbating human rights violations for People of Color in the United States, refugees and displaced persons in the Middle East, women, persons with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S. and around the world. In March 2020, we had to cancel the remainder of our guest lecture series, but by fall, we had pivoted to hosting our events in the virtual space. In some ways, it opened up opportunities for us to invite international speakers we would have otherwise had a hard time hosting. With the murder of George Floyd and the insurgence of protests in support of Black Lives Matter over the summer, we decided to focus our fall programming around the duel pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice, considering how they were interconnected and how dealing with one required dealing with the other as well. Of course, all of this was happening during one of the most contentious election seasons in recent history. Here are some highlights from the past year. In March 2020, as the United States was just beginning to grapple with the virus, I wrote about how public health policy and legislation in response to COVID-19 would have significant consequences on human rights, and how states and public health agencies should be intentional about protecting human rights as they develop and implement policies aimed at abating the spread of the virus. IHR Blog intern Carmen Ross wrote about the intersections of the coronavirus and racism, discussing how the rise in hate speech, violence, and discrimination against people of Asian descent fit into the historical pattern of unfairly blaming a particular group of people for the outbreak of a disease. Our guest blogger, Grace Ndanu, who lives in Kenya, enlightened our readership on how the pandemic was playing out in her country and the disparities she was noticing along the fissures of the rural/urban divide. We also invited middle school students from Birmingham City Schools to write about their perspectives and experiences. They wrote about the difficulties transitioning to an online learning environment and how they hoped the Black Lives Matter protests would inspire real and lasting change in the way our institutions regard the value of Black people. In the Spring of 2020, we started a series of virtual events called Human Rights in Times of COVID-19. For each event, we invited a panel of experts to discuss different issues related to a human rights approach to managing a global pandemic. We began with a discussion of public safety versus individual liberty, talking about how to navigate the tension created by the authority of governments to impede on individual rights in times of public emergencies such as pandemics and the implications for human rights and people’s lives in the U.S. and elsewhere. Leading up to the fall semester, we invited education experts to discuss how the response to COVID-19 affected the right to education for students in situations of more or less privilege and access. We also hosted an event with the Offender Alumni Association, which works to assist formerly incarcerated people to re-enter the job market, find affordable housing, and achieve success and well-being in their lives after prison. In addition, we hosted a panel discussion on voting as a human right that featured local activists, civil rights foot soldiers, and political scientists. One of the opportunities that came with the virtual format was the ability to invite international scholars and human rights advocates from all around the world to give us perspectives on human rights and human rights violations in places such as Turkey, Greece, the Palestinian territories, the U.K., and Cuba, among others. With quarantine and working from home, along with heightened political tensions pervading the national discourse, we recognized the need for people to engage with one another and discuss everything going on. This prompted us to start the Social Justice Café, a virtual space to come together and have these discussions. This space is welcoming and inclusive; it is built around civil discourse and meaningful connection. Over the course of the spring semester, we met to discuss the Biden administration’s approach to human rights, Dr. King’s notion of equity and how to carry that forward in the 21st century, the rise in anti-Asian violence and discrimination, the insurrection, extremism and transitional justice, and the crisis at the U.S./Mexico border. We plan to continue our virtual programming, and we encourage you to join us! Find upcoming events for the Institute for Human Rights and subscribe to their newsletter. We are proud to mark the College’s 10th anniversary with this special issue. We are proud to mark the College’s 10th anniversary with this special issue. Our campus operations are currently suspended for public health reasons, but we’re happy to share our Spring 2020 issue with you digitally. Print copies will be distributed as soon as UAB Print/Mail returns to their normal business functions. Read the 2019 issue of Arts & Sciences magazine: 50th Anniversary Commemoration The UAB College of Arts and Sciences commemorates UAB's 50th Anniversary with a special issue of Arts & Sciences magazine. The UAB College of Arts and Sciences commemorates UAB's 50th Anniversary with a special issue of Arts & Sciences magazine. Fall 2018: Letter from Robert E. Palazzo, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences If you haven't been to campus lately, I can't stress enough how different the environment is from what you may remember from your student days. As always, fall is a busy time here in the College of Arts and Sciences. With enrollments continuing to grow, it seems that students are everywhere—in the hallways, on the sidewalks, and crossing the Green and Mini Park. Across University Boulevard from our offices here in Heritage Hall, I've enjoyed seeing students taking advantage of the wonderful indoor and outdoor facilities at the Hill Student Center: enjoying concerts, working with clubs and organizations, and socializing at festivals and food events. If you haven't been to campus lately, I can't stress enough how different the environment is from what you may remember from your student days. Our new Arts & Sciences academic building is an important addition to the increasingly sophisticated and attractive campus that UAB is creating. When our building opens next fall, it will be home to seven of our 19 academic departments, complete with offices, conference and meeting rooms, classrooms, and a 300-seat auditorium, all equipped with the latest technology and equipment to ensure the best possible research and instruction for our faculty and students. But we know the building will also be another one of the popular gathering spaces for our growing student body. There will be bright, well-furnished indoor spaces where they can relax, study, or spend time with friends. The outside terrace, with its view of the Green, Dining Commons, residence halls, and Recreation Center, will become one of the best spots on campus to see and be seen. And with its location on the corner of 10th Avenue South and 14th Street South, it will provide an important anchor to this side of campus, and a gateway to the buildings nearby. Help us build a legacy by supporting our new building project. Learn more about naming opportunities. We look forward to seeing you on campus this fall. Spring 2018 events in the College of Arts & Sciences Catch up with some of the big events sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, from Spring Flings to an exhibit at AEIVA. Perhaps there's no better way to end a semester than by honoring both our students who receive valuable scholarships and the donors who so generously support them. Our Scholarship and Awards Luncheon is always a special event and is a chance for students and their donors to meet and learn more about each other. This year, in addition to three student speakers, we were also inspired by a performance by the Carlos Pino UAB Jazz Combo. We also enjoyed several fun alumni gatherings, including a party at Regions Field when the UAB Baseball team played the Birmingham Barons. And alumnus Alexander Shunnarah graciously hosted us at his office overlooking Sloss Furnaces, where faculty and alumni enjoyed an evening together. We were honored to present the Ireland Distinguished Visiting Scholar Award to Andrew Solomon, a prolific and award-winning writer and activist. Solomon's work touches on a wide range of interests, from psychology and mental health to politics and the arts, and his lecture focused on parent-child relationships and LGBTQ-related health and family issues, which were the subjects of his 2012 book, ”Far from the Tree.” AEIVA also hosted a number of successful exhibitions, including Carlos Rolon's ”Boxed,” and ”Focus III: I'll See it When I Believe It,” from the collection of Jack and Rebecca Drake. Alumni honored at the 2018 UAB Excellence in Business Top 25 event We are proud to announce that eight College of Arts and Sciences alumni were honored as members of the 2018 class of the UAB Excellence in Business Top 25. We are proud to announce that eight College of Arts and Sciences alumni were honored as members of the 2018 class of the UAB Excellence in Business Top 25 on Friday, June 21, at the UAB National Alumni Society House. These deserving graduates were among 25 UAB alumni recognized for their success at a company they founded, owned, or managed. The UAB National Alumni Society, with the help of Birmingham-based accounting firm Warren Averett, has ranked and verified the nominated companies based on the annual growth rate for the three most recent reporting periods. Companies being considered for an Excellence in Business Award must meet the following criteria: The company must be owned, managed or founded by a UAB graduate (or group of graduates) who meets one of the following: Owned 50 percent or more of the company during the most recent eligible period. Served on the most senior/division leadership team (chairman, CEO, president, partner, vice president, broker, etc.) during the eligible period. The company has been in operation for a minimum of three years prior to December 31, 2017. The company has verifiable revenues of at least $150,000 for its most recent 12-month reporting period. Congratulations to our deserving graduates! Aldrich is the President and Co-Founder of Airship, a software development firm in Birmingham. Airship deploys a wide array of technologies to service clients in 11 states and across a range of industries, including healthcare, construction, retail, insurance, real estate, non-profit, and fitness. Aldrich graduated with a bachelor's in computer and information sciences in 2008. Dr. Bishop is the owner of Metroplex Endodontics & Microsurgery in Dallas, Texas, where he is in practice with his wife. He graduated in 1991 with an M.S. in biology and in 1998 with a Ph.D. in biology, before receiving his D.M.D. from the Baylor College of Dentistry. Burdett is the CEO of Fast Slow Motion, a Birmingham-based firm that provides support for companies and organizations using Salesforce, a cloud computing firm specializing in customer relationship management. Burdett graduated with a bachelor's in computer and information sciences in 2000. Irwin is the Human Resources Director for Kelley & Mullis Wealth Management, based in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. The independent investment firm was founded more than 25 years ago; as HR director, Irwin directs human resources as well as support services and public relations/marketing. She graduated in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Franklin Primary Health Center, Inc. is a Mobile-based community health clinic founded in 1975 with a goal to provide quality healthcare to underserved communities. Dr. Lee is the Chief Dental Director at the clinic and graduated with a B.A. in natural science in 1989 and a D.M.D. from the UAB School of Dentistry in 1992. Maluff and his brother David bought the original Full Moon Bar-B-Que restaurant in 1997 and have been growing the business steadily ever since. Full Moon now has 14 locations across the state with ideas on expansion to other states in the future. Maluff graduated in 1996 with a B.S. in psychology. Prime, who graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2006 with a B.S. in biology and in 2011 with an M.B.A. from the Collat School of Business, is the director of adult fitness at Godspeed Elite Sports Academy in Hoover. Rhodes, a 2008 graduate with a B.A. in history, is the owner of Godspeed and the director of athletic performance. In addition to our eight honorees, two alumni won top honors in Fastest Growing Companies with annual revenues under $10 Million: Adam Aldrich, CEO of Airship, 75 percent growth; and John Burdett, CEO of Fast Slow Motion, 71 percent growth. And in the Fastest Growing Companies with annual revenues over $10 million, the top winner was alumnus Joe Maluff of Full Moon Bar-B-Que with 35 percent growth over the previous year. Award winning: What it takes for students to win major scholarships and awards The number of College of Arts and Sciences students who win major national and international scholarships and fellowships grows every year. What does it take to win one of these major prizes? The number of College of Arts and Sciences students who win major national and international scholarships and fellowships grows every year. What does it take to win one of these major prizes? And what does the achievement mean for our students as they pursue their goals? Sarah Faulkner, a 2017 graduate with bachelor’s degrees in art with a concentration in art history and sociology. When chemistry major Gunnar Eastep fell asleep early after his last final in fall of 2017, he never dreamed that he’d wake up to a nomination for the Barry Goldwater Scholarship. “When I woke up, I saw the nomination and was pretty ecstatic about it,” he says. “All-around, it was a very surreal experience, especially since I had no clue what to expect.” He had turned in the application about a month before he found out. “I spent a week writing terrible drafts and deleting them the next day,” he says. “I found it challenging to write a succinct and interesting personal statement without sounding overly clichéd.” But this portion of the application wasn’t the only part that challenged Eastep. Outside of the personal statement and description of future goals, the application also requires students to write a research proposal detailing the work they’ve already accomplished as well as discussing what comes next. However, unlike most scientific journals, this proposal has to be written in the first person. For Eastep, this portion meant detailing the research he’d pursued under Dr. Jamil Saad, assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology, who has a secondary appointment in the Department of Chemistry. Here, he’d studied the role of a particular protein in certain portions of retrovirus replication. Before last summer, his work had focused on the protein’s role in replicating the avian sarcoma virus. Eastep says the support he received from faculty was critical to his completion of the application, and his success in winning the Goldwater. “Without Dr. Saad and the experiences I’ve had doing research in his lab, winning the Goldwater scholarship wouldn’t have been possible,” he says. “It certainly gives me a lot of confidence moving forward. ”Dr. Gray in the chemistry department has been a great help for me, too,” Eastep adds. ”He was the professor for several of my chemistry courses and wrote one of my recommendations for the scholarship. Although he didn't mentor my research, he was so helpful in giving career advice and has undoubtedly been my favorite professor.” OPTIONS The science-focused Goldwater Scholarship is only one of the many prestigious scholarships and fellowships that College of Arts and Sciences students can apply for. These programs range widely from scholarships for students in specific disciples to fellowships, which provide short-term learning opportunities. These experiences also vary: some support research projects at specific universities, while others are aimed at developing independent research projects on a myriad of subjects. Sources of funding for these programs are just as diverse as the offerings themselves. Some, like the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, are sponsored by federal government agencies to bolster international relationships. Other governmental agencies fund scholarships aimed at ensuring future public servants speak languages critical to international diplomacy. These few programs are only the tip of the iceberg. Yet other programs are financed by private trusts to encourage traditionally marginalized groups to participate in specific fields, and others include on-campus research programs sponsored by multiple organizations from various backgrounds. In addition to strengthening recipients’ resumes, many of these programs also connect participants with their alumni networks, adding an additional level of value with professional connections. Depending on a student’s major and interests, one or several of these programs may be a fit. But one thing is consistent across all of these offerings: the application process is rigorous. Writing essays, securing recommendation letters, and, if necessary, preparing for interviews is time-consuming, and requires long-term hard work and focus. Although the payoff is great, there is a significant time commitment involved in getting there. Recipients of the Goldwater Scholarship like Eastep receive a set amount of money each year to put towards books, living expenses, tuition, and other fees. Although Eastep believes he would be pursuing a very similar course of study and research if he had not been chosen, he calls the scholarship a big confidence boost. “Being awarded the Goldwater scholarship has been immensely gratifying considering how long I’ve been working as a student researcher,” he says. “It’s definitely a massive boon to my career prospects, and particularly graduate applications.” Other students benefit from the research opportunities afforded by fellowships rather than scholarships. One such program is the Amgen Scholars U.S. Program, which provides summer research opportunities at one of 10 universities around the country. Funded by the Amgen Foundation, this program connects participants from all over the world while also allowing them to undertake a rigorous research program under different faculty. Senior neuroscience student Jasmin Revanna attended the 2017 session at Caltech, and used her time in the fellowship to optimize a genetic editing tool to activate and deactivate targeted genes in nematodes. Each of the Amgen schools has an individual application process. In addition to the traditional personal statements, transcripts, and letters of recommendation, Caltech also requires applicants to identify a researcher and work with them to write a research proposal for their time in the program, says Revanna. “This takes a lot of communicating back and forth, so starting early is always recommended.” To continue her 2017 research, she applied to the 2018 WAVE Fellows Program at Caltech. This fellowship is designed to open the school’s research resources to demographics that are traditionally underrepresented in the sciences, and Revanna applied in hopes of returning to the same lab to test the system she’d built the summer before. Though her research focus ended up being different—there, she built more than 100 tools for the public to use to study the role of specific neurotransmitters in nematodes—she feels that both experiences were extremely valuable. “These fellowships helped me discover what I want to do after graduation, which is go to graduate school,” she says. Revanna continues that these two fellowships have given her the confidence to apply to high caliber graduate programs to further her studies. But she’s not limiting herself to only one possibility: Revanna is also currently applying for a Fulbright fellowship to do research abroad. The Fulbright fellowship is arguably one of the most recognizable fellowship programs in the world. They award approximately 1,900 grants annually to students and recent graduates who want to do projects to study culture or science or to teach abroad. In 2018, six UAB students received the honor. Sarah Faulkner, who graduated in 2017 with bachelor’s degrees in art with a concentration in art history and sociology, applied to the program to study the textile art of the Lepcha, a cultural group indigenous to Sikkim, India. During her time abroad, Faulkner will research and compile a record of the Lepcha’s crafts, study the local language, and begin studying local Buddhist art. “Due to both their integration with daily life and the history associated with them, Lepcha textiles represent a vibrant, fundamental facet of Lepcha heritage,” she says. “I aim to highlight both Lepcha culture and their arts, which go hand-in-hand. I hope to also learn more about the Lepcha’s folklore, performative arts, and language, which is an essential factor of the Lepcha identity.” Class of 2017 Muna Al-Safarjalani graduated in 2017 with a degree in chemistry. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in pharmaceutical sciences at the University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy. Class of 2015 After graduating with a degree in communication studies in 2015, Rebecca Egeland joined the Southern Company as a research communication specialist on the Research and Development Team. She also has a budding music career. In her free time, she’s a singer-songwriter, and can often be found at an open mic or playing a local venue with a ukulele in hand. Class of 2012 Brendan Rice graduated with a degree in international studies in 2012 and he is currently pursuing a master’s degree in sustainable international agriculture at the University of Göttingen (Germany) as a Fulbright Scholar. Prior to this, Rice worked for the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization in Sierra Leone and Italy. He also worked in Uganda with smallholder farmers to promote food security. Class of 2017 Massoud graduated in 2017 with a degree in international studies. He currently works with CAIR Alabama (Council on American-Islamic Relations) as a government affairs coordinator, where he is charged with educating and engaging voters for increased civic participation. Faulkner says she worked on her application every day for about four months. Though the process was rigorous, it was made easier because she had a clear idea of what she wanted to do. “Even so, I must have gone through at least three dozen drafts of my essays, which included a personal statement and a rather detailed outline of my research objectives and methods,” she says. “You have to think in concrete terms and explain your plan and purpose unambiguously,” she continues. “The only advice I have for that is just to be well-read on the area you plan to stay in and culture you intend to study, your research, and other similar projects that could serve as guides for your own. I personally took inspiration from the work already being done by various government-sponsored institutes across India to preserve the country’s traditional arts and the methodology of the cataloging work that I had done in the past as an undergraduate.” Another federally funded program open to about 600 students each year is the Critical Language Scholarship Program. Students who receive this scholarship undergo an eight-week language immersion in a language important to national security and economic prosperity. At the same time, students are also learning about and living in the culture they’ve studied to enhance their understanding. For UAB Honors College Global Community Leadership program student Ayla McCay, the scholarship enabled her to study Korean as part of her goal to work in international human rights. The application process, she says, was straightforward, but the impact the program had on her future plans was unexpected. “As a student from a low-income background, I never thought that studying abroad would be an option,” she says. “Because of CLS and the help of our fellowship office, my life is going in a direction I never thought would be possible.” All of the students are shepherded through the application and selection process by Ashley Floyd Kuntz, Ph.D., fellowships director and assistant professor in the UAB Honors College. Dr. Kuntz says that all of the students applying for fellowships and scholarships, regardless of whether they are members of the Honors College or not, have a tremendous support system around them—one that goes all the way to the top. "We are fortunate to have the strong support of President Watts," she says. "Dr. Watts makes time each fall to meet with nominees and learn about the projects they’re proposing. He advises students to be themselves, even when facing intimidating interview panels, and he encourages students to believe in their potential to compete at the highest levels. Few university presidents take such a sincere interest in getting to know students and celebrating their successes." Some of these programs support recent grads’ graduate studies. Anthonia Carter, who graduated with degrees in mathematics and art, applied for and received the Fulbright Study/Research grant to pursue a degree in multidisciplinary innovation at Northumbria University in the United Kingdom. The application process was pretty standard, she says. “I chose to pursue this because I come from a multidisciplinary background of mathematics and art. I’m passionate about giving back and teaching kids that anyone is capable of learning and giving them the confidence to learn.” The hardest part, she continues, was opening up to write her personal statement. “The easiest thing to do is to talk about my academic background. It was harder to open up and let them see what motivates me—to tell them that I was raised by a single mom who said that if I didn’t do well, she wouldn’t pay for college.” During her time in the program, she has learned a lot about identifying and solving organizational, systemic, and creative problems in many industries. All of this, she says, is in preparation to get her Ph.D., and to one day open a youth-focused community center. For some of these students, the award has only solidified their future plans. But for a few of them, this experience has completely changed the trajectory of their lives. “My time in Korea has definitely changed my plans for the future,” McCay says. “[While] applying for CLS, I thought that Korean language and culture would only be a small part of my career going forward with international human rights. Now, I cannot see a future that does not involve going back to Korea.” With the latest Justice League movie coming to theaters this Christmas, we ask: what does Aquaman represent? And could he really talk to sea creatures? With the latest Justice League movie coming to theaters this Christmas, we ask: what does Aquaman represent? And could he really talk to sea creatures? Faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences weigh in. by Julie Keith Half-human, half-Atlantean, Aquaman has never been as famous or beloved as his fellow DC Justice Leaguers Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. His powers never seemed as impressive as theirs, and for a few decades, he was hard to take seriously, thanks to his presence on 1970s television shows, ”Superfriends,” and ”Man from Atlantis,” where Patrick Duffy's performance inspired little more than a new, funny way for kids to swim at the neighborhood pool. But a new, big budget movie will be in theaters this Christmas, capitalizing on the Marvel/DC superhero zeitgeist and aspiring to elevate Aquaman to the realm of the truly heroic. While the Comic-Con crowd is carefully watching every trailer—and posting their criticisms and enthusiasms online—faculty members in the College are examining ideas and theories that connect to Aquaman's story in fascinating ways. Why do we remain so interested in these superhero stories? What is it that ensures their popularity 70 years after they first appeared in WWII-era comic books? What does science tell us about underwater communication and navigation? Can we ever learn to ”talk” to whales and dolphins? Dr. Winston Lancaster, assistant professor in the Department of Biology.While Aquaman can communicate with all manner of marine life, Dr. Winston Lancaster, assistant professor in the Department of Biology, says the reality is much more complex. ”First of all, things sound very differently underwater,” he says. ”Sound travels more than three times faster in water, and that speed makes it very hard to know where sounds are coming from.” ”Think about being at the lake, how you can hear boats underwater even if you can't see them on the surface,” he explains. ”But under the surface you can't tell where they are or if they're coming toward you or away from you. Directionality is very different underwater, and that's because the sound travels so much faster.” Lancaster, whose degrees are in zoology, geology, and human anatomy, studies the structure and function of the ears of marine mammals. A teaching faculty member at UAB responsible for all sections of human anatomy (a course taken by more than 900 students each year, he points out), Lancaster pursues his research curiosities via the lab of a former colleague who studies calling and hearing in dolphins. ”It's hard enough to study small marine mammals that can be moved to a tank, much less large ones,” he says. ”It's virtually impossible, in fact. So, we're applying an engineering technique called finite element analysis to build a model of how we think these animals hear.” Among marine mammals, the larger whales are sensitive to low frequencies, Lancaster says. They can hear over very long distances, because low-frequency sound waves travel farther than high-frequency ones. ”These frequencies are lower than 25 hertz, which is about the same as the lowest A on a piano keyboard,” he says. ”What's fascinating is those sound waves are so low that they're actually three times longer than the length of the entire body of a blue whale. The question is, if the ear is small and located just up at the whale's head, how can it hear that entire sound wave?” Conversely, smaller marine mammals hear high-frequency sounds, which they also use to echolocate. ”They emit sounds and then listen to the bounce-back,” Lancaster says. ”That's really good for directionality, but those higher-frequency waves can only travel over short distances.” Big whales, on the other hand, cannot echolocate at all. Regardless of the type of hearing these marine animals use, Lancaster says, ”They live in a world of sound. Visual orientation is severely limited, since below about 200 feet there is almost no light at all.” ”The whale ear is basically unchanged since these mammals returned to the sea 40 million years ago,” he continues, pointing out that different marine mammals have different ear structures. If you look at high-resolution scans of whales, the ear bones are very easy to see because they're so dense. But the soft tissues of muscle, fat, and cartilage are much harder to see on the scans. Dolphins' inner ears are suspended in these fatty, fleshy tissues and are not connected to the skull by other bones. That isolation cuts down on sound vibration in their heads, which improves their sense of directionality. Whereas large whales' inner ears are connected bone-to-bone, useful for an animal using low frequency sounds and no echolocation. ”How would he communicate?” Lancaster asks, genuinely puzzling over the question. ”He would need to be able to hear the lower frequencies so he could talk to the big whales. But he'd also need the ears of smaller whales so he could echolocate with them, which is a completely different anatomy. I'm not saying it's not possible, it's just curious to think about.” Meanwhile, Dr. Matt King, assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy, teaches smaller classes of students who sign up for his ”Philosophy and Superheroes” course. It's a class he invented at UAB and will be teaching for the third time this fall. ”Philosophy is considered a 'discovery major,' meaning students' first exposure is in college,” King explains. ”And since there's no accurate representation of philosophy in popular culture, this seemed like a good way to teach it. Superheroes are ubiquitous, and the worlds they inhabit are easy to co-opt as a familiar context and use to teach an unfamiliar discipline. It's simply a framework for discussing philosophical ideas.” Matt King, assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy.Unlike Lancaster's course, a prerequisite for all pre-health majors, King's is a special topics class and is open to anyone. (”It requires no pre-requisites either way, neither superheroes nor philosophy,” he says.) The course has clearly established pedagogical goals: to get students excited about philosophy, and to teach the fundamentals of the discipline. ”I update the course each time, engaging with more recent movies,” he says. ”But it always starts with moral philosophy and expands from there. We're looking at the decisions these superheroes make and their rationale for it. And these thought experiments are fairly easy to do with comic book characters. They've been tweaked so many times, yet it doesn't confuse the myth or undermine the character in any fundamental way. Which in itself is an interesting question of fictional truths.” For example, King's students examine the role of state authority, public accountability, and the obligations we have as individuals to serve our own interests versus others' via the 2016 film, "Captain America: Civil War." In the Spider-Man myth, teenager Peter Parker initially hesitates to use his new superpowers to help others. That resistance ultimately contributes to the death of Parker's beloved Uncle Ben. Parker, consumed with guilt, adopts the mantra, ”with great power comes great responsibility,” and assumes the role of Spider-Man. ”Philosophy has a similar principle,” King says. ”'If you can help, you should help.' But you can see the complications that suggests. Take Superman: he doesn't have to eat or sleep, so he's always available to anyone who needs help, all over the world. So, can Superman have friends? Is this obligation to help fair to Spider-Man and Superman?” Additionally, the Superman story allows students to consider the idea of how names and identity are connected—or aren't—a philosophy explored in depth by John Stuart Mill in the 19th century. Mill considered the two names the ancient Greeks had for the planet Venus: the god Phosphorus (the Morning Star), and the god Hesperus (the Evening Star). Can we use two names for the same thing? ”Think about it this way: Lois Lane would never want to have lunch with Clark Kent, but she would love to go to dinner with Superman,” King says. ”We can understand that. But aren't they just two names for the same person? What is it about one that is different from the other? How can we hold these different identities in our minds while still understanding they are one and the same person?” While King mostly teaches ethics courses, "Philosophy and Superheroes" allows him to explore many philosophical ideas, such as our sense of self. ”We really think about ourselves as having two identities: the psychological and the physical,” he says. ”We know we can change physical things about a person without changing who they are, while psychological changes are more fundamental to a person's identity. What we call dementia today is often presented as body-switching in fiction. And these kinds of schisms between the mind and body in superheroes are interesting to explore.” ”In the Wolverine story, he has his memory wiped more than once over his long lifespan,” King says. ”That makes his psychology different. So I ask my students, 'Should Wolverine feel guilt about the bad things he did in the past but he doesn't remember doing?'” When it comes to Aquaman, King refers to another classic philosophical text, ”What Is It Like to Be a Bat?” written in the 1970s by Thomas Nagel. ”The article examines the idea that we can't really know what it's like to be a bat, because we can't echolocate,” King says. ”There's been some recent pushback on that—some science has shown that humans can do a sort of proto-location. But the question remains as to whether we can really understand it or represent it and other powers and experiences in film or comic books. Daredevil is blind but can echolocate. How do you depict this from a viewer's standpoint? It's not like dogs and bees, which have eyes but see differently from humans. How does Ant-Man control ants? How does Aquaman talk to fish and whales? Can they really have the same thoughts?” But "Aquaman" is just a movie, right? A bit of escapist fun that allows us to enter a fictional world that's radically different from our own—a story chock-full of bad guys, big climactic battles, and the charismatic, heroic figure (and his or her sidekick) that saves humanity at the end. It is that. It's why we'll pay too much for the tickets and the concessions and participate in the cultural moment. But maybe in the car on the way home, or in the days after you see the movie, think about our research areas, and how our faculty are using these contemporary myths to teach in innovative ways. It's the interdisciplinary strength of the College of Arts and Sciences, where the empirical science of whale ears lives right alongside the mind/body divide symbolized by The Hulk. How can we accept this tattooed, long-haired, Polynesian-version of the superhero as ”real” when there have been so many other versions before? Can Aquaman really communicate with marine life? And what does it say about us that we, for a few hours anyway, believe that he can? Common threads: The value of interdisciplinary partnerships Our university enables faculty to make connections across various disciplines, schools, and centers, and being a part of the College of Arts and Sciences provides my colleagues and me with a broad platform to support this kind of effective interdisciplinary work. Our university enables faculty to make connections across various disciplines, schools, and centers, and being a part of the College of Arts and Sciences provides my colleagues and me with a broad platform to support this kind of effective interdisciplinary work. Even in the short time I've been at UAB, I have developed three interdisciplinary courses that have service learning goals and ongoing research endeavors. By working with willing faculty members from the Departments of History and Art and Art History, we developed a "Birmingham Neighborhood Studies" course that involves student examination of four specific Birmingham Neighborhoods from a historical perspective, a contemporary perspective, and an artistic perspective. In that course, students complete a project-based final portfolio. Their projects range from architectural histories of places to walking tours of women buried in Oak Hill cemetery. This year, in a joint effort between the Departments of Social Work and Criminal Justice, we have enhanced an existing "Community-Based Corrections" course—making it interdisciplinary and including both team-based learning and service learning elements. Students in the course participate in re-entry simulations in which they experience what it is like to be a person returning to the community after a period of incarceration. The U.S. Attorney’s office developed this curriculum and the Department of Social Work has taken a lead role in bringing the simulations to our campus. Last year, we received a Quality Enhancement Plan grant to continue the simulations and to conduct research around their effectiveness. Students also work with women incarcerated at Tutwiler Prison and Birmingham Work Release to produce holiday greeting videos for their families, as well as with Jefferson County Veterans Court to recruit veteran volunteers to support court efforts. Last year, I developed a study abroad course that examines women’s rights and health in Kenya. This year, the social work course will be team-taught with Dr. Tina Kempin-Reuter, director of the UAB Institute for Human Rights, and will involve international service learning in which students create health-based lesson plans and assemble reusable feminine hygiene supplies that they deliver in rural Kenya. Since last year’s successful trip with 12 students, we have written a grant to support the continuation of the women’s hygiene project and the addition of a micro-business sewing initiative. All of these efforts will be evaluated through community partners in Kenya. The common thread through all of these courses are that they all involve social work principles that advance human rights as well as social, economic, and environmental justice. And they are all led by female faculty and directors from across the College. As service learning is considered a high-impact learning tool, these courses are expected to strengthen student learning and engagement in multiple ways outside of the course content. And just as women are leading the efforts to craft these high-impact courses, women are benefitting from them as participants—as student and as community collaborators. past issues Student Achievement Faculty Excellence Trailblazing Alumni Announcements Doug Barrett is ready for something new UAB History Students Present at Statewide Antisemitism Conference Computer science achieves record enrollment growth Back to Top students faculty & staff alumni dean's office © 2022 The University of Alabama at Birmingham UAB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and family-friendly environment in which all faculty and staff can excel and achieve work/life balance irrespective of race, national origin, age, genetic or family medical history, gender, faith, gender identity and expression as well as sexual orientation. UAB also encourages applications from individuals with disabilities and veterans.	139,077
Returning to work after having a baby is a difficult and emotional challenge that many moms must face. I had three months of paid maternity leave and though I had prepared for the day, so I thought, I never knew the emotional and physical challenge would be so difficult. I had been pumping and stock piling breast milk in preparation. About three weeks beforehand I started teaching little man how to take a bottle. I have heard horror stories about mama’s that didn’t do this and their infant refusing to eat when in childcare so I cannot emphasize how important this is. He hated taking a bottle from me but… You May Also Like Space-Saving Tips that will Help you to Organize your Kid’s Rooms Welcome to my page full of posts about travel, the outdoors, music, food, products, and adventures with my little one. Aside from being a writer, outdoor and travel enthusiast, animal activist, flip flop loving mom, I am also a devotee of books, lover of good grammar and work as an editor for several authors. I write by night, and by day I work as an Executive Assistant which wears many hats. I am a mom to my Rainbow Baby, Cooper and he is my joy in this life! Thanks for visiting! Oldies But Goodies Select Month November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 October 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017	2,063
Joining a squad lets you enjoy the game with others! There are many perks of being in a squad, such as daily login rewards and the ability t... How can I join a squad? Squads unlock once you reach the A-List. People who have done comebacks will also be able to join squads. If you drop below the A-List, you ... How can I create a squad? Once you’ve reached the A-List, the Squads button in the bottom right will unlock. Then you can create your own squad for 10 k-stars. You wi... Can I leave a squad? Yes. You can leave and join squads as often as you’d like. This is done by tapping the leave button beside your name in the members list. I am the leader of a squad. Can I remove someone from the squad? Yes. As the leader of the squad, you can remove any person you don’t want in your squad. This is done by tapping on their name in the member... What is a motto and how can I add one? A motto is a short description of your squad. Think of it as your catchphrase or slogan. It can be seen by players who are searching for a s... What are public and private squads? A public squad can be joined by anyone. All squads start as public but can be made private by tapping the pencil button on the squads page a... Can I be in more than one squad at once? No. You can only be in one squad at a time and you can only contribute one point to a squad per day for daily login rewards. How many people can be in a squad? A squad can have up to 15 people and you can play with people on another platform. For example, if you play on iOS, you can be in a squad wi... Is there a chat feature that lets me talk to my squad? A chat feature is currently not available in the game. What is the mailbox? The mailbox lets you receive news without seeing pop ups. It unlocks at the same time as Squads. Rewards from Squads are collected from mail... How can I receive daily login rewards from squads? When someone in your squad opens the game for the first time each day, it advances your squad's progress towards rewards. At the end of the ... What are the daily login rewards? There are 3 tiers of rewards. The first is experience points to help you level up faster and it requires 3 or more people to launch the game... What rewards are in the new gift box? The new gift box will contain a mix of energy, clothing, dyes, cash, k-stars, and diamonds. Make sure you’re playing every day so you can co... How can you get gifts if your squad makes Starshop purchases? When you purchase diamonds, k-stars or cash in the Starshop with real money, everyone else in your squad gets a mail message with a free gif... How can I shop my friends' lookbooks? You can browse your squad members' saved lookbook slots, and shop directly from them, similar to “get this look” from Show Your Style. They ... How can you get perks from shopping your friends' lookbooks? If someone buys one of your items for diamonds, then you’ll get a mail message telling you who bought it, and it will include a few diamonds...	2,980
When Tom Brokaw published a book in 1998 titled “The Greatest Generation,” he was referring to the population who grew up during the Great Depression, who went on to become the parents of Baby Boomers and the Grandparents of Millennials. Brokaw coined this term for a reason; having survived the deprivation of the Great Depression, the battles of World War II and then returned home to help build America’s economy, there’s no denying that this generation certainly was great. And on August 21, we will honor them on National Senior Citizens Day. The Birth of National Senior Citizens Day National Senior Citizens Day dates back to 1988 when President Ronald Reagan put forth a Presidential proclamation to set aside August 21 to recognize the contributions of older Americans to their country and communities. In his proclamation, President Reagan recognized that “with improved health care and more years of productivity, older citizens are reinforcing their historical roles as leaders. Many older people are embarking on second careers, giving younger Americans a fine example of responsibility, resourcefulness, competence, and determination. ”By the 1990s, Senior Citizens Day was a permanent staple of modern society. And by 2002, the United Nations proposed an International Plan of Action on Aging, which aimed to help all governments pledge a commitment to helping older members of society live better lives. Eventually, this morphed into the International Day for Older Persons, which is celebrated on October 1 across the world. Based on the results of the last U.S. Census, a little over 40 million Americans were over the age of 65 in 2010. With the Baby Boomers growing into retirement age at the rate of 10,000 people each day, the senior population is poised to represent almost 20 percent of the total population by 2030.Whether or not you are currently a senior citizen, you can’t escape the fact that you will one day join these ranks. Celebrating, rather than stigmatizing, the senior population plays an important role in changing the way other generations view growing older. Everyday, people continue to defy expectations based on age, gender, or physical limitations. How to Celebrate Many organizations, senior centers, and senior caregiving services across the country will be hosting events to celebrate National Senior Citizens Day this year. Check with your local Department of Aging Care to find special events to attend in your town. If you want to do more, consider volunteering for a senior organization. There are a lot of local and national nonprofits that work with the elderly and are always in need of willing volunteers to help carry out their mission to better the life of an older American. Hilary Young is the Communications Manager for Medical Guardian. She helps to keep baby boomers and their loved ones educated about their health and wellbeing. She is also a regular contributor to the Medical Guardian Blog, the Huffington Post, and BlogHer.com. To learn more about our home care services, contact our caregiving team today at (877) 268-3277 or find a caregiver near you. To learn more about our home care services, contact our caregiving team today online or call us at (877) 268-3277. Aging in Place as a Family Quality of Life Prev Post Next Post In the News Locations Site Map Terms of Use Privacy Policy Accessibility Site Search The Griswold Home Care service model varies depending on which state the office is in. In some states, our service is solely to refer thoroughly screened professional caregivers. In other states, we employ and supervise the caregivers. In every state, we're 100% focused on quality services and responsiveness to your needs. For each office, you'll see its service model and learn how we can best help you and your family with your home care needs. *See item 7 and item 19 of our current FDD for additional information.	4,125
Sometimes a good example of a lady in armor helps to cleanse the palate. Here’s a young lady who recently won a longsword competition at an international jousting tournament. Notice how she wears loose pants for flexibility instead of a loincloth? And that she looks freaking awesome? Full article with interview here. Awesome swordslady is awesome! You can find her on tumblr, too. edit: Apparently Escher Girls published the same thing at the same time I queued the post, you can check Ami’s version here. Posted on August 24, 2013 April 24, 2018 Posted on August 23, 2013 April 24, 2018 Posted on August 17, 2013 April 24, 2018 Posted on August 16, 2013 April 24, 2018 Posted on August 15, 2013 Between Friends comic by Sandra Bell-Lundy (who I thank greatly for letting me publish the above excerpt) E submitted: I’ve been amused by the “Hot Flash Woman” sub-plot in the Between Friends newspaper comic and thought you might get some interesting material from it. This is the simplest one to just post a link to (mod note: the second one here), with two characters debating sex-appeal vs. practicality. Thanks for submitting! As you said, this comic sheds some light on ever-so-handwaved ’sex-appeal vs. practicality‘ dilemma in female costume design. And, at least in my opinion, comments how internalized “I want her to look sexy and empowered!” mindset is even by female content creators. People just tend to focus on (relative/arbitrary) visual appeal without the second thought on how the costume would affect the character within the rules of their own world. And once it’s questioned, said rules are bent with weak excuses like ’distraction bonus’. Also, let it be a reminder that this blog is not focused solely on female armor, but on all kinds of impractical outfits for female fighters, that includes superheroes. Posted on August 12, 2013 April 24, 2018 Posted on August 8, 2013 April 24, 2018 May I request captioned GIFs for every moment this reviewer comments on how offensively stupid designs of this game are? Why do you even have this giant armored robot if you’re just hang at the front of it, so everybody can see you?! (1:51 – 1:55) By the end of this video I want to figure out what is up with that underwear. It’s not even underwear. She has, like, A TATTOO… for… underwear. What is it??? I don’t know… (2:12 – 2:25) You know, I think I wanna put some glasses on you, so you’re AT LEAST a little bit more covered up. I’m sorry I can’t help you, really… (2:41 – 2:48) Despite my best intentions, she’s not wearing clothes again. I tried. I tried to give her at least the glasses… No. (2:58 – 3:07) EVERYTHING IN THIS GAME is sexualized to the max. You think you’re safe going over to this vending machine, but oh, nope, the vending machine’s showing you its ass. (6:06 – 6:15) What is on your butt? How old are you? You just told me that I have to be level 10. You look like you’re 8… (6:22 – 6:30) edit: updated links (Source: https://www.youtube.com/) Posted on August 8, 2013 Sorry for not posting for a while, still busy and still out of on-topic reblog material. As much as I’m tempted to post here something on Dragon’s Crown, we all know that Amazon’s battle bikini fades in the face of how ridiculous her (and the Sorceress’) bodies and posing are. I don’t want to dilute the specific topic of this site by posting about vaguely related matters instead. Even the positive example posts are a bit of a stretch sometimes.	3,574
FILE - E. Jean Carroll poses for a photo, Sunday, June 23, 2019, in New York.(Source: AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File) By The Associated Press Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn NEW YORK (AP) — A writer who accused former President Donald Trump of rape filed an upgraded lawsuit against him Thursday in New York, minutes after a new state law took effect allowing victims of sexual violence to sue over attacks that occurred decades ago. E. Jean Carroll’s lawyer filed the legal papers electronically as the Adult Survivor’s Act temporarily lifted the state’s usual deadlines for suing over sexual assault. She sought unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for pain and suffering, psychological harms, dignity loss and reputation damage. Carroll, a longtime advice columnist for Elle magazine, first made the claim in a 2019 book, saying Trump raped her in the dressing room of a Manhattan luxury department store in 1995 or 1996. Trump responded to the book’s allegations by saying it could never have happened because Carroll was “not my type.” His remarks led Carroll to file a defamation lawsuit against him, but that lawsuit has been tied up in appeals courts as judges decide whether he is protected from legal claims for comments made while he was president. Previously, Carroll had been barred by state law from suing over the alleged rape because too many years had passed since the incident. New York’s new law, however, gives sex crime victims who missed deadlines associated with statute of limitations a second chance to file a lawsuit. A window for such suits will open for one year, after which the usual time limits will be reinstated. At least hundreds of lawsuits are expected, including many filed by women who say they were assaulted by co-workers, prison guards, medical providers or others. Alina Habba, a lawyer for Trump, said in an email Thursday: “While I respect and admire individuals that come forward, this case is unfortunately an abuse of the purpose of this Act which creates a terrible precedent and runs the risk of delegitimizing the credibility of actual victims.” In her new claims, Carroll maintains that Trump committed battery “when he forcibly raped and groped her” and that he defamed her when he denied raping her last month. Trump said in his statement that Carroll “completely made up a story that I met her at the doors of this crowded New York City Department Store and, within minutes, ‘swooned’ her. It is a Hoax and a lie, just like all the other Hoaxes that have been played on me for the past seven years.” Carroll’s new ability to sue Trump for rape could help her sidestep a potentially fatal legal flaw in her original defamation case. If the courts ultimately hold that Trump’s original disparaging comments about Carroll’s rape allegation were part of his job duties, as president, she would be barred from suing him over those remarks, as federal employees are protected from defamation claims. No such protection would cover things he did prior to becoming president. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who presides over the defamation lawsuit Carroll filed three years ago, may decide to include the new claims in a trial likely to occur in the spring. Trump’s current lawyers said this week that they do not yet know whether they will represent him against the new allegations. Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, who is not related to the judge, said at a court hearing this week that the new claims should not require much additional gathering of evidence. She already put a copy of the new claims in the original case file last week. Trump and Carroll also have already been deposed. In a statement regarding the new lawsuit, Kaplan said her client “intends to hold Donald Trump accountable not only for defaming her, but also for sexually assaulting her, which he did years ago in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman.” “Thanksgiving Day was the very first day Ms. Carroll could file under New York law so our complaint was filed with the court shortly after midnight,” she added. Attorney Michael Madaio, a lawyer for Trump, said at the hearing that the new allegations are significantly different than the original defamation lawsuit and would require “an entirely new set” of evidence gathering.	4,386
Hey, buddy. This may seem a little weird what with the fact that you are sitting next to me on the chair. You’re probably all, “Dude, what are you doing? I’m right HERE!!!” But, see, iPod, that’s the problem. I feel like you don’t know me anymore – like there is this great distance between us and I’m trying to figure out what happened. I’ve felt it for a while, but I really noticed today when I went for my second run of the day. Normally, you spin up just what I need to hear when I set you to shuffle. Until recently, I trusted you with my song choices so much so that I stopped making playlists. But, today it was so apparent how apathetic you’d grown, that I almost started picking my own songs. I was feeling defiant and I wanted rock stuff that would give me energy. What I got was 70’s light rock and jazz. Ok, I may have let “Sister Golden Hair” slide, but I like that song. Then, you must have figured out from my song selection of Foo Fighters and that song by that band you’ve never heard of that I found on MySpace that I wanted some rock. You could’ve spun up some modern stuff like The Killers or maybe Juliana Theory or The Raconteurs, but no. You pull up Dokken and Yngwie Malmsteen? Were you mocking me? I know I probably shouldn’t even have those on the iPod but I made a hair band mix for the band road trip as a joke and forgot to delete them. You KNOW this. If you paid attention to my feelings and weren’t trying to be such a smart ass, you would know that. Before this change, you would’ve, at worst, played “Live Wire” or “Too Young to Fall in Love” by Motley Crue, which would’ve been perfectly acceptable. I just don’t get it, iPod. Just because I have Seals & Crofts or England Dan and John Ford Coley on there doesn’t mean I want them to play all the time. At the very least, split the difference and give me some Son Volt or even the Black Crowes. I’m sure “Remedy” is on there, right? You could give me some Long Winters or even Guster. You always seemed to be fond of “Satellite,” right? And what’s the deal with all the quirky pop you’ve been pulling up lately? I love XTC and ELO, but I don’t want all of their songs in rapid succession, especially when I’m trying to get some energy. “Scarecrow People” and “I’m Alive” may work for before a gig or on a drive, but I’m jogging here! Did I do something? Was it something I downloaded? Maybe I’ve put too much strain on you with all the different genres of music. I know it must be tough to go from The Decemberists to Wayne Shorter to Prince to Albert Collins, but that’s just how I roll and you should know that by now. Sure, Elvin Bishop may not mix with Rush for most people, but you know me, iPod, or at least I thought you did. Remember when I felt depressed or introspective and you’d know just what to play? You’d pull up “Your Heart is an Empty Room” by Death Cab or the Damnwells’ “Heartbreak List.” You might give me Jonatha Brooke’s beautiful acoustic version of “Eye in the Sky” or Wilco’s “What Light.” You made me laugh with Paul Thorn’s “A Great Day to Whoop Someone’s Ass” and David Lee Roth’s “Elephant Gun.” You even knew when to set a mood with Al Green or Zero 7 or Bebel Gilberto. There was never a need for a playlist, just the shuffle function and the trust we shared. I still care about you, iPod. I just feel this distance growing between us and that doesn’t count the extra long cord on my ear buds. It’s so frustrating because the end result is “Xanadu,” the ELO song, not the live 10-minute Rush anthem, though I’m not sure which is worse at this point to be totally honest. Maybe you are over me. Maybe you need to find some new owner who will fill you with new songs and the promise of better days ahead. I’ll be honest, iPod. It’s been tough for me too. As much as I care about you, you aren’t the only media player on the block. There’s an iPod Touch that has been eying me for a while and it’s getting harder and harder to resist her sweet wi-fi and silky smooth touch screen. She seems to get me like you used to and she’s not afraid to try new things, like video or cool new apps, the kind of thing you think is waste of memory. I want this to work, iPod. I really do. But, I need more from you and I don’t think I’m asking for too much. Let me know how you feel and we’ll play on from there. P.S. I don’t know who put that Britney Spears song on there even though it is the perfect tempo for running. But, seriously, it wasn’t me. 2 Replies to “Open Letter to My iPod” Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Δ ABOUT I'm a web developer, photographer, musician, blogger and general nerd. Find out loads more interesting stuff here.	4,902
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A record high of 12,502 for new COVID-19 cases was reported by the Ohio Department of Health on Tuesday. But doctors say the news is not entirely surprising. “It’s a little bit discouraging, certainly we knew when COVID started, new variants might pop up and give us a little bit of an up and down roller coaster course,” said Dr. Brad Fuller with Central Ohio Primary Care. “But with vaccines available to everybody 5 years and older and medical treatments progressing, I would have hoped at this point that we wouldn’t be seeing record high cases.” With the new Omicron variant, he expects cases to be rising. Dr. Joseph Gastaldo, an infectious disease specialist with OhioHeath, also was not surprised by Tuesday’s record setting number of cases. He says he’s concerned, especially with the situation in the hospitals. “The point is this. The best layer of protection you have against Omicron is a vaccine,” he said. With cases surging, more people are trying to get tested. Rapid COVID-19 tests that can be taken at home are in high demand in central Ohio and across the country. Central Ohio frontline nurses pleading for community to help stop spread of COVID-19 Franklin County Public Health (FCPH) had 16,000 kits available Monday for its ‘Test the Season,’ take-home test giveaway. They were all gone within an hour. That came after Columbus Public Health (CPH) gave out more than 10,000 kits on Saturday. At the moment, neither agency has any more to giveaway. “I would love to see our country be in a better position to offer free access, easy access to home testing,” said Dr. Gastaldo. Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) branches have also been giving away take-home tests, but they’re out too. CML posted on Twitter Tuesday afternoon saying they were out and do not expect to get any more this week. President Joe Biden, also on Tuesday, announced new plans to fight COVID-19. Part of the plans include increasing access at-home rapid test kits. Hilltop shooting victim has died “Having home tests is important,” said Dr. Gastaldo. “In a perfect world we would like to have people have access to free at home tests so when they have COVID they can stay home when they are contagious and not spread this Omicron variant.” President Biden says at least 500 million at-home rapid tests will be available by mail for free. This will start in January and there will be a new website for people to order them on, according to Biden. Dr. Gastaldo says he supports this plan but wishes it had been in place already. He also says the 500 million tests will go quickly. “That is a drop in the bucket. In a perfect world I would like to see this program in place before Omicron was here and our current situation,” he said. “We have the Department of Defense ready to go in the event that something militarily happens at the snap of a finger. “We need to get in that same mindset when it comes to future pandemics and even this particular pandemic that we’re in.” Your email(required) Δ Copyright 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.	3,325
Happy Money, the fintech company changing people’s relationship with money was experimenting with an app called Joy targeted at millenials. Results A problem is an opportunity for you to do your best. The head designer & sr. product manager were looking for an objective consultative opinion to help position and define the application they were tasked with building to help millennials change their relationship with money and their spending habits. This was achieved using deep machine learning and known psychological personality typing built into the application. But the team was disjointed, being shuffled, and lacked alignment and clarity of vision - directly impacting their ability to execute, manage a building mountain of tech debt, and bring ideas to market. Smart solutions in full system design. We sat with Joy's key stakeholders and application builders - so we could listen, learn, and design sprint. Together, we put our design thinking caps on and explored feature ideas. Our goal being to provide direction, alignment, and clarity for the broader Joy team involving design, development, and customer services - all tasked with execution of the application. (Not to mention increase users & .) Together, we built our daily off-site presentations, trainings, group and individual activities to engage the internal Joy team so they might best know how to leverage the application to their targeted audience but with actionable ideas and conclusions. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results. App of the day + Happier users. But mostly we're happy about the successful team bonding & clarity of execution, and we also just had fun building the app again! 🥳 Later this experiment was folded into the parent company Happy Money where they are continuing to leverage the user data and learning as part of their main product offering.	1,932
The legacy of the Dunsfold Harriers goes far and wide. 50 years on, and the Harrier is still flown in American skies. Significantly the point is made that the Harrier was the only non-US aircraft used by the US Military since World War 1. This story shows the passion of one man for the Harrier. Art Nalls has had a life long dedication to flying. His addiction to the sky has lead him to an honourable military career and an even more adventurous retirement. Nalls has had the unique opportunity to purchase his own British Harrier Jump Jet. Now this retired Lt. Col test pilot uses his passion for flight to help preserve military history with the maintenance and upkeep of the last three remaining Sea Harriers. Art Nalls website Above: 14 May 2017, XZ439 in Pittsburgh, at the Pennsylvania Airshow XZ439 as FRS.2 around 1989 in Dunsfold. Photo: Andy Lawson, BAe Systems XZ439 early history: BAe & A&AEE development aircraft. First aircraft to ramp launch at sea on 30 Oct 1980. Delivered to RN 19 Apr 1982. Converted to FRS.2 (FA.2) as second development aircraft. Shot down three QF-106 drones during AMRAAM trials in 1993. Departed St Athan by road 11 Nov 2004 to Everett Aero at Sproughton. Sold to Art Nalls who plans to fly the aircraft in the USA. Shipped from Seaforth Docks during Feb 2006. Allocated US civil registration N94422. Made its first US air show appearance 11 Oct 2008. 8 Replies to “Harrier in private hands – XZ439” Art Nalls says: May 15, 2017 at 3:27 pm A beautiful photo of XZ 439 as she looked when new! We’re doing our best to preserve her and keep her in the skies – -safely. Yesterday, 14 May 2017, we returned from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Airshow where we did an unusual demo. We raced a supped-up Ford Mustang from a standing start. I used normal ‘dry’ settings and set up for a conventional takeoff. The Mustang even jumped the gun, but XZ 439 beat him to 100 mph! We smoked past him before he was out of second gear! I then circled around one time for our high speed pass and easily topped 565 knots, only a minute or two from a standing start. The SHAR can really get up and move! May 15, 2017 at 3:31 pm Thanks for calling by. I have posted above some video of your Pittsburg display. XZ 439 was part of the family at Dunsfold and she has a history in her early years. Some of our other members know her very well, and will surely expand on her upbringing! June 30, 2017 at 1:01 am Love the Harrier as an aircraft with many things normal aircraft can’t do. Your comment that the Harrier was the only non US made aircraft since world war 1 used in US forces is not correct. The US used and flew Photo Recon in Spitfires and Mossies with US markings on them. October 15, 2017 at 10:23 pm They also may have eventually licence-built and called it something else in mass production, but they bought and used a few Canberras. Andy Lawson says: December 30, 2017 at 5:58 am XZ439 was one of the initial development batch, and since the retirement of the modified Indian Navy FRS51’s is the last flying Seajet. The Mid-Life Update FRS2 – with the Ferranti Blue Vixen radar ( said to be the best fighter radar in Europe, second only to the F-15’s AN/APR63 ) and Hughes AIM120 BVR Beyond Visual Range AMRAAM missiles was a formidable fleet defence interceptor, so why it was scrubbed remains a mystery best known to the Admiralty. The initial FRS2 with cheek pitot probes – as shown on my shot here of 439 – had a P.E. problem with the altimeter reading dangerously high compared to the real ground – discovered by Test Pilot Simon Hargreaves during a trial at West Freugh, so the modified FA2 as XZ439 is now, has a pitot probe on the fin. The ‘ FRS Fighter / Strike Reconaissance ‘ designation was also deleted, much to my and I expect service photographers relief; the F-95 recce’ camera in the Sea Harrier was on the starboard side, rather than to port as in the GR1/3, so was fitted upside down. May 12, 2019 at 9:58 pm It was scrubbed for politics & money. I was one of the very few people who repaired the blue vixen workshops level. Thus I was the first one to recommend that the radar no longer get repaired – due to cost and imminent scrapping. No point wasting thousands on an item soon to be scrapped! During dogfights with F16 at Decimomanu, I witnessed the “superior” US radar against the harrier. The Vixen craft won 9-1 when I witnessed. The US brass weren’t happy Andy Lawson says: August 29, 2019 at 11:21 pm Yes I just noticed that Paul, I don’t know where 89 comes from, I would have said more like 1991-2, the last trial I went on was with FRS2 ZA195 when the PR snag was discovered, they only became FA2’s as or just after I left on New Years Day 1993 – the editor has a lot on his plate but may like to correct this if he gets a moment. May 12, 2019 at 9:50 pm I’m curious. How was it converted to FA2 in 1989 – because I was working on them in 1991, and that conversion had NOT happened! At least not for front line squadrons or the only second line squadron. The conversion hadn’t even been discussed second line at this time. Considering they converted the a/c, where did they get the a/c to convert in 1989? Maybe the OEU was working on it at this time.	5,410
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I'm passionate about giving people practical, tangible and measurable ideas on how to overcome the challenges life brings. When I get the time to put pen to paper, watch this space for my tips on a variety of issues, from how to better manage anxiety through to how to raise your self-esteem. Aim for Friendships, not Foeships! So, I'm going to ask for a show of hands here, and I want you to be honest. Here goes... a) When you spend time with a certain friend, you often leave feeling worse than when the coffee date started b) When you meet up with certain friends, you revert to the person you were at school and end up feeling frustrated c) Your friends discourage you from making changes in your world instead of supporting you d) When you look around your friendship group, you realise you are mates	817
Dear readers: I would love to share more of my blog with you. Sign up here to receive regular blog updates, plus special fan information. I'll also send you a book chapter, not available anywhere else! First name: I will never share your information with anyone else, and you can unsubscribe in one click. Here is my privacy policy. Blog archive Select Month December 2022 October 2022 September 2022 June 2022 May 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 November 2020 October 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 November 2019 October 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 February 2019 January 2019 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 June 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 July 2015 Midsummer, and the Living is Exciting By this time most summers, I expect my living to be easy – keeping up with my correspondence, a blog here and there, short pieces of nature writing to accompany lots of time out of doors – but this summer, things are more exciting than usual. With the help of my (very) patient publisher, Mary Woodbury of Moon Willow Press in Canada, I am doing the final proofreading of The Battle For the Black Fen, the last novel of my eco-fiction series. Our publication date is August, so I have kept my eyes on my computer screen to find every lost comma, confusing bit of dialogue, and typo. A couple of tips I have picked up while proofing: in dialogue, always state who is speaking. Silly me, I figured that if I know who it was, my reader must get it too; similarly, if I start with “Clare thought” and have her musing away about other characters besides herself I had better bring her name in again, even in the same paragraph. And those pesky quotation marks that seem to have vanished into thin air, not to mention the commas and periods before the ends of the quotations…..needless to say, my eyes have been glued to the page. I never like to dwell in my brain for days on end, so I have been to my Betsie River cabin a couple of times, and every visit the temperature has plunged to 50 degrees or lower during the (summer?) nights. The wood turtle laid her eggs in mid June; now that other people appreciate my nature observations, I did my duty as a “citizen scientist” by reporting her to the Michigan turtle authorities. By the end of June, tiny fry have hatched and flit about in the warmer shallows, and les becs scies, saw-toothed ducks (mergansers) that give the river its name, are busy and active. And so are the beaver. Last winter they didn’t fell whole stands of slender trees but were hungry enough to chew completely around the trunk of a sturdy hardwood: This circular gnawing serves two purposes: the beaver get to eat the inner bark that they can reach and, at the same time, fell the tree so that they can eat the rest. I have never seen them drag a tree this heavy into a dam. It might be possible, but I think mine are bank beaver, only stripping such larger trees for nourishment. So I let the babble and ripple of the river rest my mind for a while, strengthening my spirit for one last edit of my novel. Every day of this daunting political year, my fictional battle between a self-sustaining nature-loving people and cruel enemies greedy for wealth and self-aggrandizement seems less a fictional plot than a grim reality. We are trapped in a finite game of victory and defeat; only if we give up on this hoary and outdated paradigm will any of us – enemies and friends alike – survive. Are we strong enough, smart enough, open-minded enough, resilient enough to abandon the utter destruction of win/lose, you-or-me thinking for an infinite victory where everyone wins, nobody loses, so that we can enter at last the worlds we long for?	4,290
I just discovered we have a House Finch nest in one of my hanging plants and now I’m afraid to water it for fear I’ll hurt the eggs. Should I run out and buy a birdhouse for them, and if I do, will they use it? – Darlene, Falmouth, MA Come on, Darlene, This is a trick question, right? Asking a retailer if you should “run out and buy” something is like asking a dog if it wants to go for a walk, or asking a cat if it wants to take a nap. I think we all know what the answer is going to be. Yes, you should buy a birdhouse. Or, if you want to cut out the middleman, you could make one yourself. Several bird species, including chickadees, swallows and bluebirds, are likely to move in. Unfortunately, you won’t get any House Finches to use it. In spite of their name, House Finches don’t like houses, at least not birdhouses. Go figure. The “house” in the House Finch’s name refers to human houses. These birds often nest around our homes, under our decks, on our porch lights, or, as you found out, in our hanging plants. Why do they choose these places? I think they want a roof over their heads, but would rather not jam into a tight bird box. (They must have some unresolved claustrophobia issues.) A planter hanging under a porch is prime real estate for a young finch couple looking to build their first starter nest. Offering them a new birdhouse, no matter how much you spend on it, isn’t going to convince them to move out of the planter. Speaking of how much you spend, I’m not a plant guy, but my wife is (well, not the “guy” part). She tells me that hanging plants and birdhouses cost roughly the same. So, instead of wishing the finches would move into your new birdhouse (which they won’t), my advice is to buy yourself a new hanging plant and let the birds stay in the old one. That way, you get a new plant and the birds get to keep their home. Everyone wins. Well, everyone except me. I lose out on the sale of a birdhouse. Maybe I should start a flower department. Should you continue to water the plant with the nest in it? Yes, you should. A healthy plant will grow more foliage, which help keep the nest and its contents well hidden from predators. I wouldn’t worry too much about getting the eggs wet. Bird eggs are made to be outside and thus are quite waterproof. The liquid from your watering can is no different than raindrops from a summer shower. Just don’t flood the plant. With the exception of Nautilus Ducks, bird eggs don’t do well under water. I’ve written about House Finch expansion before, but in case you weren’t paying attention, I’ll do it again. House Finches are native to the western half of North America. In 1939, some boneheads captured a flock of finches, took them to NYC and attempted to sell them as “Hollywood Finches.” This, of course, is illegal and eventually the Feds got wind of the scam. But before the bad guys could be caught with the goods, they (the bad guys) opened the window, let the evidence fly away and that was the end of that. Well, not exactly. Instead of heading back home, the escaped birds stayed here, had families and quickly colonized the entire East Coast. Today the population of House Finches is estimated to be as high as 1.4 billion birds…and most of them seem to be at my house. Discovering a House Finch nest in a hanging plant may be annoying to some, but I think most folks get a kick out of it. And like I said earlier, there is no reason to stop caring for your plant. Just take it off the hook and carefully water around the nest. Some folks cringe when I tell them it’s okay to handle the planter, but these people probably still believe the silly notion that the parent birds can “smell” us. That old wives tale is right up there with toads causing warts and eating before swimming can make you go blind (or something like that). Enjoy your finches and your plant, Darlene. I think with a little care both will be just fine. If you want, you could even take a quick photo of the chicks and I don’t think they’d mind. After all, they are Hollywood Finches and getting photographed is in their blood. On a different topic: For the past few weeks we have been plagued by reports of missing suet feeders, damaged seed feeders and hummingbird feeders that are completely empty in the morning. As usual, most people point their finger at my buddies, the gray squirrels, or think their hummingbird feeder is leaking. Wrong and wrong. Somehow, folks have forgotten about the late night work of raccoons. Under the cover of darkness, raccoons habitually steal suet feeders, trash seed feeders and guzzle hummingbird nectar. What can you do about it? You can put up a pole that is protected by a raccoon baffle, but that can be pricey. The cheapest thing to do is set your alarm for just before dark. When the alarm goes off, stop what you are doing, walk outside and take your feeders in the house. I know doing this can be a lot of work, but at least your feeders will be around to feed another day. Or, you could simply buy new feeders each time the raccoons steal or trash them. I’m okay with that, too. ← Previous Article Next Article → More answers to common and not-so-common questions about birds & birding. "Why Don't Woodpeckers Get Headaches?" The first collection of our "Ask the Bird Folks" articles in paperback that you can read in the bathroom.	5,469

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