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I love my job as a math teacher but what really gripes me is that a very large majority of my students aren’t good at it so their approach is lacking. Lot of the kids here don’t care much about school. I’ve basically given up on my senior boys and my lower junior students just don’t care either. None of them plan on going to college so ACT prep and practice is just them writing random letters on a piece of paper. Most of my lower Alg IA group are weak so they’d do anything besides math. My 8th grade group was already weak last year but this year they’re just not trying to learn anymore. I now can see why teachers leave the field en mass because they don’t feel they’re making any difference. Anyone feel the same? #1 Joined: Aug 8, 2005 Likes Received: Feb 4, 2019 At this exact minute, yes. I have at least 10 of my grade 7 students who can't find equivalent fractions (half of those can't tell me how many fifths are in a whole). They don't want my help, they just want someone to do the work for them. MrsC, Feb 4, 2019 Teacher234 likes this. Joined: Likes Received: Feb 4, 2019 I do also, but I don't teach math. Students sometimes seem to lack that curiosity that spurs me to learn. When I hear about something interesting, I often want to learn more about it. Many of the students seem satisfied with very cursory answers. geoteacher, Feb 4, 2019 Joined: Jun 23, 2013 1,544 Likes Received: Feb 4, 2019 geoteacher said: ↑ I do also, but I don't teach math. Students sometimes seem to lack that curiosity that spurs me to learn. When I hear about something interesting, I often want to learn more about it. Many of the students seem satisfied with very cursory answers. Click to expand... Is this just our being at the wrong schools? Would conditions change at a different location? I figure if I went to a larger school I’d end up with an even larger percentage of students not caring..... At least at my small school, there aren’t fights and students standing up to teachers. #4 Joined: Likes Received: Feb 4, 2019 Sadly, I think it is a sign of the times - and I really don't feel that I am a pessismist. Students are bombarded with information from so many sources, and there are so many more distractions in their lives. It just seems harder to focus in general. geoteacher, Feb 4, 2019 #5 mrsf70, otterpop and MathGuy31 like this. Joined: Jul 27, 2009 Likes Received: Feb 4, 2019 geoteacher said: ↑ Sadly, I think it is a sign of the times - and I really don't feel that I am a pessismist. Students are bombarded with information from so many sources, and there are so many more distractions in their lives. It just seems harder to focus in general. Click to expand... I notice this as well. Kids seem different now from when I started teaching high school just 10 years ago. mrsf70 and MathGuy31 like this. Joined: Sep 7, 2010 Likes Received: Feb 4, 2019 I think math has to be a really hard subject to teach because so many people (kids and adults alike) are indifferent to it, at best. I teach two subjects that I personally am extremely passionate about and I think (at least, I like to think!) my passion spills over and helps my students become engaged in my subjects. I think you have to go back to what made you want to teach your subject in the first place, and let that guide you. Why math? What about it to you is beautiful? Not just "important," but fascinating? Exciting? I personally really never liked math, but I remember one teacher showing us the Fibonacci sequence and images of it in nature, and thinking that was beautiful and crazy/cool enough to make me at least think about the power of math in the universe. I think if we can show our students why we are passionate about our subject areas, then we have a slightly better chance of perhaps getting some kids excited about it, too. The rest are probably going to stay indifferent to it, and you have to accept that, as well. We teach for those little moments when you see a student finally "get it," or at least try. "What? By such narrow ways!" --> an absurdist manual of teaching ms.irene, Feb 4, 2019 Joined: Feb 4, 2010 Likes Received: Feb 4, 2019 In my opinion we teach so much more than our subjects. I teach high school, so the way I look at it is that I teach them - persistence, to come to school even when they don't want to. To at least try to write that essay and see if it comes out better than they taught. I tell them if they hate a subject, they have to try even harder, because it's not going away. For example they need to pass English to graduate, so if they hate it and not do it, the problem doesn't go away. We have to try harder in life if we hae problems. It's not only the easy things to conquer. - I teach them organization skills. how to organize their papers, their folder. I used to have them turn in 1-2 week's worth of work, including warm ups, etc. and had everything written on the board, how they were to go in order. If it wasn't, I took points off. I explained to them that one day they will have a boss who will need them to put things in order and if they didn't pay attention, they would find someone else who would. - I teach the to meet deadlines.work ethics. To finish things. - my favorite things to teach were things that were relatable to their lives. Because I have always been allowed to create my curriculum, I was able to tailor things. I explained to them why basic reading skills are important, even if it comes to a simple informational material. One day their kid will come home from school needing to sign a bunch of papers and they won't even know what it says. Or the child will need them to help them with their homework and they won't even know how to read the problem. - teach them communication skills. Skills to e able to advocate for themselves, to be able to take care of problems. If they have a mistake on their electric bill, they should be able to voice their concern and find out what the mistake is who will fix it instead of just not pay it, or cuss someone out on the phone. - I try to instill respect and self respect in them, as well as compassion and empathy. This is the hardest but at least I try to open their eyes that the whole word is not revolving around them, but also the whole world is not against them. So, no, you don't only teach math or history, you're teaching them life skills and lessons. That's what keeps me going. Last edited: Feb 5, 2019 LouiseB, futuremathsprof, ms.irene and 1 other person like this. Joined: Likes Received: Feb 4, 2019 geoteacher said: ↑ Sadly, I think it is a sign of the times - and I really don't feel that I am a pessismist. Students are bombarded with information from so many sources, and there are so many more distractions in their lives. It just seems harder to focus in general. Click to expand... Motivation has plummeted in my students this year. It's partially due to some school changes, but it seems like more and more students actually, really think they don't need to do what adults say anymore. I'll have super simple situations where I'll tell a child to hand me or put away a toy that they've been playing with in class after being warned, and they'll completely ignore what I'm saying because they don't want to do it. More and more children are allowed to do whatever they want, and feel no shame in telling grownups "no". That's an issue. Some of them just refuse to do things they don't want to do. I'm all for making learning fun but... Sometimes you just gotta take care of business and get the work done. To answer your question though: What keeps me motivated is the students who want to learn. I enjoy helping the struggling students who truly want to improve, and also seeing students who feel lukewarm towards reading start to love it as the year progresses. Also, an occasional hug from a kid or a thoughtful drawing created just for you, along with telling you that you're their favorite, best teacher ever helps put everything back into perspective. Last week, a student said to a friend that she couldn't wait for the weekend. The other girl countered: "I don't want the week to end. I like weekends, but I like school too!" It's good to know that you're providing an educational and comfortable environment that students enjoy being a part of. Last edited: Feb 4, 2019 MathGuy31 likes this. Joined: Likes Received: Feb 4, 2019 Working with my students and helping them learn and grow. Teacher234, Feb 4, 2019 futuremathsprof and MathGuy31 like this. Joined: Jun 23, 2013 1,544 Likes Received: Feb 5, 2019 My 8th grade students told me this today. "You know how to teach. It's not a problem with your teaching. You're just teaching too fast...." Then I reply, "Really? I thought I was going kinda slow or even normal speed!" So I can only imagine how my super-low classes must feel. Gosh, if they perceive my teaching as very fast when I'm thinking I'm going slow, that's a big problem..... mcqxu likes this. Joined: Likes Received: Feb 5, 2019 Pi-R-Squared said: ↑ My 8th grade students told me this today. "You know how to teach. It's not a problem with your teaching. You're just teaching too fast...." Then I reply, "Really? I thought I was going kinda slow or even normal speed!" So I can only imagine how my super-low classes must feel. Gosh, if they perceive my teaching as very fast when I'm thinking I'm going slow, that's a big problem..... Click to expand... My English learners used to tell me this! I learned to speak in slow-mo with economy of language. (Or it feels like slow-mo!) Joined: Jul 19, 2014 Likes Received: Feb 6, 2019 Pi-R-Squared said: ↑ My 8th grade students told me this today. "You know how to teach. It's not a problem with your teaching. You're just teaching too fast...." Then I reply, "Really? I thought I was going kinda slow or even normal speed!" So I can only imagine how my super-low classes must feel. Gosh, if they perceive my teaching as very fast when I'm thinking I'm going slow, that's a big problem..... Click to expand... This reminds me of the recent Progressive commercial when Flo is trying to get her sister to sign up for homeowners insurance. She points out that it is ridiculously simple to do, and the sister, barely moving the pedals on her exercise bike, tells Flo to be quiet - she's "blasting her quads." Speed is relative, and if the students don't want to actually commit to learning, then any "speed" is out of their comfort zone. You might try letting them research and present something from a lesson, one at a time, on different topics - give it a nice point value to encourage participation. See if they become exasperated that classmates don't want to engage. Nothing makes your point better than to let the students make it for you. Last edited: Feb 6, 2019 Joined: Aug 13, 2016 Likes Received: Feb 7, 2019 School breaks and field trips. whizkid, Feb 7, 2019 #14 Joined: Likes Received: Feb 7, 2019 Pi-R-Squared said: ↑ My 8th grade students told me this today. "You know how to teach. It's not a problem with your teaching. You're just teaching too fast...." Then I reply, "Really? I thought I was going kinda slow or even normal speed!" So I can only imagine how my super-low classes must feel. Gosh, if they perceive my teaching as very fast when I'm thinking I'm going slow, that's a big problem..... Click to expand... I teach a language, and can move too quickly too. It is so hard not to. Thing is, some students keep up just fine and then can get very bored. I probably teach to that group too much. It is good to remind myself to put myself in the shoes of all students! What keeps me going... I really do love what I teach, and with the occasional exception, I love that I can teach it the way I want to and most effectively in my current school. I also try to bring food multiple times a year, and do my best to make the language alive and meaningful. That keeps students going lol. Joined: Likes Received: Feb 7, 2019 I teach at a relatively slower pace. I ensure all students have a good understanding of the part of a lesson and I monitor students for who needs to provide 1:1 review. Teacher234, Feb 7, 2019 #16 Joined: Jul 27, 2017 Likes Received: Feb 8, 2019 2. Building positive raport with students 5. Supportive admin and PLC members 7. Kind, positive-phrased redirection (“Hey Johnny, you with us?” vs. “Johnny, stop putting your head down!”) 8. Never assuming that certain steps are so “obvious” that I can skim over them (for instance, some students get just by looking at it why if 2x = 10, then x = 5; but some HAVE to write the divide 2 step in order to grasp it. I would rather cover every detail possible than gloss over parts and have kids give up because they can’t follow.) Not sure if you were actually looking for a list as opposed to just venting, but those items came to mind. #17 Joined: Jun 23, 2013 1,544 Likes Received: Feb 8, 2019 What I hate to say is that I don’t see many of my students dedicating and committing to learn. As I’ve stated many times, a large majority will go either go straight to work or drop out and “wait for the government check.” Very depressing circumstances here..... #18 Joined: Jul 27, 2017 Likes Received: Feb 8, 2019 Pi-R-Squared said: ↑ What I hate to say is that I don’t see many of my students dedicating and committing to learn. As I’ve stated many times, a large majority will go either go straight to work or drop out and “wait for the government check.” Very depressing circumstances here..... Click to expand... See #2 above. It won’t necessarily solve all the issues with intentional non-learners (though it will help), but it will make your time with them easier, if not enjoyable. In fact, I would say that if a student is not motivated internally nor academically, then the ONLY way to get them to listen to anything you say is to have a positive raport with them. Joined: Jun 23, 2013 1,544 Likes Received: Feb 8, 2019 JimG said: ↑ See #2 above. It won’t necessarily solve all the issues with intentional non-learners (though it will help), but it will make your time with them easier, if not enjoyable. In fact, I would say that if a student is not motivated internally nor academically, then the ONLY way to get them to listen to anything you say is to have a positive raport with them. Click to expand... Well, as an assistant coach for baseball, I can build rapport that way. Since we live in the redneck boondocks, I sometimes ask them how their mudding, 4-wheeling, and hunting are doing and they gladly respond. Math? Not a chance. Joined: Sep 27, 2009 Likes Received: Feb 8, 2019 The support from my fellow teachers and the notes kids write to say thank you Geologygirl, Feb 8, 2019 ms.irene likes this. Joined: Jun 27, 2014 Likes Received: Feb 8, 2019 My colleagues, my supportive admin, my students, my awesome salary, the fact that I get to teach the subject I love (math), and the school breaks and time off. ‘Tis the life. Joined: Aug 13, 2016 Likes Received: Feb 10, 2019 My colleagues, my supportive admin, my students, my awesome salary, the fact that I get to teach the subject I love (math), and the school breaks and time off. ‘Tis the life. Click to expand... Is something the whizkid probably won't ever get to say. whizkid, Feb 10, 2019 Joined: Jun 27, 2014 Likes Received: Feb 10, 2019 whizkid said: ↑ Is something the whizkid probably won't ever get to say. Click to expand... Joined: Jun 23, 2013 1,544 Likes Received: Feb 10, 2019 I do have supportive admin and faculty. Teaching at a very small rural school where most of the kids' futures aren't too bright reminds us teachers of how fortunate we are to have an impact in the lives of students. With that said however, I'm starting to get agitated and annoyed at the students who don't give a sh**. For example, my 1st period 11th grade Geometry class comes in late, don't have their books, or pencils, or paper, and just sit there.... I go through the lessons with sarcasm and disdain... It's like they don't care so why should I care...... I realize this isn't the healthiest way to teach these and I do have 2 of the 15 students who actually listen, take notes, etc..... I also believe administration and other faculty know about this group of students. The English teacher has the same problems...... Nevertheless, I try not to let it bother me and I just come to school, do my job, and wait for things to improve. stephenpe likes this. Joined: Oct 22, 2003 Likes Received: Feb 11, 2019 Pi-R-Squared said: ↑ I do have supportive admin and faculty. Teaching at a very small rural school where most of the kids' futures aren't too bright reminds us teachers of how fortunate we are to have an impact in the lives of students. It's like they don't care so why should I care...... I realize this isn't the healthiest way to teach these and I do have 2 of the 15 students who actually listen, take notes, etc..... I also believe administration and other faculty know about this group of students. Click to expand... I dont know if this would work but at times with my elem. classes in PE I would have a "come to Jesus" meeting. Meaning I laid it out in black and white and called those out that deserved it. In your case I would point out that a few seem to care about this class. How those good at math usually make the most money in the game of life employment. And that I may not be able to make you care but I can help those that do care. So starting today those that wish to learn and will come to class prepared and engaged will sit near the front and the rest that are just here to vegetate can sit closer to the back and WILL NOT disrupt the class. I would even tell my P or supervisor what I was gonna do. I worked in a very small town rural setting too for 40 years. It worked for me. stephenpe, Feb 11, 2019 Joined: Likes Received: Feb 11, 2019 100% relationships with students is what keeps me going. I probably wouldn't still be in it otherwise. I enjoy teaching the content but enjoy the students the most. teacherguy111, Feb 11, 2019 #27 Joined: Jun 23, 2013 1,544 Likes Received: Feb 11, 2019 teacherguy111 said: ↑ 100% relationships with students is what keeps me going. I probably wouldn't still be in it otherwise. I enjoy teaching the content but enjoy the students the most. Click to expand... All my students are good kids. It’s just that most of them are stuck in generational poverty. The successful ones are those who can either escape and get into college, go straight to work, or enlist in the armed forces and make it ok. But for the rest? Hate to put the “poor white trash” label on them but those are the ones I am teaching. Parents, if they’re around, don’t or can’t help with academics. Those that I have 1st period? They don’t even show up until 2 or less minutes before bell. I end up seeing other students and saying hello to them besides the ones who should be here. What I really don’t want happening is letting this mindset affect my other classes. The 7th, 8th, and 9th graders? I hound them to death about doing well, studying, trying hard, and paying attention. Most of them try but they struggle at times. At least they’re attempting! 10th through 12th? It’s like talking to rocks. Pi-R-Squared, Feb 11, 2019 #28 Joined: Sep 7, 2010 Likes Received: Feb 12, 2019 Pi-R-Squared said: ↑ All my students are good kids. It’s just that most of them are stuck in generational poverty. The successful ones are those who can either escape and get into college, go straight to work, or enlist in the armed forces and make it ok. But for the rest? Hate to put the “poor white trash” label on them but those are the ones I am teaching. Parents, if they’re around, don’t or can’t help with academics. Click to expand... I don't want to sound like I am blaming you -- and I understand because I have been through this, too (minus the "white" part). As educators, we have to be aware of our mindset and how it affects the subtle differences in how we treat our students or classes. I started teaching in the inner city and had almost all poor, minority students, and subconsciously, I had expectations of what these students would (or would not) be capable of. I struggled in my first years to overcome this mindset in myself. Once I became aware of my mindset and changed it to see the boundless potential in my students, things began to change for me as a teacher. I won't say everything suddenly became perfect, but it became easier to hold my students to high expectations and have them meet me there. Start with yourself and you just might be surprised at what becomes possible! ms.irene, Feb 12, 2019 #29 Joined: Jun 23, 2013 1,544 Likes Received: Feb 15, 2019 stephenpe said: ↑ I dont know if this would work but at times with my elem. classes in PE I would have a "come to Jesus" meeting. Meaning I laid it out in black and white and called those out that deserved it. In your case I would point out that a few seem to care about this class. How those good at math usually make the most money in the game of life employment. And that I may not be able to make you care but I can help those that do care. So starting today those that wish to learn and will come to class prepared and engaged will sit near the front and the rest that are just here to vegetate can sit closer to the back and WILL NOT disrupt the class. I would even tell my P or supervisor what I was gonna do. I worked in a very small town rural setting too for 40 years. It worked for me. Click to expand... When I first started teaching 6 years ago, I asked my senior math teacher colleague to observe a class that I had trouble with. After school, he said I can teach but I'd have to make seating changes to alter the dynamic of the classroom. He said that, in a classroom of 21 students, there will be 7 students who will always understand it no matter what I do, 7 students who will never get it no matter what I do, and 7 students right in the middle. Those 7 might or might not get it depending on the teacher and those they sit around with. Then he suggested that I sit the top 7 in the front, the middle 7 in the middle, and bottom 7 in the back. He also said if there are any "turds" in the class, sit them in the back because that's where turds come from. I have yet to implement that strategy because I believe all students can learn with help. But this year, his 7-7-7 or 8-8-8 theory might take hold in my larger sized classes. For instance, 7th grade has 24 students. The split in that class is around 5-11-8. The 8th grade with 25 is ever worse at 2-13-10. For a smaller sized 11th grade geometry with 15, it's 0-6-9. I'm starting to wonder if this is starting to affect my teaching abilities. My wife keeps reminding me that how I grew up and how my parents hounded me with school and academics is not the same with the students I teach. How it's an unfair advantage that I can help with children with trigonometry and logarithms but my students are not afforded that luxury. I wondering if I need to change my location or my attitude or even both! Pi-R-Squared, Feb 15, 2019 Joined: Oct 22, 2003 Likes Received: Feb 17, 2019 Pi-R-Squared said: ↑ I wondering if I need to change my location or my attitude or even both! Click to expand... In forty years I came to this epiphany. The dynamics of a class (im so glad you used that word) can be fragile at times. I have seen one kid come into a class and it all goes to hell. And the flip side to that, also. In upper elem. if the leaders in the class are good kids the class is usually good. I have heard many many HS teachers lament the fact that too many kids now just dont GAS.........I always ALWAYS felt blessed teaching Elem. PE because my class was a desired destination but I worked hard at making it that way for as many as I could. When I taught I almost always had a passion for what I was teaching. Math, reading, tech skills, games, sport skills. I wanted the kid to feel it was important and could be rewarding (like it was for me). Even so you had those with attitudes that were like granite and hard to overcome. That was the time to throw life lines to the motivated and tell the quitters to sink or swim. Make it crystal clear they were making the decisions to fail and were going to be held responsible for their actions. One other thing I believed strongly and even have heard it recently from others that share our occupation. IF the kids know you care, really care and are not bllshtting them and you will listen to them when you can without too much judgement you can get some of those to buy in and give you good effort. I will say it is the hardest job in the world and can be the most rewarding........ stephenpe, Feb 17, 2019 Joined: Jun 23, 2013 1,544 Likes Received: Feb 17, 2019 stephenpe said: ↑ In forty years I came to this epiphany. The dynamics of a class (im so glad you used that word) can be fragile at times. I have seen one kid come into a class and it all goes to hell. And the flip side to that, also. In upper elem. if the leaders in the class are good kids the class is usually good. I have heard many many HS teachers lament the fact that too many kids now just dont GAS.........I always ALWAYS felt blessed teaching Elem. PE because my class was a desired destination but I worked hard at making it that way for as many as I could. When I taught I almost always had a passion for what I was teaching. Math, reading, tech skills, games, sport skills. I wanted the kid to feel it was important and could be rewarding (like it was for me). Even so you had those with attitudes that were like granite and hard to overcome. That was the time to throw life lines to the motivated and tell the quitters to sink or swim. Make it crystal clear they were making the decisions to fail and were going to be held responsible for their actions. One other thing I believed strongly and even have heard it recently from others that share our occupation. IF the kids know you care, really care and are not bllshtting them and you will listen to them when you can without too much judgement you can get some of those to buy in and give you good effort. I will say it is the hardest job in the world and can be the most rewarding........ Click to expand... Here’s a good example of what’s going on. The ACT test will be given to Juniors on the 20th. We’re supposed to “blitz” them in English, Math, and Science. So I had them take a practice section of math. They ALL finished in 5 minutes or less because they just randomly circled answers. The most common comment? “Well, I’m not going to college anyway so I don’t care about this.” Well, bully for them that they can just mess around with this and not take it seriously BUT our school systems are report-card graded and one criterion is how the juniors do on the ACT. Last year, we were lucky because more than half of the students were planning on college. This year’s crop of juniors the majority are not college-bound and majorly don’t give a dang. I’m sure my admin will say to try my best but when the next report card comes out and the school drops a grade letter, who’s gonna get blamed? Pi-R-Squared, Feb 17, 2019 Joined: Jul 28, 2017 Likes Received: Feb 17, 2019 Pi-R-Squared said: ↑ Here’s a good example of what’s going on. The ACT test will be given to Juniors on the 20th. We’re supposed to “blitz” them in English, Math, and Science. So I had them take a practice section of math. They ALL finished in 5 minutes or less because they just randomly circled answers. The most common comment? “Well, I’m not going to college anyway so I don’t care about this.” Well, bully for them that they can just mess around with this and not take it seriously BUT our school systems are report-card graded and one criterion is how the juniors do on the ACT. Last year, we were lucky because more than half of the students were planning on college. This year’s crop of juniors the majority are not college-bound and majorly don’t give a dang. I’m sure my admin will say to try my best but when the next report card comes out and the school drops a grade letter, who’s gonna get blamed? Click to expand... I know I would not be as effective in an environment like that as I am in my current school. I recently had a student teacher observe two of my CP [regular] classes, after he had observed in 2 other schools. He remarked that my CP students behaved themselves and engaged themselves like the honors/AP students he observed in the other schools, and he was surprised by the effort they put in.I try to be the best teacher that I can be, but I don't think what he observed has a ton to do with me in particular. I know a lot of it has to do with being in an affluent town with supportive familities and the like. For me, it's definitely the right environment. If you just feel like you are going through the motions with your students, it might be a good time for you to find a change of setting. The only downside I observe is that I think most of my students would be successful with just about any teacher, so long as he or she knew the content well enough. It takes a more special type of person to work in your environment. TrademarkTer, Feb 17, 2019 Joined: Oct 22, 2003 Likes Received: Feb 17, 2019 Pi-R-Squared said: ↑ They ALL finished in 5 minutes or less because they just randomly circled answers. The most common comment? “Well, I’m not going to college anyway so I don’t care about this.” Well, bully for them that they can just mess around with this and not take it seriously BUT our school systems are report-card graded and one criterion is how the juniors do on the ACT. Click to expand... I gotcha. Our school grades in Fla. are tied to all kinds of things we do. When we see a young kid just Christmas tree a test it kills us. But what really drives me insane and has for years is our ESE kids are required to take the same tests and as the regular kids. I watched one great kid struggle every year and try as hard as he could. I remember the year he finally just gave up. What sort of moron decides kids that have no chance should HAVE to take the same test as kids on level for their grade? Now if its me in front of your unmotivated juniors who are not trying? My speech is exactly what you told me. That OUR school is graded and your lack of effort will cause us damage and bad press. I would also point out that many kids after HS realize they do need to go to college or some sort of classes to make more money so this could help them years down the line. I would appeal to pride, economics , whatever I could to inspire or motivate them Hell I might even have a little classroom prize for whover showed the most improvement or something of that nature. I was never above bribery to get kids moving the direction I wanted them going. I have offered fishing trips to kids over learning mult. tables for years...........rural kids like to fish. stephenpe, Feb 17, 2019 Joined: Jun 27, 2014 Likes Received: Feb 18, 2019 I know I would not be as effective in an environment like that as I am in my current school. I recently had a student teacher observe two of my CP [regular] classes, after he had observed in 2 other schools. He remarked that my CP students behaved themselves and engaged themselves like the honors/AP students he observed in the other schools, and he was surprised by the effort they put in.I try to be the best teacher that I can be, but I don't think what he observed has a ton to do with me in particular. I know a lot of it has to do with being in an affluent town with supportive familities and the like. For me, it's definitely the right environment. If you just feel like you are going through the motions with your students, it might be a good time for you to find a change of setting. The only downside I observe is that I think most of my students would be successful with just about any teacher, so long as he or she knew the content well enough. It takes a more special type of person to work in your environment. Click to expand... I’m envious of you because even though I work in an “affluent” area, the wealthier students tend to misbehave (though, the vast majority are not too bad) because they are used to getting what they want at home. And it really doesn’t help when I have a class of 36 students and 5-7 like to make innapropriate comments or obscene gestures to each other and myself. That’s why I love my prep periods and certain periods over others.	34,571
Norwegian coast guard cutters are used for rescue, fishery inspection, research purposes and general patrols in Norwegian waters. Capt. Pal Bratbak has patrolled the Barents Sea for decades. His Norwegian coast guard search and rescue cutter mostly chases after distress calls from fishermen. The fishermen are chasing the cod — and the cod sometimes lead them astray. "The codfish, they don't see the border, so we help every boat in our area," he says, and that means as many Russian boats as Norwegian. A treaty allows both nations to catch a quota, and that management of the Barents Sea Arctic cod fleet is considered a success worldwide, both economically and environmentally. "That's important for Norway and the European Union and NATO and the whole world. And it's important for the Russians," he says. Capt. Pal Bratbak has been patrolling the Barents Sea for decades in a Norwegian coast guard search and rescue cutter. Cooperation like that has been a given on the Russian-Norwegian frontier for decades, if not centuries. The Norwegians call it "high north, low tension." Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, though, that tension isn't so low, and Bratbak is worried. The coast guard also enforces the fishing laws in the Barents Sea. Years ago, in a rare case, a Russian trawler fled from a coast guard ship, into Russian waters — with Norwegian inspectors on board. Back then, Russian authorities promptly arrested the captain and returned the inspectors. Bratbak hopes the same cooperation would happen today, but his confidence is a bit shaken by recent events. "In these days, Russia can use other methods to negotiate. Like in the Ukraine conflict, they are willing to use power (more) than talking," he says. Critical climate work is on hold As a founding member of NATO, Norway's government has joined the rest of Europe in isolating Russia. But as a country bordering Russia, it's feeling the effects more immediately than some others — in everything from Arctic climate action and nuclear waste control to cross-border trade and regional sports leagues. The protection of the pristine waters of the Arctic, as well as that cod fleet Capt. Bratbak mentioned, falls under an international group called the Arctic Council. The rotating chair of that group is currently Russia, and as such the council has suspended all activities, including crucial research on climate change. "It's not something you can point out that failed today, but it's ongoing," says Kim Holmen with the Norwegian Polar Institute in Tromso, where the Arctic Council would normally be coordinating research. Russia has about half of the world's Arctic landmass, including permafrost that, if it melts, could release megatons of trapped carbon and greenhouse gases. Scientists like Holmen count on collaboration with their Russian colleagues. "We have common publications. We have collected data together. We've been on each other's cruises. I've been to people's homes in Saint Petersburg, good friends," he says. Scientists like Kim Holmen, with the Norwegian Polar Institute in Tromso, count on collaboration with their Russian colleagues. Holmen isn't in contact with those friends right now. He's been working on the Arctic for more than 30 years, and he says the lesson from back in the Soviet days is that communication will only get them into trouble, which would delay getting back to work. "Polar scientists are used to the cold," says Holmen. "We hope and wish to pick up when it thaws." "We are seeing the Iron Curtain come back" For residents of the border city of Kirkenes, their world changed overnight. Guro Brandshaug is CEO of the Kirkenes Conference, an annual businesses summit between Russia and Norway. This was the 14th year the event was held, and, on a weeknight in February, it all started out relatively normally. "On Wednesday the 23rd I welcomed our foreign minister and the Russian ambassador," says Brandshaug. With Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border, she says, it was tense. But Kirkenes is a city built on friendly relations with Russia, and Brandshaug says no one she knew thought Russian President Vladimir Putin would really invade. "And then we woke up on the morning on the 24th," she says. "The Russians had started bombing Ukraine. It was a huge shock. People were actually crying." A nuclear waste dump poses a constant threat "Everything that has been built up over the last 30 years, was just washed out in a few days. We are seeing the Iron Curtain coming back," says Thomas Nilsen with the Barents Observer newspaper in Kirkenes. The new Iron Curtain severed personal ties, economic links and even scuttled issues of mutual survival, Nilsen says. For years, Norway had been helping Russia safely dispose of spent fuel rods from its aging nuclear submarines, which were stationed in the Arctic. At a park station in Svanvik, scientist Bredo Moller collects air samples for the Norwegian radiation safety authority. "We are some, some kind of a nuclear watchdog on the border to Russia," he says. "That's more or less why we're here — to monitor what's on the other side of the border, just a few kilometers from here." He's referring to one of the world's biggest nuclear waste dumps, across the border, where tons of waste from Russian power plants and aging submarines pose a constant threat, either as a contaminant to the Arctic sea life or as material in a terrorist dirty bomb. Moller says that just last November, Norway marked 25 years of cooperation on nuclear cleanup, and he went to Murmansk in Russia for a celebration with his colleagues. "I have many friends in Murmansk, shaking their heads like me, waiting for this to end," he says. The Norwegian coast guard is part of the Royal Norwegian Navy and has some police authority. Moller is counting on those colleagues to keep up the work of saving the Arctic from nuclear contamination. And he's certain his friends oppose the war in Ukraine just as he does — they just can't speak right now. But it's chilling that many local officials across the border, as well as 700 rectors and university presidents in Russia, have issued strong statements supporting Putin. And that makes Moller worry that even this vital work might not resume soon. "It will take many, many years I'm afraid, to get back to that trust that we have gained through these 25 years of cooperation. So, yeah, it is frightening times," he says. Quil Lawrence is a New York-based correspondent for NPR News, covering veterans' issues nationwide. He won a Robert F. Kennedy Award for his coverage of American veterans and a Gracie Award for coverage of female combat veterans. In 2019 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America honored Quil with its IAVA Salutes Award for Leadership in Journalism.	7,071
On average, wild hedgehogs tend to live between 2 and 3 years, while hedgehogs in captivity usually live between 3 and 6 years. This number can vary greatly, though, depending on factors such as type of hedgehog, family history, daily care, and a little bit of luck. As the owner of a hedgehog, it makes sense that you'd want to know the lifespan of your pet. Being aware of the average age of a hedgehog allows you to make more informed decisions when it comes to medical care and behavioral issues in your pet. Obviously you want your hedgehog to live for as long as possible. Fortunately for you, there are a few different ways that you can help your hedgehog live quite a long and happy life. This post will cover some of the most important strategies and facts that all hedgehog owners should be aware of. This is a fantastic question that can only be answered by looking at hedgehogs that have lived to very old ages. While you'll commonly see captive hedgehogs living to be around 5 years old, there are some hedgehogs that have exceeded this lifespan by a good amount. There have been hedgehogs recorded that have lived 8+ years! What is clear is that hedgehogs that are kept as pets will almost always live a longer life than wild hedgehogs that have to fend for themselves. This discrepancy can be attributed to a captive hedgehog's constant supply of food, lack of predators, lack of disease, and a very consistently-safe environment. All of these factors play a part in helping a hedgehog live for a long period of time. It is difficult to say exactly what makes some hedgehogs live for twice of their expected lifespans. This phenomenon is likely due to a good combination of proper care, good genetics, and a handful of luck. While luck is simply something that's out of your control, you as the owner are able to initially get a hedgehog with good genetics and then provide them with the proper care. So, there are a couple things that a hedgehog owner can do to give their hedgehog a good chance of living for a long time. As discussed above, there's not really a clear-cut answer as to why some hedgehogs live for so much longer than other hedgehogs. In general, though, it comes down to a mixture of great care and a healthy family history. Both of these factors are able to be controlled in some way or another. If you have a "healthy" hedgehog, or a hedgehog that comes from a line of hedgehogs that haven't exhibited any negative health conditions, then there is a good chance that your hedgehog will live beyond the average age. It's never "old age" that causes death -- it's the medical issues that come about when a living creature gets older that does it. So, if you can drastically reduce the possibility of your hedgehog experiencing those issues, they should experience fewer problems as they age. A hedgehog's diet is another factor that plays a big part in determining their lifespan. If a hedgehog has a diet that provides it with all of its required nutrients, then they're likely to outlive other hedgehogs. They can supply their bodies with the nutrients that it needs to grow big and strong and maintain that strength for many years. On top of those points, a hedgehog's environment plays a big factor in their lifespan. When their environment is safe, comfortable, and stress-free, it tends to create healthier hedgehogs. Therefore, if a hedgehog does live well beyond its expected age, it's likely that they had a life defined by a healthy diet, great genetics, and a safe and comfortable environment. If you want a hedgehog that has a good chance of living for many years, then your best option is to buy a hedgehog that comes from a line of hedgehogs with excellent health. Genetics play huge roles in the health of humans and animals alike, and creatures that come from healthy families tend to live longer on average. So how would one go about acquiring one of these healthy hedgehogs? It ultimately comes down to finding a reputable and experienced hedgehog breeder. When you buy a hedgehog from a pet store, there won't be any records kept of that hedgehog's predecessors' health. You're essentially taking a gamble on your hedgehog when you do this. However, it isn't as simple as just finding an experienced breeder. You'll also need to find a breeder that keeps extensive records of their hedgehogs' ailments and behaviors and doesn't sell off their hedgehogs as young pups. Many hedgehog ailments only become known to humans when the hedgehog reaches adulthood, so breeders that don't keep their hedgehogs this long won't be aware of the fact that their hedgehogs have problems. While hedgehogs that come from a healthy line can still develop health problems, the chances of that happening tend to be lower. Every pet owners wants to keep their pet alive for as long as possible -- that just makes sense! So how should you go about increasing the lifespan of your hedgehog? While there isn't a guaranteed method of adding years onto your hedgehog's life, there are a few things that you can do to give them the best chance of thriving. To begin with, if you haven't purchased a hedgehog yet, you should buy one from a reputable breeder that keeps records of their hedgehogs' health. When you purchase a hedgehog that comes from a line of healthy hedgehogs, you're lowering the chances of yours contracting an ailment that shortens their life. Once you have your hedgehog, the best thing that you can do for them is provide them with an excellent diet. You need to feed your hedgehog a healthy diet that meets their nutritional requirements so that they can grow and remain healthy for years. This is done with a combination of high-quality cat food, a bit of wet cat food or cooked meat, and the occasional treat. A hedgehog's environment is also something that you should consider! You would be surprised just how much a clean and comfortable cage will benefit your hedgehog. Create a cage and environment for them that's big, comfortable, and very secure. Keep this cage in a place in your house that gets some traffic but is mostly removed from the excitement of daily life. Spending time with your hedgehog for a couple of hours per day will also keep them happier, lower their stress, and give them some physical activities to partake in. ← Previous Post Next Post → Recommended July 21, 2019 at 9:25 pm I am visited by 3 hedghog every evening which I feed with Mr. Bakers hedghog dry food and mealy worms. They are small medium and large sizes looks like 3 generations. This is the third year I have had hedgehogs, I also have a bowl of water which they use. I think they sleep under the shed. July 22, 2019 at 11:11 am That’s awesome Patricia! Thanks for caring for these adorable creatures. Unfortunately some people see them as pests, so we definitely need people like you helping out	7,273
Default sorting Sort by popularity Sort by average rating Sort by latest Sort by price: low to high Sort by price: high to low Quick view Tyler, the Creator has been waiting for this moment for the past five years, since launching his fashion line Golf Wang Jackets. “Do as you’re told!” he shouts to his backstage crew, just half-jokingly, 10 minutes before unveiling his 2016 collection for the first time. The brand’s title is a play on Wolf Gang, as in Odd Future’s infamous hip-hop group, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. His outfits — a rainbow of pastel and fluorescent-colored hats, Tyler The Creator T shirt, a new line of shoes called Golf Le Fleur, and even a bathing suit — were being put on the models at the very last moment. Tyler The Creator Merch designed about 40 pieces of unisex clothing in less than three months and chose about half of them to show alongside specially crafted furniture such as a giant walk-in wardrobe shaped like a backpack. He acknowledges that he does not work on a fixed schedule and that he sketches out all of his designs with colors and fabrics ahead of time. “Most people dislike my clothing, but that’s fine,” he says. He’s built a successful career in fashion and music in his own ways, never changing who he is. He’s gifted, astute, and special. We have a great deal of love for him and his campaign. Golf Wang Jackets are well praised and have received a lot of demand in public. A jacket is an upper-body garment that usually stretches below the hips. A Tyler The Creator jacket normally has sleeves and closes in the front or on the rear. A jacket is normally thinner, more form-fitting, and less insulating than a hat, which is called outerwear. Some Golf Wang jackets are trendy, whereas others are utilitarian. Vests are coats without sleeves. Tyler The Creator Golf Wang Jackets act as shields to protect us from the direct effect of cold. Golf Wang Jackets are made for all, from a kid to old people. During the winter season, a jacket is worn to keep the body warm and it’s a trend as well. In colder regions people are basically obsessed with different types of Golf Wang jackets. Golf Wang Jackets designed are readily available at our stores to buy online.	2,394
“Conspiracy” and “coup” are the words Paul Quassa chooses when he reflects on his removal from the highest office in the Government of Nunavut. There were power-hungry cabinet ministers coveting the premier’s seat and MLAs thirsting for a cabinet position, and that’s what led to his downfall, he told Nunavut News. Go to our Nunavut News Facebook page and have your say on Paul Quassa’s removal “I knew there were some who want to be premier, (others) who wanted to become a minister so badly that they would do anything,” Quassa said. “I feel sorry for those who started talking behind our backs and saying, ‘We’re going to get this person out without even consulting their constituents…’ It’s not the Inuit way.” photo courtesy of the Government of Nunavut”Certainly that was their ultimate goal is, ‘How can I get into these positions that I really want?’ We saw quite a few disgruntled members who weren’t elected to the executive council during the leadership forum.”The 16-3 vote confirming his ouster on June 14 came without warning, according to Quassa. “I believe there was a breach of confidentiality from some of the cabinet members to the regular members and therefore this motion (of removal) came about,” he said, adding that some of those allegedly doing the plotting sowed the idea of a lack of solidarity among the executive. “Even my cabinet members, not once did they tell me of any of these things… not once did they tell me that they’re dissatisfied or anything… I was always open, and that’s how a leader should be. “I feel sorry for those who started talking behind our backs and saying, ‘We’re going to get this person out without even consulting their constituents…’ It’s not the Inuit way.” In the seven months he was premier, Quassa said there’s no decisions he would have changed. “It’s unfortunate. We were just starting and this thing comes about and disrupts the whole vision of Nunavut,” he said. “I don’t believe I did anything wrong, I certainly didn’t. Certainly I didn’t do anything criminal… nothing to oust a premier.” Responding to criticism The territorial government recently faced strong criticism over $572,000 to attend the Northern Lights Trade Show and Conference in Ottawa in February. Quassa countered that all spending was approved by the legislative branch, and conference attendance was aimed at building business within Nunavut. Another point of contention was the GN’s decision to stop seeking federal funding for the $550-million Grays Bay road and port project, which would boost mining in the territory. Because the GN would be responsible to provide a portion of project funding, the government decided to address other needs. “I’ve always said we haven’t abandoned (Grays Bay). It was a matter of prioritizing other things first,” Quassa said. “At the end of the day, it’s the federal government who decides where the money is going to go. This time around, the federal government decided it was going to go elsewhere, besides Grays Bay.” Fighting for Inuit language and culture The former premier made no apologies for his strong stance on promoting Inuit culture and language, such as making Inuktut-language training mandatory for bureaucrats. “I always say we have to make a bold move,” he said. “In the first place, who voted to create Nunavut? It was the Inuit, nobody else. The Nunavut government is very much part of the Nunavut land claims. Our vision was, at that time, to have a Nunavut government that speaks Inuktitut, a Nunavut government that respects and enhances Inuit culture.” Changes to government are required to ensure there’s no repeat of another premier being unceremoniously deposed, Quassa said. He suggested that issue may partly be solved by having Nunavummiut vote for the government leader rather than having the legislative assembly choose the premier. Not about to quit Although the week following his removal from the premier’s office has been “very emotional” for him, his family and other Nunavummiut who have contacted to offer their support, Quassa said he fully intends to serve the remainder of his term as Aggu MLA, representing constituents in Iglulik. “I was voted to sit in the legislative assembly for four years and I’m not going to cut that short,” he said. “I’m not going to just sit in a corner and stay there. I was elected to represent my constituents and Nunavutmiut interests and that’s what I’m going to do. It’s not going to stop me… We can survive. The Inuit have survived for thousands of years and we still can.” Cancel 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 {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}It appears your submission was successful. Even though the server responded OK, it is possible the submission was not processed. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. Learn More{{/message}} Recent Posts Iqaluit RCMP looking for vehicle theft suspects November 25, 2022 Dog suspected of rabies euthanized in Rankin Inlet November 24, 2022 Significant increase in prisoners November 23, 2022 Beer and wine store a challenge for those trying to stay sober November 23, 2022 Federal government announces $7.2 million to go toward Inuusirvik Community Wellness Centre construction November 22, 2022	5,742
This school year is going to be different. Many of my students are beginning kindergarten in just a few days, while I myself am trying to figure out just how all of a sudden, I am a high school senior. The future is uncertain -- a saying have gotten a bit too used to hearing over the past few months. Whether your elementary schooler is going back full time, starting virtual school, a hybrid program, or transitioning to homeschool, I am here to help. As always, I hope to continue to be a resource to parents and students during this unprecented and somewhat scary time in our world. Right now, my tutoring program focuses a lot on helping out the kids... but my blog is all about helping you, the parents, to navigate a difficult situation and to keep your children engaged in their learning. On "Zooming Through 2020," I will post tips and tricks, suggestions, and all that I have learned as a student and tutor over the past school year. No, this isn't just a blog about Zoom... but we will discuss lots about virtual learning on here! On this blog, parents are welcome to contribute to our website as part of a community: please reach out to me with questions, comments, or concerns for the upcoming school year. They will be answered and addressed here! Whether you are a parent involved in our tutoring program or not, you are welcome here. Parents, please feel free to invite friends and family who would be interested, regardless of whether they are involved in our tutoring program or not. I am here to help! Stay tuned for many posts in the coming weeks! I can't wait to hear your thoughts and help you and your student begin a bright and successful school year! Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy 2020 School Year! 13 views0 comments 1 like. Post not marked as liked1 Recent Posts The Problem with Homeschooling Identifying the Problem: the First Step in Finding a Solution Six months ago, we lived in a different world. Parents could send their children to school without questioning their safety. Elementary sc	2,084
Bibliovore. Botanist. Gardener. And, edited to add six months in, as I review my completed blog posts, Armchair Traveller and Vintage Book Explorer. I live on a small riverside farm in the country in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region of British Columbia, Canada. I raise a few sheep & have a “micro-nursery” specializing in hardy perennials & heirloom tomatoes & other interesting plants that strike my fancy. I am also a working partner in a small market garden operated by my daughter. Why the blog? (Reasons to be refined as I go – this is very much a “first thoughts” entry.) Personal – a place to document the many books that surround me – those that I treasure as old friends & those that pass through my life more briefly. Emphasis on the ones I really like, though there are going to be a few negative thoughts shared here & there. Also a way to record memories of books I shared with my children (or that they shared with me), or that were important to me in the past. Public – I love reading book blogs, especially when researching out-of-print books with an eye to purchasing them through Abebooks. So many times there are no mainstream reviews, but I find what I want in various personal literary blogs – what did we do before Google?! So this is my contribution to the conversation – I hope someone someday finds what they need in here. Forgotten authors – a place to remember some stellar writers, now mostly (or completely) out of print. This blog is very much a work in progress! on March 24, 2013 at 9:59 am \| Reply moore314 I’m very glad I stumbled upon! I’m all about vintage books and will dive into yours. Your farm sounds enchanting and good for you for home-schooling – wish I had the means way back, but they turned out OK! on March 24, 2013 at 11:09 pm \| Reply leavesandpages You know, I think they turn out OK no matter what we do! It (homeschooling) was a decision that was rather forced upon us – our small rural school closed at the end of our eldest child’s Kindergarten year, and the bus ride to town was 3 hours (1.5 hours each morning & afternoon) a day, so we decided to try it “for a year or two” – and, well, here we are looking at college literature! But they have friends who have gone both routes, public school, homeschool (and a combination of the two, in some cases) and really, it’s all OK. Pluses & minuses to anything you end up doing. on March 25, 2013 at 5:21 am moore314 “Pluses and minuses” Isn’t that the truth with life itself on May 23, 2013 at 8:08 pm \| Reply Bob Ruhloff I am delighted to have read your review of Rhododendron Pie. I just came across my copy of Four Gardens (a 1936 Tauchnitz edition – “Not to be introduced into the British Empire or the U.S.A.” – which was given to me by me mother, another fan of Margery Sharp) and did some research which lead me to your site. I’m sure that I will find more treasures there. Best regards, on May 23, 2013 at 10:00 pm \| Reply leavesandpages Many thanks for the kind words, Bob. Isn’t the internet grand for discovering that others also ejoy the same books, leading to discovery of so many more things we’d never previously heard of, or only had vague inklings about?! All the best to you as well, on May 26, 2013 at 10:53 am \| Reply Wisher Hello there, Keep those crafty hands and witty minds going. on May 27, 2013 at 5:52 pm \| Reply Bob Ruhloff This is a preface to what is, essentially, a rant: a quote from page 15 of Brunonia Barry’s The Lace Reader, which was pushed on me as a terrific book. I cross the street. I open the gate to Eva’s house, catching a whiff of flowers, peonies, coming from her gardens. There are hundreds of them now, tree peonies on small bushes that die back every winter. Eva has done well with her gardens. She used to leave a key for me in a peony blossom when she knew I was coming in. Or she would place it in one of the daylilies if it was later in the season and the peonies were no longer blooming…. I’ve gardened for a long time, and know from personal experience that there are few fragrances that carry for any distance from the blossom. I can name some – Korean spice viburnum, some lilacs, a few roses (Lagerfeld is the only one I can think of immediately), mock orange, daphne. Peonies are not among them. Indeed, most peonies have very little scent, and while the scent may be sweet it may be mildly unpleasant. [Anais Nin found that they smell of cockchafers.] Tree peonies do NOT die back every winter; if they did, they would never bloom, as they bloom from old wood. Leaving a key in a peony blossom? Difficult, since herbaceous peony flowers tend to bend over, and tree peonies are rather open and flat. In a daylily? Perhaps, with a bit of tape and some luck. The Rant: The author hasn’t a clue what she is writing about here, and is therefore not to be trusted or read. End of Rant. These inaccuracies were so annoying, nay, infuriating, that I stopped reading then and there. The same sort of ‘fantastical’ writing happens, of course, a lot; another recent attempt at reading was P.J. Tracy’s Off the Grid, which begins on a sailboat, It’s painfully obvious that they haven’t spent much time on a boat, or didn’t pay much attention if they did. Does this happen to you? Regards, on May 30, 2013 at 9:09 am \| Reply leavesandpages Yes! And if I catch an author out on something I personally know a lot about – gardening being a prime one, as you’ve demonstrated yourself – I immediately lose trust. I have also stopped reading in similar situations. The happy flip side to that, of course, is that if an author demonstrates true knowledge of something I’m “good on” – Monica Dickens on anything to do with horses, for example – I nod in recognition and my delight in the author’s work expands exponentially. Re: the key hidden in peonies and dayliles – I have been looking at both of these this week with this fantastical idea in mind (I have been down at the BC coast, where both are now in full bloom) – and I fully concur with you. Improbable at best! Fragrance in peonies… some of the older herbaceous peonies do have a rather strong fragrance, especially if cut and in a small space (I know this from experience – Festiva Maxima in a vase in my tiny bathroom comes to mind) but it’s not what I would call “carrying” in the garden. I sampled some tree peonies this week as well, fragrance-wise, and the scents I discovered were faint and not particularly attractive. Rant away! I fully agree! on January 6, 2014 at 10:05 pm \| Reply Ingo Oevermann Am reading ‘The Protected Place’ by Gilean Douglas;went looking for some background information on her and stumbled on your blog review. Love this perceptive and pacific author and share her distaste of the abuse of our beautiful and fragile world. Would very much like to have met her, but alas, she has left us. Spent several hours on your reviews and was intrigued by, and will look for ‘Monkey Beach’ by Edna Robinson. In thanks, I wish to recommend two books to you – ‘The Curve of Time’ by M. Wyle Blanchet, and ‘Driftwood Valley’ by Theodora Stanwell-Fletcher. I wish you many beautiful reads. Ingo in Smithers, B.C. on February 9, 2014 at 11:58 am \| Reply leavesandpages I thought I had answered this comment, but it looks like not. Thank you for the kind words regarding the blog; I hope you found some other interesting books to read from your browsing. I did have The Curve of Time – it is excellent – but am not familiar with Driftwood Valley, which I will keep an eye out for. on February 9, 2014 at 10:42 am \| Reply Ruth-Claire Weintraub Curiosity compels me to ask: What variety of sheep, please? on February 9, 2014 at 11:55 am \| Reply leavesandpages Suffolks are my first and most sustaining love, though for quite a few years we ran a mostly-Texel ewe flock with Suffolk rams – very nice market lambs from that cross. Just this past year we dispersed the herd and are down to 4 Texel-cross ewes, a big, mean Suffolk ram, and a small, good-natured Katahdin ram (hair sheep) whose main role is to keep the Suffolk company when we must part him from the ladies. Plans are to go back into purebred Suffolks in a small way, but we need to do some serious re-thinking of the sheep sheds & working area. Lots of predator loss recently in our area the last few years, from both coyotes and cougars – has changed how we do things – will be putting in some very tight and secure night housing for the flock. We run the sheep on pasture with portable electric net fence – rotational grazing. Did that answer your query, or was it too much info? on July 15, 2014 at 6:32 am \| Reply Tina Brooker I am enquiring about your Elizabeth Cambridge books.Could you review the rare ones that you told STUCK IN A BOOK about in March?I believe you had 2 or 3?If i am not being rude how did you locate them and were they expensive? on July 15, 2014 at 8:41 am \| Reply leavesandpages I have now managed to acquire what I belive are all of Elizabeth Cambridge’s books. The last one, ‘The Two Doctors’, only arrived the other day. So I have now read ‘Hostages to Fortune’ (which I promptly reviewed with a glowing recommendation!), ‘Susan and Joanna’, and ‘The Sycamore Tree’. Waiting to be read are ‘Spring Always Comes’ and ‘The Two Doctors’. I have been holding off reviewing ‘Susan and Joanna’ because after I finished it I had such a difficult time trying to frame what I would like to say about it. It is a rather different book than ‘Hostages to Fortune’. Not at all in a bad way, I hasten to say, just…different. It concerns two young women and two young men and their love affairs and subsequent marriages. It is a very well written story, but the ending has a melodramatic development which left me rather at a loss as to whether it was a good idea to have gone there (on the author’s part) and how well it really worked for me as a reader. So I am going to re-read it and see how it strikes me the second time round. And I think, now that you have given me the nudge, that I shall do so quite soon. ‘The Sycamore Tree’ is an interesting book as well. Again, beautifully written, but hard to really pin down my responses. It is the story of a younger son who walks through his life in the shadow of his more confident, more competent, and generally more beloved older brother. Again, I finished it, comsidered writing about it, and then set it aside, feeling like I needed to read it again to catch all of its many nuances. Elizabeth Cambridge is (was) an utterly excellent writer, and though these other two of her novels don’t have quite the instant appeal of ‘Hostages to Fortune’ they definitely are on the same wavelength, if that makes sense. As a reader I found all three deeply engaging and thought-provoking. I’m not quite sure what to expect from the last two, but I am looking forward with anticipation to discovering what she has made of these. This doesn’t really help you, does it?! These were very difficult to find, and I must say that luck entered into the picture. The author published under several names; Elizabeth Cambridge was her pseudonym. She was born Barbara Webber, and first published under her married name, Barbara K. Hodges, so I had been searching using all of these names in turn. Let’s see if I can remember where I found these… ‘The Sycamore Tree’ was the easiest to find, and I purchased it from a bookseller in the USA via ABE. It was mid-range pricey, I believe around $30 Canadian, including shipping. Three copies show up this morning on ABE (I just looked) ranging in base price from $16 to $75 (in US dollars) but with shipping to Canada these would actually cost from $44 to $94. So anything under a base price of $20 would be a rather good price, if these are typical. I think if one were patient and had access to some good second hand book stores in, say, Great Britain, one might come across this one for a lot less if one were lucky. The last three were real quests. I got into the habit of doing quick searches whenever I was on book sites for other reasons, and I eventually found all three. I acted fast on all of them; not sure what the actual demand is, but they sure don’t show up very often. ‘Susan and Joanna’ was found on eBay, from a private seller in France, and it cost a mere $15 with shipping – a real bargain, I thought, considering its rarity! Right now one copy shows up on ABE, for $80 with shipping. (Ouch.) ‘Spring Always Comes’ was found through ABE, and it cost me $60. (No copies currently on ABE – I only ever saw the one copy the one time and I grabbed it.) ‘The Two Doctors’ was found through ABE, and it cost me $44. (No copies currently on ABE – ditto above.) Overall this was quite an expensive author to “collect”. She is not in our library system, and other than the re-issue of ‘Hostages to Fortune’ her books are exceedingly hard to find, in my experience. But as she is an author who grabbed my attention and has rewarded me with well-written novels, I justify the considerable cost by considering all the “bargains” I have found in my vintage book searches and balancing it all out. I do manage to acquire a lot of $2 and $5 books – those are the vast majority! – so I look at it on the “average cost” system, compared to, say, the purchase of a current-issue book.(At least that is my rather incoherant explanation to my husband!) Best of luck on your own quest. I will try to write something soonish on these novels. Reviews are also exceedingly rare, aside from ‘Hostages”, aren’t they? I know that I searched and searched before deciding to just go with my instinct and order the others with no prior knowledge as to content. “Thoughtful domestic drama” could be said to be the universal theme of this writer’s modest body of work. on July 15, 2014 at 9:54 am \| Reply Tina Brooker Many Thanks for sharing your private dealings.I felt worried asking you. I myself only have “The Two Doctors” bought yesterday from EBAYUK.Cost was £7.99 including postage.I did not mention this at first as i did not want to brag.The only other copy was £20.00 on Amazon UK. I am guilty because my county library has TWO DOCTORS and Hostages To Fortune–my number one rule is –only buy books not in the library stores–books cost 60pence to borrow from there. Thanks for the reply and for your lovely blog which i enjoy reading. Tina from UK on July 16, 2014 at 2:39 pm \| Reply leavesandpages Oh, you did well! If one has patience I find that this sometimes happens. on July 15, 2014 at 9:56 am \| Reply Tina Brooker on July 16, 2014 at 2:38 pm \| Reply leavesandpages Oh my! That’s rather rich! Not going to jump on that one… on July 15, 2014 at 10:01 am \| Reply Tina Brooker I hope i can find SUSAN AND JOANNA before very long.Been looking for years–your brief review makes me think i would like it best. on July 22, 2014 at 9:19 am \| Reply priyanka I am really happy to have found your blog . I can’t find your name though . And hey , I have got a news for you . I have nominated you for the “ONE LOVELY BLOG AWARD” And I really hop you accept my invitation. I think you deserve this award as much as any great blogger . Congrats Click here to know more http://priyankakanagaraj.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/yyyyaaayyyyy-me-ive-been-nominated-for-the-one-lovely-blog-award/ on August 4, 2014 at 7:40 pm \| Reply Cleo @ Classical Carousel I’m glad to find your blog. It sounds like you’re in B.C. and I am too. I’m also a homeschooler. Imagine that! Looking forward to exploring more of your excellent reviews! on August 5, 2014 at 7:05 am \| Reply leavesandpages Thanks, Cleo. Yup, I’m in BC, up in the Cariboo. I guess I’m not technically a homeschooler any more as my kids are now off to post-secondary education, but I still read every children’s or YA book with a long-time homeschooler’s eyes. (“Will this make a good read-aloud, and what are the cross-curricular connections?” ) on November 14, 2014 at 10:22 am \| Reply Kelly Bradford Enjoyed reading your take on McGiverns ‘”Mention My Name in Mombassa”. Maureen Daly was my aunt, and we visited them in Torremolinos one summer when I was quite young. I need to find a copy of the book and see if it jogs my memory. on November 18, 2014 at 8:37 am \| Reply leavesandpages Oh, how lovely! Your aunt and her family sound like wonderfully interesting people from this memoir. I do believe this book is fairly easy to acquire – I just did a quick search on ABE (Abebooks.com) and there are 14 copies, starting at about $5 US, plus shipping. It’s extremely readable, but would be twice as fascinating with the family connection. on March 4, 2015 at 10:49 am \| Reply Rupert Hello – I’m the publisher for a new largely digital imprint, Dean Street Press, which is dedicated in part to rediscovering classic golden age mystery writers (mostly concentrating on the twenties and thirties). Would love to send you info about our new releases and (hopefully) review copies. Could I possibly have an email address – mine is [email protected]. Best wishes, Rupert on March 5, 2015 at 7:17 pm \| Reply leavesandpages Hi Rupert, I’ve just emailed you. Sounds interesting! on June 2, 2015 at 12:22 am \| Reply John I am having a difficult time finding the edition of The Wind in the Willows that you featured in your review. You said it was a 1954 edition. Any helpwould be ggreatly appreciated. on October 6, 2015 at 7:37 pm \| Reply Alan Margison Interesting stuff! But why is made impossible to find out the name of the person whose blog this is, or a contact email address? I have a genuine reason for asking. on November 26, 2015 at 2:04 am \| Reply Katie Stileman Hi there, I am the publicist for the Oxford World’s Classics list and would be interested in sending you copies for review. Can you email me on [email protected]? All best, Katie on November 26, 2015 at 9:40 pm \| Reply leavesandpages Hi Katie, I emailed you back. Sounds interesting. Thanks for getting in touch. on September 15, 2016 at 7:02 am \| Reply Victoria Eade I hope you won’t mind the contact via the comments box but just wondered if you might be interested: Furrowed Middlebrow is an imprint of Dean Street Press, following the ‘Furrowed Middlebrow’ blog (http://furrowedmiddlebrow.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Published%20by%20Furrowed%20Middlebrow) new editions by lesser-known British women novelists and memoirists. A CHELSEA CONCERTO by Frances Faviell and A FOOTMAN FOR THE PEACOCK by Rachel Ferguson are now available as advance copies. Would you be interested in reviewing these or any of the list of associated works (see link)? Many thanks, on September 26, 2016 at 10:16 pm \| Reply leavesandpages Yes, please! What grand news, and what a tempting book list this is. THank you for thinking of me. I have just sent you an email. on October 30, 2016 at 11:44 pm \| Reply Helen Tomlinson Dear Leaves and Pages, I am on your mailing list (thank you) and enjoy your reviews enormously (another thank you) but I am getting very worried that you are going to go through life without having read the seven Williamsburg novels by Elswyth Thane. I read these at least once a year – not so much a re-read as a family visit! I can’t bear the thought that you may never discover them. They were written in the 1950s – just exactly your cup of tea, I should think – my only criticism is that the first novel, Dawn’s Early Light, is the least captivating but the rest … are the best. Just saying. on October 31, 2016 at 8:08 am \| Reply leavesandpages Oh, Helen, thank you for the kind words. And yes, I’ve had Elswyth Thane recommended to me by others, too. I do intend to search these out. I do have my mother’s old copy of one of her autobiographical books, Reluctant Farmer, which I re-read every so often with great enjoyment, plus a copy of The Light Heart which I am saving to read in proper sequence once I get started with the Williamsburg books. Thank you for the nudge; these may make some of my upcoming winter reading. on October 31, 2016 at 10:52 am \| Reply Rian Everest I hear what you say: “I frequently receive requests to read and review things, and I generally turn these requests down….Unless the book in question is one which looks to be something I’d be interested in buying for myself…” OK, I completely understand that. But how about a book or two written recently but in the style of a century ago? I could send you an extract if you wish. Keep up your fine work! on November 3, 2016 at 6:21 am \| Reply leavesandpages Hi Rian, thank you for this comment, and the intriguing teaser. I’ve just sent you an email. Let’s see where this goes. on December 21, 2016 at 10:48 am \| Reply Nowick Gray Hi Rian, we met at Oak Bay library in Oct. – just reviewed your book at Amazon, having enjoyed Tangerine Tigress. https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/AO18HC2EHMHH5 on December 21, 2016 at 10:53 am \| Reply Nowick Gray Hi Rian, we met in Oct at Oak Bay library book event. I just post a review of your Tangerine Tigress at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/AO18HC2EHMHH5 Well done! Hope you are enjoying Hunter’s Daughter. on December 21, 2016 at 7:10 pm \| Reply Rian Everest Many thanks, Nowick. Glad you found the reading worthwhile. Stand by for a fuller reply. on November 3, 2016 at 6:07 pm \| Reply Helen Tomlinson So pleased you’re thinking about reading the Williamsburg novels and, yes, they simply must be read in order. I recently was lucky enough to find a matching set online – I already had them all but different editions, covers, sizes etc. Don’t forget – the first one gives no indication of the reading pleasure to come. I can’t think of a better way to spend a cosy winter afternoon in front of the fire – I wish I had them all to read again for the first time. Happy reading. on November 6, 2016 at 4:38 pm \| Reply Barry Hi you did a review on my store a few years ago….I wanted to thank you…very kind. on November 6, 2016 at 9:50 pm \| Reply leavesandpages Hey, is this Barry at The Final Chapter in Prince George? Love your store. I never have enough time to spend, but even the quickest visit results in a stack of good reading. Thank you for being there, nothing like a proper walk-in used book store full of eclectic finds to keep us hardcore readers happy! on December 21, 2016 at 7:07 pm \| Reply Rian Everest Many thanks, Nowick. Glad you found the reading worthwhile. Stand by for a fuller reply. on January 25, 2017 at 3:05 pm \| Reply helenajrae I’m so pleased to come across your blog! I found you on Goodreads when I was looking for a review on ‘Jane’s Parlour’, which has recently been given to me. My grandmother left me a number of vintage books (which I adore!) and over the years friends/family have added to my collection! I’m new to blogging and, along with contemporary and traditional classics, I’m looking forward to re-reading and reviewing these vintage gems. I could lose hours on your site! on January 25, 2017 at 6:28 pm \| Reply leavesandpages Welcome to our world! It’s a good place to be, the people here are very friendly, and help each other find lots of places to spend our old-book-budget money, lol! I will be looking forward to your reviews. on January 25, 2017 at 9:57 pm helenajrae Thanks Barb. It seems a lovely community to be a part of. on January 26, 2017 at 9:56 am leavesandpages Oh dear! Is this about your book file you sent me to look at? I did glance over it, and then never got back to it. It looked very interesting, and I did mean to sit down and read it properly with full attention. My only excuse for not doing this much more promptly is that I don’t much care for “pleasure” reading from a screen so I tend to push these sorts of things to the back of the attention file, as it were. I have a lot of “work” screen reading and for relaxation I like to push away and engage my eyes with print on paper. I hope you will forgive me, if this indeed is the reason for your displeasure, and yes, you did send me a nudge which I likely didn’t respond to. No excuse for that except a guilty conscience! Shall I try again? on February 4, 2017 at 8:47 am leavesandpages Sounds good. Will do! And I will get to the reading SOON. Dipped in again the other day; I need to dedicate some time to it, enjoyed what I read. on January 25, 2017 at 6:47 pm \| Reply Helen Tomlinson A note to Helena – if you’re going to read more O. Douglas (such as Jane’s Parlour) make sure to read them in the right order – e.g. read The Proper Place before its sequel, The Day of Small Things; and read Penny Plain before Priorsford. As well, when reading other stand-alone books by O. Douglas, you will be delighted to come across references to characters featured in her other books. Love these old time books to bits! Happy reading, Helen. P.S. Didyou know that O. Douglas is the sister of John Buchan who wrote Thirty Nine Steps? on January 25, 2017 at 9:55 pm \| Reply helenajrae Oh wow…Helen, I knew NONE of that! Thank you so much. I’ll try to track down copies of O. Douglas’s other books. I can’t tell you how nice it is to find others who love these books as much as I do! Thank you. on January 25, 2017 at 10:31 pm \| Reply Helen Tomlinson Hi Helena, have you read any other O. Douglas? I discovered them, gradually collected them all over the years and consider them part of my ‘comfort’ book collection – an escape into a more civil and mannered world where the latest technology was the telephone! I suppose it was less civil and mannered than I imagine, but it’s the way I would like my ideal world to be. What other ‘vintage’ writers have you read? Have you discovered the deliriously delicious world of Georgette Heyer? Romances, yes, but A.S. Byatt once remarked the fairy tale element in her books was always balanced by her extraordinary accuracy of detail, ‘…she is playing romantic games with the novel of manners.’ The humour is often of the laugh-out-loud variety – embarrassing in public. They are comfort books par excellence! (If you haven’t read any, a good start would be The Grand Sophy… hopefully in the process of being made into a movie). Happy reading, Helen. on September 22, 2017 at 3:24 am \| Reply Eric van Peer Hello, I came to your website when I was looking for Taunus 17M information and photos. The web site is really a masterpiece! I also love old books, mostly about technology and especially about cars. On your site you have a picture of your mother from January 1962 when moving to Cariboo in the snow. I have been free to download the picture. Beautiful original picture with the Taunus model that I have today to. Question: do you have more pictures from the sixties where the Taunus can be seen? greetings Eric on September 23, 2017 at 11:17 am \| Reply leavesandpages Hello Eric, so good to hear from you. The Taunus was a wonderful car – we were all sad when my mother decided to retire it in 1972. Sadly it was sold and passed out of our lives; we heard later it was wrecked and went away to be crushed. I might have a few other pictures with the car – they will be black and white, and all with people. Let me see what I can find. Might take a few days. I would love to see a picture of your Taunus, as well. Cheers! on October 17, 2017 at 3:06 am \| Reply Fiona MacDonald This has got to be my favourite book blog online. I read it everyday, often reading your reviews over and over. Wonderful place to come and explore some authors I have never heard of and delight in the appreciation I encounter for the ones that I have! You have a charming way of writing and recording your thoughtd, please keep it up on January 10, 2018 at 7:59 pm \| Reply Karyn Huenemann Hi! You have followed my children’s literature blog, which is really cool, but did you know about our Can Lit blog as well? https://ceww.wordpress.com/ on January 10, 2018 at 8:19 pm \| Reply leavesandpages Oh, this is fantastic! I can’t believe I haven’t found my way to this site before. Good stuff. on January 31, 2018 at 12:00 am \| Reply 3, 2, 1, Go! – The Three Rs Book Blog […] fascinating post for me is on the Leaves and Pages blog about Alan Garner’s The Owl Service. Despite knowing no Welsh mythology, this book was […] on February 16, 2018 at 7:14 am \| Reply skyblueseagreen I found this blog while searching for information on Helen MacInnes’s book Friends and Lovers, and am so thrilled to find others who appreciate vintage books! on February 16, 2018 at 7:30 am \| Reply leavesandpages on December 27, 2018 at 8:19 am \| Reply MarkOttawa (@OttawaHere) I found this via a Edith Wharton search. I shall return to explore further. on January 5, 2019 at 8:53 pm \| Reply Priscilla Dodwell Hello it’s lovely to discover another Flora Klickmann admirer. I first happened upon her books in a second-hand bookshop, when living in Dunedin (New Zealand) in the 1970s. Her writings l treasure, and still dip into them again and again. She was one of the many early conservationists, and her writings about the environment and gardening, influenced many in the post war years. I wish that the autobiography she wrote had been published. Unfortunately it was turned down for publication when she first submitted it, and in a fit of disappointment she destroyed the manuscript. on April 10, 2020 at 3:50 am \| Reply Ritchie I came to your blog via the Howard Spring reviews. I read most of his books decades ago. I liked “These Lovers Fled Away” best as I remember. You are the only person I have ever come across who shares my affection for the man. Though there was always plenty of his books in secondhand bookshops – when we still had such things – so he must have sold a fair few in NZ. The book I most regret losing was called “The Year of the Horsetails” set in the time of (I presume) Gengis Khan. on August 16, 2020 at 2:32 pm \| Reply Barbara I enjoyed your comments on D. E. Stevenson very much. I read my first book by this author in Scotland at age 10 in 1947. I was in bed with a cold and had no books to read so this one was one of my Mother’s. I don’t remember the title but did remember the author when I picked up Miss Buncle. I have often wondered about who in her life was the recurring character who appears as Helen,”‘Anna and her Daughters” as Lottie ” Sarah Morris Remembers” and as Kitty “Young Clementina”. Was it someone real or ……. Obviously D. E. Stevenson had a strong faith but I did not mind it. I am a Christian but I find the so called Christian books don’t do much for me. The authors seem, for the most part miss the Christian faith of the Bible and bring in a man made magic which does no service to God. on January 2, 2021 at 6:18 pm \| Reply Bruce Your appreciations and celebrations of writing and writers are delights. Thank you. on January 29, 2022 at 3:47 pm \| Reply Sue Ever read anything by Margaret Halsey? on January 29, 2022 at 4:29 pm \| Reply leavesandpages Yes, indeed I have. With Malice Towards Some and Color Blind. It’s been years, though, and I just remember that the first one was really quite funny in slightly mean-spirited way, and the second one (Halsey’s assessment of racism in her time and setting) very interesting in a “one person’s opinion” sort of way. She seemed to have had strong opinions! Both are books I mean to re-read at some point. on January 30, 2022 at 11:11 am \| Reply tonywparr Barb, I would like to send you an email re a book of stories that I would like you to review a few and make comment to feature at front of book. I have been a reader of your reviews and believe you will like the stories and provide comment Thanks on January 30, 2022 at 11:24 am \| Reply leavesandpages I would be very pleased to read and comment on your stories. I will send you a message from the best email to get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you, on February 21, 2022 at 10:46 am \| Reply tonywparr Maybe I missed your email… I certainly would like to send you a few short stories for review from my about to be published book The World is a Handkerchief TRAVEL NATURE ART and Life! Thirty stories from people around the world with wonderful tales to tell… Anthony W, Parr 425 444 1656 or I can call you. on February 22, 2022 at 10:31 am \| Reply Chiara Giacobbe Hello! Interesting blog! I am Chiara, writing from Kazabo Publishing, where we publish international best-selling authors who’ve never been translated into English before, with a special emphasis on mystery. I would like to send you digital copies of our books, if you are interested in reviewing them. My email address is [email protected]. Looking forward to hearing from you. on April 20, 2022 at 7:22 pm \| Reply sdr67 Hello — found you via your January re-view entry about Sally Watson’s Jade. I would love to email you about her. She had her 98th birthday only a couple of weeks after you published your entry, and passed away peacefully on March 11. on April 24, 2022 at 2:10 pm \| Reply Sophia Lambton Your blog is a testament to professional, exquisite exegeses of innumerable works of fiction: thank you so much for it. Sorry to be the umpteenth person to request a review, but I couldn’t find your contact details here. I’m writing to you to introduce The Crooked Little Pieces: Volume 1: the first instalment of a 20th-century literary fiction saga. The Crooked Little Pieces centres on twin sisters Anneliese and Isabel: passion-pursuant heroines perturbed by pains, obsessions, (obviously each other) and themselves. Here is the book’s blurb: Lost are the creatures destined never to be understood. 1926. Professor Josef van der Holt obtains a post at an all women’s college overseas. Stuffy London suddenly becomes the site for the unseemly exploits of his half-Dutch and half-German daughters Anneliese and Isabel. When tragedy carves out a hollow in their lives, a severed soul sends the sororal twins along a jagged path: while Isabel takes flight in sensual hedonism Anneliese skirts danger in her role as sleuth. Elusive are the sentiments they seek: swift stopovers of fleeting feeling. Lopsided loves and passions scarcely probable veer each away from the predictable. And when the obvious appears unstoppable the opposite may achingly be true. It is television drama. Novelised. The work – which is released 25 May 2022 – is now available for Pre-Order on Amazon, Apple and Kobo. More information can also be found on The Crepuscular Press’s website and its Goodreads page. I would be happy to send you an ARC as a, MOBI, EPUB or PDF file or, alternatively, as a hardcover or paperback once these proofs become available. The book is additionally available for pre-review on Edelweiss and will soon likewise be posted to NetGalley. There is no deadline for review. Leave a Reply to Sue Cancel reply Email (required) (Address never made public) Name (required) Connecting to %s Notify me of new comments via email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Winter by the Fraser River. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Email Address: These “Reviews” and Ratings I am merely a reader, a consumer of books for amusement and personal instruction, not a professional reviewer - and that is indeed a worthy profession, an important literary craft - so these posts are merely meant to be one person's reading responses, not scholarly reviews. Early on in this blog I began rating the books I talked about on a 1 to 10 scale; it was meant to be a quick way to communicate my personal degree of satisfaction/pleasure (or the opposite) in each reading experience. To emphasize: These are very personal, completely arbitrary ratings. These are merely meant to be a measure of the book's success in meeting my hopes and expectations as a reader. 5 & higher are what I consider as "keepers", in various degrees. A 10 indicates that I can think of no possible improvement. Ratings under 5 are rare & I struggle with giving those, but in all honesty sometimes feel them appropriate for, again, undeniably arbitrary and very personal reasons. Each book is rated in its own context, NOT in comparison to the entire range of literature, which would, of course, be an impossible task.	37,828
With 2021 fast approaching it’s time to look ahead. Back in march, marketing plans were torn up and (hopefully) rewritten. The businesses which have succeeded since, continued to invest in and develop their marketing strategies as 2020 progressed. As we near the end of a hectic year, it’s time to plan once more. While uncertainty […] Posted [email protected] December 3, 2020 December 3, 2020 Posted inLead generation, Marketing StrategyTags: lead generation, marketing, Marketing strategy, new business development, Quick Sustainable Cold, strategy © 2020. All rights reserved. We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing to visit this site you agree to our use of cookies. cookies policy	743
One of the hardest tasks for every Christian is to deeply believe and forever remember that we’ve been saved by grace. This is a lifelong challenge because our natural tendency is always to veer back to merit, to assume that we’ve been saved by something we are, something we’ve got, or something we’ve accomplished. Grace—unmerited favor—is too much for our sinful minds to accept and for our sinful hearts to embrace. The reason we need to hear the gospel again and again is to recalibrate ourselves according to the truth: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God…” (Ephesians 2:8). Maybe it is worth the challenge of asking this: How would I live if I had been saved by merit rather than grace? If I had been saved by merit, I could be proud of myself. I could be proud and perhaps even smug because to at least some degree my salvation would have depended upon me. It would have had its genesis somewhere within, in some little glimpse of grace or glimmer of goodness. I would have reason to boast as the owner of something that drew God’s attention and merited God’s favor. But since I’m saved by grace, I can only ever be humble, to acknowledge that I’ve done absolutely nothing to make myself worthy, and that all I’ve received has been apart from my efforts, apart from my actions, and even apart from my desires. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31). If I had been saved by merit, I could favorably compare myself to others. If I had earned salvation based on some little internal trace of goodness, I could rightly compare myself with others to wonder why they hadn’t been saved. Do I have some goodness intrinsic to me that they do not have? Or am I just sufficiently motivated to identify and exercise that bit of goodness? Either way, I could compare myself to them and win the comparison. I could set myself apart from the mass of humanity. But as it stands, I have no right to compare myself to others and if I do, will only see greater evidence of my deep sinfulness. We are all totally depraved, all equally helpless at the foot of the cross, for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). If I had been saved by merit, I could demand merit of others. If I had merited the favor of God, it would be proof that we exist within a world of merit, a world in which good things are dispensed to those who deserve them according to the things they are, the things they’ve accomplished, or perhaps even the things they’ve promised to do or become. I could then make this demand of others, that just as I merited the favor of God, they must merit my favor. I could extend love and respect only to the few who prove themselves worthy of it. But I live in a world of grace and have been saved only because God chose to extend his grace to me. Therefore, I am obligated to extend grace to others. How could I withhold the very thing that has been given to me? “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you” (Matthew 18:32-33). If I had been saved by merit, I could make demands. If I had earned my salvation, I could negotiate with God for more favor, for more privileges, for more benefits. I could hold up my list of accomplishments and demand fair compensation. I could compare what has been given to others and make the case for why I am deserving of all that God has given them and more besides. But since salvation is a gift, I can joyfully receive even the smallest benefit and the least privilege as a gift rather than a wage. I can know that even the smallest bit of favor is far more than I deserve and I can be content with only that. “If we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Timothy 6:8). One of the hardest tasks for every Christian is to deeply believe and forever remember that we’ve been saved by grace. One of the sweetest disciplines for every Christian is to meditate upon the grace that God extends to the undeserving. This is the grace in which we live, the grace upon which we stand. “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoiced in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2). You May Also Like Advance! Advance in Favor In lieu of a comments section, I accept and encourage letters to the editor. If you would like to write a letter to the editor, you can do so here. My daily, curated collection of Kindle deals for Christians. A La Carte (December 2) A La Carte (December 1) 7 False Teachers in the Church Today I am a Christian, a husband to Aileen, and a father to two girls in their teens and one son who is waiting for me in heaven. I worship and serve as a pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario. learn more › Featured Book by Tim Challies I wrote this short, fast-paced, practical guide to productivity to share what I have learned about getting things done in today’s digital world. It will help you learn to structure your life to do the most good to the glory of God. Buy All content © Tim Challies, 2002-2022. I have now blogged for 6,971 consecutive days. Site by Mere. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.	5,848
Get tickets to MeFi Events' Book Week! \| Join us Dec 4: Writing Fast and Dirty (writing + selling a debut novel to world's largest publisher) \| Part of our ongoing fundraiser! What is this weird stuff in my newspaper? May 16, 2011 4:46 PM Subscribe What is this weird looking tape-like stuff in the middle of the business section of my New York Times? I was reading through some old papers today, and in the April 27th, business section there is a piece of what looks like "paper tape" running from one side of the page to the other with text and photos printed over it (see first photo). Additionally, there are what appear to be two shiny stickers on the same page with text/photo printed over it, albeit not as well (see second photo.) I get the paper delivered to me here in Oregon every day, I believe it is printed in Seattle or Portland... Any newspaper people out there know what might have happened at the printer to cause needing to do this to my paper? posted by pwb503 to Media & Arts (8 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite It's called splicing tape. Newsprint comes on big rolls that gets fed through the printing presses. When one roll runs out, the tail end is spliced to the start of a new roll. posted by zombiedance at 4:58 PM on May 16, 2011 Response by poster: The thing is, the tape doesn't completely go from side to side (see first photo where you can see that it ends before the end of the page...) Is is possible there was a tear in the middle of the roll and this is how they fixed it? posted by pwb503 at 5:14 PM on May 16, 2011 But it goes all the way to one edge, right (on your right as you hold the paper)? Is there a tear on the other side of the page-- the side not facing the camera, where the tape is? posted by herbplarfegan at 5:37 PM on May 16, 2011 Response by poster: It doesn't go to either edge. See this photo I just uploaded which shows where the other end of the tape ends. posted by pwb503 at 5:44 PM on May 16, 2011 First one is probably just be a stray trimming. Second one is odd. I haven't seen clear splicing tape, but I haven't worked at a newspaper either. (I've done similar work, though.) Third one is similar to first. posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 5:46 PM on May 16, 2011 The second is most likely tape placed over a tear in the paper to keep the web from snapping. posted by MikeMc at 6:35 PM on May 16, 2011 To be clear: "The web" is the stretch of paper from the roll (of paper, like a cable roll) through the press. It needs to be kept taught as it travels through the press, even as you change rolls. posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 6:48 PM on May 16, 2011 Could it be splicing tape that accidentally fell into the press (or some other part of the paper's life before printing)? posted by hattifattener at 8:56 PM on May 16, 2011 « Older Help me be more communicative and considerate. \| Put the ball in her court, nothing happened. Keep... Newer » This thread is closed to new comments. Related Questions Make my Instapaper instantly paper January 28, 2015 Where can I purchase narrow tape with custom... January 31, 2012 Printing custom ribbon? August 9, 2009 Newspaper printing May 15, 2007 Where have the good presses gone? February 26, 2007 nytimes newspaper printing Ask MetaFilter is a question and answer site that covers nearly any question on earth, where members help each other solve problems. Ask MetaFilter is where thousands of life's little questions are answered.	3,521
Seniors with a valid driver's license you may purchase a parking permit. Please provide the below documentation/ proof. Juniors who have a valid Drivers License can enter into a Lottery to get parking permits. Please see Ms. Kay in the Administrative Office and fill out a ticket to be entered into the next parking lottery. If your name is choosen, you will need to provide the following information: 1. A valid Drivers License (Permits are NOT accepted) 2. A copy of your current automobile insurance and vehicle registration 3. CHS Student Parking Permit Application signed by you and your parent 4. A check made payable to CHS for the amount of the parking pass. 5. If a parking pass is lost- There is a replacement cost. Students: You must display your permit inside the car you are driving on the front windshield on the left corner of the driver's side whenever it is parked on the CHS campus. It is your responsibility to have your permit in whatever car you are driivng to school, so be sure to switch the pass if you drive another car to avoid a ticket.	1,063
The Bible has lots of promises for us. Sometimes when we read them, we find one that we think is just for us. Other times we get to see the fulfillment of a Bible promise in someone else’s life. I remember with joy in my heart a special story about a young guy that I knew several years ago. His name is Federico and the Bible promise in Luke 6:38 became real in his life. When my family was serving as missionaries in South America, we met Federico. He was one of our students in one of the boarding academies. Federico worked in the kitchen of the school in order to pay for his tuition. One day another group of missionaries visited the school and noticed Federico was a hard-working student. After the meal, one person gave him a $10 tip. Ten dollars was quite a large amount of money for an academy student. One night at a prayer meeting, the school was asking for donations to help a local teenager attend the Adventist academy. This teen would be taught how to read and write, and would also get to know about Jesus and His Word. I saw Federico give his $10 tip as a donation. Not only was this a large sum for a student, but this was the only money Federico had. Yet, he gave it all to help another person that he did not know so that they could have a Christian education. I shared with my husband what I had observed and he shared the story with the leader of the missionary group that was visiting. On the group’s last day they collected an offering. They called Federico and gave him $110! His quiet act of generosity had moved them to help him with his tuition. I praise God for His promises, for the generosity of the missionaries and for teaching me a good lesson. You see, when we help others with all of our heart and with all we have, Jesus’ promises become real. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” I saw that promise in action! Federico gave $10 and God blessed him with not only the $10 that he gave before (a good measure), but an additional $100 (running over)! Federico did not expect that, but God honors the good heart and the cheerful giver. You will have a lot of opportunities to help or serve others. Do it, help, serve, give with all your heart! Jesus will take care of the rest; His promises will be real in your life! Southwestern Union Children’s Ministries Director You May Also Like Current Issue read now The Southwestern Union Record is a bimonthly publication of the Seventh-day Adventist churches in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas.	2,692
Patient sucked her thumb as a young child. She started treatment at age 13. She had braces and a special appliance — called a crib — to retrain the tongue, for 28 months. Now she can bite the lettuce out of a sandwich. Deep overbite - Lower front teeth bite into palate After This adult patient, age 25, required braces and jaw surgery to correct his severe overbite, with treatment taking two years. His problem could have been corrected without surgery if he had been treated before he was a teenager. After This patient's lateral incisors were congenitally missing. She had braces for 20 months to move the teeth into their correct positions, then the missing teeth were replaced with bonded "Maryland" bridges. Underbite - Lower front teeth in front of upper teeth After Patient's underbite was causing her jaw joint discomfort and excessive wear patterns on her teeth. After about 30 months of treatment starting at age 32, she now finds smiling and chewing much easier. After Patient was bothered by the spaces between his teeth. Braces closed the spaces and gave him an ideal bite in 24 months. Special glued-in retainers help keep the spaces closed. After At age ten, patient had a big overjet with the top teeth protruding beyond the bottom. She had two phases of treatment. The first helped her jaws to grow more harmoniously and the second aligned her teeth and bite. At age 13, she was proudly displaying her new smile. Non-braces treatment After Sometimes braces are not needed to get noticeable improvements in tooth alignment. This patient was first seen at age seven for crowding of the lower permanent teeth. A procedure was performed to reduce the width of the adjacent baby teeth and the permanent incisors aligned on their own in nine months. After Patient's parents were concerned about both aesthetics and the health of the erupting permanent teeth when they brought him to the orthodontist at age eight. The lower front teeth were crowded and touching the palate, and the upper front teeth were extremely displaced from their normal positions. After 12 months of Phase-One treatment with an expander and partial braces, patient's appearance and dental function were vastly improved.	2,339
William Ross Proctor was born April 5, 1863 in New York City. He was one of three children of William Fash Proctor (1826-1902) and Vouletti Theresa Singer (1840-1913). His siblings were Charles Edward and Ada Olive. His mother was one of the children of Isaac Merritt Singer (1811-75), founder of the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Proctor graduated from the Columbia College School of Mines in 1884 with an engineering degree and moved to Pittsburgh in December of the same year. Shortly thereafter, he began the practice of architecture and also met Elizabeth Singer to whom he was married June 9, 1886. The wedding took place in the grand Allegheny home of the bride’s parents, William Henry and Hester Laird Singer. While little has been written about Proctor’s architecture career, he appears to have had a successful practice. Research suggests that he was adept in an eclectic array of building types, including residential, commercial, ecclesiastical and public works. He was also skilled in the design of ornamental iron and bronze architectural elements. More than once he beat out a number of more prominent architects for important commissions, including the North Presbyterian Church (1896) and Western Pennsylvania Hospital (1897, unbuilt). The former once stood a block from the Willock House on the southeast corner of Lincoln and Galveston Streets. Other important designs include The Stevenson Building in East Liberty and the Pumping Station on the Allegheny River (off Freeport Road near the Waterworks Mall). Proctor lived in Allegheny near many of his wealthy clients at 934 Ridge Avenue. For a time he had partners in his practice, with certain commissions being attributed to Proctor & Wass and others to Proctor, Wass & Tufts. For a time, he was also associated with Thorsten E. Billquist, who designed the Allegheny Observatory (1900). Proctor is known to have had offices at various times in the Hamilton Building, the Stevenson Building and at 341 Sixth Avenue. After his father’s death in 1902, Proctor retired from the architecture profession to take charge of the family estate in New York. He later became a stock broker and special partner in the New York Stock Exchange firm of Barbour & Co. In 1915 he became a special partner in the firm Abbott, Hoppin & Co. He held memberships in over thirty clubs and societies, among which were the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Architectural League of New York, the Union League Club, the Society of Colonial Wars in the United States and the New England Genealogical Society. He was Vice President of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society where he was instrumental in overseeing the construction of their new building in 1929. He died at Harbor Hospital in New York on February 6, 1930 from pneumonia. For more detailed biographical information about William Ross Proctor, including family trees and historic photographs, see sandpond.org (the source of much of the biographical information above). Return to Neighborhood History Want the latest on upcoming tours and other public events in Allegheny West, including notices when tickets are available for purchase? Neighbors: Looking for the monthly email sign up? It’s here! Pittsburgh Plan for Peace: Northside Update 2023 Officers and Standing Committee Chairs Nominees AWCC Membership Meeting – November 8, 2022 November Street Cleaning Reminder About AWCC Allegheny West Civic Council is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to historic preservation.	3,555
This highly interactive and experiential workshop focuses primarily on the differences between working with adults and working with young people, helping you make the necessary cognitive and emotional adjustments between working with these two very different client groups. It is constructed on the very clear evidence-based competences that the BACP have identified and is designed to complement and extend the training offered in courses aimed at working with adults. “…I thoroughly enjoyed the experiential exercises…and Tim brought huge amounts of knowledge.” “It was experiential… delivered wonderfully, gently, safely and honestly”. Tim has worked with children and families since 1984 and specifically in the field of sexual harm (sexual abuse, sexual assault, rape, children who sexually harm children and child sexual exploitation) since 1996. He is an advanced and certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapist, Enactive trauma therapist, registered Non-directive Play therapist, Filial therapist, EMDR Practitioner, Jungian and Integrative sand play therapist, an ABE approved Social Worker and is currently studying Internal Family Systems Therapy. He worked on the NSPCC child sexual abuse consultancy for 16 years where he co-founded the Hilton House attachment project and the St. Mary’s children’s sexual assault referral centre in Manchester, was an investigator on the Waterhouse inquiry and vice chair of BAPT. He was principle tutor on the Liverpool Hope MA course in play therapy and is a visiting lecturer to Manchester Universities 2nd and 3rd Year MA social work programme. He is the Director of Tiptoes Child Therapy Service, a provision for children and families affected by sexual harm and developmental trauma launched in 2010. He is a published author, keynote speaker, consultant, trainer, clinical supervisor, provider of clinical governance and has been a governmental advisor on a number of research programmes. Current BACP or UKCP Student Members (who have successfully completed all elements of year 1 of their respective training courses at level 4 or above) Graduates who have completed a BACP or UKCP diploma level counselling / psychotherapy qualification or equivalent, designed for working with adults Learning outcomes relating to working with young people aged 11-18: Understanding of the social, emotional and psychological development of young people Understanding issues affecting the psychological and emotional health of young people Knowledge of relevant legal frameworks, including confidentiality, consent and capacity, child protection and disclosure, and risk assessment Ability to operate within the relevant professional and ethical guidelines Ability to work in different contexts/settings Ability to communicate with young people of different ages and developmental stages Please note: this course does not qualify you with BACP or UKCP to work with children and young people. However, it can provide a valuable resource for working with young people, aged 11-18, in placement or as professional development beyond training.	3,136
Working as a nurse gives professionals a certain amount of latitude when it comes to the patients they care for because they can specialize in different types of nursing. For nurses who want to option to work in a variety of settings across different states, growth and development opportunities, personal adventures, travel nursing is a great option. Keep reading to learn how to become a travel nurse. What Is Travel Nursing? Travel Nursing was born out of the necessity to curb nursing shortage. A Travel nurse is a Healthcare Professional who takes on a short-term assignment in a healthcare facility such as hospitals, nursing homes, school districts, correctional facilities, assisted living, behavioral health units, hospice and clinics. Assignments normally last between eight and 26 weeks, although most common travel assignments are 13 weeks long. Travel nursing gives nurses an opportunity to advance their careers, make more money and experience different cities. Travel Nursing does not necessarily mean traveling faraway from home, you have a choice to travel locally or out of state. Travelers or travel nurses can work with recruitment agencies recruiters or online travel nursing marketplaces to find assignments which act as intermediaries between the traveler and the healthcare providing organizations. Travel Nursing can also describe variety of travel healthcare positions such as certified nursing assistants (CNA), physical therapy, (PT) occupational therapy (OT), speech-language pathology (SLP) and even doctors, however in this article we will be talking about the nursing profession. In order to be a travel nurse, an individual must become a nurse first. This means going through a 2-year, 3-year, or 4-year program at a community college, hospital, or university respectively, that meets their state’s educations requirements. In addition, nurses must pass the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) exam and meet the requirements to be licensed in their home state. Travel nurses must have an active license to be able to work. How Nurses Work in Different States Registered Nurses (RNs) typically work in only one state at a time because they have to meet that state’s requirements for a license. Travel nurses must have a minimum of 2 years of working experience as a nurse before most hospitals or agencies will hire them. When a nurse travels, they have to get a temporary license or get an endorsement for each state they work in. States usually provide temporary license when there is a strike of workers or an emergent need arises where nurses are needed. The license can be valid for anywhere from 30 days to 6 months. Different states have various requirements, processes, and timeframes for a nurse to obtain a license. Continuing Education for Travel Nurses Some states require a certain number of hours each year or every two years depending on their requirements. So, travel nurses should be prepared to take some CEUs every year. Characteristics and Certifications Travel Nurses Have Since nurses’ travel from place to place every few weeks or every few months, key qualities that a staffing agency or hospital looks for in a nurse include: Leadership skills Reliability Certifications aren’t strictly required but are good to have depending upon the nursing specialty. Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN), a Certified Emergency Nurse (CCN) and, Certified Critical Care Nurse (CCRN) are common among travel nurses. How Much Travel Nurses Make? One of the main reasons why nurses travel is high pays. Travel nurses make more money than locally employed nurses. The compensation for a travel nurse ranges from $1,300 to $3,700 a week but nurses can often make much more than that depending on the location, shift, specialty and demand. This doesn’t include money for living expenses such as lodging stipends, meals and incidental stipends, life insurance, medical benefits, dental and vision, 401k contributions, bonuses, and so forth. Successful travel nurses work for reputable recruiters or agencies that are clear about job assignments, contracts, and requirements before they go on assignments. Being a travel nurse is an attractive career path for people seeking work and life balance. Connect with the best agencies and employers searching for travel nurses on NexNURSE by creating a free NexNURSE profile and uploading your credentials today.	4,539
Last weekend saw mass strikes and big solidarity protests in many towns and cities, including on Sunday at the Tory Party Conference in Birmingham. Last Saturday, the escalating strike wave saw its biggest day of action so far. Strike solidarity protest October 1st Kings Cross There is fury that in the midst of the spiralling cost of living crisis, Truss’s Tory Government brings in a giveaway budget to the rich at the expense of workers and their families. But we can chalk up one quick victory with the U-Turn on the abolishing of the 45p tax rate. As with the energy price cap, this retreat is because of the rising anger against the weak and divided Tories, which is being mobilised in workers’ action. More strikes are happening every week as well as industrial action ballots, including national ones in the public sector. There are reports that Truss is looking to set out her threatened further anti-union restrictions next week. This must be met with the TUC and the unions preparing for a 24 hour general strike. The Tories can be defeated on pay, cuts and any new anti-union measures. The re-scheduled TUC Congress meets on the 18th October in Brighton. It must be a council of war to co-ordinate strike action to win for workers. The TUC’s lobby of parliament on Wednesday 2 November is a vital platform to build co-ordinated strike action. The TUC and the unions must mobilise to make it a mass mid-week demonstration. 1pm Sunday 16th October Holiday Inn Brighton Facebook event. For transport details, email [email protected]. Let us know if your union/organisation would like a stall at our event The National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) has rearranged its pre-TUC congress event to Sunday 16 October, to set out a fighting programme for the reconvened TUC Congress. The push into autumn makes this even more important. It is now an action summit – to bring together striking union reps and members or those moving into action – to demand that the unions coordinate action so that millions of workers across the private and public sectors, all struggling to keep a roof above their families’ heads, can strike together. Come and take part in the discussion. TUC rally and lobby of Parliament on Wednesday 2nd November against the cost of living crisis – 11am Palace of Westminster, London SW1A 0AA more details on TUC website The TUC is organising town hall rallies around the country. Find your local event here. The TUC has also called a national Day of Action, including activity such as leafleting on Friday 14th October – details of activity in your area here ‘The working class is back as a movement’ – Enough is Enough read more on CWU website. People can find out about events and how to join the campaign via the Enough is Enough website Get your trade union branch or trades council to affiliate to the NSSN – it only costs £50. Already affiliated? Please think about renewing it. Also, many of our supporters pay a few pounds a month. You can set up a similar standing order to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’, HSBC – sort code 40-06-41, account number 90143790. Our address is NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE. Feel free to use this affiliation letter. And if you can, come to one of our regional Conferences. If there is not one in your area, get in touch to either assist in organising or have a speaker at one of your meetings or events. Contact Rob or Linda on [email protected] The NSSN is developing a campaign pack for social care, which we hope to make available in the not-too-distant future for supporters to use in their localities. As part of this, communications officer Dave Gorton is keen to hear from supporters who: (1) work in social care (either local authority, private or independently provided) (2) represent social care workers for a trade union (3) are in need of social care provision themselves or act as an (unpaid/underpaid) carer for a family member Dave can be contacted in the first instance via [email protected] You can receive this bulletin via email or you can choose to unsubscribe and stop receiving them. Like everyone else, the NSSN has to adhere to new data protection regulations. Therefore you must click here to subscribe/unsubscribe. Reports from unions do not necessarily reflect NSSN’s views. BREAKING NEWS!! Bus workers to take strike action (5 Oct) – RMT members working on buses in Somerset, and Cornwall will take strike action from October 10, in a fight for better pay and conditions. Four days of strike action will take place on the following dates: 10 October, 21 October, 4 November, 11 November. Around 400 workers who are planning to take action are furious that many of them are only paid just over £11 and hour and that bosses only offered a small uprate to £12 an hour read more BREAKING NEWS!! Music legends back RMT strike action (5 Oct) – Rail union RMT has welcomed support for Saturday’s strike (October 8) from artists from Primal Scream, Dexys, and the Jesus and Mary Chain. Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie and Andrew Innes} together with Dexys’ Kevin Rowland and Sean Read, plus Jesus and Mary Chain bassist Douglas Hart have joined forces to produce a song and video in support of RMT’s fight against low pay and cuts to jobs and services. They are currently working on the song ‘Enough is Enough’ to highlight support for rail workers strike action and against Tory austerity read more BREAKING NEWS!! RMT marks Ladbroke Grove rail disaster (5 Oct) – TWENTY-THREE YEARS after 31 lives were lost in the Ladbroke Grove rail disaster, RMT say that Government policy is in danger of dragging the railways closer towards the same cocktail of conditions that lead to tragedy on 5th October 1999. Ladbroke Grove was one of a number of disasters under the watch of the privatised Railtrack, ultimately leading to its abolition and creation of the publicly owned company, Network Rail. However, RMT is warning that casualisation, a myriad of contractors, long-hours and fatigue – all driven by cuts on the railway – has turned the clock back read more Rail Dispute Update (1 Oct) – RMT will be taking further strike action on 1st and 8th October, following our suspension of action on the death of Her Majesty the Queen. This action has been called because of failure to make progress in negotiations with the Rail Delivery Group and Network Rail. Neither has produced an offer that addresses the cost-of-living crisis or our members’ concerns about the threats of mass redundancies, hugely detrimental changes to terms and conditions and the imposition of longer working hours for less pay read more Picket line details RMT accuse government of supporting (1 Oct) – General Secretary Mick Lynch has written to the Transport Secretary Anne Marie Treveleyan to take “urgent steps to allow a negotiated settlement” after the latest figures show railway bosses benefiting from government tax cuts. Railway bosses stand to gain up to £61,000 per annum from the Chancellor’s tax giveaway for the better off. They stand to get more from the government’s tax cut than most RMT members will earn in a year and in many cases twice as much read more RMT letter to EHRC (28 Sept) – RMT letter to the EHRC about the impact of ticket office closures and Driver Only Operation on accessibility read more RMT to take strike action 10 October on ScotRail (23 Sept) – Railway workers in Scotland will take strike action on Scotrail after the union rejected a real terms pay cut. ScotRail bosses have offered 5% but with inflation running at well over 11%, and a cost-of-living crisis that shows no signs of ending, RMT is demanding the company puts forward a decent proposal. The day long stoppage will take place on 10 October, 2 days after national strike by Network Rail and 15 train operating companies across Britain read more Orsted Energy workers to strike for four days (21 Sept) – RMT members at Orsted Energy in Barrow upon Furness and Birkenhead will take two 48 hour stoppages in a row over pay. Strike action will take place on 23-24 September and 30th September and 1st of October. The dispute is over a paltry pay offer of 3.5% from Orsted bosses, amounting to a real terms pay cut with inflation rapidly rising. Orsted have done little to help settle the dispute, by refusing to meet the union to even discuss the matter read more New strike dates: 1st and 5th October – Train drivers will walk out for two further days of strike action – Saturday 1st and Wednesday 5th October – in an ongoing dispute over pay. Drivers previously took strike action on 30th July and 13th August but their employers are still failing to come to the table with any improved offer read more Croydon Tramlink Drivers to Strike Again (10 Oct) – Tram drivers on London Tramlink based in Croydon have rejected a below inflation pay offer and will strike again on Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th October read more TSSA prepares for more strikes and other industrial action (3 Oct) – Hundreds of TSSA rail union members will take industrial action – including strikes – this week in their ongoing national dispute over pay, job security and conditions. TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, has described strikes to date as “rock solid”, telling the government they must “get wise and act now to deliver a fair deal which will halt a winter of rail misery across the network.” Strike action is taking place in five companies, with action short of strike (where workers take action such as working to rule, overtime bans or callout bans) is happening at another nine companies read more TSSA says strikes ‘rock solid’ in biggest national rail dispute walk-out (30 Sept) – TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes, has said rock solid action across the network from the union in today’s national strike shows members remain determined to get a just deal. More than 50,000 rail workers are on strike around the country in an ongoing dispute over pay, job security and terms and conditions. TSSA members are on strike at a number of train operating companies as well as Network Rail read more TSSA Industrial Action October 2022 – Summary (29 Sept) – Across October TSSA continues to fight to defend jobs, protect terms and conditions and secure a pay rise for members that meets the ever-rising cost of living. Industrial action including strike action and action short of a strike will take place on multiple dates throughout the month starting Saturday 1 October read more Unite BREAKING NEWS!! Offshore drillers and contractors set to hold 48-hour stoppages after vote for strike action (5 Oct) – 95% support action following real terms pay cut. Unite the union confirmed today (5 October) that over 300 offshore drilling and contract maintenance workers employed by Archer, Maersk, Transocean and Odfjell have backed strike action. The mandate for industrial action follows Unite members rejecting a 5 per cent pay offer. The pay dispute involves workers covered by the United Kingdom Drilling Contractors Association (UKDCA). 95 per cent supported strike action in a ballot turnout of 86 per cent. The strike action will involve a series of 48-hour stoppages every second week for the first 8 weeks. The action will start on 20 and 21 October. A further series of stoppages will take place on 3-4 and 17-18 November, 1-2 and 15-16 December. Unite has further warned that the action could thereafter escalate to all-out strike action. Unite members by 98 per cent also supported action short of a strike. This could include an overtime ban from 18 October limiting the working day to 12 hours; no extra cover provided during scheduled field breaks, and the withdrawal of goodwill pre and post tour briefings preventing handovers between shifts read more BREAKING NEWS!! Abellio East Midlands workers announce strike action over pay (5 Oct) – Strikes begin as company with £401m profit fails to make any pay offer. Workers at train company Abellio East Midlands will begin strike action this week after the company refused to make any pay offer to its members. Over 140 workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, will begin a 48-hour strike on Thursday 6 October, followed by a further 48-hour strike beginning on Monday 17 October. Abellio made a net profit of £401 million in 2021. However, it has blamed its failure to make a pay offer on the Department for Transport (DfT), claiming that ministers have not authorised it to make a pay offer to its workers. The workers – based at depots in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham and employed as cleaners, technicians, shunters, engineers, inspectors, lathe operators, team leaders and supervisors – recorded an 84 per cent vote in favour of industrial action read more MediaHuis closure of Newry site is a severe blow to Northern Ireland’s print sector (4 Oct) – Unite seeks to defend employment of 46 workers who face prospect of redundancy. Last week the MediaHuis group, which owns the Independent titles and Belfast Telegraph, made public its plans to end printing at their Newry site. The facility is their last remaining printing site in Ireland, north or south, and is now set to close at the end of January with the loss of 46 jobs. Unite the union, which represents the majority of the workforce, is engaging in the redundancy consultation process with the aim of avoiding closure and the loss of jobs read more Unite to ballot NHS Wales members on strike action (30 Sept) – 7 in 10 say yes to a vote in overwhelming rejection of pay-cutting deal. A strike among NHS workers in Wales could be on the cards as leading union, Unite, confirms today (Friday) that it will begin the formal process of balloting its members on industrial action. The move follows the results of a consultative ballot in which Unite’s NHS Wales members voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action in what the union says is `an emphatic rejection’ of the recently imposed pay deal. 70 per cent of Unite NHS Wales members voted for strike action with 89 per cent voting for action short of a strike. Turnout in this ballot exceeded that of all previous ballots, which Unite say illustrates the immense strength of feeling among NHS Wales workers. The NHS Wales pay award, implemented earlier this month, was below inflation for all staff, including the lowest paid. At a time of rocketing costs, most staff received a little over £100 per month in their pay packet, an around £1,400 increase to their salaries read more Unite tells Liverpool council no more `buck passing’ – Make Hale Road Safe (30 Sept) – Union campaign follows tragic death of Ryanair cabin crew. Leading trade union, Unite, has today (Friday) called on Liverpool City council to act without delay to address the hazardous conditions on the city’s Hale Road. The move follows the recent death of a much-loved union member, Cinzia Ceravolo, who, in August, was killed trying to cross Hale Road on her journey home from work at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Airport workers, the union says, have little option but to attempt to cross the dangerous road on their way to and from work. Unite’s members say that they stand ready to give evidence to the council to make the case for the crossing to be made safer read more Arriva London strikes off as workers secure major pay rise (30 Sept) – Planned strike action by bus drivers employed by Arriva in North London has been called off after the workers secured an improved pay offer, Unite the union announced today (Friday). The 2,000 drivers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, will receive an 11 per cent pay increase from Saturday 15 October. The workforce will also receive 10 per cent in back pay from 2 April. In addition, drivers who undertake a night shift on 26 December will now receive an extra £50 payment read more Northern Ireland Housing Executive workers’ strike for improved pay to continue for a further four weeks (30 Sept) – Absence of any movement from NIHE management on 1.75% offer “galling”. Unite the union confirmed that it had lodged notification that the four week strike action being taken by its members working in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive will continue for a further four weeks. Housing workers in the union are seeking a pay improvement above the 1.75 percent increase for 2021-22 recommended by the National Joint Council for local authorities employers. Workers are seeking a two pay point uplift and a cost of living payment but as yet the union understands that management have not even sought any additional funding from the Department to settle the pay dispute. Strike action at the housing executive is resulting an ever extending backlog of improvement work to public housing units. This is impacting social housing tenants who are left without measures to improve energy efficiency or for conversion to better suit those with disabilities read more Liverpool port strikes intensify as senior staff join walkouts (29 Sept) – Fresh strikes over ‘hugely profitable’ MDHC’s below inflation pay offer. Nearly 600 Liverpool port workers will take seven days of fresh strike action beginning on 11 October and ending on 17 October, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Thursday 29 September). As well as port operatives and engineers, who began two weeks of industrial action on 19 September, senior control room operators and control room operators have now voted to join the strikes. In addition, the port’s dock masters, shift managers and vessel traffic services officers are also preparing to be balloted for strike action. The combined impact of so many roles striking means the entire port will ‘literally become inoperable’. The workers are angry at MDHC’s pay offer of around 8.3 per cent. With the real rate of inflation, RPI, at 12.3 per cent this is a pay cut. The dispute is also over MDHC’s failure to honour the 2021 pay agreement. This includes the company not undertaking a promised pay review, which last happened in 1995, and failing to deliver on an agreement to improve shift rotas read more Unite members vote for COSLA pay offer (29 Sept) – Trade union says frontline service cuts ‘won’t be tolerated’. Unite the union can confirm that its local government membership have voted for the revised COSLA pay offer. Over 70 per cent of Unite’s members in a consultative ballot voted to accept the revised offer made by COSLA on 2 September. The revised offer will fully consolidate £2,000 for those earning up to £20,500. This is the equivalent to an increase of around 10 – 11 per cent for the lowest paid. The offer – backdated to April – will also be fully consolidated into overtime, allowances and pensions. The offer further includes the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) registration fee – a key Unite demand – being fully funded by the Scottish Government, and one additional day of annual leave. COSLA had initially offered workers 2 per cent then 3.5 per cent and 5 per cent – all rejected outright by Unite – before a revised offer on 2 September was tabled. It is estimated that the revised offer resulted in a £600m package being brought forward by COSLA and the Scottish Government read more Petrofac workers in strike ballot over pay (29 Sept) – Operator Repsol awash with profits of £2.1bn. Petrofac workers are being balloted for industrial action in a dispute over pay, Scotland’s leading offshore trade union Unite can confirm. Around 140 members will vote on industrial action with the ballot opening today (29 September) and closing on 27 October. The workers include deck crew, platers, pipe fitters, electricians and riggers. The industrial action ballot follows Unite members rejecting a 3 per cent pay offer with the broader measure of inflation (RPI) standing at 12.3 per cent. Unite has made a series of demands including the restoration of the onshore training day and medical payments along with the reinstatement of a 10 per cent salary deduction worth up to £7,000. The salary cut was made in 2020 at the outset of the Covid pandemic. If the ballot for industrial action is successful then it will have a major impact on the maintenance and running of Repsol’s North Sea platforms and the Flotta Oil Terminal read more October strike dates announced in Arriva Kent bus strike (28 Sept) – Over 600 bus drivers employed by Arriva in Kent have announced further strikes next month in a dispute over pay. The workers had already announced they are taking industrial action this Friday 30 September and this will be followed by a further four days of industrial action on 6,7, 10 and 11 of October. The workers are seeking a pay increase in line with the real inflation rate and which addresses years of pay erosion. Despite the increasing disruption caused by the ongoing dispute Arriva has failed to make a new offer to the workers or return to the negotiating table read more West Midlands Metro workers announce major stoppage in low pay dispute (28 Sept) – 52 days of strike action announced. Workers employed on the West Midland Metro have voted to take substantial strike action in a dispute over low pay. The first strike will take place on Saturday 15 October and there are a further 52 days of strike action scheduled between then and Saturday 5 January 2023. Unite represents over 176 workers on the West Midlands Metro who recorded a yes vote of 86 per cent on an 84 per cent turnout read more Newham refuse workers demand pay justice from borough councillors (28 Sept) – Refuse workers are fighting for a living wage – while councillors claim generous allowances and some own more than one home. Unite, Britain’s leading union, has written to Newham borough councillors to expose the contrast between workers striking for a fair wage and councillors on generous allowances failing to intervene. Some, according to the register of interests, even have second homes. Unite is calling on councillors to use their influence to ensure the council reaches a fair deal with the workers read more 2,000 workers at eleven Scottish universities balloted for strike action (27 Sept) – Escalation follows ‘unacceptable’ pay offer. Unite the union has confirmed today (27 September) that around 2,000 members at eleven Scottish universities are being balloted for strike action over pay. The university staff involved in the ballots cover Aberdeen, Abertay, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow School of Art, Herriot Watt, Napier, St Andrew’s and Strathclyde universities. It is the first time in Scotland that Unite has balloted simultaneously across this number of universities. The ballot opens from 27 September and closes on 21 October. The staff involved include cleaners, janitors, estates staff, and technicians. The Unite members are part of a UK nationwide pay dispute involving the University and College Employers Association (UCEA). Unite has rejected an offer which is worth as low as 3.1 per cent for some members, despite all university staff having worked on-site throughout the pandemic read more Felixstowe dock workers return to picket lines (26 Sept) – Workers at the UK’s largest container port at Felixstowe will renew strike action tomorrow (Tuesday 27 September) in an ongoing dispute over pay. Over 1,900 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, will begin strike action at 07:00 on Tuesday 27 September with the eight day strike ending on 06:59 on Wednesday 5 October. Strike action is resuming after the company refused to return to negotiations following the initial eight days strike action in August. Instead the company imposed a seven per cent increase on the workforce. This amounted to a real terms pay cut with the real inflation rate (RPI) currently standing at 12.3 per cent. The workers rejected the imposed pay offer by 82 per cent on 78 per cent turnout read more Unite’s Network Rail workers to join latest strikes – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has confirmed that its members employed in electric control rooms will join other rail unions in taking strike action next month on Saturday 1 October, Wednesday 5 October and Saturday 8 October. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members at Network Rail play a crucial and demanding role in maintaining the electrical supply to the rail network. To be faced with a three year pay freeze during the worst cost of living crisis in decades is disgraceful. They will continue to receive Unite’s complete support.” The workers, based at control rooms in Brighton, Paddock Wood, Raynes Park, Romford, Selhurst Park and York, play a vital role in controlling and managing the network’s power supply read more Bus strikes from Hull Fair to Christmas hit ‘hugely profitable’ Stagecoach – Stagecoach operating profits reach £72m in 2021/2 but workers offered ‘pay cut’. A huge industrial action mandate will see more than 250 Hull Stagecoach bus drivers, cleaners, engineers and commercial assistants take all out strike action from 7 October until 29 December. Hull Fair runs from 7 October to 15 October. ‘Palpable anger’ at a below inflation pay offer, lack of pay parity compared to other areas and a one per cent increase in wages since 2019, resulted in workers voting by 96 per cent for strike action in a ballot with an 87 per cent turnout. Stagecoach, whose revenues increased by nearly £300 million to £1.2 billion in 2021/22, is offering workers a one year 8.7 per cent increase. With the real rate of inflation, RPI, standing at 12.3 per cent, this is a real terms pay cut read more Quorn Billingham workers strike after pay offer with ‘no meat on bone’ – Latest Quorn operating profits £236m, CEO paid £1.7m but workers offered 4% plus bonus. More than 60 workers at Quorn’s meat free paste production factory will strike on 30 September and 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 October. More strikes are set to be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved. Workers rejected a four per cent pay offer plus a £1,000 bonus. They voted to strike after the company refused to meet their demands of a nine per cent pay rise, which was the RPI inflation rate in April, when negotiations began read more M&S and Waitrose milk disruption continues with fresh Muller Gloucestershire strikes – HGV drivers and shunters at Stonehouse factory striking over ‘excessive’ rota demands. HGV drivers and shunters at Mullers’ Stonehouse factory in Gloucestershire will begin a fresh round of strike action this week over imposed rota changes that are detrimental to their quality of life. The change to a five days on two days off rota system contravenes an agreement with Unite signed by the company earlier this year. Nearly 70 staff, responsible for delivering milk and other dairy products to M&S and Waitrose nationwide, have taken nine days of strike action since 25 August. A further six days of strike action will take place on 22, 23, 24, 29 and 30 September and 1 October. More strikes are set to be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved read more Alexander Dennis workers strike – Action follows wage offer rejection. Unite the union can confirm that its members based at Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) will begin strike action tomorrow (13 September) following the rejection of a wage offer. The first round of strike action at the bus manufacturing company based in Camelon and Larbert will finish on 16 September at 23.59 hours. The trade union can further confirm that there will be a second round of strike action starting on 3 October which will continue each day up to 14 October when the action will conclude at 23.59 hours read more Honeywell workforce set for strike action – Workers reject ‘pitiful’ pay offer at Edinburgh aerospace company. Members of Unite, Scotland’s leading trade union, employed at aerospace company Honeywell, will begin strike action tomorrow (8 September) in a dispute over pay. Around Unite 20 members including production and assembly workers recorded a 78.6 per cent vote in favour of strike action on a 77.8 per cent turnout at Honeywell. The first day of strike action (8 September) will be followed every Thursday for the next twelve weeks. The company, which specialises in the design and manufacturing of electronic hardware and systems, has proposed a multi-year deal of 2.75 per cent for this year and next year then followed by 0 per cent in 2024. This offer has been resoundingly rejected by the workers read more Workers at Causeway Coast and Glens council to commence all-out strike action tomorrow after councils vote down pay increase – Offer of two pay points plus a cash lump sum to end dispute was rejected at last night’s council meeting by a single vote in the chamber. Unite the union has confirmed that its members at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council will commence continuous strike action at the local authority tomorrow (8 Sept). The decision by workers followed last night’s vote at full council at which a proposal to settle the strike by offering two pay point increments and a lump sum to workers – similar to that provided in Derry City & Strabane and in Mid-Ulster District Councils – was voted down by a majority of one councillor. General Secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, pledged her union’s full support to the striking council workers read more Striking Tipton CabAuto workers reveal shocking levels of in-work poverty – Workers in McLaren, Aston Martin, JLR and Bentley supply chains ‘terrified of winter bills’. Striking Cab Auto worker – “How can it be that I work for a company that makes millions in profits, yet I have to use a begging bowl at food banks?” More than 100 West Midlands workers, paid just £9.90 an hour, are taking renewed strike action, which began on 23 August and will finish on 16 September, over a three per cent pay offer. The real rate of inflation, RPI, is running at 12.3 per cent and is expected to climb even higher. The workers, who make luxury car interiors but do not receive company sick pay or shift pay, have taken 26 days of strike action since 28 June read more Real terms pay cut forces strike by Hartlepool chemical workers at Venator – Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed at chemical company Venator Materials Ltd, will begin strike action this week in a dispute over pay. The company, which produces pigments and additives, has only offered the workers a five per cent pay increase – far below the rate of inflation. The 100 plus members of Unite at the company recorded an 81 per cent vote in favour of strike action on an 84 per cent turnout… The workers will take a total of 10 days of strike action (see note to editors for details) this month in the dispute. The first four day strike will begin on Thursday 1 September at 18:59 and will initially involve the night shift read more Baker Hughes strike action amid fire and rehire claims – Billion dollar US oil and gas giant plans to wipe-off £10,000 from salaries. Unite the union members working for US oil and gas giant, Baker Hughes, are starting strike action today (29 August) in a dispute over fire and rehire tactics. Around 110 workers are taking strike action with Unite accusing the multi-billion pound company of `laying waste to Scottish jobs’. Unite estimates that detrimental contractual changes could wipe-off up to 29 per cent from the annual wages of Baker Hughes workers. The equivalent to a £10,500 drop in annual income. Unite members voted for strike action by 87.3 per cent on an 87.5% per cent turnout to defend their jobs, terms and conditions. The all-out strike action will last until the morning of 14 September with a series of 48-hour stoppages taking place until 16 November read more Strike notice issued to Northern Ireland Housing Executive after management fail to make any pay offer – Four week strike will have severe impact on housing services. Strike involving 300 Unite members will start on Monday 5 September. Unite the union has confirmed that it has given the Northern Ireland Housing Executive seven day notice of a strike action over pay. The strike by the union’s approximately 300 members working at the agency is due to commence on September 5th and will remain in place for four weeks. The strike has been called after management failed to make any offer whatsoever to improve pay and meet the pay claim of Unite members. Workers’ demands include a cash payment alongside a consolidated two pay point increase above the [National Joint Council] national pay offer for 2021-22, which is a bare 1.75 percent. Workers at the Housing Executive engaged in two strikes earlier in the year but the latest announcement represents a clear escalation read more Unite anger over University of Dundee imposing ‘pension poverty’ – Striking workers fight against £5,700 pension cut. Unite Scotland has today (26 August) angrily reacted to the University of Dundee confirming that it will forge ahead with detrimental pension changes. Over 100 Unite members are on continuous strike action since yesterday (25 August). The workers include technicians, administrators, student support staff and estates staff such as plumbers, joiners and electricians read more Go North East bus workers forced to strike in battle to prevent Chester-le-Street garage closure – Bus workers employed by Go North East at its Chester-Le-Street garage in Durham, will begin strike action later this month as a direct response to the company’s plan to close the depot. The industrial action will involve 170 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union. The all out continuous strike action will begin on Friday 12 August. The strike action has been called due to the company’s plans to close the Chester-le Street garage next month and permanently move the workers to different depots, some of which are 14 miles away read more North Sea strike to hit Foinaven vessel – 96% vote for strike action over inferior redundancy package. Unite the union today (25 July) confirmed that its members operating the Foinaven Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO) have voted to take strike action. 96 per cent voted for strike action on an 84 per cent turnout. Continuous strike action is now scheduled to take place from 5 August. The dispute centres on offshore members being given a significantly inferior redundancy package compared with Altera’s onshore workforce. The Foinaven field is situated approximately 120 miles west of the Shetland Isles within the Faroes/Shetland Trough. Production from the field was suspended in 2021 read more Bosch Rexroth workers to strike in dispute over pay and shift changes – Unite slams global giant’s plans that leave Scottish workers £7000 a year worse off. Unite has today (Monday 4 July) confirmed that members working at Bosch Rexroth Glenrothes, will walk out over a pay proposal that will leave workers £7000 a year worse off. The German-owned global tech and engineering giant has proposed a six per cent pay deal, which Unite says is a significant pay cut given that real inflation currently stands at 11.7 per cent. The employers are also refusing to back-date the pay award to 1 January or to reverse changes to shift patterns and shift allowances, which means the combined impact of the offer is to leave workers around £7,000 per year worse off. Workers at the site have rejected the company’s proposal by 74 per cent. Unite says that the Bosch Rexroth, a subsidiary of Bosch, is in a strong financial position and has no need to attack the workers’ pay and conditions. In its 2021 annual report, Bosch Rexroth boasted of `reaching a new high on incoming orders’ which have generated sales of £5.4 billion (6.2 billion euros), up by nearly one fifth on the year before. The union’s members, 245 workers, will take continuous strike action from Tuesday 5 July until Tuesday 12 July inclusive. Thereafter they will strike every Monday and Tuesday going forward with an ongoing ban on overtime throughout read more CWU Support the CWU strikes in Royal Mail, BT/Openreach & Post Office – the next Royal Mail strikes are 30th September – 1st October and 19 further days of action have just been announced, BT-Openreach workers will be taking action on October 6, 10, 20 and 24, while CWU members in the Post Office are out today September 28th. There is a Post Office strike protest today at 9am outside Post Office HQ, Finsbury Dials, Finsbury Street, London EC2Y 9AQ We support the call of the CWU for Royal Mail and BT to be re-nationalised. Follow the latest news via CWU’s Facebook page, website and Twitter @CWUnews CWU spearheading biggest strike surge this century – crucial period for UK working class (1 Oct) – With five national Royal Mail Group strikes, four across BT Group and six Post Office walkouts so far, total days lost to strikes by CWU members are already over 700,000. Industrial action by this union, along with walkouts by our fellow trade unionists in other under-pressure sectors, are quickly making 2022 the biggest year of strikes since the mass public-sector pension dispute of 2011. And, as strikers dig in for what is widely expected to be a long haul, it looks highly likely that that total will be surpassed within a few weeks. This past week saw the resumption of CWU strikes, with Post Office members walking out on Wednesday and their Royal Mail colleagues returning to action on Friday and Saturday, when some 115,000 workers at around 1,400 workplaces covering every aspect of the nationwide operation came out on strike in their tens of thousands. As well as strike action by our members, rail workers also took action in their long-running dispute over pay, contracts and passenger safety. And today also saw many joint rallies and events in various cities and towns of the UK. As is clear from today’s CWU social platforms, the pickets have been as lively and good-humoured as ever and the joint protests are growing, as unity across the working class builds. And the call of ‘Enough is Enough’ becomes ever louder read more Magnificent Post Office members strike for the sixth time (29 Sept) – Resolute series of walkouts has forced management to more than double initial pay offer – but money on table from 1st April 2022 remains way below inflation. Yesterday morning saw hard-working Post Office staff gather on picket lines for the sixth time, with CWU members knowing that their action so far has shifted the company significantly, but also determined to keep fighting until an acceptable deal is achieved. Post Office Limited’s national headquarters saw a lively protest with union banners and placards displayed highlighting the contrast between the real-terms wage cuts being offered to frontline workers and the enormous sums being pocketed by senior directors, CEO Nick Read, in particular, receiving strong criticism for having paid himself the princely sum of £415,000 read more Royal Mail – bosses’ shabby treatment provokes another massive strike vote (27 Sept) – Cleaners, maintenance engineers and related admin workers return a 93.5% YES to strike action over pay and change. “Today’s result sends another loud and clear message to the so-called ‘leadership’ of this company that their selfish attitudes will never work,” said acting CWU DGSP Andy Furey after the result of a nationwide poll of members working in Royal Mail’s property and facilities (P&FS) functions was announced today read more 999 strike: Emergency call operators to walk out with their BT/Openreach colleagues (22 Sept) – Company intransigence over pay means that October will see some 40,000 telecoms engineers, call-centre staff and others being joined by critical-service workers. “We intend to serve notice on BT Group today for four days of strike action during October,” CWU deputy general secretary Andy Kerr told this morning’s national meeting of branch delegates in central London. “And we intend to up the ante – so we’ll remove all emergency cover and pull out 999 operators.” With four all-out national strikes having taken place at the end of July and during August in response to the company’s imposition of a flat-rate £1,500 pay deal, there was now a need to increase the impact of the action on the business, he explained. While there had been meetings with BT, the individuals on its negotiating team had refused to move on pay and had declined, in their words, to ‘re-open 2022 pay’ read more PCS Common Platform Dispute Update (3 Oct) – Update on common platform dispute in HMCTS. Two weeks ago we issued comms to say that we had persuaded HMCTS to delay the roll-out of the common platform case management system to further sites until the new year. Through these negotiations, we managed to delay the roll-out of Common Platform to Lancashire and South Yorkshire, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire courts. However, we are incredibly disappointed to find that HMCTS has been unable to maintain this position to pause the roll-out and, despite our representations in negotiations with HMCTS, the roll-out is set to continue in Essex as of tomorrow. The PCS dispute was never solely about the pausing of a further roll-out. We are opposing the CP system as a whole and the detrimental impact it is having on our members’ well-being and their ability to deliver justice. The pausing of further roll-out as, instead, a credible and visible way that HMCTS could show they were taking our concerns seriously and were prepared to reconsider the common platform rollout. PCS will continue to negotiate with HMCTS in the hope of dispute resolution, but HMCTS must recognise that this has been made harder by them continuing to rollout the common platform to more courts. This move to continue the rollout of common platform this week means PCS will again be forced to use the two overwhelming mandates for industrial action to progress dispute resolution in this case. We are now seeking the authority from the PCS National Disputes Committee to give notice to HMCTS for industrial action. We will be in touch with members about this in due course read more Update: IfATE pay offer 2022 (30 Sept) – PCS rejects the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education pay offer 2022 as it falls far below our pay claim and what our members deserve and should reasonably expect given the economic context read more PCS launches strike ballot of 150,000 civil servants (26 Sept) – PCS today begins a strike ballot of more than 150,000 civil servants. Our members in 214 government departments are being urged to vote ‘Yes’ for strike action over pay, pensions, jobs and redundancy terms. PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka said: “The government has ignored our demands for a fair pay rise, so we have no choice other than to launch what is the most significant ballot for strike action in our history read more 10 more courts vote to join the strike action in HMCTS (26 Sept) – Legal Advisers and Court associates in 10 more courts have voted to join their colleagues in taking strike action over the Common Platform rollout. The ballot results are as follows: Turnout: 75.44%; Percentage of members voting in favour of strike action: 95.24%; Percentage of members voting in favour of action short of a strike: 100.00%. This ballot represents more PCS members in HMCTS joining the action to oppose the Common Platform rollout. Already, the first ballot mandate has moved the employer and led to the commencement of constructive discussions. This second ballot will further drive the dispute towards a satisfactory conclusion. PCS will be in touch with members on the announcement of strike dates in due course read more Sign petition to support striking workers at Hinduja Global Solutions PCS Devonport security guards start strike action read more North East Ambulance Service faces industrial action (30 Sept) – North East Ambulance Service faces a strike vote as GMB Union launches a formal industrial action ballot. Ballot dates will be announced in the coming days. The vote comes following a consultative ballot which saw almost 90 per cent of NEAS members vote in favour of a walk out. GMB has almost 750 NEAS Paramedics and ambulance workers, who are angry over the Government’s imposed 4 per cent pay award, which leaves them facing yet another massive real terms pay cut. GMB has also announced a formal strike ballot among almost 1,5000 members at Yorkshire Ambulance Service read more Water pollution fines must come from bosses’ pockets- not workers (3 Oct) – GMB Union says massive fines water companies face for pollution must come from bosses’ pay and profits – not workers’ pay and conditions. Thames Water, Southern Water and others will have to return about £150m to customers in the form of lower bills in the 2023-24 financial year, the water regulator for England and Wales, Ofwat, announced today read more Sunderland bus strike dates announced as talks break down (30 Sept) – GMB Union has announced the dates of the Sunderland bus strike after talks broke down. Almost 200 Stagecoach bus drivers will walk out for five continuous days from 00:01 on Tuesday 11 October until midnight on Saturday 15 October. GMB met with Stagecoach today – but the company refused to budge on their initial offer, which amounts to a big real terms pay cut read more Walsall Housing Group strike extends into October (29 Sept) – Industrial action at Walsall Housing Group will extend into next month, GMB Union has said. Almost 200 GMB members will walk out for six days in October 12, 14, 17, 21, 24 and 28. The industrial action comes on top of strike dates in September. Staff are angry after being offered just a 3.1 per cent day deal, amounting to massive real terms pay cut with RPI inflation at 12.3 per cent. Meanwhile Walsall Housing Group’s highest paid director was handed a 14 per cent pay rise between 2020 and 2021 read more Almost 200 floor manufacturers stage three week strike (28 Sept) – Almost 200 workers at a Manchester floor company are staging three weeks’ solid strike action. Staff at Polyflor Ltd, in Manchester, will down tools until 14 October. Pickets will be staged from 8 to 10am and 4 to 6pm, Monday to Thursday, outside the factory on Radcliffe New Road, M45. Workers voted to strike over a pay dispute. Shortly after they received a message from the company saying ‘process shifts for process workers continue to be suspended…please do not turn up for your shift(s) from 6am on Monday 5th September.’ The company is a leading manufacturer of vinyl floor coverings read more Yorkshire Ambulance Service faces strike vote (28 Sept) – Yorkshire Ambulance Service faces a strike vote as GMB Union launches a formal industrial action ballot. Ballot dates will be announced in the coming days. The vote comes following the a consultative ballot which saw 90 per cent of GMB’s almost 1,500 YAS members vote in favour of a walk out. Turnout on the consultative ballot was 80 per cent. Paramedics and ambulance workers are angry over the Government’s imposed 4 per cent pay award, which leaves them facing yet another massive real terms pay cut read more All options back on the table as rogue Wiltshire Council bosses break agreement that averted GMB strike action in June (23 Sept) – Members are scandalised that Wiltshire Council’s top bosses have walked back from a deal, says GMB. GMB, the union for Wiltshire Council staff, is calling for members to reject a revised proposal from Wiltshire Council after bosses reneged on the agreement negotiated through the offices of Acas (the governments advisory and conciliation service) in June. The council’s proposed pay cuts to council staff amount to £2,000 for traffic wardens and £7,000 for social workers per year. Ballots are running from now until 13th October among the 300 staff affected by the pay cut read more Amazon workers begin first ever UK strike ballot – Amazon workers at a Coventry warehouse will become the first in the UK to take part in a formal strike ballot. Hundreds of workers will today begin voting on whether to walk out in anger over the company’s 35 pence per hour pay offer. The ballot closes on 19 October, with any industrial action likely to take place in November. Amazon workers across the UK have staged informal protests in anger at a three per cent pay offer from the company. Last September, Amazon reported paying £492m in tax the previous year – despite UK revenue soaring to £20.6billion in the pandemic read more Further Budweiser strikes planned after talks collapse – Further strike action at Budweiser has been scheduled after workers turned down the latest pay offer from the company. A total of 275 GMB members working at BBG’s Samlesbury site, near Preston, will down tools from 22 – 29 August. In total, 93 per cent of GMB members rejected latest offer from Budweiser read more Solidarity with GMB after yet another arrest on a bin picket line – For the second time in months, GMB Southern Region officers have been arrested on a picket line of their striking refuse members. Previously, arrests were made on the Wealden picket. They appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court on 29th June. The case was adjourned to Brighton Crown Court on November 16th. Then two weeks ago, further arrests were made on the Surrey bin picket line. This is outrageous attacks on the right of trade unions to strike, picket and protest. The NSSN sends our continued solidarity and support read more about Surry strike Mitie out: Demand fair pay and conditions for staff at St George’s Hospital University staff to strike over pay as new term begins (20 Sept) – Workers have reached breaking point and have little choice but to strike. Thousands of university staff including administrators, cleaners, library, security and catering employees are to walk out in a wave of strikes that will hit universities from today (Tuesday), says UNISON. Universities will be disrupted across England and Scotland as employees push for a fair pay rise that takes account of soaring cost of living pressures and years of below-inflation awards, says the union. The workers, among the lowest paid in the higher education sector, took the difficult decision to strike after rejecting a 3% pay award from the University and Colleges Employers Association in May, the union says. Staff are asking for a wage increase of 2% above inflation, the lowest measure for which is currently 9.8% read more for details of picket lines Support the OCS Lancashire strikes: pay up now – Pay our hospital heroes what they are owed for working throughout the pandemic read more Care staff announce new strike dates over pay, says UNISON – Workers at St Monica Trust plan 48-hour walkout and two-day strike in August. Care workers, registered nurses and residential home staff employed by Bristol-based St Monica Trust will take further strike action next week, said UNISON. Staff at the Russets and Sherwood care home in Sandford, North Somerset, will walk out for 48 hours from 7am on Tuesday 16 August, while workers at Cote Lane in Bristol will launch a two-day strike from Friday 19 August. The new dates follow five days of action in June and July over fire and rehire threats and cuts to pay read more There is a strike fund which is being collected for. Many of these workers are low paid and part time. With cost of living ever rising it’s essential that we can ensure no one feels like they can’t stand up with their colleagues and strike for fear of lost pay. The union will be paying strike pay and members can request hardship payments up to their full wages so no one gets left behind. For donations please send to the following details with the reference “SMT” Mini-Budget – The Rich Continue to Benefit (23 Sept) – Carmel Gates NIPSA General Secretary: “As you will be aware today saw the release of what was described as a “mini-budget”. While there is now a new Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime Minister overseeing such events, the echoes of their predecessors’ preference for avoiding the fullest scrutiny remains. Indeed, the release of such a budget statement in this manner without accompanying Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecasts/analysis of the figures at this time, suggests that the longstanding, limited commitment to accountability is likely to be further diminished by the new leadership at the top of the UK Government…” read more Royal College of Nursing RCN members stage protest at Conservative party conference (3 Oct) – Nursing staff chanted demands for fair pay and safe staffing amidst chronic workforce crisis read more ‘Vote to strike’ urges RCN as number of nurses leaving NHS hits record high (30 Sept) – Nurses are quitting for better pay in retail and hospitality as cost-of-living crisis takes its toll read more RCN announces new industrial action strike ballot dates (15 Sept) – Our ballot of members working for the NHS and HSC will take place between Thursday 6 October and Wednesday 2 November read more Royal College of Midwives RCM recommends members vote YES to industrial action as ballot opens in Scotland (29 Sept) – ‘Stand by and get ready to vote on industrial action’ that’s the message from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Scotland as it formally launches its ballot on industrial action today. The RCM is recommending that members vote yes to both strike action and action short of a strike and say they do not take this decision lightly and understand its members don’t either read more RCM members in England and Wales to be balloted on industrial action over pay (22 Sept) – RCM members working in the NHS in England and Wales are set to be formally balloted on industrial action over pay. This follows a consultation in which RCM members overwhelmingly rejected their governments’ pay awards of £1400 for most Agenda for Change NHS staff. The amount equates to a 4% increase for those at the top step point of band 6 and those on band 7.Two-thirds of eligible members in England and more than eight out of 10 in Wales took part in the consultation, with three-quarters (75%) saying they wanted to be balloted on industrial action. The RCM’s Board – comprised of, and elected by, members – considered the consultation results and made the decision to prepare to ballot members in both countries. The dates of the ballots will be announced in the coming weeks read more Be ballot ready – reject the pay cut read more Support these strikes:- NEU strikes next week:- Coulsdon Sixth Form College / Croydon (Pay) 4-6 October [email protected] Calverton Primary School / Newham (unacceptable management practices) 4-6 October [email protected] Drapers Pyrgo Priory School / Havering (Conditions of Service) 4-6 October [email protected] Pay teachers in Scotland 12% or risk industrial action (29 Sept) – The NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union is today issuing formal notices to the Cabinet Secretary for Education, local authorities and employers in Scotland that it is in dispute over the failure to confirm a pay award of 12% for all teachers for the 2022/23 year. In the event that an immediate programme of pay restoration is not confirmed, commencing with a pay award of at least 12% for all teachers this year, the NASUWT will have no alternative other than to launch a ballot of members for industrial action read more Scottish Government must urgently enter pay talks (28 Sept) – At an event with member representatives held at the STUC, the NASUWT called on the Cabinet Secretary for Education urgently to get around the table to address teachers’ anger over further proposed pay cuts. A further meeting between the NASUWT and the Cabinet Secretary for Education has once again been called off by the Minister read more Pay teachers in Wales 12% or risk industrial action (29 Sept) – The NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union is today issuing formal notices to the Minister for Education, local authorities and employers in Wales that it is in dispute over the failure to confirm a pay award of 12% for all teachers for the 2022/23 year. In the event that an immediate programme of pay restoration is not confirmed, commencing with a pay award of at least 12% for all teachers this year, the NASUWT will have no alternative other than to launch a ballot of members for industrial action read more Pay teachers in England 12% or risk industrial action (29 Sept) – The NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union is today issuing formal notices to the Secretary of State for Education, local authorities and employers in England that it is in dispute over the failure to confirm a pay award of 12% for all teachers for the current academic year. In the event that an immediate programme of pay restoration is not confirmed, commencing with a pay award of at least 12% for all teachers this year, the NASUWT will have no alternative other than to launch a ballot of members for industrial action read more IOM teachers vote to continue action over pay, workload and working practices (23 Sept) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union in the Isle of Man have voted overwhelmingly to continue with their campaign of industrial action in a dispute with the DESC over pay, workload and working practices. 82% voted in support of strike action with 92% in support of action short of strike action in a reballot. NASUWT members have been undertaking action short of strike action since late April, withdrawing from a range of activities which do not directly relate to teaching and learning, including attending meetings and providing cover for absent colleagues. This action was escalated earlier this month with members no longer undertaking break duties or any marking, setting and assessment of cover work arising from any planned or unplanned staff absence read more EIS Teacher pay: EIS Issues Formal Strike Ballot Notices to all 32 Local Authority Employers (5 Oct) – The EIS has announced that it has issued formal notices to all 32 Scottish local authorities confirming that the EIS will open a statutory strike ballot for teachers one week from today, on Wednesday 12 October. The move to a statutory ballot for strike action follows the overwhelming result in a recent consultative ballot, in which 91% of EIS members confirmed their willingness to move to strike action in pursuit of a fair pay settlement read more Teachers’ pay Offer Formally Rejected and Dispute Declared (22 Sept) – The EIS is moving ahead with its plans to open a statutory strike ballot of its members in pursuit of a fair pay settlement for Scotland’s teachers and associated professionals. This follows today’s meeting of the Extended Joint Chairs of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), where the latest pay offer to teachers was formally rejected by the Teachers’ Side and a dispute has been declared with local authority employers. The decision to move ahead with the statutory ballot – the final step to ensuring that strike action can be taken by Scotland’s teachers – follows the overwhelming result in an EIS consultative ballot last week, where 94% of EIS members voted to reject the current 5% pay offer and 91% voted in favour of a move to strike action towards securing a fair settlement read more EIS-ULA Opens Statutory Ballot (29 Sept) – The EIS has today (Thursday) opened a statutory ballot for industrial action for its members in the Higher Education Sector. Following a consultative ballot, which strongly indicated members of the EIS University Lecturers’ Association (EIS-ULA) wished to take action in the current pay dispute, the EIS-ULA Executive is recommending members vote yes to strike action read more UCU Falmouth University staff to strike over two-tier workforce plans (4 Oct) – The University and College Union (UCU) has today (Tuesday) announced that staff at Falmouth University will take three days of industrial action over the decision by the university to employ all new academic staff through a subsidiary company, Falmouth Staffing Ltd (FSL). UCU members will walk out for three consecutive days from Monday October 17th until Wednesday October 19th to defend the employment status of staff teaching at the university if management does not reverse its decision read more Oldham College strike will go ahead tomorrow despite management threats (3 Oct) – UCU confirmed strike action at Oldham College is legal and will go ahead tomorrow despite reported intimidation of staff by management. The union’s general secretary Jo Grady wrote to Oldham College UCU members today to reassure them UCU has discharged all its legal duties and that strike action at the college is completely lawful. The letter comes after multiple members told the union that college management is threatening staff with potential dismissal if they take strike action. Staff at Oldham College are taking three consecutive days of strike action alongside Liverpool and Burnley colleges over low pay starting tomorrow. On Thursday (6 October 2022) they will be joined by dozens more colleges, including Blackburn and West Lancashire read more Strike wave over low pay hits more North West colleges (3 Oct) – Staff at the City of Liverpool, Burnley and Oldham colleges begin three consecutive days of strike action tomorrow in a dispute over low pay, confirmed UCU. The full list of strike dates for the three colleges are: Tuesday 4 October Wednesday 5 October Thursday 6 October Staff at the colleges will be on picket lines every morning of strike action. Burnley staff will also picket their college from 4pm tomorrow to coincide with the college’s open day. UCU president Janet Farrar will join the City of Liverpool College picket tomorrow morning. Staff at Blackburn and West Lancashire colleges are also set to strike over low pay from Thursday alongside 24 other colleges across England. The full strike dates for these colleges are: Thursday 6 and Friday 7 October (2 days) Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 October (2 days) Tuesday 18 Wednesday, 19 and Thursday 20 October (3 days) Next Tuesday 11 October 2022 staff at The Manchester College will also take three consecutive days of strike action. Staff at Manchester, Oldham and Burnley colleges have already taken two days of strike action this term over low pay, whilst staff at Blackburn and West Lancashire colleges were on strike for three days last week read more UCU members at Croydon College win significant pay rise (28 Sept) – Staff at Croydon College have won an improved pay deal, UCU has confirmed. The pay award means those earning under £25k will see their pay rise by 8%, and those earning between £25k and £40k, including lecturers, will see their pay rise by 5%. The deal comes after 89.9% of UCU members in national ballots voted YES to strike action on an overall turnout of 57.9%, which is the biggest mandate for industrial action ever across English further education colleges. Strike action was suspended at Croydon College after the offer was made but went ahead this week at 17 colleges, with a further 12 set to join the strike next week. Staff at eight further colleges also have mandates to strike but are not yet going forward with action. Should these colleges fail to make staff suitable pay offers, industrial action could follow read more Unprecedented ‘cost-of-living’ strike hits dozens of colleges (22 Sept) – Around 4,000 staff at 29 colleges will take up to 10 days of strike action starting next week in a dispute over low pay amid the cost-of-living crisis. Staff at 17 colleges across England begin their strike next Monday 26 September with a further 12 colleges striking the week after. The level of industrial action being undertaken is ‘unprecedented’ in England, UCU says. Staff will be picketing outside every college on each morning of strike action. The strikes will take place over four weeks in the first half term of the academic year. The full dates of strike action are: Week 1: Monday 26, Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 September (3 days) Week 2: Thursday 6 and Friday 7 October (2 days) Week 3: Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 October (2 days) Week 4: Tuesday 18 Wednesday, 19 and Thursday 20 October (3 days) Staff at Burnley, Liverpool and Oldham colleges are also striking over pay, but are striking on different dates, which are: Tuesday 4, Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 October… Staff at nine further colleges also have mandates to strike but are not yet going forward with action. Should these colleges fail to make staff suitable pay offers, industrial action could follow…UCU is also balloting staff at 150 universities including over low pay read more University strike ballots open today amidst cost-of-living crisis (6 Sept) – Ballots for industrial action opened today at universities across the UK in disputes over pay, working conditions and pension cuts amidst the worst cost of living crisis in living memory, confirmed UCU. In total, over 70,000 staff at 150 universities are being balloted across two separate ballots. 67 institutions are being balloted over pension cuts to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) and 145 are being balloted over pay and working conditions. Both ballots are aggregated. This means that for the first time in these disputes if UCU achieves an overall turnout of 50% or above and a majority YES vote in both ballots, all 150 universities will be hit by strike action, which would be unprecedented read more UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes. FBU FBU update: revised pay offer (4 Oct) – Matt Wrack, general secretary commented: “We have today met with the fire service employers at the National Joint Council (NJC) and Middle Managers Negotiating Body (MMNB). Employers had previously written to ministers and government departments across the UK, seeking additional funding funding for an improved pay proposal. The Home Office have unequivocally declined this request. Despite this, employers have made a revised pay offer. Offer: 5% increase on all Grey Book rates of pay, including CPD, from 1 July 2022. The FBU will now consider the revised proposal. The Executive Council is in session and will also be meeting tomorrow to assess and discuss this offer in the context of out campaign and our discussions across the union. Further updates will be issued as soon as possible” read more Labour conference backs firefighters on pay (28 Sept) – Labour conference has passed a motion backing firefighters on pay as they prepare to ballot for strike action. Successful conference motions become Labour Party policy. Labour leader Keir Starmer has previously failed to back striking workers and advised frontbench shadow cabinet members to stay away from picket lines. The FBU-backed motion states that “Conference condemns the 2% pay offer made by fire employers to firefighters in June this year” and “is appalled by the 12% real-terms cut in average full-time firefighters’ pay (measured by CPI) since 2010”. It also committed “the Labour Party to vigorously campaigning alongside the FBU in defence of firefighters and their service” read more Fair pay or fire strike – all members meeting on pay (27 Sept) – Amid the pay dispute, Matt Wrack, general secretary will address members online on Thursday 29 September at 6.30pm. RMT assistant general secretary Eddie Dempsey is also set to speak on the movement’s struggle for fair pay, terms and conditions. The meeting will discuss the 2% pay offer made by fire service employers and a potential ballot on strike action read more Firefighters prepare for ballot for strike action over pay (6 Sept) – Firefighters and firefighter control staff are preparing for a ballot for strike action, following consultation in Fire Brigades Union branches and a meeting of the union’s executive council on 2 September. The decision follows firefighters and firefighter control staff receiving a 2% annual pay offer on 27 June, which has not been improved upon since despite union representations to multiple parties. Inflation (CPI) has been measured at 10.1%, meaning that such a pay offer represents a significant real-terms pay cut. The aim is for the ballot to be held in five weeks’ time read more Autumn of action – lobby and rally rescheduled to 2nd November 2022 – Due to the new TUC Congress dates (18th-20th October), the TUC have rescheduled the lobby of parliament and evening mass rally to Wednesday 2nd November 2022. Westminster Central Hall is still booked as the base for the day and evening. Before the TUC rescheduled the national lobby, over 320 people had registered to meet their MP. The TUC are contacting these people and supporting them to book in meetings with their MP on 2nd November 2022. 320 sign-ups is a good start but we need hundreds more union members to sign up to make their voice heard. It’s time for a new deal for working people. We need a real pay rise for every worker, starting with a £15 minimum wage as soon as possible, and more help with bills. It’s time to ban zero hours contracts and end fire and rehire read more Napo adds name to TUC letter to prime minister (30 Sept) – Napo and other unions signed a letter from the TUC demanding better from the prime minister read more BFAWU Organise Now! Launches today! (Sept 26) – Sarah Woolley BFAWU General Secretary: Bakers, Food and Allied Workers, Strike Map and Notes from Below launch new organising project, Organise Now! LAUNCH VIDEO IS HERE. Today (24 September), The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU), Strike Map UK and Notes from Below launch a new union organising project called Organise Now! This project is inspired by the Emergency Workplace Organising Committee (EWOC) launched in the USA a few years ago, which has seen tens of thousands unorganised workers contacting them looking for help in building a union in historically low unionised areas, like Starbucks and Amazon. The Organise Now! website launches with two forms. One form is for workers who want support and the other is for volunteers to sign up. Within 72 hours of filling out the form, workers receive a call back from a volunteer. They are assigned an experienced organiser who will coach them through their organising at work read more Almost 400 posts to go at the World Service (29 Sept) – The NUJ says the government must directly fund the service, as it did prior to 2011. The BBC has announced it is to cut 382 posts at the World Service, as part of £500m of annual savings caused by the freezing of the licence fee, soaring costs, inflation and to fund its move to a digital-first service read more Pay survey of NUJ members in Ireland (27 Sept) – NUJ members in Ireland should complete the union’s short pay survey by 28 September. The National Union of Journalists is currently conducting a pay survey of its members in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The survey is completely confidential and should take less than five minutes to complete. It remains open until midnight on Tuesday, September 20th read more NUJ to ballot members at Al Jazeera (22 Sept) – Members employed by Al Jazeera International Ltd are being balloted on whether they are prepared to take part in strike action and action short of strike. 40 members will receive ballot papers following a decision by the Al Jazeera group chapel to move to an industrial action vote, rejecting the company’s 2022 offer of 4.5% plus an unconsolidated £500 for those earning less than £50,000 read more Prospect signs recognition and procedural agreement with RWE Renewables (3 Oct) – Prospect has signed a new Recognition and Procedural Agreement with RWE Renewables, which establishes a formal role for the union regarding information and consultation across the RWE Renewables’ business read more The Mini-Budget: what you need to know (29 Sept) – On 23/05/22 the Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced a ‘mini-budget’ as part of The Growth Plan 2022. Here are some of the main proposed changes to be aware of at this initial stage read more Tesco’s agreement to make additional investment in pay welcomed by Usdaw (5 Oct) – Retail trade union Usdaw has today welcomed the company’s agreement to provide additional support for Tesco shopworkers in the midst of the cost of living crisis, with an additional pay increase outside of the annual pay review and a further commitment from the business to bring next year’s pay negotiations forward to the Spring of 2023 read more Booker’s agreement to make additional investment in pay welcomed by Usdaw (5 Oct) – Retail trade union Usdaw has today welcomed the company’s agreement to provide additional support for Booker employees in the midst of the cost of living crisis, with an additional pay increase outside of the annual pay review. Booker hourly paid retail staff will receive an additional 25p per hour increase from 13 November, taking the base rate from £9.75 to £10.00 per hour. This is on top of an increase in May of 6.67%, taking the overall increase this year to 9.4% read more Usdaw joins a TUC co-ordinated legal challenge against the Government’s “strike-breaking” agency worker regulations (20 Sept) – Retail trade union Usdaw is one of eleven trade unions to launch a judicial review of “anti-worker” regulations which “undermine the right to strike”. They are being coordinated by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and represented by Thompsons Solicitors LLP read more Judge orders Brighton pub to pay wages to sacked UVW strike leader (26 Sept) – “I’m ecstatic by the decision from the court to grant my interim relief! It’s a huge win for the UVW members of the Saint James Tavern and the labour movement across the hospitality sector” – Jake Marvin, sacked UVW strike leader and former bar manager. A judge ordered pub bosses at Saint James Tavern (SJT) in Brighton to pay wages to a United Voices of the World (UVW) strike leader, who was abruptly sacked allegedly for his union activities. And they will have to pay wages until there is a final hearing on his dismissal, which could be in a year or so. Former bar manager and UVW member Jake Marvin applied to the Employment Tribunal in early July for interim relief following his abrupt sacking just days after the workers’ first picket line on June 25. Interim relief is when a boss is ordered to reinstate or pay a worker where the Employment Tribunal believes they have been sacked for trade union activities. The judgement will remain in force until a final hearing on unfair dismissal and trade union victimisation takes place in a year or so read more Security Staff at University College London to Strike over Pay as Part of Campaign Against Outsourcing (26 Sept) – Outsourced security staff working at University College London (UCL) from the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) have voted unanimously to take strike action over pay and union recognition. This follows the launch of an ongoing campaign in May by the majority-BAME and migrant outsourced workers demanding to be brought in-house, after years of subcontractor mismanagement. At the height of the cost of living crisis, security staff are demanding £15/hr, equivalent to the wage paid to security over two decades ago before outsourcing was introduced at UCL (and still paid to a small number of staff who have remained employed since that time and whose conditions are protected by TUPE). Outsourced workers are also demanding an end to exploitative outsourcing at the university read more Mandate (Ireland) Dunnes Pay & Benefits Petition Update (3 Oct) – Almost 1300 Dunnes Workers have shown their support for the Dunnes Pay and Benefits claim by signing the petition since it was launched 3 weeks ago. Click here if you haven’t already signed the petition. The Dunnes National Committee wrote to the Directors of Dunnes Stores on the 20th of July seeking action on your Pay and Benefits claim. The Directors have not yet responded read more From the Criminal Bar Association twitter account The CBA @TheCriminalBar – The offer from government has resulted from constructive talks between the MOJ and the leadership of the CBA. This offer represents substantial positive movement from government. As a result the offer will be put to a ballot… The ballot will open on Tuesday 04 October 2022 at 1600 and close at midnight on Sunday 09 October 2022. The ballot result will be announced at 0900 on Monday 10 October 2022. All chambers are encouraged to organise their own internal meetings. Barristers in England and Wales to vote on ending strike after new pay offer (29 Sept) – Criminal Bar Association agrees to ballot members again after fresh government offer on legal aid fees read more on the Guardian website Keep up to date on The Criminal Bar Association website October is Black History Month – follow #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackHistoryMonth2022 #BHM #BHM2022 on twitter for events as well as visit union websites Sign petition: Liz Truss, give a 10% pay rise and equal pay to all care workers and personal assistants from Disability Rights Action [email protected] NUJ expresses solidarity with people of Iran (3 Oct) – As journalists continue to report on protests in Iran, the union and its Equality Council extends a message of solidarity. The NUJ has condemned the arrests of journalists in Iran, following protests prompted by the death of Mahsa Amini on 16 September while detained by the Morality Police of Tehran. Over the past fortnight, access to social media and the internet has been restricted, impacting freedom of expression. 22 journalists have been detained since protests began. At its last meeting, the union’s equality council passed a motion in solidarity read more on NUJ website NUJ: Australia: police seek permission to raid news outlet NT Independent (28 Sept) – NUJ echoes calls by the IFJ and sister union Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance for the protection of journalists in Australia’s Northern Territory. The National Union of Journalists joins the International Federation of Journalists in condemning efforts by Australian authorities to stifle press freedom read more on NUJ website Pakistan flooding disaster – Urgent appeal from the Sindh Workers’ Alliance read more and find details on how to donate QC appointed to lead the independent Unite inquiry into blacklisting – Unite is delighted to announce that Nick Randall QC and John Carl Townsend have been appointed to investigate the possible collusion by union officers in blacklisting. Over the past months, evidence gathering by Thompsons solicitors has continued, with many blacklisted construction workers and other witnesses having already been interviewed. The work of the independent investigators is expected to start officially on 11 April read more Keep up with developments and read and watch campaigners’ statements on the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS) and Undercover Policing Inquiry websites and spycops info Facebook group In the current situation, this long lost film from the 1990s about rank and file union organising in the construction industry is intended to lift the spirits, but also to spark a debate in our movement. Hope the youngsters in this film put a smile on your face. Blacklist Support Group Blacklist Support Group financial appeal: the Blacklist support group is desperately short of funds, to continue the incredible work we need more finance, would you please consider making a donation, raise it at your branches and trade councils. Please make cheques payable to Joint sites committee and send to 70 Darnay Rise Chelmsford Essex CM1 4XA. Please forward onto your contacts many thanks Steve Kelly (JSC Treasurer) Keep an eye out for other Facebook and social media groups and pages that are being created. The Coronavirus Support Group for Workers has been set up on Facebook and is a useful forum and you can catch up on disputes at Strike Map UK October November ← NSSN 603: Support the October 1st strikes & protests Comments are closed. Click here to subscribe to our weekly email bulletin The National Shop Stewards Network is supported by:	81,973
You've found a rare treasure trove of readable, thoughtful essays on game design theory, art and the business of design. What are game mechanics? October 24, 2006 by Daniel Cook comments 34 The phrase “game mechanics” sends a pleasant shiver down my spine. At the heart of every game are these mysterious whirring clicking mechanisms that deliver to the player pleasure and thrills. We use them, we build them, but I’ve never seen a good unified definition of game mechanics that gives us a practical base upon which to build great games. Here is one. It is clobbered together from a variety of influences though many of you will recognize some central tenets from ‘A Theory of Fun’ by Raph Koster. Game mechanics are rule based systems / simulations that facilitate and encourage a user to explore and learn the properties of their possibility space through the use of feedback mechanisms. It is a simple definition, but it offers a good amount of insight into why games work and how we can make them better. Central to the model is the concept of feedback loops that encourage learning. Here is a diagram that should explain the concept in a more visual format: Player performs an action. The action causes an effect within the simulated game world. The simulation contains public and private tokens and the causal rules that affect the states of the tokens. The player rarely knows all the rules and is highly unlikely to be able to instantly describe the complete possibility space described by the rules. The unknown portion of the simulation is a “black box” that the player must attempt to decipher. The player receives feedback. With new tools and information in hand, the player performs another action. Using what we’ve learned, we pursue additional pleasure. Linking game mechanics to create a system of systems Interconnected networks of game mechanics make up the game as a whole. You can think of the game as a set of interlinked of puzzles where solutions to one puzzle lead to clues that help on additional puzzles. The info treats that a game provides to the user need not be used to solve the immediate black box at hand. Humans horde potentially useful information like squirrels horde nuts for the winter time. We’ll store hints in our copious long term memory in the hope that there will be another black box down the line that will yield to our improved tool chest of knowledge. The traditional metagame that sits on top of a game’s core mechanics is a good example of how one black box feeds into another. In this situation, the game mechanics are arrange in a temporal hierarchy where rapid feedback loops (often part of the basic control scheme) provide tools that enable the mastery of longer term feedback loops. The potential patterns of linking game mechanics together are nearly endless. This is a wonderful area of future study. Humans are wired to solve black boxes. It is a fundamental aspect of our neurological learning wetware. We get real chemical rewards when we grok a problem or gain information that we suspect will help in grokking a black box. Evolution has selected for this behavior over thousands of generations since it is the biological reward system that encourages tool use and technological adoption. Without this built in addiction to problem solving, we would lack agriculture, medicine, architecture and other fundamental survival techniques that make the human species such a remarkably successful animal. A key aspect of our model is that games actively encourage learning. I can put a black box on the table with a hidden button. Unbeknownst to a potential user, pressing the button enough times and the black box will spew out a thousand shiny silver coins. This is not a game. This is a bizarre gizmo. To turn it into a game, a game designer would need to do several things. Encourage Discovery: First, make it obvious that the button in meant to be pushed. Humans are naturally curious creatures, but as game designers, we need to explicitly direct them to take certain actions. Encourage Exploration: Second, the designer would put a counter on the front of the machines that lets the user know that their actions are having some impact on the system. The counter provides delightful drips of feedback and it is up to the user to interpret that feedback Provide Tool Mastery: Third, the designer would post a note “Payout: 1,000, coins!” Not all games need explicit winning conditions, but hinting at future utility is a highly useful technique for encourage the player to begin interacting with a particular game mechanic. We’ve turned a gizmo into a simple game of chance. The difference between the two is that our primitive 1-armed bandit is explicitly designed to encourage player learning. Existing games are richly laden with techniques that encourage learning. A few that come immediately to mind: Levels take complex systems and encourage players to explore and master one aspect of the possibility space at a time The use of scores, coin collecting and experience points are all simple feedback mechanisms that let the user know they are making progress towards some future state. The classic “See the treasure chest you can’t reach” in Zelda acts as a promise of future utility. A system alone is not a game. A dump of information is not a game. A system that encourages learning through strong feedback mechanisms is a game. Secondary effects I’ve just described the foundation of a game mechanic. Now lets dig into several of the secondary effects that immediate appear when you attempt to put this system into practice: Human factors After merrily harvesting tidbits of information by plunking coins into the virtual pachinko machine, the player will eventually grok the system. The game mechanisms may still serve up information, but the tidbits are not longer as tempting. The info we receive has no resonance with problems that we are solving or problems we have solved. It activates no curious networks in the brain. We begin subconsciously filtering out the feedback from these mechanisms. Burnout is a state of completed learning where the player finally figures out that a particular action no longer yields meaningful results. In Monkeyball, researchers were astounded to find the the biggest jolt of pleasured occurred when you fell off a cliff and died. People loved it! If you look at falling off the cliff as a huge learning experience, this makes perfect sense. However, when they replayed the animation, people hated it. Same stimulus, radically different response. The animation of falling off cliff lost its ability to teach the second time around. Ultimately, users are subconsciously constantly asking the question “Is this activity worth my time? Does it gain me anything useful?” There are multiple paths that learning can take and not all are ones that game designers desire. We would like to imagine that groking a system results in complete and utter mastery of that system. In reality, ‘grokking’ means that that the user has stabilized on a mental model of the system they no longer feel like improving further. This model can be simple or complex, depending on the inclinations of the user. A complex model of Black Jack might take into account probabilities of cards appearing based off what has already been played. A simple model of Black Jack might conclude that cards appear pretty much randomly. There is more depth for the user to explore, but if they are a casual player, saying it is random is ‘good enough’ to judge the game. A big frustration to game designers is that many users settle on a very simplistic model of how a particular game mechanic works. Players will claim that a game is unfair or too difficult and immediately toss it in a rubbish bin because the designer misjudged their reaction to a game mechanic. Some mechanisms have highly predictable burnout rates. Most players immediately figure out that watching a cutscene again isn’t going to provide much additional information. Other mechanisms demonstrate a large variation in burnout rates depending on the person who is playing the game and their personal preferences and disposition towards addiction. Some players try a slot machine once and then never again. Others will ruin their lives in pursuit of the next reward, never grokking the simple truth that such machines exist to take money, not give. The factors that influence burnout are numerous. Personality. Personal history. Practical importance of imagined future rewards that stem from mastery. The ability for the mechanism to signal that there is additional depth of mastery possible. The first two factors are not possible to derive by simply exercising your superior intellect. A deep understanding of your target audience’s psychology is most helpful here. The second two factors are very much under the designer’s control and can be refined through heavy prototyping and player observation. Milking: The transition from learning to tool use The flip side of burnout is grinding. If burnout is when a player discards a game mechanism because it is no longer useful, milking is when a player continues to exercise a game mechanic long after they’ve reached the state of mastery because the game mechanics continues to provide value. When a player has learned one system, they will often keep interacting with it. On first blush, this seems mildly demented. The activity no longer provides burst of juicy learning. It is a bit like jawing on a piece of gum that long ago lost its flavor. However, remember that games are networks of linked game mechanics. Player will continue to interact with a mastered game system in order to create a useful game state for exploring another black box. Mastery gives the player predictable pragmatic tools that helps them advance in other aspects of the game. The learning and mastery that occurs in other portions of the game provide the necessary reward that goads the player into revisiting old game mechanics. You can extend the time that a player spends with a set of a game mechanics by ensuring that a mastered system still provides utility to the player. Designs techniques that build tools result in more gameplay for less development work. The network of blackboxes that the player considers valid can extend far beyond the systems in the game itself. Often, the player will collect strange bits of info that have no real impact on the game mechanics that the game designer built into the game. These pieces rattle around in our heads like a collection of oddball keys for a set of locks that we may never find. Game designers can tease the player with hints to systems that do not exist in order to suggest depth to their games. A sly arched eyebrow in a cutscene triggers as massive cascade of meaning alerts. Our brains love people and faces and relationships and the breeding opportunities and politics! Surely, that eyebrow is important? The player greedily stores the memory away. What impact will the collected information have on their gameplay? None. What impact will it have on their lives? Very little. This virtual person in a cut scene is no one they will ever meet. But our brains were not evolved to deal with such things. As apes, the tale of an arched eyebrow by a potential mate from our little tribe always meant something very, very important. So our brain rewards us with a little jolt of pleasure for noticing such an “obviously” beneficial tidbit. The designer managed to suggest a system and get some of the benefits of that system without actually building it. It is not going too far to suggest that paintings, sculpture, movies and television all thrive on this simple quirk of our brain’s learning systems. The downside is that such red herrings burnout quickly. Our brains becomes quite good at recognizing false, useless information. Almost no one watches a cut scene more than once. What would be the point? My personal bias is to use red herring game mechanics sparingly. As game designers, we have deeper skills at our disposal. We can tailor potent electronic cascades of feedback loops that spin out a complex duet between computer and the player. Such system are highly effective at causing visceral pleasure and encouraging deep long term learning. As game designers, we conduct a majestic symphony of explicit learning and entrancing interactivity, something no static media will ever manage. Sometimes though, it is worthwhile to suggest great mysteries with broad brush strokes. Setting, character design and plot can be crucial hooks that help make a game meaningful to players before they even press a single button. Human factors: Emphasizing the humanity of games Some folks read about models and immediately see them as reductionist mechanisms that strip the humanity out of the soul out of creating artistic games. The game mechanics I’ve described in this article attempts to avoid this trap. They explicitly include social, narrative and emotional elements in addition to purely analytical problems. All aspects of the human experience, that have an impact on our ability to process and learn from stimuli, fall within the domain of potential game play. This definition of game design is much broader than the current range of games available on the market. Though it works quite well with hit points, button mashing and high scores, the breadth of the definition is intended to encourage exploration of a much wider range of human learning. Some open questions that I find immediately suggested by the model include: What are the feedback mechanisms that impact learning about relationships, love, hate or spirituality? How do we build games around such topics that leverage these feedback mechanisms? Existing games give us the foundation of practical knowledge that lets us make the same thing in a reliable fashion. A good theoretical framework helps game designers create future titles that are inclusive of a wider range of human experience. The goal of any model of game design worth its salt is that it both explains existing behavior and predicts future behavior of medium. In my experience so far, this model seem rather robust at explaining almost any existing game on the market ranging from board games to slot machines to social games. There is certainly room for improvement, but it is a good enough for my main goal. I want a practical model that lets the good folks in this grand industry describe game designs in more exacting terms. The model should give insight into why their prototypes suck. It should allow them to discuss potential issues and solutions with shorthand language that cuts to the meat of the matter. A good predictive model allows for more intelligent design decisions with less waste and unnecessary rework. So some of aspects of the model that I find useful: It treats game mechanics as well defined, comprehensive atomic units. These units can be discussed individually and they can also be linked together in interesting ways. Explicit identification of user value. Fun is not a nigh spiritual activity that spontaneously bursts forth from the ether. It has a testable neurological basis. There exist clearly inputs and outputs that easily identified. You can easily tell when a specific game mechanic has all component elements such as actions, rules, tokens and feedback systems. Through observation, you can identify the player’s reaction to each mechanism and then adjust its impact. All and all, the hope is that this model of game mechanics is a good foundation for future discussion. It is one that I’ll be leaning on heavily as I continue to meander through this lovely little series of essays on game design. Take care The pleasure of killing monkeys See research lesson #1. I don’t agree with their conclusion about what causes the reported result, but I find the data fascinating. A theory of fun for game design: Raph Koster Many of the basic concepts in this essay build upon the ideas in this book. I find it helps my thinking to rework what I’ve read in essay form. Call it a form of active listening if you must. ( A slightly different definition of feedback loops that comes from control theory. https://web.archive.org/web/20070503025241/http://jbooth.blogspot.com/2005_01_01_jbooth_archive.html Games are designer foods for infovores This essay became too long and started budding little essays. Some have been planted in new documents that may one day emerge in full blossom. The rest are here for your reading pleasure. Is a book a game? With this big emphasis on learning, there is bound to be a wiseass who asks “Is a text book a game? It too encourages learning.” The problem here is that there are few strong feedback mechanisms evident. The user reads the book and without a doubt they get a burst of pleasure from ingesting the info. However, the act of turning the pages, and interpreting language are skills mastered through other activities ages early. At best, reading the book is an example of milking, where a player uses a mastered technique to advance the grokking of some larger blackbox. The primary role of content. In this model of game mechanics, content in the game is meaningful only through it’s association with a feedback mechanism. Plot points become reward and hints, Damage becomes a punishment that clues that player into the fact they shouldn’t be doing something. There is no such thing as an inherently pretty picture that exists ‘just because.’ The image is pretty because it activates the brain’s learning systems which in turn feed back into actions. In order to answer the question “what content does my game need?” you need to first answer the question “What feedback should my game mechanics provide to the user based on their actions?” Related Carl Johnson says October 24, 2006 I have a theory that the pages of useless description in some books and the long grind of monster slaying in some RPGs serve essentially the same purpose. For both, the idea is to use something mildly fun to space out the really fun stuff, when you get a hit of pleasure from learning about a plot point. The process of enculturation is pretty similar for these two things as well. At first, everyone is bored by the descriptions in Moby Dick and the random battles in Final Fantasy, but after doing it enough, the player gets addicted to the grind because it\’s so integrally bound up with the core pleasure of learning about plot. Tadhg says October 24, 2006 Hey Danc,Like you, the whole \”game mechanics\” issue tends to annoy me, but I think that it\’s because we over-complicate it a lot. Koster\’s definition, for example, is still highly vague to my mind. I prefer a much simpler division between mechanics and rules, which breaks down into two things:* Mechanics are the actions you can perform* Rules determine the outcomeAnd gameplay is derived by balancing these two things. So, to take a Tetris example:The mechanics of Tetris are* Turn a block* Drop a block fast* Destroy blocks by creating a lineThe rules of Tetris are* Gravity, which accelerates in a stepped fashion according to score* Score, which increases in a stepped fashion according to created lines* Pile reformation, which determines the effects of a destroyed line on the blocks above.* The lose condition of whether the pieces reach the top* The next piece determinant, which selects what new piece will show after the previous one has landed. And I think that\’s basically it. My problem with trying to break things down into the more holistic Koster-style view (or complicated diagrams of feedback loops) is that it rarely translates to reality when it comes to actually designing something. It\’s too esoteric, and that inevitably leads to people talking at cross purposes. Communication is the biggest roadblock in successful game design, and simplicity is usually the cure. Darius Kazemi says October 24, 2006 Are you familiar with MDA? It stands for Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics. You can find more info here:http://algorithmancy.8kindsoffun.com/MDA posits that feedback loops are dynamics that arise from core mechanics. For example, a mechanic would be that you get more power-ups as you become weaker. The resultant negative feedback loop is a dynamic arising from that mechanic.It\’s pretty great stuff, and I highly recommend the read. Danc says October 24, 2006 MDA I\’ve looked at MDA quite a bit and actually had a section I removed comparing and contrasting this \’atomic\’ game mechanics to the more siloed approach used by MDA. Both talk about similar things, but they take a different cross section of the game. MDA lists the big activities that go into making a game. MDA states that there are mechanics (my actions), there are dynamics (my systems), and there are aesthetics (roughly my feedback and synthesis stages). The model I\’m proposing says that instead of just having three big buckets of stuff in a game, you can create networks of atomic game mechanics that include appropriate doses of all three elements. It explicitly describes how those elements relate to one another and generate user value. The benefit is that it is easier for the designer to analyze what is going wrong with a particular section of the game by being explicit about what the inputs and outputs for each atomic mechanics involve and how they are interconnected. The mention of “MDA” does remind me that I need a flashier name for this particular model so people can refer to it without saying \”But I have my own definition of game mechanics!\” \”Atomic game mechanics\” Hmm…it has a good ring. Simpler definition of game mechanicsTadhg, I too went down the path you are proposing. However, I ended up with a collection of parts that did nothing to describe the value that the player experiences. One thing I like about some of Raph\’s ideas are that they include potentially measurable customer value. The atomic game mechanic model make it clear to the game designer that they need to take into account the player\’s cognitive response to stimulus, not just as general wishy washy ideal, but as a practical cog in making the game mechanic work correctly. Take careDanc. Raph says October 24, 2006 Koster\’s definition, for example, is still highly vague to my mind. I can\’t recall ever offering a definition of game mechanics, actually.You\’re right that much of this is reminiscent for me of AToF, but also of the next step from there, which was actually started long before the book was written. Have you seen the presentation I did on \”Grammar of Gameplay\”? Your flowchart is very directly related, though it starts out at a higher level than the grammar stuff I did.I\’m supposedly working on the Grammar book now. If I ever really get going, I would love to adapt your chart. Anonymous says October 24, 2006 Thanks, very insightful, as always.One thing I noticed, as a player, is that I hardly ever look for solutions in-game anymore. I just take for granted that whatever problem I\’m presented with is meant to be resolved, then work the mechanics backward to attain optimal result. Or I try to do things I\’m not supposed to. It\’s like I\’m playing a game by proxy with the makers, if I make sense.I\’ve been dreaming of a game mechanic that would allow to include that kind of meta for a long time. Now that would be fun.I can hardly picture reading narrations alone as a game (I can, but it demands very particular conditions… harder to get collisions in a one dimensional space ). But reading + writing… now we\’re talking. You can make great games out of that.The learning mostly encouraged by books is data learning, while the real specific learning encouraged by games is process learning. Even when a book teaches you a process, you have to re-compile the data into a working process, so to speak… which is where I can start picturing reading as a game.On an unrelated note, it\’s strange to see how hard it seems for people to re-import into real life processes learnt via games. Or to acknowledge that some hated real life processings are the same as loved in-game ones, but presented in another light.MD² Tadhg says October 24, 2006 Tadhg, I too went down the path you are proposing. However, I ended up with a collection of parts that did nothing to describe the value that the player experiences. One thing I like about some of Raph\’s ideas are that they include potentially measurable customer value.A fair point. I guess what I\’m saying is that in the active day-to-day of doing the job is that that sort of approach becomes too abstract for most. I can sit in a meeting with my team and talk feedback loops and responses etc, but it very quickly becomes a highly abstract conversation. On the other hand, the ability to cut to the chase and just talk cause and effect seems to work better in those situations. The other thing about just having unit parts is, as you say, the difficulty of seeing them beyond their rawness. This is where context matters, and whether we get into the idea that mechanics and rules are universal or not. i.e. Is one kind of game mechanic always fun, while another is always not fun, or does context play a role.The atomic game mechanic model make it clear to the game designer that they need to take into account the player\’s cognitive response to stimulus, not just as general wishy washy ideal, but as a practical cog in making the game mechanic work correctly.In theory, I semi-agree and semi-disagree because there is a place for high level debate and prototyping. In practise, it is also a potential avenue for lots of airy talk and little progress. As with all methods, the real problem is teams that embrace a bit of a method, but retain their usual negative psychology in all other respects. That reduces many methods to lip service. I suppose that\’s why I prefer to keep things simple if I can. Philip Isles says October 24, 2006 \”the player notes that some info that does not advance their understanding model.\”I think you have a typo inyour flow chart. Should it not read:\”the player notes some info that does not advance their understanding model.\”?? Wil says October 24, 2006 The question “Is a book a game” intrigues me. While I agree that the actual skills necessary to ‘read’ a book are fairly static for the average adult, since we learned them years ago, wouldn’t you agree that actually comprehending a book requires learning ideas and tools unique to each book? After all, the skills used to interact with a video game – interpreting visual data and manipulating our hands and fingers – were learned long before we ever learned to read.For instance, while reading a Harry Potter novel most readers are constantly thinking about several questions, such as “What is the extent of Harry’s connection with Voldemort? Has Snape truly repented his Death Eater past? Will Ron and Hermione end up a couple?” The information in the books (character descriptions, plot reveals) gives the reader explicit answers to these questions piece by piece, thus allowing the reader to further extrapolate further answers/possibilities, develop new questions to solve and gain greater insight into the complex thought processes of each character. This gradual reward system and ability of the reader to increase his/her understanding of the social dynamics and history of the characters in the story sound very much like the foundation of a great game. The only difference I see is that with books, the game is taking place entirely within the reader’s mind as opposed to on a television screen. Even then, I would argue that much of the ‘game’ aspect of a video game occurs in the mind of the player, especially when considering story elements (the most important element for some genres, although nonexistent in others).In other words, I would compare the text of a book to the written code of a game. Both mediums require learning and advancement to take place within the reader’s/player’s mind, although video games also allow a great deal of interaction via the graphical/tactile interface (tv screen and controller). This in turn can be compared to movies or television, which visually represent written stories, although no interaction takes place when viewing one of these mediums. I believe this added level of interaction that video games possess is one of the biggest reasons video games have become an entertainment juggernaut. Anonymous says October 25, 2006 John Muir says October 25, 2006 Atomic game mechanics … which when taken to the metagame / multiple interacting black boxes level results in Quantum game mechanics! Mmm … tasty.Wil\’s right about books. They\’re so often intriguing enough to surpass more obviously interactive systems in entertainment value. The true game is after all entirely in the mind! October 25, 2006 Definitely call these something other than simply \”mechanics\”, since that already is in common enough use that it\’s understood to mean something. The definition in MDA is pretty close to how I\’ve seen it used in industry.As for books and games, I\’d say the same thing. In common use, it is understood that a book is not a \”game\”, and any definition of game should take that into account. For what it\’s worth, I\’d say that a book isn\’t a game because there\’s no interaction: you have no control over the outcome. Nor are there any rules. You could layer a game on top of the book by adding these things: subtract the page number when you first guess whodunit from the page where the murderer is revealed, and that\’s your score, for example. Jare says October 25, 2006 Back to the \”Game vs Toy\” argument. Books (in general) are not games by any definition I can agree to, but can be used as toys, for example when the reader tries to guess what\’s going to happen. He is not interacting with the universe and story (which is fixed), but with his understanding of it (which is not fixed, and depends heavily on his own experience and attitude towards it). That\’s about as close as I can see a book to being a game.Contrary to Tadhg\’s vision of mechanics and etc as \”esoteric\” abstractions, I consider them as valuable tools and frameworks for structuring and organizing the knowledge of a design. As with any tool, they can be misused, and they can be so fascinating as to become the goals of a designer. As a programmer, I see that all the time. \”When you have a shiny new hammer, every problem looks like a nail\” and all that.It is great to approach design as a purely tactile experience, building and shaping through instinct it as you go along. But when a game has a large number of elements and relationships between them, you need a certain level of infrastructure to support and communicate that design. Tadhg says October 26, 2006 Contrary to Tadhg\’s vision of mechanics and etc as \”esoteric\” abstractions, I consider them as valuable tools and frameworks for structuring and organizing the knowledge of a design. As with any tool, they can be misused, and they can be so fascinating as to become the goals of a designer. As a programmer, I see that all the time. \”When you have a shiny new hammer, every problem looks like a nail\” and all that.I feel that I\’m being misread here. I didn\’t say that mechanics themselves are esoteric. What I said was that the discussions that surround what is and isn\’t mechanics is esoteric and very easily gets derailed into grade A waffle. It is great to approach design as a purely tactile experience, building and shaping through instinct it as you go along. But when a game has a large number of elements and relationships between them, you need a certain level of infrastructure to support and communicate that design.Yes you do, and an important part of that is that you have to have a certain means of communicating that structure. In practise, having a few mechanics and rules a la Tetris is easy to communicate. When you have tonnes of them, a la World of Warcraft, then you need your communicative structure to be very clear and concise and leaving no room for misunderstanding. It also really helps if you can conceive of the mechanics and rules in logical groups because that then makes them easier to convey to other disciplines in the team. Overall, the goal of a design should always be to reduce obfuscation and bring clarity in as short and concise a form as possible. Anonymous says October 26, 2006 Completely off-topic, but couldn\’t find an e-mail link to go straight to the source… Danc, for your attractive diagram, did you just use a vector illustration package (Illustrator?) or do you have some diagramming software that actually produces diagrams that \”clean\” and attractive? Jason Booth says October 27, 2006 One thing that I always find missing in discussions on game mechanics is thorough discussion on time. To me, a good game mechanic creates a structure with overlapping rythmic figures in much the same way a song does. While this can be achieved in many ways, it\’s the almost rythmic jugling of many different smaller puzzles that keeps me interested in a game mechanic – rarely a single mechanic by itself. Using tetris as an example, one mechanic (placing pieces) happens at the beat level, like a walking base line requiring constant attention – but not the forfront of your thoughts. Another mechanic (the levels) acts as the chord structure, outlining the songs form. While the third mechanic, clearing lines and planning your approach on the blocks which arn\’t cleared, is the melody, grabing your main thrust of attention and requiring the most thought.Time even exists as a powerful force in turn based games, where we messure pacing by clicks or moves instead of absolute clock time (as in tetris). I find it most helpful to pace out my mechanics and see thier structure in time. If two mechanics are in the same time domain they often overload the user – but if they occupy different areas of the time spectrum, the brain seems to autopilot a shorter mechanic while thinking about a longer term one. Longer term mechanics can usually have larger consequences tied to failure, while shorter term ones are usually more forgiving..Anyway, I could babble on. Point is, I think time and pacing are so intrinsic to any mechanic, and are often not considered in game design theory. I wrote a blog post on this a while back, which is still relivant enough to link below, but one of these days I\’d like to produce a more thorough essay on the topic. http://jbooth.blogspot.com/2004/10/design-thoughts-time-domain.html Danc says October 27, 2006 Nice essay, Jason!A couple other folks have mentioned time and space as two big variables that are quite important. They are very much a part of the model, but not explicitly called out. Most folks can barely get through 8 pages of my meandering thoughts, so I attempted to keep it short. :-)Here is an essay that deals with time and feedback loops from a recording perspective. It should tie in nicely to this dicussion. Game play notationMy terminology has shifted slightlyVerbs = actionsRewards = feedbacktake careDanc. pmadden says October 31, 2006 Paolo T says October 31, 2006 Ehm… Dan, I would like you to read an article I\’m writing, but I can\’t find a contact of any kind..So please, send a mail to monkeysoft at gmail dot com, I will send you a draft. Paolo T says November 2, 2006 Andrew says November 3, 2006 Hi Dan, I\’m a fellow Seattleite (of nearly 20 years) and a HUGE HUGE fan of your blog I work on websites and social apps, and would love to pick your brain on combining game mechanics into web applications. I couldn\’t find any contact information for you on the site, but is this something you\’d be willing to bounce a couple e-mails over? Andrew says November 3, 2006 Nick says November 4, 2006 Great article, danc.Random question: how much Japanese do you know? Nick says November 5, 2006 I know just a skosh, but I\’ve learned it very casually, not really putting much effort. It\’s been very slow going. I recently came upon a game that purported to teach me. It\’s at >http://zabon.com/jrpg<.The heart of the game is really simple. You fight \”monsters\” (Japanese characters and phrases) which you must \”attack\” (by typing their readings). If you\’re correct, the monster is defeated, and you gain experience points; if you are incorrect, the monster attacks you, and you lose hit points. You\’re also you\’re given information about the monster: translations, readings, it\’s use in a sentence. Then you fight the next monster, each in turn.I found this really quite addicting. Setting up things to learn as though they were to be defeated really motivated me somehow. I just had to defeat the blasted things. I\’d be interested to learn your thoughts about integrating pedagogy into core game mechanics. bradley says April 3, 2008 bradley says April 3, 2008 nicks article is cool. Roy T. says November 9, 2008 Great way of looking at it, I wonder if the flow chart could be directly implemented into a game. (Seeing each block as an Interface or Abstract class and create a great interacting system( Sunny says June 12, 2010 Brilliant Article, i will use it in my thesis Gman says September 25, 2010 Thanks for a good, simple intro into game mechanics. I'll use this info in my next business app. Nathan Lands says November 16, 2010 Great info on game mechanics. The Gamification Wiki should be updated with some info on this. It's at http://gamification.org if anyone is interested. Max says January 13, 2011 I always thought game mechanics were the methods you used to achieve a character action. Just a random thought here: I am a huge zelda fan, and i have noticed something interesting about the gameplay, specifically, defeating stalfos knights. In both Windwaker and TP a huge part of defeating the foe is getting behind him, which you can do with a dodge roll. The weird thing was, the dodge roll was only fun because you needed it. You could use the dodge roll on any enemy in TP, but it wasnt fun then, even though it still decreased your chance of being hit. So I guess my question is, is dodge rolling fun because of perceived usefulness? If so, then why isn't it fun to use it all the time? Also, Jason, your game notation only shows reward, when we all know games are about overcoming obstacles. Why not add notation showing the difficulty of the action that lead to the reward? PR0M37H3U5 says February 16, 2012 I have a horrible class that I'm in currently. I had to do a timeline on game mechanics and I used candyland for color recognition. I had to describe the mechanic that taught the skill, so I said in my slide that color recognition was taught by the player flipping a card up and moving to the color on the board that was closest to them of the same color on the card, they marked points off because I was \”describing rules, not mechanics\”. So here is my question, if mechanics are the way you use the tools that the game gives you, how would they not be the way you play the game, which in turn would be the rules of the game as they set the parameters, I didn't go into the rule that states that if you land on the lose a turn orange square after drawing an orange card you can't play next turn. I am just hoping for more clarity as it seems maybe I missed something apparently Ivica says March 25, 2012 A very interesting framework, which moves game design from the realm of myths and legends one step further towards being a true science.One question: are stories really \”useless\”? One could see them as the motivator for practicing the skills and avoiding burnouts. Recently I played \”Waking Mars\”. At a very late stage of the game I experienced kind of \”burnout\” on planting the seeds and manipulating the environment, BUT: I continued playing, because I wanted to know how the story ends.	41,203
I read a lot – I average a book a week, sometimes more. I read a lot of good books in 2016, and when I do I try to share. Especially if those books are off the beaten path. New York Times Bestsellers have their own words of mouth and advertising budgets. But there are… read more → BOOK REVIEW: Midlife Happy Hour December 23, 2016 Midlife Happy Hour: Our Reward for Surviving Careers, Kids, and Chaos (Midlife Cabernet Book 2) Midlife Cabernet, by Elaine Ambrose, raises a glass to the advantages of late middle age. Young enough to still have fun, but old enough not to have too many responsibilities left, Elaine makes you wish you could move to… read more → Middle School Bathroom Ballet December 18, 2016 Sometime in late October, I fell out of my car. I have a thousand excuses, none of them particularly good, including “there was stuff in my hands so I couldn’t use my arms to balance” and “I parked on uneven turf, making the way out unpredictable.” I promise you I was sober as the Judge… read more → BOOK REVIEW: The Gentleman December 16, 2016 The Gentleman: A Novel The Gentleman, by Forrest Leo, is a fun novel, creative and entertaining. In it, Lionel Strange, a fair-to-middling poet brimming with unearned self-confidence finds himself without enough money to keep the life to which he has become accustomed. To solve this problem he marries the beautiful and wealth Vivien Lancaster.… read more → Way Back in the Way Back. December 11, 2016 Back before the laws of physics were passed and no one wore seat belts because we all believed it would be safer to be ‘flung free,’ my parents owned a big blue Chevy Caprice Station Wagon. My sister and I would fight over who got to sit in the ‘way back’ amongst the groceries and… read more → BOOK REVIEW: The Power of Habit December 9, 2016 The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business Every once in a while I read a book that completely reorders the way I think about certain things. The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg, is one of those books. I talk about it an annoying amount of time.… read more → Chapped Lips and the Evolution of Smooth December 4, 2016 Back in the day when I was serious about being a flute player, I was mildly obsessed with chapped lips. Especially so in the dry winter. Chapped lips could make everything terrible. I would whine about chapped lips to my teacher as the reason for my inability to do things and she would snap back,… read more → BOOK REVIEW: The Little Red Christmas Ball December 2, 2016 The Little Red Christmas Ball: a story for kids and anyone whoever was…and would be again The Little Red Christmas Ball, by Brian Moloney, is a sweet little chapter book. It is the perfect read-aloud for the holiday season. Part Velveteen Rabbit, part Charlotte’s Web, all wrapped up in a Christmas bow, it talks about… read more → Send a copy of this email to yourself Need a book written but can't find the time to write or don't know where to begin? Don't know how to market the book you have? You're an expert in your field, not a writer or PR person, after all. Don't worry! I can help! Buy Lori's Books Expert Ghost Writer Hi! My name is Lori Duff and I am an attorney by day, bestselling author (yes! I write books that make people laugh because my day job doesn't,) and a ghostwriter by night! I have a passion and love for all types of writing. Whether you need a legal manuscript or a business ebook or even a humorous ebook, I can help. I'm a chameleon when it comes to writing and can take care of whatever project you have. Having written so many books myself and gotten them to the top of bestseller lists, I've learned a lot about marketing -- I can share that knowledge with you. So let's talk about it. Click my Expert Ghost Writer or my Marketing page for information about a FREE call with me to discuss your writing or marketing project. Lori Duff cuts into the everyday experience with a well-honed verbal blade. This series of short observations of the seemingly mundane unerringly reveals our common vulnerabilities and aggravations- and defies us not to laugh at ourselves in the process. In the day to day, Duff finds fodder for hope, hubris, humility, and above all, humor. Couldn’t stop laughing, I so related to almost all of these scenarios. It was like Lori was relaying so many of the same thoughts I have had so many times myself. I think everyone should read this book! Lori is just saying “out loud” what we’ve all been thinking. Charming and funny! Reminiscent of Erma Bombeck. I highly recommend this book! Good choice to take to the beach for easy reading- short stories that are fun and entertaining. Reminiscent of Erma Bombeck. This is a fabulous collection of humorous, actually pretty hysterical essays that most real women will identify with. Kind of like David Sedaris for the female. At the end of many of the pieces, I end up exclaiming “I know!” a la Monica Geller (does that age me at all?) Funny commentary on everyday life.	5,133
There are just some people in life that when you look at them you think, “this person has crossed my path for a reason.” Sarah, @sassyredlipstick, is one of those people for me. I was introduced to her by someone on Instagram when they told me I HAD to check her out…and I am so glad I did. Sarah is a huge body positive and self-love activist and completely loves herself and her body just how it is. I love that. Being someone who is learning to fully love and embrace my body just as it is, it is so refreshing to see others being confident, happy and spreading nothing but love…that is something that I completely admire about her. When I struggle with my own body image and have days that I just don’t feel good enough, I love turning to others who can help lift me up and make me realize that it is ok to have bad days, we all have them. What matters is how we keep going and keep fighting to love ourselves and to continue to help others do the same. One of the people I turn to when I’m having an off day is…Sarah. Not only is she someone I admire and look up to for her self-love and body positivity, but the relationship she and her husband Robbie (@Tripp) have is seriously couple goals. The way he supports her loves her and cherishes her, just the way she is truly one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. You can see the love they have for each other and it is so refreshing to just look at them and know true love still exists; no matter your age, color, size…love is love and they portray that in every aspect. To read more about his viral post that shares his thoughts about her body and how society views what a woman should look like, click (here.). You can read about her thoughts about how she responded to this post that Robbie made that ended up going viral. (here) I think this is one of the many reasons I felt such a strong connection to Sarah and Robbie. Kevin, my fiancé and I have been together for over 10 years and we have been engaged for about 5 years…a long time…I know!! Kevin has been by my side through it all. He loved me at 500 pounds, he loved me when I struggled to even leave the house, when I needed help doing everyday things and especially when I could not love myself…Kevin has always been right there. He never cared about the size of my clothes or the number on the scale. He loved me for me. When I see Sarah and Robbie’s posts it is easy to see the love they share for each other it really reminds me of Kevin’s love for me. I am also reminded that true love and loving others unconditionally is the strongest power. If we could all love like this, no terms and no conditions, I feel the world would be a better place. Sarah and Robbie also work together and have built this amazing blog together and nothing is stopping them! I admire people who work hard and make all of their dreams come true. Its like I always say, if you work hard, never give up and always believe in yourself, anything is possible! If you ever need a reminder of this or how true this really is, you have to check them out! They are the definition of how hard work pays off. As much as I love Sarah (and Robbie) and admire them for all they have done for body positivity and self-love, there is one thing that really stands out to me. That is how open and helpful they are and how much they want to help others and see others succeed as well. Quick story, I started social media about a year and a half ago and right away it kinda took off and I was on the TODAY show, and a few months later, I had a post go completely viral. To be honest I had no idea how to blog, make videos, how Instagram worked or how I wanted to continue sharing my story. I knew I had a lot of ideas and a lot of dreams and goals…but did not even know where to start!!! I remember I was so nervous but I reached out to Sarah and was pretty much like…can you help me haha Maybe she could sense the desperation in my voice, or maybe it was because she just genuinely cared (or maybe both) and to this day she has helped me so much. That right there is something that cannot be taught, bought, and is worth more than gold. Wanting to help others succeed and wanting them to be the best version of themselves without the fear of completion, or without the fear of thinking you are better than anyone else. Both Sarah and Robbie shared some tips with Forbes about turning social media into a business. (here) The love and support Sarah has shown me since the very first day we connected on Instagram mean more to me than I could ever let her know! I am so thankful to have someone like this in my life and I am so thankful to call her a friend. I am SO excited to be doing this blog with her and sharing more about her with you guys. Body positivity and loving your body and helping others is what I am all about, and meeting someone else who shares these same beliefs is so amazing!! I know you are going to love her just as much as I do! So without further ado, here is my Q and A with the amazing Sarah! Body Positive Self-Love Q and A with Sarah Tripp of SassyRedLipstick Jacqueline – Were you always confident in yourself and with your body? How do you embrace your body today? Sarah – I don’t think anyone is confident with themselves or their body one hundred percent of the time. We all have little insecurities for many different reasons and life is all about learning to love and accept them. I do feel as if I’ve always had self-confidence and sometimes I look back at my teenage years and think about how I was oblivious to a lot of shame and insecurity that a lot of girls feel about their bodies. I was always curvier than other girls (I was the first to grow boobs and wear a bra) but I never felt like I was ashamed of that. However, in college, I definitely started to notice those feelings of insecurity grow when I was thrown into the dating scene. I felt like guys only wanted to date the size 2 blonde girls and that was hard. When I met Robbie and found someone who loved and celebrated my body for exactly how it is, it definitely helped me on my self-love journey. Today, I love celebrating my figure and promoting representation for all shapes and sizes. We shouldn’t hide what makes us different, we should celebrate it! J – What is some advice you can give someone who is struggling with themselves and their own body image? S – Be kind to yourself. Stop being your own worst critic. If you don’t love and accept yourself, how can we you expect others to do so? I always give the same advice: Work on loving yourself a little more each day. You may have had a hard day, and that’s okay, just promise yourself that tomorrow will be better. Wake up, speak kinds words to yourself in the mirror, and understand it’s a consistent journey. It all starts from within and it will only be a matter of time before that inner positivity shines out! J – Do you ever have moments where you feel insecure? What helps you to overcome this? S – Definitely! Moments of insecurity are human and just because I’m a body positivity advocate, doesn’t mean I never feel that. Sometimes I’ll try something on that isn’t flattering and it’ll make me feel bad about myself. Sometimes I’ll see a photo of myself I don’t like and it’ll make me start to judge myself. When that happens, I try to remind myself immediately that one outfit or one photo doesn’t define me. I know I’m beautiful, smart, kind, and positive and that’s what matters. No little speed bump is going to throw me off my game. Accept that it’s normal to feel insecure sometimes, but don’t dwell on it! Focus on your strengths instead of your weaknesses. J – Do you ever receive negative comments from others about your appearance and what do you do? Does it bother you? What makes you feel better? S – I’ve definitely seen my fair share of troll comments and hater messages. It’s never fun and it’s sad that some people can be so hateful while hiding behind a screen and say things they would never say in person. I feel like I’ve gotten used to it so I just block and delete and move on. You have to realize that if someone is taking the time out of their day to spread poison, they are likely very unhappy with their own life and not worth your time. Haters gonna hate, you just have to keep doing you! J – What makes you feel the most confident? S – Great question! I feel the most confident when I succeed in my business. Robbie and I have worked so hard to build Sassy Red Lipstick into what it is today and so when I get asked to speak on a panel or interviewed for a website or sign a major campaign, I feel so empowered and motivated to keep going! It can be so easy to get caught up in the crazy day to day routines of life but it’s so important to stop and celebrate the little wins! J – What is some advice for someone who is struggling with their body, and thinking they will never find love because of their size? S – Stop comparing. I would say almost all insecurity comes from a place of “I don’t look like her” or “I wish I had that” etc. Once you realize that you are not in a competition with everyone, that you’ve got one life to live and it’s yours, then you can start to find that self-love and inner peace. Shut out that negative inner dialogue and think positively about yourself. It won’t happen overnight but once you get into the habit of being kind to yourself, you will start to feel much more confident. J – What does love mean to you and how do you not only show these emotions and feelings to others, but to yourself as well? S – Love is a pure emotion. It doesn’t include selfishness or negativity, it just wants what is best for others. I love my husband Robbie and all that he does for me. Sassy Red Lipstick wouldn’t be where it is without him and I’m so glad we get to work side by side each day. I want to support him in his dreams like he has mine. Love means caring for someone more than you care about yourself. It means being selfless. I find that when I love and serve others, it’s easier to love myself. We can get so caught up in thinking “me me me” all the time, it’s important to take a step back and ask what you can do to help make another person’s life a little better. J – Why do you think it is so important for others to love themselves? Why do you think its hard for so many people to do? S – Because life is too short not to be happy! Loving yourself and others, growing and evolving alone and together, is what life is all about! Life is so much more important than who looks good in a bikini, it is about being kind, supportive, and loyal. It’s about making the world a better place. It’s about working on yourself each day. Our society has become so materialistic and argumentative, especially with social media. Imagine how much happier we would all be if we worried about improving ourselves and loving others. Wow, I told you she was amazing!!! Remember, it is not about competition or being better than anyone. It is all about love, for others, and for yourself!! If you want to get to know more about sassy red lipstick you can also check out her YouTube. Thank you so much, Sarah, for doing this blog post with me. I had so much fun getting to know you better and can’t wait to hopefully have our SF date soon!! *All Photos in this post of Sarah are from Sarah’s blog Sassy Red Lipstick. I did not take these pictures and she owns all rights and permissions to these photos. body positivity, love, positive self-talk, positive thinking, positivity, Q&A, question and answer, self-love Related Posts Weight Loss Questions Series 004 – How Do You Keep a Positive Attitude When You Are Losing Weight, Even When You Are Struggling? I have gone MIA with my weight loss questions and answers series here on the blog. I am looking forward... continue reading Maybe she’s born with it…maybe it’s this red jumpsuit! I have to say this red jumpsuit is one of my... continue reading How Did I Stay Motivated to Lose 350 Pounds? Being Disciplined with Healthy Habits are Keys to Success. Let's talk about motivation. I think this is one of the questions I get asked the most. 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I have always wanted to blog and start... continue reading Mental Health Awareness: You never know what someone may be going through…always be kind…always. No comments yet. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Archives Select Month November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 August 2021 July 2021 May 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 October 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 February 2020 January 2020 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 July 2019 June 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016	14,616
Published on Fri 12 Jun 2020 20.It also included a scene where regular guest Major Gowen, uses very strong racist language in relation to an anecdote about the West Indies cricket team.It also included a scene where regular guest Major Gowen, uses very strong racist language in relation to an anecdote about the West Indies cricket team.Liam Llewellyn Invalid Date, BBC have removed an iconic episode of Fawlty Towers that coined the phrase “Don’t mention the war” from the streaming site UKTV. 47 BST An episode of the classic 1970s sitcom Fawlty Towers is set to be reinstated on a BBC-owned streaming service after the service removed it because it contained “racial slurs”. The famous “Don’t mention the war” episode will return to the platform “in the coming days”, according to a statement from UKTV. More than a decade ago, many broadcasters began editing out inappropriate language, although the uncensored version is still hosted on streaming site . Guidance and warnings highlighting “potentially offensive content and language” will feature alongside the episode, it added. So far, this is the only episode of Fawlty Towers to have been removed. UKTV, which is owned by BBC Studios, previously said it had temporarily made The Germans unavailable while it carried out a review. Fawlty Towers is the latest series to be 'censored' in the wake of historical racism scrutiny (Image: BBC) Fawlty Towers starred John Cleese as the ever intolerant hotel manager Basin Fawlty (Image: NETFLIX) The other 11 episodes remain available to stream on UKTV’s paid on-demand service. The decision was criticised by John Cleese, who cowrote the show and played its main character, misanthropic hotel owner Basil Fawlty." The episode in question showed John Cleese as Basil Fawlty yelling the famous phrase while goose-stepping around a Torquay hotel. The episode included a scene in which Major Gowen, a regular guest at the hotel, uses racist language in relation to an anecdote about the West Indies cricket team. One explained:"The whole point about the Fawlty Towers 'Don’t mention the war' episode is it simultaneously mocks the British obsession with WW2 while understanding where the urge to mention it springs from. One explained:"The whole point about the Fawlty Towers 'Don’t mention the war' episode is it simultaneously mocks the British obsession with WW2 while understanding where the urge to mention it springs from. Cleese told The Age newspaper: “If you put nonsense words into the mouth of someone you want to make fun of, you’re not broadcasting their views, you’re making fun of them. The major was an old fossil left over from decades before." Another said:"So now Fawlty Towers and some Simpsons episodes are being cancelled. We were not supporting his views, we were making fun of them. This is f***g ridiculous. If they can’t see that – if people are too stupid to see that – what can one say?” He said there was a “really admirable feeling that we must make our society less discriminatory”, but said: “A lot of the people in charge now at the BBC just want to hang on to their jobs." DON'T MISS. The 11 other episodes of Fawlty Towers remain available to stream on UKTV’s paid on-demand service. If a few people get excited, they pacify them rather than standing their ground as they would have done 30 or 40 years ago.” The episode first aired in 1975 and, as well as Gowen’s comments, features Cleese’s character goose-stepping around while shouting, “Don’t mention the war” in front of a group of visiting Germans and apparently being shocked at treatment in hospital by a black doctor... Announcing the show’s reinstatement, UKTV said: “We already offer guidance to viewers across some of our classic comedy titles, but we recognise that more contextual information can be required on our archive comedy, so we will be adding extra guidance and warnings to the front of programmes to highlight potentially offensive content and language. We will reinstate Fawlty Towers once that extra guidance has been added, which we expect will be in the coming days. “We will continue to look at what content is on offer as we always have done. ” The show’s temporary removal comes amid a re-energised debate on how best to deal with parts of well-known films and TV shows that are now deemed offensive by portions of modern audiences. As the Black Lives Matter movement has returned to prominence following the death of George Floyd, broadcasters and streaming services have re-evaluated their content. In an apparent reference to , Cleese had criticised BBC bosses in a series of tweets. He said that those tasked with making decisions at the corporation were “cowardly and gutless and contemptible”. The broadcaster was run by a mixture of “marketing people and petty bureaucrats”, he added. Read more: Fawlty Towers fans left furious as BBC remove 'Don't mention the war' episode from UKTV Fawlty Towers fans furious as BBC removes iconic 'Don't Mention The War' episode from UKTV BBC remove Fawlty Towers' iconic 'Don't Mention The War' episode from UKTV streaming site Fawlty Towers 'Don't mention the war' episode removed from UKTV Such sophisticated comedy! How does tablet pc smartphones big screen lcd and led televisions and internet afecting human brains do they change way how normal human brains behave or react in varios diferent situations Thank God. Sense at last! The modi bootlickers The language used in the 1970s was in context of the times. Good because this issue has got ridiculous. As a person from Barcelona, I feel utterly offended by the depictions of my fellow Barcelonians here. I DEMAND ALL episodes of Fawlty Towers be removed from all platforms and shops and the producers be charged with crimes against humanity and, possibly, incitement to genocide. Good. Just include a disclaimer for the people that want to be offended. can some1 explain, the left want more freedom of speech and more democracy but cry at this & historical British figures im going to have to agree when people say if u dont like British history & it offends u just leave then im not being racist Im saying if it offends u just leave Good UKTVPress what about a bit of Alf garnett Fawlty Towers fans left furious as BBC remove 'Don't mention the war' episode from UKTVFAWLTY TOWERS has seen one of its episodes culled from online streaming site UKTV in the wake of 'classic' TV show scrutiny of historic racism amid the Black Lives Matter protests. It really is time all this shit stopped. WTF is wrong with faulty towers If they carry on like this a streaming service of such 'banned' UK tv shows will emerge. Thousand of people have a complete set of Fawlty Towers, Little Britain etc. Someone with money will set up a website to stream them. PC gone crazy 'Who won the bloody war, anyway?' This is a call to action for the German minority living in England to tear down statues of Holocaust Harris. So the Germans are fair game again? Job done. With your clumsy reporting and piss-poor headline writing you managed to help trivialise the BLM debate and tip the discussion into law and order territory. An apology from the would be in order. Good. Just put a warning before it to keep oversensitive people happy What a pointless exercise. Dig out an old episode of a comedy most young people under 50 have never seen. Show how ‘offensive’ it is, ban it and then put it back, now everyone knowing how offensive it is ! UKTV Have you taken episode 6 series 1 of OnlyFoolsAndHorses down - the one where DelBoy uses the P word? UKTV UKGold Whole series should be binned for crapness. Hooray! Cutting out the racial slurs seems totally legit to me tbh Fawlty Towers fans furious as BBC removes iconic 'Don't Mention The War' episode from UKTVFAWLTY TOWERS has seen one of its episodes culled from online streaming site UKTV in the wake of 'classic' TV show scrutiny of historic racism amid the Black Lives Matter protests. They were always going to weren't they? Just taking out the N words The only show to give two women roles of superior quick thinkers Why don't you talk about the HK protesters and the police brutality going on right now? What are you hiding? On the spectrum of 'Blazing Saddles' to 'Gone With the Wind,' this episode lands closer to 'Blazing Saddles,' but I also find it's dated & would benefit for a contextual explanation for newer audiences. Like explaning why Swift can be very funny. Respect to UKTV Congrats on these two non stories in order to get racists seething... Christ, I don't know whether I'm coming out going 🤣🤣 Good, just don’t mention the war,,, Years ago, I watched this episode of Fawlty Towers with my Dad and two guests, teachers from Germany. They were amused; I think they'd moved on from the past. I was... not at ease. BBC remove Fawlty Towers' iconic 'Don't Mention The War' episode from UKTV streaming site BBC have removed an iconic episode of Fawlty Towers that coined the phrase “Don’t mention the war” from the streaming site UKTV . The streaming service which is owned by the Corporation, have decide… I'm sure the 3 people that would've watched it will be gutted Are you inquiring to SussexroyalU why they praised a sussexsquad member henryscousin recently although they constantly Tweet racism and hateful comments about KensingtonRoyal RoyalFamily Markle was introduced by scobie the author of Finding-Freedom published by deystreet My answer. Simple. Brilliant. I am german and I love this episode. Describe it as rascist is a complete misunderstanding. I’m assuming they’ve reinstated the version that is available on Netflix and iPlayer. Y’now, the one with the “n*s” and the “ws” taken out, as approved by John Cleese. Rather than anything to do with “the war”, (as that is what the majority think it was taken down for) Aww ffs. Get a grip you reactionist sheep. Common sense kicks in. Christ why the hell did they pull it in the first place ? Maybe to placate the will of a certain populace. Cleese is just a doddering Brexiteer. The remaining Pythons must be terribly ashamed. Can we have the name of the person who decided to remove it? - thanks in advance Wow! They are spineless and gutless. I didn’t agree with the decision but to reverse it is a pathetic flip flop. As a German who lived in the UK for many years and is married to a Brit, I find this episode quite funny because it puts the spotlight on the prejudices of the British and their obsession with WW2. Also, in a way it explains why Brexit happened... I should bloody think so. Our forefathers fought the Nazis in the name of freedom. That freedom must include choice. Choice to decide watch or don’t watch. (TV) Observe or don’t observe (statues) Listen or don’t listen (Musical genres) Freedom for all to make their own choices. Fawlty Towers 'Don't mention the war' episode removed from UKTV BBC -owned streaming service takes down episode that also features racial references Luckily I have them all a DVD. And that’s my favourite episode. Clearly no sense of irony /self parody at UKTV . THIS EPISODE ACTUALLY TOOK THE PISS OUT OF XENOPHOBES This is bollocks What if he just was mocking racism and stereotypes? I read that show Friends would not be interested nowdays because of all jokes. I don't want that kind of world where you say hello to some person and she/he would get offended. Hmm.,... I'm quite cynically thinking UKTV did this on purpose to boost viewership. As they say, when chaos reigns , opportunity arises. Publicity stunt? Perhaps... Maybe they realised the majority actual don't like censorship, and they were pandering to the foolish minority The Empire Strikes Back. The Germans was a true classic. Did Basil win the war... Cue the anger from the left wing lemons If they didn't restore it we would all mention the war God does anyone still watch this ancient stuff? Get a life! UKTV removes ‘don’t mention the war’ Fawlty Towers episode‘The Germans’ temporarily removed from streaming service owned by the BBC Great News!!! Chinese researchers developing a COVID19 vaccine say it showed promise in animal trials... produced antibodies that fought against the coronavirus in monkeys, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits.... Welcome to the new China 🤣🤣 Long live Alf Garnett Dats vealy good! Some common sense at last. Would be a silly move to have it removed too. The world have become so political correct on BlackLivesMattters , that its getting silly now. Next they want to decapitate the Little Mermaid of Copenhagen because her feature is white , or at least demand she is painted brown? Very dangerous path being headed down... almost Nazi level obliteration of what had gone before... we are here because of what went before. Don't glorify the mistakes but remember and learn from the less edifying actions of previous generations I don’t believe it! Sorry, wrong show How many headlines do I have to read about John Cleese today? There are actual current events currently eventing. PulseNightclub BlackTransLivesMatters Fantastic. Fawlty Towers episode featuring racial references pulled from UKTVThe episode in question is no longer available to watch. the left has lost the plot They have gone so far up their own arse they are totally lost. And all on a fad that will be forgotten next week I have the boxset . Now what are you going to do about that? Really? Whatever next? Published on Fri 12 Jun 2020 20.It also included a scene where regular guest Major Gowen, uses very strong racist language in relation to an anecdote about the West Indies cricket team.It also included a scene where regular guest Major Gowen, uses very strong racist language in relation to an anecdote about the West Indies cricket team.Liam Llewellyn Invalid Date, BBC have removed an iconic episode of Fawlty Towers that coined the phrase “Don’t mention the war” from the streaming site UKTV. 47 BST An episode of the classic 1970s sitcom Fawlty Towers is set to be reinstated on a BBC-owned streaming service after the service removed it because it contained “racial slurs”. The famous “Don’t mention the war” episode will return to the platform “in the coming days”, according to a statement from UKTV. More than a decade ago, many broadcasters began editing out inappropriate language, although the uncensored version is still hosted on streaming site . Guidance and warnings highlighting “potentially offensive content and language” will feature alongside the episode, it added. So far, this is the only episode of Fawlty Towers to have been removed. UKTV, which is owned by BBC Studios, previously said it had temporarily made The Germans unavailable while it carried out a review. Fawlty Towers is the latest series to be 'censored' in the wake of historical racism scrutiny (Image: BBC) Fawlty Towers starred John Cleese as the ever intolerant hotel manager Basin Fawlty (Image: NETFLIX) The other 11 episodes remain available to stream on UKTV’s paid on-demand service. The decision was criticised by John Cleese, who cowrote the show and played its main character, misanthropic hotel owner Basil Fawlty." The episode in question showed John Cleese as Basil Fawlty yelling the famous phrase while goose-stepping around a Torquay hotel. The episode included a scene in which Major Gowen, a regular guest at the hotel, uses racist language in relation to an anecdote about the West Indies cricket team. One explained:"The whole point about the Fawlty Towers 'Don’t mention the war' episode is it simultaneously mocks the British obsession with WW2 while understanding where the urge to mention it springs from. One explained:"The whole point about the Fawlty Towers 'Don’t mention the war' episode is it simultaneously mocks the British obsession with WW2 while understanding where the urge to mention it springs from. Cleese told The Age newspaper: “If you put nonsense words into the mouth of someone you want to make fun of, you’re not broadcasting their views, you’re making fun of them. The major was an old fossil left over from decades before." Another said:"So now Fawlty Towers and some Simpsons episodes are being cancelled. We were not supporting his views, we were making fun of them. This is f*****g ridiculous. If they can’t see that – if people are too stupid to see that – what can one say?” He said there was a “really admirable feeling that we must make our society less discriminatory”, but said: “A lot of the people in charge now at the BBC just want to hang on to their jobs." DON'T MISS. The 11 other episodes of Fawlty Towers remain available to stream on UKTV’s paid on-demand service. If a few people get excited, they pacify them rather than standing their ground as they would have done 30 or 40 years ago.” The episode first aired in 1975 and, as well as Gowen’s comments, features Cleese’s character goose-stepping around while shouting, “Don’t mention the war” in front of a group of visiting Germans and apparently being shocked at treatment in hospital by a black doctor... Announcing the show’s reinstatement, UKTV said: “We already offer guidance to viewers across some of our classic comedy titles, but we recognise that more contextual information can be required on our archive comedy, so we will be adding extra guidance and warnings to the front of programmes to highlight potentially offensive content and language. We will reinstate Fawlty Towers once that extra guidance has been added, which we expect will be in the coming days. “We will continue to look at what content is on offer as we always have done. ” The show’s temporary removal comes amid a re-energised debate on how best to deal with parts of well-known films and TV shows that are now deemed offensive by portions of modern audiences. As the Black Lives Matter movement has returned to prominence following the death of George Floyd, broadcasters and streaming services have re-evaluated their content. In an apparent reference to , Cleese had criticised BBC bosses in a series of tweets. He said that those tasked with making decisions at the corporation were “cowardly and gutless and contemptible”. The broadcaster was run by a mixture of “marketing people and petty bureaucrats”, he added. 12 June 2020, Friday News Previous news 'Trump thought I was a secretary': Fiona Hill on the president, Putin and populism Next news Head Topics, publish breaking news of all around the world. Local headlines and stories are HeadTopics.com immediately.	19,047
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But, by far, the best sorts of academics are the most generous. By generous I mean those who devote time and enthusiasm for others. That is not always easy. We all have our own concerns and think that our own time and our own research agendas are the most important things in the world. The political economy of academia gives no rewards whatsoever in taking an interest in the professional welfare of others. Looking back over my career (and I hope I have a couple more decades to go!), I can think of many academics who have been encouraging, sympathetic, humane and personable. I can think of very many who have not. I will concentrate on the former category and I will mention names – quite simply because they deserve it, and I hope I do not embarrass anyone. So, many years ago when I was PhD student (perhaps the loneliest station in life) I remember walking along the Politics Department corridor at Queens in Belfast and Elizabeth Meehan saying ‘hello’ to me. Every time we met she asked how I was and how my work was going. She was not my PhD supervisor, but she took a genuine interest in students. She probably did not realise it, but her interest was invaluable. She made me feel that it was worth it. And then there was David Denver. I was a rookie lecturer at Lancaster (and had the office next to his) and I remember going to a conference with him at Salford University. David – a senior professor – sat directly in front of the podium as a series of grad students gave papers on electoral studies (his specialist subject). It was nerve-wracking for them. But David had words of encouragement for all of them. “Well Done” or “Absolutely” he would say as they gave their papers. I contrast this with the cat torturing mouse dissection of grad student papers that I have seen by other senior academics (who clearly have enormous insecurities that they take out on junior academics). I could names here – many of them are at the top of their game and have no need to be so gratuitous. And then I remember Andy Williams who came up to York to give a paper when I was a lecturer there. On the morning after his paper I stumbled across him having a bacon sandwich in the college café. There began a friendship and academic partnership. He showed me that it was possible to be an academic and to be (reasonably!) normal. We talked about family histories and how we are a small part of a large machine. The personal is the historical and the political – a really important lesson. I cannot help but mention John Darby, who gave me my first job. John was a truly inspirational figure (and cannot be discussed in isolation from Marie, his wife). John was a real leader in the field of peace and conflict studies. I was privileged to work with him. One of his many great qualities (apart from his fantastically dry sense of humour – believe me, he cut me down to size every day) was that he did not lavish praise. If you did a good job he would praise it. But if you did a mediocre job he did not. I learned a lot from that. I also remember an ISA panel in … I forget which city. David Chandler was the chair/discussant on a panel comprised of PhD students. Rather than show off his genius, he took the opportunity to reflect seriously on the papers that had been given. He was genuine in his praise but gave useful critiques of their papers. He could have simply sat back and been a time-keeper, but he chose to be supporter of grad students. And I remember the very many internal and external examiners I have worked with on PhD vivas. They worked hard to keep students calm and focussed. Vivienne Jabri gave a master-class – a really tough examination but fair and humane. But Roger Zetter, Roberto Belloni and many others showed how to be tough but fair. We work in an industry in which peer praise is rare (I nearly fell off my chair recently when I received – unsolicited –an email from another academic praising me for a review article I had written). The main currency in contemporary academia is critique: that interpretation is wrong, that conceptualisation is too shallow, that view is a-historical; you have not read enough. Frankly, much of the literature is a whinge “this is wrong, that is wrong”. Obviously we need critique. But I look back and I think we need more encouragement too. We need mentors and encouragers. We need the sage words of wisdom that I was not bright enough to appreciate (Adrian Leftwich, John Darby), we need the inspirational teachers (Frank Wright, Mick Cox), we need the subtle mentors who are too good to give overt advice (Neil Carter, John Anderson), the good chat over the nice pint (or beverage of their choice) (Jim McAuley, Marie Zoelle Zahar, Aaron Edwards, Marie Breen-Smith, Tim Jacoby, Kris Brown, Alp Ozerdem, Landon Hancock, Jon Tonge, Richard English and loads of others), more junior scholars who show us how it is done (Stefanie Kappler, Birte Vogel, Sukanya Podder, Chrissie Steenkamp, Helen Basini, Gezim Vizoka, Laura McLeod and Walt Kilroy (who I hope are not offended by being called “junior”)), the collaborators that really stretch how I think but make allowances for my sloppiness (Oliver Richmond, Pamina Firchow, Alp Ozerdem, Roisin Read, Sandra Pogodda, Madhav Joshi, SungYong Lee, Roddy Brett, Jen Peterson, Birte Vogel), the people I know in person shallowly but are encouraged through their Facebook posts (Kevin Clements, Richard Jackson, Sherrill Stroschein, Lyndsey Harris and many, many more); the huge number of MA students I have taught and are inspired by their work for the UN, INGOs and NGOs; and – of course – those outside of academia that remind me that academics rarely have the answers. Mrs Mac Ginty works very hard to keep me grounded (though ‘floored’ might be a more accurate term). Everyone needs a Mrs Mac Ginty. I do not claim to be the most encouraging or humane academic out there. I try, but often I am tired, distracted, and (I am sorry to say) not terribly interested. But I do look back and think of all the academics I have met and think: how un-encouraging most (yes, most!) of them have been. I remember at Lancaster as a new lecturer and thinking how spectacularly unfriendly most of my new colleagues were. Surely we can all do better. We do so little to encourage, celebrate, and champion others. Tags: academia, teaching Walking with students 12 Oct I have been experimenting this semester by holding “walking meetings” with students rather than meetings in my office. I was inspired by listening to a talk given by John Paul Lederach – albeit he has the advantage of the beautiful Notre Dame campus for his perambulations with students. But I also like walking and find it a useful antidote to the sedentary academic work-style. The “walking meetings” are one-to-one start of year meeting with MA in Peace and Conflict students. It is an opportunity for me to get to know the student a little bit, and an opportunity for them to share any questions or concerns they may have. So why do it? Well, the primary reason is because I like it. I would rather walk around campus than sit in my office. But there are other reasons too. I want to break down – as far as possible – the student/teacher distinction and to engage in a mutual activity. Many of the students are coming to the UK for the first time, or are studying at a UK institution for the first time. Many come from educational environments where there is a very hierarchical relationship between student and teacher. Some students might find the office environment intimidating: it is “my turf”, a desk sits between us and it is full of books which they might think I have read. I certainly haven’t read them all or anything like them all! The dynamic of walking with someone is very different to a desk-bound meeting. For a start, we are side-by-side rather than face-to-face. We are both engaged in a shared task – navigating our way through a busy campus and its surrounding streets. We can talk about the weather, squirrels, the campus deck chairs, and other ice-breaking non-academic issues. And there is a park next to the campus which is often filled with weird public art that induces mutual wonderment. Obviously there are a few pre-conditions. I ask the students if they are comfortable with this approach and it may not work with some students with disabilities. And it depends on Manchester’s weather. But so far, I have only had to have one office-bound meeting because of the rain. The start of term weather has been surprisingly clement. There is a great literature on walking and its relationship with social, political and religious movements. Whether it is Robert MacFarlane’s work on “old ways” and the folk and social history of walking routes, the persistence of pilgrimage routes, the historical importance of the Ramblers’ Association in challenging the privatisation of the countryside, or political marches by Gandhi or Mao, it is clear that walking is not just putting one foot in front of the other. But mostly I do it because I like it. Tags: peace and conflict, pedagogy, students, teaching, walking October 2022 July 2022 March 2022 November 2021 June 2021 April 2021 January 2021 September 2020 June 2020 January 2020 December 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 April 2018 March 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 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 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 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 Register Log in Comments feed Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. 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One simple practice that I have been using to regain perspective in the middle of difficult problems. This happened to me today. I lost perspective for a while today – like standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon with a piece of paper in front of my face, all I would see is the paper. I didn’t just lose sight of everything around as I stared into the paper (the problem), I lost my hearing, sense of smell, taste and touch as the problem consumed me. Worse yet, I started to rehearse a narrative about my position within the problem, and it had a heavy sense of “victim” to it. As the narrative played on, I began to lose my sense of identity and hope for a positive outcome; a better tomorrow. I decided to try to write about it, thinking that my cathartic practice of blogging would help, but my narrative continued, and the only thing that would have come of the process was the spread of infection. I stepped back from the problem for a moment and decided to be present. I forced myself to listen for what I was not hearing. In just a few minutes, I heard geese, ducks, a mourning dove, two woodpeckers, a meadowlark, a song sparrow, some house sparrows, and a chickadee. I went for a walk, and left the problem (mostly) behind. I saw the work of beavers at the lakeside, thought about this year’s tick population (low so far), felt the cool air landing fresh on my cheeks, and felt my chest warm up under the protection of my hoodie. My legs felt strong and I noticed a sense of reward for all the high intensity interval training that I have been doing lately. All of this (and much, much more) was missing from my life as I was absorbed in the problem. Well, in actuality, it was not missing, I just couldn’t sense it’s presence, for I was not present. Perspective is everything. Though we never see the whole of the any situation, its easy to think that what we see is all there is to see and know, and this partial view forms our narrative of what we believe to be true of the whole…which becomes a dangerous practice, as we can end up making very bad decisions based in our limited understanding. This issues is just as damaging in the larger context of life. We can very easily come to be absorbed in our circumstantial problems and lose all sense of the wonder and beauty of life. Just as if we were standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon with a piece of paper in front of our face, the narrative we begin to rehearse is flat and monochromatic, blinding us to the manifold diversity and marvel of creation. “I don’t think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains.” ― Anne Frank When this happens, we need only pause, reset our focus, get present and use our senses to detect what we have been missing. Instead of rehearsing the narrowed narrative of the victim, we can remind ourself that we have been created with care and intentionality and with such complexity that if the code were to be written into books, from our single human DNA strand, the books would fill the very grand canyon we stood in front of. With this magnitude of evidence supporting the knowledge of design intentionality, how can it be reasonable to believe, even for a moment, that we are defined by a problem? I confess that I am not good at this all the time. I regress back to old narratives quickly. I get focussed on problems and see them as defining. I lose sight of my intrinsic significance as the temporal deceives me into thinking I have none, and/or that I can improve my significance in some way. I only know one way to win: Grace. To give up is self-imposed defeat, so to let go and resume the practice of moving forward in the larger narrative of life is the better option – by far. Sign up to receive my blog posts via e-mail and get a FREE PDF copy of my book Resilience. Learn more ... Privacy Guarantee: I will never share your e-mail address with anyone else. “’Resilience’ describes the importance of having a compelling vision and working together to serve customers and create a profitably growing company. Thank you, David, for telling the Ford story!”	4,125
They may not have banners, lots of flowers, or large choirs, but small churches find creative ways to celebrate the season. (RNS) There's something new this Easter season at the front of the sanctuary of Ozark Highlands Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a rural Missouri congregation of 50 worshippers. To mark Lent and Easter, the pastor and a member with carpentry skills fashioned a 6 1/2-foot rugged cross from an oak tree, placed it in a Christmas tree stand and covered its base with a brown quilt to represent the earth. Each Sunday, elders carry forward symbols brought from home to recall Jesus' Passion -- a crown fashioned from a member's thorn tree, a sign reading "King of the Jews" in four languages, and a whip made from a leather belt. On Easter Sunday, these stark symbols will be replaced with a brighter one -- lilies placed on the cross to celebrate their belief in Christ's Resurrection. "It has brought the crucifixion and the Lenten season to life to help us prepare and see that visually," said the Rev. Russ Hamilton, pastor of the church in Rolla, Mo. "I think that they will see just exactly what the Lord had intended -- to take the ugliness of the cross and make it beautiful." For smaller churches, it can be a challenge to develop simple yet symbolic ways of celebrating Easter, the annual holiday that usually swells the number of congregants one spring Sunday. "It is a struggle because we don't have a lot of resources to buy banners," said Hamilton. "We don't have a lot of people to have a big cantata. We don't have resources to really bring in a lot of big flowers. ... We try to use what we have." As Christians pause to mark the Easter season, smaller traditions surface across the country -- from those tired of the institutional church to those who seek religious observance via the Internet or in new congregations meeting for the first time. Last year on Easter, author A.J. Kiesling recalled being squeezed into an overflow area when her Episcopal church was filled with the regulars plus the folks who tend to show up only on that holiday and Christmas. The author of "Jaded: Hope for Believers Who Have Given up on Church But Not on God" said she expects to either spend time in a natural setting or join a fellowship of a dozen or so people at a community center this Easter Sunday. Alternatives to the larger services are as varied as the reasons people may have left a traditional church setting, Kiesling has found from her research. One woman who's been burned out after moving from church to church told her of plans to spend Easter weekend at the movies and a Bible-focused theme park. "She's actually waiting to see `The Passion of the Christ' on Good Friday," said Kiesling, a writer and editor in the Christian publishing industry, in Orlando, Fla. "She wants to experience it on the day that Christ was killed. Later on in the weekend, she's going to go to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando." Fay Key, a spiritual director of an ecumenical contemplative community in Adrian, Ga., considers the Saturday before Easter "waiting by the tomb day" and will spend the day in silence, recalling the sorrow of those who accompanied Jesus to the cross. Then, at the conclusion of an Easter vigil, she'll join about a dozen others in reading verses from the Gospels and ringing bells to celebrate their belief in the Resurrection. "I think that's one thing that maybe larger churches don't do as well -- is to remember that Good Friday comes before Easter Sunday," said Key of the Green Bough House of Prayer, in an interview. "But the emphasis is always on the final note, on the joy." Another way individuals mark the Easter season is by going online. Beliefnet.com, an interfaith Web site, offers an "interactive Lenten calendar" with suggestions of how to mark each day (April 2: "Choose not to honk."). Steven Waldman, the site's editor-in-chief, said a "flash" devotional also has been popular. It features wood-block art of Jesus' Passion, mournful music and words from the Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. "It seems like people use it ritualistically," Waldman said of the devotional titled "Bitter Journey: The Way of the Cross." "It's not just something they kind of look at once, but they actually -- at least some of them -- use it repeatedly." Instead of attending a musical production at the North Carolina church where he used to be a youth pastor, Jim Perdue will preach at the first official service of the Southern Baptist church he's starting in the booming Atlanta suburb of Forsyth County. He'll spend the week between Palm Sunday and Easter doing "servant evangelism," delivering microwave popcorn door-to-door, giving out free water and soda, washing cars -- all in an effort to attract those who might not normally darken a church door to the first service at a local high school. "We wanted to focus on them and really show them that there's something valuable for them at church," said Perdue, the 26-year-old son of Georgia's governor. "There's a reason for them to be there other than just on Easter Sunday." Ed Stetzer, church planting specialist with the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board, said Easter is a common day for "new church starts" although some churches open their doors on Palm Sunday in hopes of beginning with "two strong Sundays." Smaller churches in rural areas aren't new, and in some cases, neither are their Easter traditions. Richard Lischer, author of "Open Secrets: A Memoir of Faith and Discovery," recalled what it was like 25 years ago to pastor a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregation in Southern Illinois on Easter Sunday. Rain or shine, members of the congregation assembled before dawn in a cemetery behind the church for a sunrise service, standing amid the burial plots of their relatives and ancestors. "I think it was our way of dramatizing Christ's victory over death, a way of taking the message of life into enemy territory," said Lischer, now a Duke University professor of preaching, in an interview. The Rev. John Bennett, director of the Missouri School of Religion Center for Rural Ministry said that sunrise tradition remains in rural settings and the cemetery is a typical location. "There will be a lot of those that are ecumenical and then there's probably a breakfast in one of the churches in town," said Bennett of Jefferson City, Mo. "For the main service of the day, the groups would separate to go to their individual congregations." In Catholic rural parishes, worshippers marking Easter may bring the lilies from their greenhouses or the wine from their vineyard, said Brother David Andrews, executive director of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in Des Moines, Iowa. "There's a certain way in which the assets and the gifts of the community come to the fore because you don't have the range of options," he said. "But they have their own charm and their own dignity." more from beliefnet and our partners Beliefnet Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. Advertise With Us Advertise With Us Columnists Terms of Service Copyright 2022 Beliefnet, Inc. and/or its licensors. All rights reserved. Use of this site is subject to Terms of Service and to our Privacy Policy. 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Welcome to the 2020 dance season! Fellow line dancers – Welcome to the 2020 dance season! With long anticipation, we will be posting the 2020 dances this week. www.ucwdc.org You may notice there are some missing dances as we are... UCWDC Country Dance World Championships Archived Results Intensives at the 2023 Country Dance World Championships Ring in 2023 at Worlds! For Email Marketing you can trust. Designed by Elegant Themes \| Powered by WordPress Randy began dancing in 1988 when he enrolled in beginning two step classes at the local Parks & Rec in Los Angeles, California. There he met his future dance partner and wife Rhonda Shotts. Even though they were both beginners, they partnered up and began taking private lessons and competing at UCWDC dance events. They moved quickly through the lower divisions, then on to the Masters Division in 1991. During this time, they were also active in teams competition and spent two years performing with “Sizzlin’ Country”, then another three years with the Worlds 1 and 2 team champions, “The Midnight Cowboys”. Randy became co-director of the Portland Dance Festival in 1998. He served two years as the UCWDC Business Team chairman where he led the movement to put into writing the organization’s policies, procedures, job descriptions, and other internal documents. Randy was the Worlds director from 2011 to 2020, and he was the manager of the Country Two Step Tour from 2012 to 2020. In his early twenties, Pedro followed some friends to a country bar and immediately became hooked on line dancing. In 1995, he joined a performance dance team at the Cancun Cantina and soon became the team choreographer. From there, he began competing as an individual line dancer. And just like that, Pedro won the advanced divisions at the CWLDA Internationals, and he won his first UCWDC Worlds title. In 1997, Pedro won the UCWDC Worlds Showcase Championship, and he won the European Championships in the Advanced and Renegade Divisions. In 1998, Pedro became the first Male SuperStars World Champion. He competed for another few years, then retired from competition to pursue other opportunities within the dance community. Pedro was a founding member of Masters in Line, the creator of Superstar Productions, and he helped create the Pro Dance Boots Company. Pedro has danced in over 20 countries. He has performed for the President of Singapore and the Royal family in Malaysia. He has taught line dance classes to more than 12,000 people worldwide. Mona grew up in small town Southwest Louisiana where her family always had music playing on the radio or record player – and everyone danced. After Urban Cowboy came out, she learned to two-step at a local country bar where she met an instructor named Rody. She and Rody started seeing each other frequently and while Rody taught lessons Mona learned to deejay. After getting married in April of 1986, Mona and Rody began taking dance lessons and competing together. At their first regional event in 1990, they heard about the UCWDC. Little did they know while competing within the UCWDC circuit how many friends they would make and how their lives would be changed forever. Mona stopped competing but began to deejay at numerous UCWDC events. In 1996, she deejayed for the first time at the UCWDC World Championships and has since become an integral member of the Worlds contest deejay staff. Mona is a 4- time Star Award Winner for Favorite Deejay, a UCWDC Director's Choice recipient, and the first deejay inducted to the UCWDC Hall of Fame. In 1986, a co-worker talked Rhonda into attending his weekly line dance class and she was hooked! Not long afterward, she met Randy Shotts and together they began taking lessons from Phil Adams and dancing with his teams Country Gold and Sizzlin’ Country. They also began dancing in the UCWDC couples divisions and moved up the ranks to the Masters Division by 1991. Also during this time, they danced on the original Worlds Championship team, the Midnight Cowboys. After moving to Portland in 1991, Rhonda became the editor of the Northwest C/W Dance Association newsletter, and she was instrumental in the formation and operation of the Portland Swing Dance Club. In 1998, she and Randy became directors of the Portland Dance Festival. In 1999, Rhonda became the first UCWDC Line Dance Coordinator and was instrumental in developing the program. Rhonda has also been active on the UCWDC Board of Directors as the Ethics Committee Chairperson and the Northwest Representative. John began country dancing in 1993 at the Grizzly Rose Saloon in Green Bay, Wisconsin. By 1995 he was teaching numerous dance styles to hundreds of students. He introduced West Coast Swing and Cha Cha to the area, as well as the latest line dances from the most popular choreographers. In 1999, he decided to become a full-time touring line dance instructor. During his career, John has earned numerous awards as a competitor, including the Worlds VI Line Dance Male Showcase Champion title - which inspired his nickname “Mr. Showcase.” He was one of the first male line dancers to reach the level of SuperStar. John’s signature dance “Dangerous” took the world by storm in 1997. Since then, John has received countless awards for many line dances he has choreographed or co-choreographed. John continues to travel the globe teaching, performing, coaching, judging, emceeing, and choreographing. He encourages everyone to “Live happy, laugh often, dance daily.” In 1977, at the age of 15, Grant’s father introduced him to ballroom, swing, disco, and country western dancing. In 1981, Grant began teaching dance classes in the nightclubs in Houston, Texas, and winning local dance club competitions with his partner Carmen Scarborough. In 1987, Grant opened Dance Connection in Fort Lauderdale, and enjoyed success competing in Division 1 of the newly formed UCWDC with his partner Susan McMahon. In the early 1990’s Grant formed the Dance Connection Show Team, and competed in the Masters Division with Darlene Long. Grant was a UCWDC Judge and Judge certifier for 18 years. He founded the Sunshine State and Orange Blossom Dance Festivals. In 1989 Grant branded Comfort and Ultimate dance shoes and boots with extra padding for dancers. As a Certified Pedorthist, Grant’s orthotic company has helped over 16,000 dancers with custom fit orthotics. Steve grew up an Army brat then went on to serve as an Army Captain in Korea, Okinawa, and Vietnam. After his military service, he moved to Albuquerque, NM where he met Mike Haley, a Realtor, talented dancer, and owner of a successful dance studio. When Mike, his dance team and Mike’s dance partner Patti Miller traveled to events, Steve became part of their support crew. In 1987, Steve was asked to help out at the Portland Dance Festival as a “ballroom coordinator”. Steve was so good at his job that before long, he was ballroom coordinator for over 20 events each year, including the first 10 UCWDC Worlds events. Since that early beginning, Steve has received numerous awards from the UCWDC and he has even been King of the New Orleans Mardi Gras – twice!” Steve retired in 2005. “I just wanted to make a difference - helping and caring for others”. In 1982, Kellie met Buzzy at a local nightclub. Several months after meeting, the club in Shreveport hosted a dance competition in which Buzzy and Kellie entered and took 2nd place. This competition was actually their first date! Six years later they married in December 1988. Their first UCWDC competition was Easterns in 1989 where they competed in Division 1. They danced in the movie Steel Magnolias in 1989. The highlight of their career came in 1992 when they were undefeated in every competition they entered that year, and they placed 2nd in the first ever Masters Division at the World Championships. They retired from competition dancing in 1994 to direct their first New Orleans Dance Mardi Gras. In 1999, Dance Mardi Gras was voted “Favorite UCWDC Event”. Today, the New Orleans Dance Mardi Gras has grown into one of the largest UCWDC competitions each year. Brian began dancing in Louisville, KY in early 1997. Competitive by nature, Brian entered and won every competition he entered in 1998 and went on to win the Advanced & Renegade titles at Worlds 1999. At Worlds 2000, Brian won his first of a record setting 5 SuperStars World Championship titles before retiring from line dance in 2011. Brian made a comeback to the country floor dancing with Megan Anderson in 2016. They qualified for Masters and finished 3rd at the 2017 World Championships. Always a trend setter in line dance, Brian combined training from different styles to create a technique-based style that helped pave the way for the SuperStars division we see today. Brian pushed the limits of country dance. He was the first to wear Latin style pants instead of the traditional Wranglers, and the first competitor to wear the welt-less styled dance boot seen today. Sarah began dancing in 1986 while working for a CPA firm in Kansas City. Within two years she met Bob Bahrs and became his dance partner. Bob and Sarah competed at their first UCWDC event in 1991 and were immediately hooked on country. After quickly moving through Division 3 and Division 2, they competed in Division 1 at Worlds 1; they became Masters Division Champions at Worlds 2. Bob and Sarah added "event directors" to their resume when they began hosting the Heartland Dance Festival in 1993. Sarah retired from competition after the birth of their son Zane in 1996, is now a substitute teacher, and continues to do office work for Bob's dance floor and video business. In 1987, Mike Haley asked Patti to be his dance partner and taught her everything he could in the four months leading up to their first competition. Patti learned quickly how much she enjoyed performing in front of admiring audiences. Their 6 foot plus statures allowed them to move with a wonderful grace and beauty. They spent five years dancing and collecting numerous titles until they retired and began long and successful teaching, performing and judging careers. They were among the first to offer VHS instructional dance videos in the late 80s and early 90s. In 1995, Patti began devoting her time and energy to fund raising for Multiple Sclerosis Society under the name Dance Because You Can! Patti has raised over a million dollars so far for MS, and she continues to support MS projects today. She is grateful for all the support she's received and the friendships she's made over the years. Laureen learned to dance the two step and west coast swing in 1989 while hanging out at her local country bar, the Saddle Rack. In 1991 she met her longtime country dance partner Robert Royston and together they won numerous country events including four consecutive Worlds Masters Division titles from 1995 to 1998. At the same time, they also competed at swing events winning numerous swing titles. After retiring from competition, Laureen appeared on Broadway in a show Swing! After the show ended, Laureen returned to swing competition and won the U.S. Open's Showcase division with her partner Ronnie DeBenedetta; they later won in the Showtime division too. Laureen was inducted into the WSDC hall of fame in 2014. Linda first learned to dance by clogging, but then decided to take two step lessons where she met her dance partner, Bill Robinson. Linda and Bill attended their first dance contest in 1986 and fell in love with country dance competition. Together, Linda and Bill won an impressive 18 Division 1 titles and never once missed making the finals round of competition during their careers. At one point, they won 7 consecutive events and were undefeated in East Coast Swing for two years. In 1991 they retired from competition and started the Peach State Dance Festival in Atlanta. Dawn started dancing in 1983, and soon after that she joined Dance West, a competition dance team. After her first competition with the team in 1985, she knew she had found her calling. She formed a partnership with Barry Durand and in their first competition, won a Division 1 title. Barry and Dawn went on to win numerous additional titles before becoming one of the first couples to compete in the new UCWDC division called Masters. In 1991, they became the first ever Worlds Masters Champions at Worlds 1. Also in 1991, Dawn&Barry won U.S. Open titles dancing swing in the Showcase Division and two step in the Cabaret division. Dawn married Dean Garrish in 1998, and together they have experienced great success performing, teaching, and coaching. Dean and Dawn are also co-directors of the New Orleans Mardi Gras. Tom was one of the earliest pioneers of country dancing. After many years of competing and learning to teach disco and swing, Tom turned to teaching country dancing in the southern California nightclubs. By 1985, Tom was teaching country and swing dancing to thousands of eager dancers all over California. In 1986, Tom helped to create the Western States Rules (the predecessor of the UCWDC Rules). He was a founding member of the UCWDC, and he was the event owner/director of two sanctioned UCWDC events. More than any other person, Tom Mattox was responsible for convincing UCWDC and other country circuit event directors to include west coast swing as one of the dances offered for competition. Jack and Sue started taking C/W dance lessons in a bar in Portland, Oregon in 1978. One thing led to another and soon they were competing in couples and team competition, teaching, judging, emceeing and coordinating dance events all over the U.S. Jack & Sue are the founders of the Portland Dance Festival. They are also founders of the “Country Goes Caribbean” dance cruise with NCL and Celebrity Cruise Lines. They were among the original authors of the Western States Rules, and they were founding members of the UCWDC. Considered by many to be “Mr. Waltz”, Bob Bahrs created an immediate impact on country dancing with his partner Sarah Bahrs once they began competing in 1991. Bob and Sarah put together a string of 40 consecutive waltz titles during the span of their partnership, and in 1994 they became Masters Division World Champions. Bob and Sarah produced the Heartland Dance Festival for 11 years, and in 2001, Bob served as Worlds director when Worlds was held in Alberta, Canada. Bob was also instrumental in bringing Pro-Am competition to the UCWDC. In addition to providing dance floor and video services to numerous country, ballroom and swing dance events, Bob now competes in the Masters division with his wife Paula. Brigitte is the first Hall of Fame inductee from Europe. She has taught Line Dancing for more than 15 years, and trained many new instructors all across France. She joined the UCWDC in, 1999 and in 2002, became director of “City of Light” in Paris. She is a Master level certified judge and served as a member of the UCWDC Rules, Judge Certification and Ethics committees. She also served as Line Dance chair for eight consecutive years. Brigitte is currently the only authorized Contest Coordinator from Europe, where she directed the first ever UCWDC European Championship. Considered the “Queen of Line Dance”, Jo Thompson has made quite an impact on dance floors worldwide. Jo started teaching country line and couples dancing in 1980. Her leap to worldwide recognition came from hosting her own TV show “Danceline” on TNN. She guest hosted “Club Dance” and the “Wildhorse Saloon” television shows, and she hosted dance contests all over the world for Country Music Television (CMT). Jo was voted 5- time International Line Dance Instructor of the Year and was one of the first inductees into the Line Dance Hall of Fame at the UK Crystal Boot Line Dance Awards. Jo has won numerous UCWDC Star Awards, and has taught, emceed and performed at many UCWDC events. Larry and Laurie were the first Texas couple to compete regularly on the UCWDC circuit. They began competing 1987, and competed for their final time at the 1997 World Championships where they won in the first ever Masters Classic division. They overcame controversy caused by their unique approach to styling and technique to become consistent winners. Their influence on country dancing was most noticeable in the Waltz and Two-Step. They were the first Masters Division couple to travel to Europe to perform and offer workshops. In 1990, Larry and Laurie founded the Texas Classic in Houston. The Texas Classic was the first UCWDC event to offer a large and structured Pro-Am competition. Jack and Debbie have been a force in New England for over 20 years. They operated the successful country dance hall “Diamond Jacks” which helped propel country dancing to popularity in the region for many years. They also ran the highly successful Diamond Jacks formation dance team which included many prominent competitors. Their love of country dancing has also been apparent within the UCWDC. Debbie was the Worlds Registrar for many years, while Jack was the UCWDC Treasurer. Much of the popularity of country dancing in Colorado can be attributed to the efforts of Scott and Cheryl Lindberg. Scott and Cheryl racked up Nine Grand Championships and Masters Championships, never placing lower than third overall during their competition years. They are known for their speed, continuous turns, and unique choreography. They also established and produced for many years the UCWDC's Colorado Country Classic.Among numerous awards they won together, Cheryl won the 1995 Feather Award for the Top Female Country Western Instructor. Tony began competing in country dance in 1992. He moved quickly through the divisions, and by 1993 Tony was dancing in Division 1 and won the World Title that year. Once in the Masters division, he and his partner Sharon Leigh again won frequently.Tony's innovative use of "theatrical moments" moved country dancing in new directions. His career started in the 'disco" days where he and his partner Susan won many titles. Tony also holds World titles in Ballroom, Hustle and Theatre Arts. He performed on television shows including "Dance Fever", "Soul Alive", and he appeared in the movie "Roseland". He is certified a Coach and Choreographer in Ballroom, Country, Hustle, Theatre Arts and Swing. He is also a Master level UCWDC certified judge. Robert started country dancing as a teenager, and has parlayed his favorite hobby into a remarkable career. Robert has been honored with numerous Star Awards for "favorite teacher, emcee, and personality". He is one of the most successful "crossover" dancers to come out of the country dance community. Not only has he won four World titles in country dancing, but he's also won many titles in the swing community with his former partner Laureen Baldovi. Robert has brought Country and Swing dancing to the mainstream public when he performed in the Broadway hit "Swing!", and more recently in "Swango" with his wife Nicola. Robert is an internationally recognized judge and instructor who teaches over 20 styles of couples dancing. Sherry, co-director of the River City Dance Festival, is also a certified UCWDC® judge – one of the first to become certified from Canada. She was the first woman elected to serve as UCWDC® President; she served two terms (from 1999 through 2002). Sherry was the President when the World Championships event first ventured outside the United States - to Edmonton, Canada in 2001, and then in the following year to the Netherlands. In those years of rapid growth in competitive country dancing in Europe and North America, she kept the UCWDC®on track despite huge financial challenges and unpredictable growing pains. Dennis and Carol are the first couple to receive the Hall of Fame award.As founding members of the UCWDC® they participated in the first Council meeting held in Grantville, Pennsylvania, in 1989. Over the next 14 years, they produced more than 40 events, including Chicagoland, and the Little Bit of Texas Country Dance Convention. In 1992, Dennis and Carol became the first UCWDC® event to offer competition in line dance. They coordinated the first line dance divisional competition atWorldsV. Together, Dennis and Carol published “The Dance Corral” Magazine for 7 years. Carol served as the Secretary of the UCWDC®for 4 years and served as the first UCWDC®Office Manager in 2000. Dorsey began dancing at the age of 12 while attending school dances and record hops; he was hooked from the very beginning. He started dancing ballroom at the age of 15 and was teaching by the age of 16. For over 15 years Dorsey has traveled throughout Europe helping to organize, promote, and coordinate dance championships there. Dorsey is proud to be a founding member of the UCWDC. Sue started dancing at the age of six, and continued dancing ballet into adulthood. In the mid 80's, Sue competed on the clogging circuit and in 1985 became the NCHC National Clogging Champion. In 1979, Sue began teaching country dance classes and has been teaching ever since. Sue was instrumental in the development of formation dance teams and the creation of team rules. Her team the “Rug Cutters” was number one for several years. Since 1987, Sue has been the director for the Southern National Dance Competition. Along with other instructors and directors, Sue was instrumental in developing the UCWDC Judge Certification program. She served as the Council's first Treasurer and Secretary, and served many years as theVPof Judge Certification. Kelly has been dancing since the age of three. She has danced professionally on stage, on TV and in the movies. She once had her very own TV show.With her husband, she owned and operated Arthur Murray studios and also a talent agency too. Kelly is a voting member of the UCWDC® as the representative of the NTA (National Association of Country Western Dance Teachers). Kelly has served as NTA president for many years. She developed the Accreditation (teaching training) program and spends a great deal of time judging and teaching all over the world. Kelly is a member of the UCWDC Judge Certification committee, a Master Level certified judge, and one of the select few who teach and test judges in the Judge Certification program. Steve has faithfully served the country dance community since the early 80's. Steve quickly determined that there existed a critical need for a common set of competition rules that could be used at other events. Early efforts creating rules in conjunction with other directors eventually led to the Western States Rules, and then the UCWDC rules a few years later. Steve has served on various committees within the UCWDC® including Rules, the Business Team, Ethics committee, and as the Director of the World Championships forWorlds II throughV. Steve was elected the UCWDC's third President, a position he held in 2003 and 2004. Steve is the director of the longest running UCWDC event (since 1985): the Frezno Dance Classic. Linda was quick to excel at the dance training opportunities that came within her reach. Early exposure to ballet, jazz, and social dance sparked her interest and gave her the foundation to pursue a career teaching dance. Linda was one of the original American Bandstand regulars. She was one of the featured dancers on Dancin' USA, and she served with Club Dance in Tennessee as the show's choreographer. Linda produced her first Southeastern Regional Dance Championship in 1984 and served as the event director for 15 years. Over the years, Linda has been recognized with numerous awards for her contributions to the world of dance. Bill is the event director for the Peach State Country Western Dance Festival held each March in Atlanta, Georgia. Bill and his partner Linda Hembree competed for many years on the UCWDC® dance circuit. Bill and Linda were the top Polka and East Coast Swing competitors of their era and won many Division I Grand Championships. Bill is a member of the Judge Certification committee and is a current Master Level Judge. He travels the world judging and serving as the Contest Coordinator for numerous UCWDC® competitions. Jeff became a dance competitor in 1946 just after he saw his first Fred Astaire movie; he remained a competitor for 23 years. His professional dancing career started with Arthur Murray in 1954. By 1969, Jeff had become the Arthur Murray Dance Director, and the lead dancer, choreographer and manager of the traveling show troupe “The Arthur Murray Dancers”. In 1979, Jeff converted to country dancing because of the traditional values for which it stands. In 1987, Jeff became one of the principle developers of the North American Rules for Country Western dancing (known today as the UCWDC® rules). Jeff was the creator of the UCWDC® bylaws and was elected the first UCWDC President in 1989 - a position he held until 1999. Jeff is the organizer/director of “Halloween in Harrisburg”. Barry has been the Director of the Easterns, Swing Fling, and VSO in Washington DC. He was the first Masters World Champion in 1993 with his former partner Dawn Garrish (Blorstad). He is a several-time US Open National Swing and Cabaret Champion, an American Swing Dance Champion and he awed audiences across the world with exhibition partner Lisa West (Austin). Barry has choreographed and taught Line Dance worldwide. His country and swing team Dance West was undefeated during several years of competition. Barry has been awarded the US Open Humanitarian Award and was the host of the TNN Country Dance Challenge for four years. Mike grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico and began dancing at the age of eleven. He began competing as a ballroom dancer at the age of thirteen. He was teaching private lessons by the age of sixteen, and he opened his first studio when he was eighteen. Mike began competing in country dancing with Patti Miller in 1988. Over the next four years, Mike and Patti competed as many as 25 times annually, and never finished below third place overall. Now retired from competition, Mike choreographs routines and provides coaching for competitive dancers. He became the director of the annual New Mexico Dance Fiesta in 1989, and has directed three of the UCWDC® World Championships, including the very first one in 1993. Dave has been involved with the UCWDC® since its origin in the late 1980s. He has been an integral part in developing the rules, scoring system, contest procedures, and the judge training and certification programs. Dave has held a number of key positions within the UCWDC®, including VP of Rules and VP of Judge Certification. In addition, Dave has been the Worlds Contest Coordinator for each of the 23 years it has been held. Dave is proud to have choreographed for and coached many World Champion dancers. He continues to provide coaching and choreography for social and competition dancers across the US and around the world.	27,176
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. Non-necessary Non-necessary Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.	1,161
Estimated Arrival Time: If you were to fly from Huntsville now, your arrival time would be Wednesday November 30th 11:30pm (based on Huntsville time zone). * Flight duration has been calculated using an average speed of 435 knots per hour. 15 minutes has been added due to takeoff and landing time. Note that this time varies based on runway traffic. Other factors such as taxing and not being able to reach or maintain a speed of 435 knots per hour has not been taken into account. Your in air flight time starts at Richmond Hill and ends at Huntsville. Estimated arrival time: Wednesday November 30th 11:30pm (based on destination time zone). You can see why your trip to Richmond Hill takes 27 mins by taking a look at how far of a distance you would need to travel. You may do so by checking the flight distance between Richmond Hill and Huntsville. After seeing how far Richmond Hill is from Huntsville by plane, you may also want to get information on route elevation from Richmond Hill to Huntsville. Did you know that Huntsville can be reached by car? If you'd like to drive there, you can check the travel time from Richmond Hill to Huntsville. To see how far your destination is by car, you can check the distance from Richmond Hill to Huntsville. If you need a road map so that you can get a better understanding of the route to Huntsville, you may want to check the road map from Richmond Hill to Huntsville. If you're now considering driving, you may want to take a look at the driving directions from Richmond Hill to Huntsville. Whether the trip is worth the drive can also be calculated by figuring out the fuel cost from Richmond Hill to Huntsville.	1,721
Retired couple Jack and Mary came to know Kathy as they both frequently enjoyed her therapeutic massages. The couple was in their 80s now and (much older than Kathy) and each was dealing with several health issues. Within a few months of meeting, Kathy offered her services as an in-home caregiver for Mary. Jack and Mary offered Kathy a room in their home and Kathy happily moved from her cramped communal living arrangement into Jack and Mary’s home in a quiet senior living community. Kathy’s “new home” was situated amongst beautiful vineyards and rolling hills in bucolic wine country. She claimed to be Mary’s caregiver, despite having neither training nor the experience necessary to perform that important role. Shortly after Kathy moved in, and contrary to everyone’s wishes, Mary was transferred from her home to a skilled nursing facility. Mary died not long after; all alone. After Mary’s death, Kathy should have moved out. She didn’t. A disoriented and grieving Jack continued paying Kathy, provided her room and board, and covered all her living expenses. This arrangement continued for a few years, during which time a confused Jack started to believe that Kathy was his girlfriend. But, as the reader may have already deduced, Kathy was not his girlfriend. Meanwhile, Jack’s only surviving daughter, Sally, who previously enjoyed a close relationship with her father, became increasingly concerned for Jack’s well-being. Kathy’s insertion into her father’s life was aggressive and disturbing. The masseuse made every effort to cut Sally out of her dad’s life. Deeply troubled, Sally consulted an attorney. After a $1,500 consultation, she was advised that Jack was a grown man and there wasn’t much she could do about her dad “choosing” to live with Kathy. Soon thereafter, Jack was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given weeks to live. This shattering news was kept a secret from his daughter. Seeing the last stop on her gravy train approaching, Kathy drove Jack, who could barely stand, to the County Clerk and married him only 30 days before his eventual death. This was done in secret. Immediately after the “marriage”, Kathy found an out-of-state “attorney” to draft a whole new estate plan for Jack. The new trust gifted all of Jack’s assets to his new “wife” and disinherited Sally. Sally only discovered Kathy’s scheme after her father’s death. At that point, her only option was to sue Kathy to undo the damage. Ultimately, Sally prevailed at a three-week trial, but not without a significant personal and financial cost. Sally spent $400,000 from her father’s estate to prove Kathy had stolen her inheritance. After a year of litigation and a bruising trial experience, Sally learned things about her father, his life, and his last days that broke her heart. Was there a scam or tampering that could have been blocked? – YES Would alerts have brought light and helped stop? – YES Two-factor authentication? – YES Would DARCI have saved the $400k in legal fees? – YES Would secure digital storage have helped avoid? – YES Conveniently grant access for relevant business? – Not in this case The case above represents an actual case litigated by our company founders, Ann and Adam Eberts. The names of the individuals involved have been changed. There is no need to further shame the bad actors. Illuminote simply wants to show how easy fraud, undue influence, forgeries, and other financial crimes are these days. We also want to show how easy it is to avoid, now that a registry for your important documents is available. Peace of mind is worth every penny. The security of your future is one click away. We cannot wait for you to join our family of members who have already made one of the best decisions for securing their present and their future. It all starts today → Who we are © Copyright 2022 \| All Rights Reserved \| Terms of Use \| Privacy Policy \| Site developed by Durling Digital	4,118
Acosta most recently served as an assistant coach for Northern Illinois. With NIU, Acosta oversaw infield, outfield, hitting routines, game day management, and scouting reports. He worked directly with the academic coordinator and compliance liaison in all recruiting efforts and scholarship budgets. Acosta organized team offensive philosophy & mechanics, film breakdown, and gameday charting. He also assisted in supervising camps, showcases, travel arrangements, and team schedules. Before his stint at NIU, Acosta was a head coach for six seasons with 29ers Baseball and the Midwest Reds of Baseball Factory: D1 Prime Fastpitch based in Lisle, Illinois. In the last two years, Acosta has scouted and coached 75 players who received D-1 baseball scholarships to major power 5 conferences and mid-major universities. From 2010-2022, Acosta worked with Top Tier Baseball/Windy City Baseball in La Grange, Illinois, where he organized a mix of local and regional clubs to showcase talent across the Midwest and southern united states. Acosta was drafted in the 35th round of the 1991 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Acosta elected to play college baseball before being selected in the 48th round of the 1993 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. Acosta spent the 1993 season in the Brewers system, where he appeared in 38 contests in rookie ball for the Helena Brewers of the Pioneer League and the Arizona League Brewers. In 1995, Acosta joined the Montreal Expos organization as he played 51 games with the Class-A Albany Polecats where he was teammates with MLB great Vladimir Guerrero, Sr. In 1996, Acosta appeared in 32 games with the Class-A Delmarva Shorebirds, where he was teammates with former White Sox player Orlando Cabrera and former Cubs Michael Barrett, Jose Fernandez, and Jose Macias. In 1997, Acosta played his final year in professional ball with the independent Chillicothe Paints of the Frontier League. In total, Acosta appeared in 121 games in professional ball in four seasons. From 1998-2000, Acosta returned to the Brewers organization as an area scout. 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 September 2018	2,896
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I am feeling much better today, although I still feel discouraged. I can't stop thinking that this will never happen for me. :( I know I need to have faith that it will happen, but part of me feels like I can't do this naturally....???? I guess I am just SO scared. Yes, that's what I feel... SCARED. Scared that having a child is not in my future..... :( Is it normal to have these feelings?? Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement. It means so much. designatedmom - February 22 I know exactly how you are feeling. With IVF everybody get positive, i've read thusands of testimonies of success with every symptom i had, nausea, cramping, sence of smell etc... I have been able to stop crying since i got the call yesterday. caretta32 - February 22 my beta is scheduled for 3/5/07...so far all I have is sore boobs and very minor twinges on both left and right sides when I stretch...really weird feeling Butterfly, you are in my prayers. God has a plan for you and just let HIM guide you. lili246 - February 22 I sure know and understand how you are feeling at the moment. because before I had my son I was thinking the same, I would get scare and thought that i would never have a baby with my o hold in my arms, but look I did it I have my now 2 year old boy and that give me more faith to keep on going and trust in god that he will bless me again. I also have a lil angel and he is taking care of him in Heaven. But I have the faith and I know that is will happen again for me. You need to watch the movie Facing the giants because that will help you alot and will bring back that faith that you lost. Keep your chin up and trust in God , I am sure that all this wait that you are doing it will be worth it. You know that you are not the only one and we are all here for the same reason. have Faith! RNORST - February 22 designatedmom, I'm so sorry about the test results. I did a IUI that was negative, but thats nothing compared to a IVF. I'm so sorry. What is your next step? Butterfly, Have you ever seen a RE? I felt like that I would never have any more, but after I seen my 2nd re I had more hope. I completly trust in God this will happen I just dont know when. Your time is coming. Caretta32, Did your re tell you how many eggs you had? Good luck girl. Keep your self busy, that 2 ww is the hardest. Lili, It's amazing what that movie can do for your faith. Keep me posted on your temps, hope that are sky high tommorow. I'm praying for you. Prayers and baby dust to all Jade - February 22 Okay ladies. We all need to cheer up. We have to stay positive. We will get through this. WE all know the feeling of the dreaded BFN and that is so hard to deal with. I am feeling a little better this week than last. I hope to O soon. I am cd 11 and have no idea if I should expect o on cd 21 like last month or maybe sooner (i hope). I am starting to test tomorrow just in case...... caretta32 - February 23 Renee, I had 4 good follies over 15 one at 20.5. DH had over 300 mil in 2 days!! I do think I am pregnant only because I have none of the same symptoms as last month...so much less cramping..it feels so regular...the boobs are swollen but very little pain only around the areolas (TMI)...my usually lower back pain is so little and I have had a headeach for 2 days now! I am so confused!!! designatedmom: my sis went through 2 IVFs until her RE got the drugs right....dont give up!! my I ask how old are you? are you taking any vitamins or supplements or just perscription drugs? I am 40 (going on 25!) and took my fertility into my own hands and relized the RE only looked at the medical tests but not my health....my body was deficient in Iron, vitamin E, B-6 and selenium....I started taking taking DHEA and Geritol....I have noticed a big difference in my mental and physical health... Ange - February 23 Jade~ I agree with you we all need to pick ourselves up right now! depression won't help our fertility. I think I O but I didn't check yet. Dh went for his test today. He last one wasn't so good. I am sure this one will be fine. I think it took to long to get the last one to the DR. Renee~How are you doing? Keeping yourself relaxed. I will watch the facing the giants movie this weekend. I am excited to see it. Lili~ How are you doing? Any signs of anything ? Designatedmom~ I am doing IVF in a few months. I have to get my results first from my MRI than I will for a surgery to remove a septum in my uterus. sorry to hear about your bfn. will you try again? Butterfly~ How are you? Are you having a better day? How long have you been ttc? do you have an RE? Have you gone through all your tests? angelz9 - February 23 hi every one been reading ur posts i wish every the peace that surpasses understanding. i had a very strange cycle this month with menses on 5/2/07 and still can't pinpoint O. Since i wasn't charting or really checking but today is cd19 and for about 3 days i've had dull pains like pinch on my left side and my Cm is wet and white on underwear . Cp is switching between high at night and low during the day. i know my temp rose way before cd19 but i didn't have any EWCM since i BD right before period and right after every other day . Another thing i was trying out lunaception i wonder if that caused the confusion.. Todays temp is 98.6 also i had some really weird tingling in breast and i am getting numbness in the back of my knee . Help anyone . Mahogany: Where are you and buttons i haven't heard from u. hope everything is progressing nicely. imarriedewing: Still waiting to hear from u Butterflywishes : just keep the faith God is a good provider he knows our needs before we do . so claim that baby and hold onto that faith. P.s everyone please be good to yourselves. lili246 - February 23 Ange, No signs for me only those af pains, so I really think that af will be here for sure because my temps are still at 98.1 and not a major rise. I will be faithful and wait till the end. if not I will elax for this coming month and hopefully I have better luck! This is my first time that my temps are very low hope that it doesn't happen again. designatedmom - February 23 Hi everyone, I'm slowly recovering, came back to work staying busy but its hurts at times. Thanks again for kind words, its nice to have people going thru IF cause most Fertile people just dont seem to get it. Renee, Caretta32, Ange - As for next steps I still dont know what to do cause my LMP was back in January 3, and been spotting lightly for the last four days so at this point i'm waiting for AF to start. but i'm leaning towards skip this month so i can atleast get a 'regular cycle' and maybe give my ovaries a break, they did produce 11 eggs and they were painful for weeks. Anyone here who has had IVF? Not sure how long i takes to get back to 'normal'. - I just turn 35 on 2/12. I wasnt on any vitamis when i started treatment, Actually after reading the Ovulex forum, i thought i shouldorder maybe to help me ger back to norm. During the six week treatment cycle I just took the priscribed birth control for 2 weeks then sarted stims. - During the treatment cycle the were so many ups/down cause my E2 was very high (over4000) so one minute i'm told to reduce meds, another minute i'm told will canceL cycle, then suddenly, oh we are moving on to retrival and ET on day 3. So its been one hell of a roller coaster. - Hope your results are +ve and good luck with the surgery. Did your sister succeed on the 2nd-IVF? Babydust to all who are ttc this month. Jade - February 23 Hi everyone. I am so glad it is Friday....... Renee~ Did you O yet? What CD are you on? Lili~ I am hoping AF doesnt come for you. I have some cheap internet OPK and some clearblue easy ones. I will switch back and forth between those. Ange~ Next week is your big day. How long is the recovery process if you get to have your surgery? Butterfly~ Hope you are feeling better. I know how you feel...... DM~ Keep your head up high and stay positive. Will you try IVF again soon? caretta32 - February 23 DM: try the geritol..taste like crap but I believe it helps and it is so cheap I figure why not...I started mid-cycle last time and I was able to go to another round of IUIs instead of having to wait one month...first time for that...hey what can it hurt...I believe that REs read test results but dont always get it..the good old "unexplained infertility"...do they every look at the other aspects of the body??? I mean vitamin balance, iron concentrations, B-6, B-12, know what I mean. Do some research online about the vitamins I listed and form your own opnion...good luck and you are in my prayers lili246 - February 23 Jade, I have the clear blue digital opk that I bought have you seen that? That is where I got my + . but never saw one with the internet ones. RNORST - February 23 Caretta32, I praying for you, keep the postive thinking that awsome. How many day till you test? Ange, I hope you like that movie, it gave me more faith to keep ttc. I think I O yeterday or today, so I think I'm in the 2ww. I will stay relaxed. You get your results next week right? Angelz9, Those sound like good signs, hope you get a bfp, when will you test? designedmom, I have never had a IVF, so I dont know what to tell you, keep you head up. This will happen. Jade, I had another peak fertility day today!!! I bd yesterday morning and then last night. I will bd again tonight. My temps yesterday was 98.0 and today it was 98.5. So I dont know if I O yesterday or today?? My monitor says peak yesterday and today. I know when I got preg the first two times I bd on the day my temps went up, which would be today. You are also close to O, any signs of O? designatedmom - February 24 Hi everyone, I've been spotting on/off at times heavy then it stops for hours, but the most scary thing just happen and gotta warn that its a bit graphic, went to bathroom and while i wipe something sorta fell out and got a close look on a TP, looked like an embryo (certainly not a normal clot). its like a tiny bean in the middle of some sort of wrap almost like clear piece of plastic. my heart just sank. first thing i did was call my girl friend who knew about the IVF and all she said was "i should get up and move on" and proceeded to tell me about a movie she was watching on TV. I couldnt believe how insensitive she was. or am i over reacting? Has anyone ever seen this embryo-like bean with AF? caretta32 - Thank for advice on Vitamins and prayer. I will look into those and geritol hopefully it will work for me too. but whichever the case i think i'lll be skipping this cycle and will know for sure once i get some kind of game plan from RE. I have heard from since the -ve results. Renee - Was aking about your sister 2nd-IVF, maybe wasnt clear. Good luck with 2ww and I really appreciate the positive wishes from you and all the ladies on this board. Hopefully one of these days it'll happen for all of us.	11,551
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All writers have their quirks — some pen their first drafts entirely by hand. Some use only Number two pencils and yellow legal pads. Others use spiral notebooks only, and only use blue ink. Some outline relentlessly before putting pen to paper, others just plunge right in and see what happens. My obsession as a screenwriter has always been page count. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as the people who read screenplays for a profession are just as obsessive about it as I am. You hand them a script, they will do three things: 1. Look at the title. The number at the top right of the last page will color their impression of the script before they even read the first page. You see, in this biz, page count is everything. Say you finish your script and it’s a lean and mean 98 pages. There’s no fat, less wasted space — it’s a remorseless killing machine, always moving, never stopping. You’ve been to both ends of the spectrum and find that 98 is the perfect length. But 98 is too short, man. It’s too lean. There’s n meat to it. No fat. No room to breathe. No character. No drama. No emotion. That’s what they’ll think, seeing its only 98 pages (99 with the cover). Notwithstanding the point that a producer or studio would be THRILLED to have a finished product be 98 minutes with credits, a screenplay cannot be 98 pages and be expected to be any good. That’s the attitude the reader will bring to the script before they read a word of it, and their response to it will be gauged against those preconceived notions. So let’s look at the other end. You’ve written and written and written and finally finished your work — your best ever. It clocks in at 117 pages — well within the range that makes readers happy. Anything over 120 is a problem, unless you’re an A-list guy with a couple Oscars on his mantle, and several 100 million plus movies on his/her CV. The rest of us mortals have to deal with life below 120 pages. Now, you are thinking 117 is a perfectly good number. And you’re wrong there too. Because 117 pages tells the reader “this guy didn’t cut enough” — there’s fat, there’s flab. The tension’s not there. Good lord, it’s poorly paced. Too many characters. Too many scenes. “Too many notes,” as Emperor Leopold tells Mozart in Amadeus. “Just remove a few — don’t ask me which ones — and it’ll be perfect.” See, again, it’s that goddamn page count fucking everything up. As they read it they’re going to be reading it as someone looking for the fat, the flab, the stuff you should have cut. And at the end, they’ll think you’re a good writer, but not disciplined to cut enough from their work. They’re too beholden to their words, and will be difficult to work with on this. Sorry but we’re passing. So what is the ideal length, you’re screaming at me now. Well, it depends on the genre, on the subject matter, on a lot of factors. But for me, I aim for somewhere between 105-110 pages. I’ll slide, at most, 5 pages north or south of that number, but never more and never less than that. I also like nice even numbers. I’ll do 112, 114, 108, 106, but not 109,111,107,113. Don’t ask me why, it’s just a thing. 105 or 110 are nice number. The guy who flips to the back of your script and see that number will automatically say two things; There’s less inclination for him to look for things to cut now, and even less inclination to add things, because adding will put us closer to that worrisome 120 pages. With those two weapons denied the reader, he’ll have to read and assess the work honestly. He may still pass on it, but he won’t pass on it because of something as silly as a page count. That said my best received screenplay was a gargantuan 128 pages — but I let the page count slide because I knew it was good work, top to bottom. I also indicated on the Title Page that it was based on a true story. True stories have latitude to go over 120 pages, and the fact this one was 128 (and based on a real person) told the reader that length-wise the writer was “being true to the real story.” Even though that script hasn’t been produced it has, to date, landed me many paying jobs that did get produced. And I’m sure someday, it will find a home. So … do your best to reach that magic number. And I do recommend cheating it as much as you can. If you’re a little under, pad it. A little over, trim it. But don’t let them gain the upper hand and judge your work based on a number. Make the bastards work for it This entry was posted in Brad, movies, Writing by Brad. Bookmark the permalink. I'm the author of MAGICIANS IMPOSSIBLE, writer and creator of MIXTAPE, the screenwriter of STONEHENGE APOCALYPSE, ROBOCOP PRIME DIRECTIVES, FRESH MEAT, and this bio.	4,836
And oh my, that was one hell of a month to start the year. I'm not even overreacting. It's been an emotional roller coaster. Stress confetti everywhere and almost everyone, including myself, contributed to the excruciating misery. But to tell you the truth, honey-- I wouldn't want it any other way. 1) I have a new supervisor at work and he's just too kind. Despite of the fact that I'm a pain in the butt because I can be late and absent for a lot of factors, he still find ways to keep me in the company-- not that I want to stay there but I have no choice. (Oops, spoiler.) To my supervisor who's reading this right now--- thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me. I might act like I'm cool but really, I'm not. I'm really weak and even if you don't know why I'm depressed, I'm thankful people like you still exists. P.S You still owe me money. 2) I'm trying to rap some of Twenty One Pilot's songs and dear God-- I'm sorry. One time, my rapping was probably audible inside the jeepney that I caught some dude smile. I can't see past my own nose, I'm seeing everything in slo-mo Look out below crashing down to the ground just like a vertical locomotive That's a train, am I painting the picture that's in my brain? A train from the sky, locomotive, my motives are insane My flow's not great, okay, I conversate with people I get lost there. I pretty much am a loser. 3) Over The Garden Wall. I discovered this miniseries by accident with my boyfriend and at first I thought-- 'Hey, its just another random show.' But no. It's not. I was wrong. It's not random at all and I'll have you know that I cried so hard during the last three episodes. 4) More people are calling me Batgirl. And speaking of that-- Batman: Bad Blood was great. Especially the ending where they revealed Barbara Gordon. Gosh, I'm fangirling again. Sorry. But really, the Bat Family is just so full of awesomeness. I can't wait for The Killing Joke. 5) I miss Chrisaline and Faith. And Edna and Lyra. I miss my high school friends. I hope they're okay. I feel bad for not replying and not catching up with them. I wish I could go back to that time. And hey- my mom was still alive that time, too.. 6) I get tired easily. Maybe because I lack aspiration to work. Dad doesn't have a job anymore so I have to actually carry the weight on my shoulders. I'm not complaining, I'm more worried because I lose energy so fast. And now that I think about it, I take my body for granted.	2,480
In past letters, we have addressed the craziness of the current investment era multiple times. In August 2020, 10-year Treasury bond yields reached an all-time low of 0.5% while $17 trillion dollars of sovereign bonds in Europe and Japan were paying negative yields to investors. Using the word “madness” to describe the interest rate environment in 2020 would have been entirely appropriate; the interest rate trough reached that month likely represented the lowest interest rates in 5,000 years of monetary history. Looking at interest rates today, quite a different picture emerges. The Federal Reserve has been tightening monetary policy by hiking short-term interest rates aggressively to alleviate inflationary pressures in the economy. At the same time, the Federal Reserve has also been boosting long-term interest rates this year by ceasing its Quantitative Easing program whereby the Federal Reserve was previously purchasing long-term Treasury bonds to cap interest rates. As a result of these tightening measures, Treasury bond yields have been normalizing quickly. The 2-year Treasury bond yield has increased to 4.5%, while the 10-year Treasury bond yield has increased to 4%. These interest rates stand well below the current inflation rate, but quite a bit more than the 0.5% interest rate that 10-year Treasury bonds were paying in August 2020. Moreover, without a reversal in policy, it appears that interest rates have further room to rise. Outside the United States, interest rates generally have been increasing this year, for many of the same reasons, and global financial markets have reacted accordingly. The global stock market is now in a bear market and, remarkably, the U.S. Treasury bond market is in the midst of its deepest correction of the past 100 years. Global economic growth has slowed to recessionary (or near recessionary) levels as consumers pull back on purchases of housing and automobiles while companies have placed restraints on their capital expenditures. Just as 2008 and 2020 have become important years of market history, so too will 2022. Equity and bond markets aside, the currency markets have also experienced historically extreme exchange rate gyrations thus far in 2022. Several emerging market countries are in the midst of full-blown currency crises. For example, the Sri Lankan Rupee is down 78%, the Argentinian Peso is down 30%, and the Turkish Lisa is down 28% through 9/30/22. While these currency moves are extreme, they have happened before in emerging market countries. What makes this time different is that they are also happening in developed economies. From the beginning of the year through 9/30/22, the Japanese Yen is down 25%, the United Kingdom Pound Sterling is down 21%, and the Euro has declined 16%. All of these currencies, emerging and developed, have weakened considerably against the US Dollar. Some analysts have called the dollar’s remarkable strength this year a “wrecking ball.” Indeed, a strong dollar is not a good thing for financial markets (just look at declines in the stock and bond markets) or for the global economy (currently heading into a global recession). Arresting the depreciation of currencies around the world is necessary to alleviate extreme inflationary pressures outside the United States and allow real growth to recover from the currently dismal levels. The root causes of these extreme currency movements vary by country, but the primary drivers include interest rate differentials, a worldwide energy crisis exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, and margin calls on dollar-denominated debts. Interest rate differentials can cause significant movements in exchange rates. In a world with free capital flows, if Country A pays an interest rate of 5% and Country B pays an interest rate of 2%, all things being equal, investors are going to sell their bonds in Country B and buy the bonds of Country A to earn more interest, thereby causing Country B’s currency to depreciate and Country A’s currency to appreciate relative to each other. As a result, when the United States raises interest rates aggressively, it causes the dollar to appreciate unless other countries follow suit with aggressive interest hikes of their own. As the price of energy increases, it can have a significant effect on a country’s trade balance and currency exchange rate. In general, when oil prices strengthen, so too do the currencies of energy exporters, whose exports are increasing, while the currencies of energy importers tend to depreciate because of increasing import values. For example, the Russian Ruble has been the strongest currency in the world during the first nine months of 2022, appreciating 19.1% versus the U.S. dollar, while the Sri Lanka rupee has lost almost 80% of its value versus the U.S. dollar. Russia is a significant energy exporter, while Sri Lankan experienced a currency crisis when it ran out of dollars to import shiploads of fuel, cooking gas, and food, all of which increased in price considerably this year. Because the dollar is the world’s reserve currency, many foreign countries issue bonds that are denominated in U.S. dollars. Two extreme examples are Argentina, where more than 50% of its debts are denominated in dollars, and Columbia, where more than 30% of its debts are denominated in dollars. When the dollar rises, countries that owe debts in dollars are forced to spend local currency to buy dollars to pay back their debts. The Argentinian Peso and the Colombian Peso have depreciated by 30% and 12% versus the dollar, respectively, during the first nine months of 2022. The DXY index, a measure of the dollar exchange rate against other developed market currencies, has soared by 16.8% year-to-date, reaching a level not seen since 2002. The narrative behind this remarkable dollar strength is that the U.S. dollar, while far from perfect, is the “cleanest dirty shirt” in a drawer full of even dirtier shirts. Put differently, the dollar does not deserve to be strong, but it does deserve to be stronger than other currencies which are even worse. There is some truth to this narrative, but we want to explore why the relative relationships have changed to such a great extent this year. Germany, the industrial powerhouse of Europe, had previously maintained its competitiveness as a goods exporter due in part to its ability to obtain cheap energy from Russia. In 2021, Russia accounted for 55% of Germany’s natural gas imports. In 2022, Russian natural gas exports to Germany have declined precipitously due to mechanical pipeline problems, economic sanctions, and, more recently, the sabotage of two underwater gas pipelines. To replace this previously cheap source of energy, Germany has been purchasing liquified natural gas (LNG) from other countries at much higher prices, turning on its coal plants, and pushing off the closure of several nuclear reactors. Due to a greatly increased cost of energy, German manufacturing plants are shutting down and/or declaring bankruptcy. The Euro area is now generating a trade deficit rather than a trade surplus for the first time in many years due to the sharp rise in the cost of imported energy and the reduced competitiveness of German exports.The Euro’s weakness is also attributable to low-interest rates. Interest rates in the Euro area have increased this year, but they are currently still 1% to 2% lower than interest rates in the United States. The Euro area cannot allow interest rates to rise too much because of the severe indebtedness of countries in southern Europe such as Italy, Spain, Greece, and Portugal. As a result, the European Central Bank (ECB) continues to buy government bonds to keep interest rates low, despite an environment of generationally high inflation rates. Japan is not as dependent on Russian natural gas as the Euro area. As LNG prices have risen, Japan has decided to accelerate the resumption of operations at the nuclear plants that were shut down because of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that subsequently destroyed the Fukushima nuclear plant. Japan depends on energy imports like Europe, but it is not yet experiencing an energy crisis to the extent that Europe is experiencing one.Nevertheless, the yen has also been depreciating significantly relative to the dollar due primarily to interest rate differentials. In Japan, deflation has been a problem for many years, and it appears that the Bank of Japan, seemingly unconcerned about inflation, is purposefully trying to engineer a weaker yen. The Bank of Japan is doing this by printing money to purchase Japanese Government Bonds (JGBs), thereby diluting the currency while keeping interest rates as low as possible. As a result, short-term interest rates remain negative in Japan and the 10-year JGB pays an interest rate yield of just 0.25%. The dollar, with much more attractive interest rates for investors, has been appreciating naturally versus the yen.Based on statements made by Bank of Japan Governor Kuroda, he perceives yen weakness to be a positive in that Japanese exports should become more competitive going forward. As trade relations between China and the United States deteriorate, Japan is trying to position itself as a viable replacement for China as a goods exporter, and its currency weakness is therefore part of a larger strategy to do exactly that. The British Pound: -21.3% vs. the U.S. Dollar YTD Like Japan, the United Kingdom is a populous island nation, except without a meaningful export industry. The United Kingdom has run a trade deficit and a budget deficit for many years, both of which have been financed with capital inflows from countries like China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia whose investors have been purchasing London real estate. Like Europe, the United Kingdom has a significant energy deficit, and it has been trying to subsidize the energy costs of households and businesses with additional budget spending. Unlike both Japan and the Euro area, interest rates on U.K. government bonds are comparable to interest rates in the United States.The British Pound has depreciated versus the dollar for multiple reasons. First, the U.K. has been confiscating the assets of Russian billionaires, which is disconcerting for Russian investors and for rich investors from other countries that might not be 100% aligned with U.K. foreign policy. Second, the U.K. recently proposed an aggressive fiscal plan with no clear idea of how its deficits will be financed. Third, in recent weeks, the Bank of England has resumed printing money to cap interest rates to keep its pension plans solvent after they speculated incorrectly on the direction of interest rates. Finally, the U.K. has almost no foreign currency reserves with which it might defend its currency from depreciating. In summary, the overall picture for currencies of the developed world is quite a gloomy one at the present moment, and the U.S. dollar has been appreciating because it is indeed in somewhat better shape on a relative basis. After all, the U.S. dollar still enjoys reserve currency status, and the United States can also supply most of its own food and energy needs. These benefits have not prevented the dollar from depreciating against energy and food prices this year, but it has prevented the dollar from depreciating against most foreign currencies. These advantages are longstanding advantages, but they have become much more important this year. If the Federal Reserve continues to hike interest rates and the dollar continues to appreciate, most financial assets will continue to decline in price. This year, cash has beaten almost every asset class around the world. More and more investors are betting that the dollar’s strength will continue, extrapolating the current trend far into the future. Popular business magazine covers, which have historically proven to be a wonderful contrarian signal, suggest to us that the current bull market in the dollar might be closer to the end than the beginning. This leads to the question of what might cause the dollar to stop appreciating versus other currencies. As always, we have no crystal ball with which to predict the future, but we would be looking for one or more of the following to happen in order for the dollar to depreciate against other currencies: The Federal Reserve ends its Quantitative Tightening (QT) program and begins a new round of money-printing to cap interest rates to allow the U.S. Treasury market to function more properly. Europe, Japan, and/or Great Britain develop a separate peace agreement with Russia that involves purchasing energy from Russia in local currencies. The Federal Reserve announces that it will pause hiking interest rates in response to softening employment data, a lower oil price, or a stock market decline deep enough to reduce wage inflation. The United States meets with other developed countries and agrees upon a currency accord that allows for the dollar to depreciate. We would suggest that a reversal is likely a matter of weeks and months from now rather than years. The strength of the dollar is driven by quickly rising interest rates on U.S. Treasuries, which now exceeds 4%. Last year, the US Government paid approximately $400 billion in interest costs on its debt. If interest rates stay at current levels, then given rising Federal Debt levels, projected annual interest costs could easily exceed $1 trillion. The combination of a stronger dollar, rising interest rates, and an energy crisis are pushing the world into a recession which will soon put enormous pressure on the U.S. budget deficit as tax receipts historically decline during a recession. Due to the excessive indebtedness of the U.S. government, declining tax revenues combined with 4% interest rates would be an untenable situation which the U.S. government could not tolerate for very long. When an eventual pivot happens, we believe that it will be an excellent time to own precious metals such as gold and silver, energy, commodity producers, and emerging market stocks. Until that time, we are staying somewhat defensive, with a larger-than-normal position in cash and short-term Treasury bonds. We are grateful, as always, for your entrusting us to manage your assets through challenging market environments such as the current one. This commentary is prepared by Pekin Hardy Strauss, Inc. (dba Pekin Hardy Strauss Wealth Management, “Pekin Hardy”) for informational purposes only and is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. The information contained herein is neither investment advice nor a legal opinion. The views expressed are those of the authors as of the date of publication of this report, and are subject to change at any time due to changes in market or economic conditions. Although information has been obtained from and is based upon sources Pekin Hardy believes to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy. There are no assurances that any predicted results will actually occur. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Recent Posts Should I Invest in Treasury Bonds During Inflation Investing and Markets Quarterly Commentary Newsroom Copyright © 2022 Pekin Hardy Strauss. 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One of the most notable aspects of Kanada’s career is that, while he never directed anything by himself, he was closely associated with major directors: first Yoshiyuki Tomino, and then Rintarô and Hayao Miyazaki. His relationship with the latter two is what I’m going to research here. More precisely, I’d like to see how animator and directors worked together and reciprocally pushed each other in new directions. The goal will be to explore Kanada’s animation in detail, to investigate and try to uncover what was his, what were his innovations, and what must be credited to other people: directors, animation directors, and other animators. The period I’m going to study is quite long and extremely dense: it goes from 1979, with Galaxy Express 999 to 1992, with Porco Rosso and Download: Namu Amida Butsu wa Ai no Uta. In these 13 years, Kanada went through major stylistic shifts, and produced some of his most important works even aside from his collaborations with Rintarô and Miyazaki. Therefore, this piece will not attempt to give a full account of Kanada’s career during the 1980’s. I will only focus on 6 works, 3 by director: for Rintarô, the two Galaxy Express movies in 1979 and 1981, and Download in 1992; for Miyazaki, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind in 1984, Laputa Castle in the Sky in 1986, and Porco Rosso in 1992. Let’s begin by putting Kanada’s collaboration with Rintarô back into context. Galaxy Express 999 was the first time they worked together, and it was an important step in both men’s careers. For Rintarô, it marked the peak of his time in Tôei Animation and the beginning of his career as a movie director. For Kanada, the year 1979 was complex and difficult to read. It was mostly marked by the change between studios: it was when he left the place he had created, studio Z3, to rejoin his mentor Takuo Noda in studio N°1. The exact chronology is hard to follow. Kanada’s most infamous work for the year was on episode 1 of Mobile Suit Gundam, something quite normal since Z3 had become a regular subcontractor for Sunrise. However, Kanada’s contribution to the episode was notably small, and he never worked on the other episodes that Z3 did on Gundam. According to his own testimony, although he was attracted to the world and characters, Kanada felt that Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s control over him was a bit too heavy: indeed, the animation director did by himself all the layouts and some key animation for the opening episode. It’s possible that there had already been some disagreements between the two men on Zambot 3 two years earlier and, even though it’s hard to tell, Gundam was probably the point when they realized they weren’t made to work together. It’s around the same time that Kanada received the offer to work on Galaxy Express 999, and this apparently motivated him even more to leave Gundam’s production. Kanada and Rintarô didn’t know each other yet, and my guess is that Kanada was invited by the movie’s character designer and animation director, Kazuo Komatsubara. Alongside his friend and comrade Shingo Araki (Kanada’s first teacher), Komatsubara is probably one of the most important figures of 70’s animation, and most notably one of the pillars of Tôei Animation’s TV shows during the decade. He was the co-founder of one of the most important subcontracting studios in the history of anime, Oh! Production, and started animating on Tôei’s TV series around 1965. He quickly rose to prominence in 1969, on Tiger Mask, for which he was animation director on 17 episodes, and did his first character designs on Genshi Shônen Ryû in 1971. From then on, he had many opportunities to meet Kanada, as he was animation director and/or character designer on the Tôei series the latter did his first key animation on: Cutie Honey, Getter Robo, and Getter Robo G. More generally, they were in the exact same circles throughout the 1970’s. As for Rintarô, Komatsubara met him as the character designer and animation director of Captain Harlock, that the former directed. Komatsubara stood out at the time for his unique approach to animation direction. Since the number of animators per episode on TV series was very low (between 2 and 6), the animation director always had a very important role and it was often their style that prevailed the most. It is this context which allowed for the emergence of very controlling animation directors in the 70’s, like Yoshikazu Yasuhiko and Hayao Miyazaki. But Komatsubara seems to have adopted the opposite philosophy: it would be him adapting his own style to that of the animators rather than the opposite. It has therefore been said that there is no “Komatsubara style”, while animator Atsuko Ishida has said of him that he is representative of an approach centered around “attraction”: his greatest skill was to attract talented animators and to offer them the best opportunities to express their respective styles rather than impose his own. This is certainly visible in both Galaxy Express movies, and especially in the second one, which I’ll cover below. On the first movie, there were 15 key animators. Many of them were Tôei veterans, but there were also charismatic figures that Komatsubara had worked with previously: besides Kanada, there was Kazuhide Tomonaga, who had joined Oh Pro a few years prior (Galaxy Express 999 would be his last work in the studio). The other major names were the three members of Studio Bird, Yoshinori Kanemori, Hiroshi Oikawa, and Yoshinobu Inano. All three had come from Tatsunoko and were experts in character animation – they were probably the ones behind some of the most delightful moments of acting in the movie. Inano, most notably, was in charge of the entire opening and ending scenes of the movie. As the low number of key animators might indicate, each artist was given a large chunk of the movie, as would be a constant in many Rintarô films. These are but rough estimates, but I believe that Kanada animated between 15 and 20 minutes, Tomonaga around 15, and Inano 7. It is with this in mind that we must approach the animation of the movie: it was a lot of work, especially for Kanada who handled very complex scenes, most notably the apocalyptic finale, one of his most famous and important works. To fully appreciate it and Kanada’s level of invention, it’s interesting to see what the movie’s storyboards have to tell us. First, let’s look at the beginning scene of the movie: the station sequence, presumably animated by Inano. As the animation itself shows, it’s very complex business, with many characters running in all directions, background animation, the pendant being thrown from one kid to the other… This scene exhibits the two aspects Rintarô seems to have put the most focus on: camera movement and layouts. This is very clear in the storyboard of this scene: they are full of arrows to indicate the trajectories of the running characters, and the different kids have letters to avoid any confusion between them. To put it into more general terms, Rintarô seems to have been mostly interested in choreography and movement; however, motion, that is the way objects move rather than the directions they move in, was entirely left to the animators. This is visible when we look at two scenes animated by Kanada, taken from the collapse of Planet Maetel. The first is this one, where Maetel falls down and is saved by Tetsuro. In the storyboard, the general course of the action is rather detailed and very clear: we can see Maetel’s fall and follow the movement quite easily. The written indications are also only descriptive: “Maetel falling” or “Tetsurô’s left hand catching Maetel”. However, there are two essential things missing: the precise rhythm of the action, and the exact trajectory of the characters. That’s where Kanada’s animation fills in the blanks and offers a great bit of animation. The first thing to note is how off-model the characters are: here, it’s especially visible in the way the hands are drawn. The fingers are very slim and long, unusually and unnaturally so, especially when compared to the storyboard. This is characteristic of Kanada: in the movie in particular, he drew Tetsuro with very slim legs, for example. The other element is the care put into Maetel’s expression. Kanada went so far as to make her blink – characters in animation never blink, but here he added it for realism and expressivity: in fear, Maetel closes her eyes. Another striking element is when Tetsurô’s hand suddenly enters the frame: Kanada added his characteristic speed lines, which help put the corner of the screen into focus and give enough of an impression of strength into the young man’s motion. As for the rhythm, the timing is key for giving the fall a feeling both of surprise and fluidity. We begin mostly on 2s, as Maetel suddenly loses her footing. But then as she really falls down, her head turns from left to right; this is a sudden move, conveyed by a shift to 3s and a much wider spacing between the two frames. After that, the timing gets much more erratic: it oscillates between 1s, 2s, 3s and 4s without any regularity, to give the viewer time to take in each pose but also to keep it dynamic. The second moment I want to analyze is Kanada’s most famous on the movie, the final destruction of the planet. What’s very striking is that the storyboard contains very little detail, even though this is such an important moment. There are a lot of annotations, but Kanada’s animation is so baroque and inventive here that he was probably improvisating and animating on his own ideas. Since the storyboard was most probably made before each animator was given (or chose) his cuts, it’s not like Rintarô specifically left everything in the hands of Kanada; it’s more probable that he simply wasn’t interested in the detail of the effects. Though it must also be noted that everything isn’t in the storyboard: the key animation was checked by both the director and animation director, and they might have given suggestions. The storyboard for the collapse of Planet Maetel. Translation of the annotations: “Giant mass of flames rises up like a solar flare / Falls down and scatters / Planet Maetel / Large explosions keep going off one after another / Balls of fire get scattered around like garbage / Light slowly expands from the center (penetrating white light) / Use waving glass / Shining Planet Maetel / Rain of light scatters through space / Use waving glass / Light slowly fades out As things stand, however, I consider that this scene can be considered as one of the most representative instances of Kanada’s creative power. In the first step of the destruction, he added red lines to the core of the planet, adding a great amount of texture. Then, in the second shot, there is obviously a lot of care put into the color, as we shift from black and white to purple, then a sudden explosion with yellows and reds, and then an abstract composition made of straight red lines and a white circle. The work on lighting and photography is very important here. Some of it is already in the storyboards (such as the white light and the use of glass to make reflections), but it would certainly be interesting to have access to the original drawings to see how much of the coloring decisions were taken by Kanada himself. Galaxy Express 999 is no doubt one of Kanada’s most important and influential works. It’s probably what made him known beyond the circle of animation maniacs and super-robot fans: it was the highest-grossing film in the Japanese box office for the year 1979, and one of the major successes of animation in Japanese theaters. In the context of the history of the Kanada school, it is the style Kanada used in this movie that would be the most associated with him and copied by his first students: the peculiar body shapes and “liquid-fire” effects of Masahito Yamashita, Kazuhiro Ochi and Kôji Itô’s early work all come from here. All these elements would be even more pronounced two years l ater, when Tôei tried to bank on the success of the first movie by producing a sequel, Farewell Galaxy Express 999. The top team was the same, with Rintarô reluctantly being brought back to direct and Komatsubara as animation director. However, the animation team was completely different. Many of the most important animators of the first movie, like Kazuhide Tomonaga or Yoshinobu Inano, had left for other projects: Tomonaga was in Telecom, working with Hayao Miyazaki and Yasuo Otsuka, while Inano had become a Sunrise subcontractor and a central animator on Space Runaway Ideon. To replace them, Komatsubara made full use of his contacts: most of the animators on the movie were from his studio, Oh Production. As for Kanada, he brought with him the two other aces of Studio N°1: his teacher Takuo Noda, and his first student, Osamu Nabeshima. Their presence was central, as Kanada-style effects would be recurrent throughout the entire movie. Kanada himself probably did much less work on Farewell than on the first movie; however, what he did was even more idiosyncratic: the film probably represents the peak of his liquid-fire effects style, and contains some of his most iconic moments. In terms of effects, it therefore represents one of the major steps of the evolution of Kanada’s style, and the point where his experimentation with colors becomes more and more distinctive: after the abstraction reached in the first movie, the effects start to be used for figuration and start prefiguring the fire dragons of Genma Taisen. In terms of character animation, what’s the most striking is how little corrections Komatsubara made on Kanada’s scenes; to put it bluntly, it looks like he didn’t make any, and gave him total freedom. In this sequence, all characters are wildly off-model and their look has nothing in common with the rest of the movie. Later, on the climax, Kanada felt free to include multiple easter eggs, most notably one of his mascot characters, Kabonen from episode 6 of Zukkoke Knight: Don de la Mancha, and none of them was taken away. It therefore seems like Kanada was given almost complete creative control over his own scenes, making them some of his most powerful and creative work. The early 80’s is when Kanada started his meteoric rise in the anime industry: he got more and more work as animation director on Tôei movies such as Queen Millennia and Future War 198X in 1982, and then made one of his most iconic works on Genma Taisen in 1983. It’s of course hard to tell, but had it not been for the failure of Birth, Kanada might have risen even higher and maybe would have directed something of his own. But what interests me here is the other prestigious project he worked on in 1984: Hayao Miyazaki’s second feature film, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Now that Miyazaki being a central figure of world animation is something we’re used to, it’s hard to go back in 1984 and picture how much of an event Nausicaä was. Miyazaki had already been something of a star in the industry since the moment he had left Tôei, and the success he got with his first TV series, Future Boy Conan, and movie, The Castle of Cagliostro, made him known to a wider audience. And now, he was to direct an adaptation of his own work, an already popular science-fiction manga. His reputation preceded him, to the point that all the animators who first collaborated with him on the movie confess having been intimidated at first. It wasn’t the same on the producers’ side, though. The movie was given a small budget and, through some curious alleyways of pre-production, its animation was largely handled by the small and unknown studio Topcraft, that had been created in 1972 by ex-Tôei producer Tôru Hara. It was a curious decision because Topcraft specialized in subcontracting for American studios, most notably Rankin Bass. Their approach to animation was wildly different to that of other Japanese animators, and it seems that most of their work on Nausicaä was heavily corrected. As Benjamin Ettinger points out, “it must have been a real eye-opener to the studio’s animators to work on that film with figures whose approach was much more individualistic and focused on creating movement that felt good.” The other specificity of the movie is that the animation director wasn’t Miyazaki himself, but someone he had never personally worked with previously: Kazuo Komatsubara. It is most probably Komatsubara who brought on board many “charisma animators” whose philosophy was very different from Miyazaki’s: the rising star of effects animation Takashi Nakamura, the ex-Oh Pro alumnus and studio Z3 member Osamu Nabeshima, and of course Kanada himself. Kanada and Miyazaki had already met a few times by then, and Kanada had even done some of his first in-betweening work on a Miyazaki episode back in the 70’s. But it’s on Nausicaä that began a relationship that would last for a decade. With Komatsubara as animation director, the movie’s animation is probably the most diverse among all of Miyazaki’s catalogue: it’s much easier than in his other movies to spot the different animators and their sensibilities. The level at which Miyazaki exerted his control was therefore not the animation itself, but the storyboards. Especially compared to Rintarô’s, they are very detailed and sequential: every movement and expression is recorded. To put it in raw numbers, Nausicaä’s storyboard is as long as Galaxy Express’ (around 550 pages for each) even though the first one is shorter by 30 minutes and Galaxy Express’s storyboard is already notably long. Stylistically, one of the most striking elements in Nausicaä compared to other Miyazaki movies is the use of impact frames. You would think these were implemented by Kanada himself, since they were one of his frequent techniques. But in fact, the way explosions are drawn in the storyboard seems to indicate that they were planned at that level. Kanada animated many sequences of the movie, but let’s just focus on the most famous one, the air battle scene. As can be expected from Miyazaki, the layouts are fairly complex, as the airships chasing each other move in all directions across the screen. Most of it is already present in the storyboard, so even though it’s perfectly fair to credit Kanada for being able to pull the scene off, it’s not his own inventivity that’s behind it. The only place where he could really do things his own way was in the actual drawing style, and especially in the shapes. Indeed, all the effects are very easy to recognize: they’re characteristically angular and the color work is fairly unique. What interests me the most in this sequence is the missile part, from 0:14 to 0:17. The storyboard details the movement, but the actual motion is quite striking. First, it must be noted that the animation is entirely on 1s and 2s with close spacings – the kind of combination that’s usually used to convey detailed, nuanced and realistic motion, one seldom used by Kanada. The amazing sense of action therefore doesn’t come from the timing but from the rhythm of the motion itself: in the first shot, each missile is launched in sequence, and they then enter in the next shot one by one, something that doesn’t seem to be clearly indicated in the storyboard. Then, there’s the characteristic motion of the missiles. In the storyboard, their trajectory is relatively straight and simple, but Kanada privileged something more oblique and irregular: the first missile starts relatively straight, but then suddenly moves left just before it hits the airship. The other missiles follow close behind, and the smoke trails they leave behind occupy all the frame, almost to the point of crowding it. You see Kanada’s unique approach to compositing here as the missiles are on a different cel as the airship, making their interaction when a missile hits all the more striking. 1984 was a turning point in Kanada’s career both because of Birth and Nausicaä. The failure of the former and the success of the latter profoundly changed the kind of work Kanada would do. Except for the Tôei movie Odin: Kôshi Hansen Starlight in 1985, for which he had probably already been recruited before Birth or during its production, he did almost no animation direction until the end of his career, and only some storyboards here and there. Most of his work outside Ghibli was minor, and can be boiled down to him helping out some of his friends and students on the shows or OVAs they directed or animated on. It’s hard to tell what was the precise status of Kanada in Ghibli. He participated in every Miyazaki movie, and had his own desk in the studio until 1992. However, in all the lists of Kanada’s works, he is still credited as a freelancer. Even from there, he doesn’t seem to have had an exclusivity contract with Ghibli: Kanada kept his strongly independent spirit. After Takuo Noda had joined Madhouse in 1983 and N°1 was dissolved, Kanada might have joined or become strongly associated with Kaname Pro; but Birth put an end to that. Then, in those years, besides Ghibli, one would often meet Kanada in studios One Pattern (the successor of Masahito Yamashita and Shinsaku Kôzuma’s studio OZ) or Z5 (created by ex-Shingo Araki students who were close to Kanada). The Miyazaki-Kanada collaboration is often considered paradoxical, and it’s widely thought that the latter was somewhat on the losing end of the partnership: his idiosyncratic style didn’t really fit in with Miyazaki’s, and he was corrected to the point of being almost invisible. My analysis of Nausicaä should already have nuanced this idea, but I’d like to go further and show that it misses some important facts: Kanada’s stylistical evolution cannot be understood without his works on Ghibli movies. If you just think of them as a strange parenthesis between his extremely fluid liquid-fire style effects of the early 80’s and the very snappy, angular animation of the 90’s, there’s no way of making sense of that transition. But this transition partly happened in the Ghibli period. Nausicaä is already a first sign of this: the fire effects are remarkably more angular than anything Kanada had done before. This would go on to become even more remarkable on Laputa. The first example of that is Kanada’s most famous contribution of the movie, the storm when lightning transforms into dragons. Because it’s a case of figurative effects and features dragons, this scene tends to be read in the continuity of Genma Taisen’s finale. But, without denying the similarities, I’d relativize that, because there’s a central element missing: the use of color to create motion. In this sequence, the dragons are monochrome, and the motion is only created using lines. In that sense, Kanada’s effects work must be understood in relation to two things: first, Masahito Yamashita’s effects at roughly the same time which use lines in a similar, although more baroque, way, and Kanada’s previous work on beam shapes, which had featured this angularity for a long time. The same applies to character animation. The other standout moment that Kanada did in Laputa is the encounter/fight between the inhabitants of the mining town and the pirates in the first part of the movie. What’s striking in this scene is the rhythm: we get long moments of anticipation and then sudden, very fast motion on the hits. The spacings suddenly get very wide at some moments, and the limbs are always extended or making stark angles. What this looks like is, in fact, less Kanada than early Yoshiyuki Momose or Yoshifumi Kondô. In other words, this is a return to Kanada’s 70’s inspirations, probably spurred by Miyazaki who had been close to the A Pro school. This is absolutely essential because, as I will show in a later article, Kanada’s late style in the 90’s can in fact be read as a return to the A Pro fundamentals. And this sequence from Laputa shows that this had already started in 1986, under Miyazaki’s supervision. It seems that Kanada tried out his new philosophy of character acting in My Neighbour Totoro. Testimonies from the movie production seem to indicate that the animation of the bath scene was extremely striking and idiosyncratic. Maybe it went a bit too far – although the finished product retains a great sense of liveliness and fun, it’s not as bold as you’d expect. In fact, Shinsaku Kôzuma told that, on Totoro, Miyazaki flat-out rejected some of Kanada’s layouts and had him use an enlarged version of the storyboard instead. A clue that supports this is the fact that after Totoro, Kanada was seldom given pure acting cuts – Miyazaki might have been afraid of him going too much off-model. Off-model was something Kanada was an expert in, and his Ghibli layouts, most notably from Laputa, seem to indicate how playful and free-spirited he was with his work and Miyazaki’s characters. One of Kanada’s idiosyncratic layouts from Laputa. In a mysteriously obscure remark, Shinsaku Kôzuma commented on Kanada’s Ghibli layouts, saying that “Miyazaki didn’t want to admit to himself that he couldn’t understand them” Despite all that, Kanada was no doubt a central figure in Ghibli. On Laputa, he was credited as “head key animator” (). Some accounts claim that this honorific title is a relic of a new kind of organization Miyazaki wanted to try out: like it had been the case in Tôei Animation in the 60’s, it would have been a two-tier system with head key animators doing first key animation having a series of assistants doing the second key animation. However, this experiment was soon abandoned, and Kanada’s credit was mostly an in-joke within the Ghibli staff, who called Kanada “chief” () because of his prestige and prominence. On all Ghibli movies, he was generally given the most complex scenes on the movies: on Totoro, he had to animate one of the most impressive Catbus sequences, with the very intricate movement of all the legs and a long moment of background animation. On Kiki, it was a lot of flying scenes, most notably the one when Kiki is attacked by a pack of crows, and the finale of the movie. Finally, it was on Porco Rosso that Kanada had the most opportunity to showcase the range of his talent. I’ve argued previously that Kanada’s animation in the 70’s represented a key step in the development of realism, and that under the influence of Kazuhide Tomonaga, he slowly turned towards a realistic approach of mechanical animation. Porco Rosso probably represents the apex and conclusion of that evolution: in charge of many flying scenes, Kanada revealed his ability to convey the volume and weight of machines. In this sequence, the hardest would have been to make the movement of the plane believable, and to convey both the danger and speed. He established the second through amazing bits of background animation, but he also managed to make the plane evolve naturally in such a quickly-evolving environment. The machine is animated on 2’s, often on 1’s, and there’s something impressive about its consistency. Even with such uniform timing, Kanada created a sense of rhythm, mostly through the bursting water splashes. An especially impressive moment is around 1:11, when the plane just rebounds on the water. It enters the frame on 2’s, but after the first bounce, it goes on 1’s until the end of the shot. But as it goes further away from a camera and bounces again, the spacings get closer and closer, creating both the feelings of distance and speed. Everything is carefully studied, and Kanada’s work on the movie deserves to be counted among the masterpieces of mechanical animation. I tend to consider that Porco Rosso is Kanada’s last work in Ghibli. He did do some animation on Princess Mononoke in 1997, but his contribution was notably short. The movie’s production report indicates that Kanada wasn’t meant to work on the movie in the first place, and that he ended up on it because Ghibli was understaffed. I believe that Kanada distanced himself from the studio on Porco Rosso following its internal reform: during the production of the movie, Miyazaki and the rest of the studio’s management decided to raise the salaries of the employees and made a mass series of recruits. Following this, Ghibli started to rely less and less on the services of freelancers such as Kanada. There might also have been some personal disagreement between him and Miyazaki; but most importantly, there was the fact that Kanada’s style was taking a new, major turn, that absolutely didn’t fit the Ghibli aesthetic anymore. This turn took notably shape in Rintarô’s 1992 OVA, Download: Namu Amida Butsu wa Ai no Uta. The OVA must be understood in context. It is one of the many works Rintarô directed in his OVA period, which roughly goes from 1987 to 1994, during which he tried out, with uneven levels of success, very different works and styles. Download was, as strange as that might sound, a cyberpunk comedy. It was one of the late meeting places of the oldest members of the Kanada school: Takuo Noda, who had been Kanada’s master, had become one of Rintarô’s closest associates since Genma Taisen in 1983, and he invited not only Kanada, but also Kazuhiro Ochi and Masahito Yamashita. Kanada was therefore in a comfortable environment, and had the opportunity to do the character designs himself. It might seem strange that he didn’t also do the animation direction; it’s possible that it was offered to him. But he was likely already busy on other projects (Porco Rosso was in production at the same time) and handed the position down to Noda. It had been a long time since the golden days of their collaboration, but Noda and Kanada were old friends: it’s not like the animation direction was given to entirely foreign hands. Download featured Kanada’s first character designs since Birth, and it’s hard not to see the two in continuity. The design of the female characters is very similar in both OVAs, although Download went even further in exaggerating their curves. All the characters were simple and animation friendly, and expressed a constant feeling of energy and joy. In that, they were probably the perfected realization of what had been tried out in Birth’s character animation: the possibility of a Kanada-style character animation that would put aside any form of rigidity in favor of liberated, spontaneous movement – in other words, expand to character animation what Kanada had done to effects. In concrete terms, this meant three things: a prioritization of motion above all else, a disregard for staying on-model, and a liquid approach to shapes. These are the characteristics of what I call “flow animation” which would become more and more important in the 90’s and triumph in the 2000’s. All this was already present in Birth, and would be pushed further by two artists throughout the 80’s. The first is Kanada himself, notably on The Chocolate Panic Picture Show in 1985 which, just in-between Birth and Laputa, features both a flowing, deformed kind of animation, and snappier timings and cycles. The other is Shinsaku Kôzuma, one of the few students of Kanada who didn’t completely turn to effects animation in the second half of the 80’s. His work made a heavy use of shape deformation, squash and stretch and stark slow-in/slow-outs, creatin a yet unprecedented feeling of rhythm. But it was Download that really showed what this approach to animation meant. This was partly due to the generally better production conditions compared to Birth, Kanada’s even more perfected character designs and a new philosophy he had probably agreed on with Noda. But there’s also a determining element: Gosenzosama Banbanzai. This 1990 OVA was one of the masterpieces of realistic animation, but it was also, through the pioneering work of Satoru Utsunomiya, Shin’ya Ohira and Mitsuo Iso, one of the major steps in the development of flow animation and the new philosophy of character acting. It is therefore no surprise if two of Download’s foremost animators, Kazuyoshi Yaginuma and Tatsuyuki Tanaka, were pure products of the realist school. The two men were intimate friends and had both started their career in studio Telecom. Close friends with Takashi Nakamura and Shin’ya Ohira, they were at the center of the realist circle, and Tanaka even made his debut as key animator on Akira, before working on Gosenzosama Banbanzai where he met Iso. Tanaka’s animation is probably one of the highlights of Download. It is highly modulated, switching freely between 1s and 4s, close and wide spacings. This creates a sense of frenesy, furthered by the multiplication of movements of all parts of the body, clearly inspired by Iso. The other Iso inspiration is probably in the smears: whereas Kanada school animators like Shinsaku Kôzuma used wide, deformed smears that exaggerated the motion, following Gosenzosama, Iso pioneered smaller smears that would only distort the outlines of objects, most notably of the hands: they were in the service of dynamism rather than deformation for its own sake. All in all, there’s a very fun and cartoony aspect to it, that’s the perfect crossing point between Gosenzosama’s expressive animation and Kanada’s crass, body-centered kind of humor. What makes this animation so unique in Download is its contrast with the more angular Kanada-style effects, and Kanada’s own animation. He animated by himself the long and impressive final scene. What little acting there is here is as energetic as Tanaka’s, but the shapes are still more rigid. The thing that really stands out, however, is the effects animation. The star-shaped beams are directly taken from Kanada’s work on the Odin movie from 1985, and the simplicity of the fire and smoke effects is clearly descended from the smoke and fire of Nausicaä. But what changes is the return of speed lines, which had totally disappeared from Kanada’s animation in the 80’s, and the intensive use of straight and geometrical shapes. Kanada’s use of a ruler had never been more obvious, and what you see here are all the elements of his later style that would become so iconic in the 90’s and 2000’s. There would still be a lot to be said about Kanada’s work in the 80’s. But this article had a somewhat reduced scope, and its goal was not to be a complete retrospective. What I wanted to explore were two things: one, what was the relationship between Kanada and the directors he worked with, and where exactly were the places of innovation and invention. And, two, how did the transition from his apparently realistic style of the late 80’s to his heavily stylized animation to the 90’s happened. In fact, I think it is a conclusion of the research I made here that there was no transition – Kanada held the two concurrently, and there was never any contradiction between them. This period is so interesting precisely because Kanada’s style isn’t fixed, and in 1992-1993, Kanada’s character animation could clearly have gone in two directions: the liquid, free-flowing style tried out in Birth and Download on one hand; and, on the other, the solid, rigid, A-Pro inspired animation that he began to use on Laputa. Partager : Related Next ›The rise of realism Leave a Reply Cancel reply Email (Address never made public) Connecting to %s Notify me of new comments via email. Δ May 2021 M T W T S S « Apr Jun » Étiquettes	37,280
Millions of older working adults do not follow the career track from high school to college. Sometimes called "non-traditional" students, these are individuals who, for many reasons, find themselves back in the classroom at age 25, 35, 45 or beyond. Non-traditional students come from lower-income families, have children and other family obligations, serve in the military or travel other paths not directly leading to college at age 18. Now, while verbally encouraging these individuals back to school, the U.S. Department of Education, through its controversial "gainful employment" regulation, will make it much more difficult for these students to get the college education they need and want. The gainful employment regulation, the government’s supposed answer to excessive student debt, singles out career-oriented private-sector colleges and universities (PCSUs) — in the department’s vernacular, "for-profit" schools. More than 60,000 Virginians are currently enrolled in these institutions. The gainful employment rule creates a debt-to-income ratio for determining program eligibility in student aid programs. The government would bar students using federal aid from entering programs that fail the pre-set ratio. Washington’s approach has several shortcomings. The federal formula focuses only on the early years following graduation. Who recognizes their true earning potential in the early years? Also, if the gainful employment regulation makes sense, why not apply it to all college students, including medical students or law students who often graduate with deep debts? Or what about young people who spend upward of $150,000 or more for an English degree at elite liberal arts colleges? Among baccalaureate degree programs, students at public and private non-profit colleges and universities account for the preponderance of those with excessive debt ($45,000 or more). Take away the public subsidies that these types of schools enjoy — and that no one likes to mention when discussing college costs — and the debt volumes would go through the roof. The new rule targets non-traditional students, limiting choice and diminishing the value of private-sector education for graduates. The economic and social costs for individuals denied educational opportunity in our country would be enormous, measured in increased unemployment benefits, welfare benefits, health care benefits, and related social program outlays. Too many would seem to prefer to demonize private-sector colleges and universities based on isolated anecdotes rather than to spur job growth, spread equality of opportunity and shore up the shrinking American middle class by supporting a sector covering 13 percent of higher education. Sometimes it is easier, given the biases of those who come from traditional education, to see a few trees rather than the entire forest. In the case of PSCUs, the "forest" equates to 3.8 million students attending our schools to improve their individual circumstances, people who want to turn from random jobs and frequent unemployment to meaningful careers. Do we have a few problematic "trees"? Absolutely. So do traditional schools, and not just in their athletic programs. If the question is about debt, look at ways of limiting borrowing so that student loans do not become personal loans. No matter what the issue, the guiding principle in devising remedies should be fairness and application to all in higher education. Be the First to Comment! new follow-up comments new replies to my comments Notify of new replies to this comment Notify of new replies to this comment Sponsored Ads Weekly News Email Career College Central Career College Central is the definitive voice of the career college sector of higher education. Our purpose is to be an unrelenting advocate for career colleges and the students who attend them. Career College Central wants to create a better understanding of the impact of a career education on the lives of students, the American workforce and our nation’s economy. Career College Central vows to be the ADVOCATE our students, staff and champions deserve. Join the definitive voice of the career college sector of higher education online, in print and in spirit. Together, our voice will be heard.	4,350
We usually see high-tech equipment reserved exclusively for the use of elite professional athletes or in sports science research. Now, this technology is within your reach. Working together using this technology we can maximize the benefits, improve your results and help you achieve your goals. This Athletic Performance Lab will take your performance to the NEXT level. My objective is to help all athletes from different sports and levels to reach their maximum potential. The first step is a full physical evaluation to detect any areas that could be limiting your optimal performance, followed by the design of a specific training plan to help you achieve your objectives. During this screening, accuracy will be the main objective. For that, advanced software will be implemented with different types of equipment (force platform, linear encoder, dynamometer, among others) to process information acquired in real-time. This software offers graphs of variables, such as speed, acceleration, force, power and any physical imbalances, allowing the display and comparison of results to generate reports and a database dedicated to your performance This can also be used during any recovery process for athletes and non-athletes. training one on one The first step is analyzing the data already collected to build a structured program adapted specifically for you. The second step is overarching periodization to maximize performance at key times/events and providing support to understand the specific training guidelines (before-during-after training, nutritional advice, and recovery) to accomplish your goals. The frequency of training sessions will be determined by your goals and needs. recovery therapy Did you know that MOTION can be used as a pain modulator? Studies have shown that we can modulate pain from a pre-existing injury through exercise. Choosing the right exercises and movements is important to help you advance in your recovery plan. My experience in the area of rehabilitation makes it easier for me to help you overcome any restrictions through a program of exercises suitable for your situation or by using massage therapy techniques as a complement to the program. Sports massage has been used for centuries in an attempt to prevent and cure injuries. Massage enhances muscle relaxation, reduces muscle tension and soreness, promotes the healing process and improves athletic performance. The ultimate goal is to avoid being injured in the first place, preventing the need to stop training and to see a specialist. Prevention is better than cure. Recovery is as important as your journey on the court, field or gym. and FASTER Physical assessment Using software to collect precise data about isometric strength, speed and power to help to detect any flags or unbalance that could affect your optimal performance or slow down your rehab progression. * Screening for tennis player. Training One on One Structured program based on the analysis of the assessment, adapted to your needs. Nutritional and recovery advice. Daily challenges to help you reach your maximum potential Easy to follow, personalized monthly program to enhance your physical and mental performance. 2-3 days strength training and 1-2 days energy system development (depending on your goals). Weekly on line / in-person follow ups. Treatment with sports massage techniques, analytic & global stretching and specific exercises to help you overcome the obstacle between you and your goals.	3,589
Beverly Hills. Home to the world-renowned 90210 zip code that’s a breathtaking backdrop to a multitude of television shows, thanks to its alluring streets lined with towering palms on both sides. It’s a small town in a big city that’s best known for glitz, glamour, and its proximity to iconic landmarks and local haunts in the City of Angels. It’s also where, in 2013, real estate mogul Marv Peters founded his boutique real estate firm, Peters Realty Group. As an industry veteran who has closed $250 million in transactions as an institutional investor representative, and another $100 million transacted in residential real estate over his near decade in the field, Marv leads a team of real estate brokers, agents, and administrators with over 60 years of combined experience, providing top-notch service to investors and residential home buyers across the area, as well as commercial and asset management. The firm represents some of the largest institutional investors in the country—including Offerpad, Blackstone, Riverstone Residential Group, and Invitation Homes, which selected him to represent them in their billion-dollar investment in the Los Angeles residential market. While the term “mogul” might conjure the image of a hands-off leader in a corner office, counting his profits, Marv could not be more contrary to this mold. He sees himself as “everybody’s broker.” And not just because his speaks four languages—English, Spanish, Tagalog, and French—but because, for him, it’s not the metric that matter, it’s the people he serves. “My motivation is, of course, to bring my clients extraordinary value, but my underlying driver is to use my success to contribute to this community that has given me so much,” he shares. Marv’s career in real estate began before he even finished high school, working alongside his parents who built a thriving real estate firm from humble beginnings in the late 90’s. This exposure ignited a passion that has carried with him his entire career. He was trained by some of the industry’s most savvy real estate investment experts, learning the business from the ground up, and fell ever more in love with the field. Through decades of experience, having succeeded in all facets of residential and commercial real estate – acquisition, disposition, leasing, asset /property management and finance, Marv saw his net worth grow to seven figures, where he parlayed his success as a broker into his success as an investor. Today, Marv is responsible for commercial assets valued at $120 million and the management of 150,000 square feet of multifamily properties, retail centers, office buildings, and office parks. All while bringing exceptional value to Peters Realty Group’s clients through analytics, substantial local market data, and in-depth local market knowledge, as well as the firm’s unwavering reputation and relationships throughout the broker community. “I was taught the value of relationships early, and I foster them. Our relationships are where we thrive,” he says. Though Marv has long since arrived as a captain of industry, his heart lies where it always has—with his community. In 2015, Marv started the company’s Community Enrichment Program wherein a portion of each commission from every transaction is donated to a local school, nonprofit, or community benefit programs. “This is the most rewarding part of my job. Honestly, this is what drives me today.” he shares. Marv received his bachelor’s from University of Phoenix and is a member of the SWLA Board of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, AIR CRE and CCIM. Click on the Cover to Download the Magazine Featured Member Program ABOUT MEDIA KIT Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Get in Touch with Us The Top 100 Magazine by Redwood Media Group Inc. ALL content on this site is the property of Redwood Media and may not be reproduced without our express permission.	4,173
In September 2022, the American Medical Association released the revised E/M guidelines for 2023, bringing the 2021 Guidelines in alignment with other code sets for Evaluation and Management Services. This is part of their ongoing effort to reduce physician documentation burdens. Do you like it?0 Read more November 4, 2022 Published by Jennifer McNamara In September 2022, the American Medical Association released the revised E/M guidelines for 2023, bringing the 2021 Guidelines in alignment with other code sets for Evaluation and Management Services. This is part of their ongoing effort to reduce physician documentation burdens. Do you like it?0 Read more October 27, 2022 Published by Michael Stephenson Steps to Improve your Prior Authorization Process The challenges prior authorization presents to healthcare groups and physicians continue to increase. A 2021 American Medical Association (AMA) survey found that 93% of physicians report that prior authorization results in care delays. One-third said that prior auth delays have caused at least one of their patients to experience a serious problem, such as hospitalization, disability, and even death. Do you like it?0 0 Read more October 7, 2022 Published by Jennifer McNamara Breast Cancer Awareness: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Getting Paid In October we raise awareness for Breast Cancer since it is the second most common cancer that women in the United States face according to the CDC. Every year in the United States, we see cases of about 264,000 in women and 2,400 in men. The mortality rate for women is higher at 42,000 and 500 for men just in the U.S. alone. It is vital that we raise awareness for prevention, early detection, and access to treatment. Do you like it?0 0 Read more September 29, 2022 Published by Jennifer McNamara Are you struggling with your Evaluation and Management reimbursement for Radiation Oncology services? Radiation Oncology has nuances, and you may be leaving money on the table without a good understanding of how the 2021 Evaluation and Management guidelines impact Oncology services. Do you like it?0 0 Read more September 28, 2022 Published by Jennifer McNamara What are Unnecessary Claim Errors costing you? In today’s business of healthcare landscape making mistakes can cost a Medical Practice or facility thousands annually. Do you know the true cost of the errors made in claim submission at your facility or clinic? Understanding the errors is part of the equation but the most beneficial thing we can do is learn to prevent these errors in the first place. We must develop a proactive approach to our data and use it to our benefit. Do you like it?1 Read more September 23, 2022 Published by Jennifer McNamara I have experience with nearly all operational roles in a provider’s practice. I have been involved in almost every role in the medical office except for clinical. This has provided me with a unique understanding of the barriers and opportunities for patients and providers for the healthcare process. Do you like it?1 0 Read more September 23, 2022 Published by Jennifer McNamara Prior Authorization Barriers in Orthopedics In my 20 years in healthcare, I have seen numerous changes in financial and operational processes. None has been more disruptive than the increase in the requirement for prior authorization. Do you like it?1 0 Read more September 14, 2022 Published by Michael Stephenson Bolstering your Prior Authorization Processes to Thrive Prior authorization is here to stay. Insurance companies are increasing Prior Authorization (PA) requirements for medical services and prescription drugs. As a result, the PA administrative load is getting heavier for healthcare providers. Do you like it?0 0 Read more Oncospark Inc is your dedicated medical billing solutions partner offering end-to-end medical billing and coding solutions to physicians, billing companies and healthcare organizations.	4,050
Phil Mickelson's consider in direction of transfer unnoticed at The Open up lasted simply just one working day. A movie that mentioned toward be a difference within just the tone of his social media course of action accidentally grew to become the most up-to-date chapter within his summer time leisure excursion upon those people platforms. Mickelson declared he designed anything at all named a "difficult reset" considering that his visual appeal and disregarded lower at the 3M Open up within Minneapolis 2 months in the past. The reset consisted of a retreat of some variety, as properly as a 6-working day instant and food plan of h2o and a one of a kind espresso mix "for overall health." Status upon an Irish landscape inside of a black-upon-black "Phil jumping" brand hat and inside all-black, symbol-a lot less athletic don of some form, Mickelson claimed he'd misplaced 15 body weight. With a tiny superior creation, the script and outfit could possibly comprise generated him a individuality inside a scene versus HBO's Silicon Valley.Allow's buy genuine for a moment. I haven't been my perfect and I'm accomplishing all I can in the direction of just take it instantly. I'll incorporate excess Phireside chats before long as very well as a pleasurable contemporary collection as well. Till then, Strike's Mickelson furthermore informed United states Presently's Steve DiMeglio that he further yoga in direction of his program, went upon regular monthly hikes, and that he didn't instantaneous toward get rid of bodyweight however "towards treatment." He's leaning upon a maxim that "anything on your own location into your system is possibly producing illness or aiding on your own overcome ailment." It's an abnormal method for a specialist golfer making an attempt toward enjoy greater golfing still a person that's nicely upon-model for Mickelson. Will it effort for The Open up?Oh Tyler Benson Pet Jersey, no. No, just about completely not. Still it's relevance the shot, and that seems to be towards be all this is for Mickelson. He's not saying he's discovered some key, nevertheless he's simply striving one thing, a little something, in the direction of change it up in the course of a extend inside of which he's forgotten 4 of 6 cuts and not been aggressive at the most important championships. Even if he's accomplished this in the direction of "get rid of, " his golfing sport is however in just a 120th-strokes-acquired-tee-towards-inexperienced position nation of disrepair. He looks in the direction of have an understanding of this, telling DiMeglio, "I'm not certainly it will aid my activity. I dress in't contain superior requirements this 7 days."Mickelson can undoubtedly compete this 7 days at Royal Portrush. He's nevertheless crushing the ball off the tee for his age and this primary tends in direction of be the one particular maximum hospitable toward the more mature avid gamers within the recreation. Hyperlinks golfing can boost the strategists andor people with practical experience enjoying a layout that's consequently much taken out against the weekly position-and-strike dartboards upon the PGA Excursion. A 10 years back we noticed Tom Watson approximately acquire The Open up at 59 decades previous. There was a season within just his profession Although the superior-ball hitting Mickelson was not a in good shape for this style and design Slater Koekkoek Bodysuit, which he quickly admitted. Nonetheless he figured it out inside of the later on levels of that occupation, successful inside of 2013 at Muirfield and contending several periods considering that. Mickelson's loathe romance with one-way links golfing and The Open up is previously all take pleasure in and is made up of been for virtually a 10 years. He relishes it and there's a beneficial prospect this will be the 1 biggest he can compete at into his 50s. Still that doesn't signify the "psychological clarity" he at present consists of in opposition to a cannonball instant and some exclusive espresso will location his 2019 golfing sport within just constructive region for a championship he at this time embraces.What's inside of the unique espresso?We did not take facts pertaining to the distinctive "well being combine, " yet Mickelson does shoutout Dave Phillips, who he states he'd been functioning with upon the espresso. 2 decades in the past, Mickelson went into even more upon his complex espresso plan with Alan Shipnuck, prompting superb curiosity back again then that forced Phillips, a self-proclaimed "espresso custodian" and "espresso sommelier, " towards percentage some additional point: Mickelson brews his magic elixir inside of a Presse, built by means of Bobble. Below is the tick-tock versus Phillips: "Fill in direction of the ultimate with coarse floor Ethiopian Yirgacheffe espresso, then insert h2o heated in direction of 200 ranges. Stir 5 or 6 days, be reluctant a few minutes and then plunge it. Phil then pours it into a Bodum pot and provides Califa Farms almond milk, a sprint of cinnamon, a pair Yiragacheffe Cacao nibs and a very little medium-chain triglyceride oil, which is extracted against coconuts. With a hand electric powered blender he mixes it right until a little frothy and that's it."A yr afterwards within the summer time of 2018 all through a working day out with Shipnuck, Mickelson was including 5 photos of coffee in direction of the potion he explained bolstered his immune approach and low swelling for the duration of performing exercises. It is unclear if this is the present-working day health and fitness merge, still with Phillips even now provided, it's heading just about anything conclusion toward the a person against 2 decades back. Nonetheless potentially they arrived up with some carefully alternative and further exclusive brew for pre-Open up fasts."Holding it correct"Mickelson commences his online video declaring "permit's purchase accurate" and closes it with a "for at this time, permit's maintain it correct" signaling some difference inside tone. However the eccentricity of the quick just before a greatest championship and his "distinctive espresso" simply just produced him nonetheless yet another entire-working day tale of desire and Twitter one particular-liners. Then he went again into hiding and is not scheduled for upon a pre-match push meeting, one thing that's develop into program for him at the majors https://www.edmontonicegear.com/Mark_Messier_Bodysuit, preserve for for the Masters, where by he doesn't dare refuse the inexperienced jackets' requests. Mickelson incorporates not performed optimistic golfing this summer months nevertheless he consists of been a content material-creating device upon social media, where by he stocks reports upon enduring excrement within golfing holes at PGA Excursion activities, calf exercise routine rules, and results in being cheeky concerning "hitting bombs." Phil practising upon Tuesday at Portrush with his beverage tumbler at the organized. He inevitably relented and jumped into the year-losing and normally soul-sucking cavern of social media inside of the summer season of 2018, yet what adopted was a sequence of mainly corny and transparently above-manufactured efforts in direction of endorse his generated-for-Television set Activity from Tiger Woods. This 12 months, still, it felt which includes Mickelson experienced elbowed out what experienced towards be a cadre of caretakers for this sort of social accounts and taken the reins himself, with no accurate motive or marketing tactic other than in the direction of attain off some jokes and supply yourself a accurate seem to be into his restrictor plate-cost-free thoughts.The motive of Mickelson's fasting online video seems toward be relatively critical while, due to the fact this is Phil Mickelson, he likely additionally understood the response it would acquire. He wouldn't consist of shared some of the information experienced he wished-for towards remain off the radar. An try in the direction of preserve it legitimate and pause the number present grew to become out in the direction of be the maximum fascinating and enjoyable act as a result considerably. Currently will come the golfing https://www.edmontonicegear.com/Glen_Sather_Hoodie, which, within Great days and within just poor, is usually pleasurable. 0 comments Comments Follow Post 0 comments Similar Posts Sunday open up thread: Which staff would yourself which includes the Lions in the direction of get hold of revenge upon inside of 2022?	8,709
While it is always prudent to be positive in all that we do I was just wondering about losses and tax deductions (American tax code). Lets say one screws up and loses, say about 2 grand over the course of the year. Can you deduct this investment loss against other sources of income or can you only deduct it against other investment gains? rhodytrader May 24, 2017, 12:40pm #2 While it is always prudent to be positive in all that we do I was just wondering about losses and tax deductions (American tax code). Lets say one screws up and loses, say about 2 grand over the course of the year. Can you deduct this investment loss against other sources of income or can you only deduct it against other investment gains? You can count $3000 in Schedule D losses against your normal income. If your losses are greater than $3000, they can be carried forward. toptick07 May 24, 2017, 12:40pm #3 For those of you who are active and profitable, it may be worth your time to look into “trader in securities” status as well. In the US, the IRS has allowed traders to elect a reporting status that permits Schedule C deductions of certain trading related expenses and may allow you to “mark to market” your positions at year end. Go to the IRS website and look under publications. and I am not a tax professional; nor is this intended as personal advice to you, westside, or to anyone else. Remember to keep it simple. Concentrate on the trading at first and get the details ironed out as you progress. Hope this helps…	1,625
I’m not sure when it hit me – really hit me – that Jonestown was not a summer camp or vacation getaway or a temporary move but a permanent emigration by a dedicated and committed group of people to a new land, new community and new way of life. What might have failed these people? What could have compelled them to leave their homes and country, families and friends, with everything that entails, to move to a foreign land in order to build a town? What was lacking back home? Perhaps they were missing something in life that they thought would be fulfilled and satisfied by this move. Maybe their own country failed them, maybe it was their family, or maybe it was themselves. Maybe they just needed a new start. Perhaps the reasons behind their decisions to make this momentous move was not in leaving something behind, but moving forward and toward something. Possibly, these were the Peoples Temple members who had a desire to serve humanity and become a part of something greater than themselves, a chance for self-sacrifice and for attaining a higher communal good. To have worked so long and hard to build what they considered to be their Promised Land, only to see their new home and lives come crashing down around them as Jim Jones became sicker and sicker, must have been truly heartbreaking for the population of Jonestown. What must have gone through their minds when they realized that their community was slipping away? They were tired from too much work, too little sleep, too little food and the nonstop drone of Jim Jones on the loudspeakers, not to mention the efforts of the Jonestown leadership to instill a complete lack of trust and to divide even the closest family members by employing a “Big Brother” mentality. Jones’ fraudulent reports of threats on Jonestown by invaders from the jungle were just another vehicle to terrorize and demoralize the people who had entrusted him as their leader. This constant threat from beyond must have been very unnerving and most likely helped to keep the community even further on edge with fear. How many people were still thinking rationally and clearly when it came time for Jones to call for what he deemed “revolutionary suicide”? In the end they may have had two choices, to kill themselves or to be killed. In the article Murder or Suicide: What I Saw, Tim Carter writes that he viewed the bodies of people who had appeared to have been forcibly injected with poison. Another question that comes to mind is whether Peoples Temple would have become the thriving and dynamic community that it became if there hadn’t been such a large African American population. How many of this community found a home in Jonestown after suffering the brutality and disenfranchisement of a country that largely turned its back on them? It must have been the ultimate irony and slap in the face when they realized – with a mounting sense of horror – what Jones was actually asking them to do. After having put their trust in Jim Jones and his new utopia, after finally having found a place that they could call home and feel safe and respected, it all came to a tragic end. And what of the few who in Jonestown’s leadership group, the ones who bought and stored the poison and managed the ending of Jonestown? How was Jones able to keep these elite few so brainwashed that they were quite capable of carrying out something so evil as to encourage and even demand the suicide and murder of their fellow citizens, their friends, their children and themselves? When reading about them and viewing their photos, it’s hard to believe that they were capable of something so heinous. Even though they seemed to be just people who were really striving for a better world, somehow something in them became twisted to the extent that it allowed them to commit this act of evil. It’s hard to comprehend. As I work on paintings of Jonestown, the reality of the place continues to make quite an impression on me, especially when I realize what it must have taken to visualize, plan and construct it. No, this was not a summer camp, but a new start and new way of life for many. As I go through the photos, the spirit of the people who built it continues to shine through. Jonestown really was a remarkable undertaking and the people who built it, who had the courage to live out their hopes and dreams will always be remembered. (T. Gordon is currently working on a painting series of impressions of Jonestown. The author’s article in last year’s edition of the jonestown report was Impressions of Jonestown.) the jonestown report archive > the jonestown report, October 2011, > Peoples Temple in the Arts > the jonestown report Who Died Jonestown in the Arts Commentary & Opinion Primary Sources Jonestown & FOIA Sponsored by the Department of Religious Studies at SDSU. Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple is a MERLOT site (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching.) This site houses a variety of PDF documents. To access these PDF files you must have the free Adobe Reader installed.	5,260
The vibrant city of Quitman is located in Brooks County, in southern Georgia. The home to James Pierpont, the author of the holiday favorite “Jingle Bells” song, Quitman is known as the “Camellia City”for the many trees that grow within the city limits. As of 2010, Brooks County had a population of 16,243, and Quitman’s population was 3,850. The land was originally settled in 1818, and Coffee Road was established in 1820, linking the settlement to other townships in the area. Brooks County was formed in 1858, when portions of Lowndes and Thomas counties combined to form a new county. In 1860, the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad reached the town of Quitman, linking the county seat to other major metropolitan hubs. Today, there are two major historical sites of note. The Brooks County Courthouse, constructed in 1864 in Quitman, was designed by architect John Wind. Additionally, the Brooks County Museum and Cultural Center is a cultural site for music, art, and culinary events year-round. Spencer Law Office Assisting Clients in Quitman and Brooks County Established in 1981, Spencer Law Office is dedicated to helping clients throughout Brooks County with a variety of legal matters. We offer legal guidance and representation in the areas of probate, divorce, adoption, child custody, child support, restraining orders, criminal defense, and personal injury. Call us today at (229) 263-4181 to hear more about our services and how we can provide you with the assistance you need. Directions Spencer Law Office provides legal service to Quitman, Brooks County, and throughout the Valdosta Metro Area in the areas of family law and divorce, criminal defense, and estate planning and probate.	1,791
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Gold medalist Lee Kiefer of the United States shows her medal and victory bouquet during the medal ceremony for the women's individual Foil final competition on Sunday at the 2020 Summer Olympics. TOKYO — If you've been tuning in to Olympic events, you might have noticed that every medal winner carries a small bouquet of yellow, green and deep-blue flowers tied with a blue bow. But they're more than just flowers. The elements of the bouquet carry a deeper story, and they are years in the making. They're meant to symbolize Japan rising from the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011, which left about 20,000 people dead or missing. Homes were swept away and whole areas were deserted. The flowers that make up the bouquets are grown mostly in three prefectures hit particularly hard in that event. All but about 100 of the dead or missing were from these areas. The bouquets' Eustomas, which are green and frilly, are grown in Fukushima. After the tsunami killed thousands, the area was devastated by a nuclear disaster, forcing many residents to evacuate. It was an unlikely place to grow flowers. The Japanese organizers say a nonprofit started trying to cultivate Eustomas there in an attempt to jump-start the economy and help with the recovery effort. The Olympic victory bouquets feature Eustomas from Fukushima, an area hit hard by the 2011 earthquake. Switching to flowers was also a practical option for some agricultural producers. Early tests of vegetables grown after the nuclear disaster showed their radiation levels were too high for human consumption, Kyodo News reported. Flowers are held to less strict standards. In the years since the disaster, Eustomas have flourished in Fukushima. "I hope there is a chance to introduce to the world how much Fukushima has recovered through the flowers," Yukari Shimizu, who grows flowers in a town that was formerly off-limits because of the radiation, told Kyodo. Sunflowers from Miyagi When the tsunami hit, it propelled gigantic waves to Miyagi prefecture, and more than 10,000 people there were killed or are missing. Olympic organizers say that in the wake of the disaster, parents came back to a hillside in Miyagi to plant sunflowers in memory of their children who died. Sunflowers from the Miyagi area of Japan are featured in the Olympic bouquets. "Every year the hill becomes covered with sunflowers," the organizers said. "The sunflowers from Miyagi reflect the memories of the people who were affected by the disaster." Miyagi is known for its roses, and sunflowers are a newer specialty for the area. Flower cultivators needed to develop the expertise and technology to produce small sunflowers that would fit within the small bouquets. Gentians from Iwate Just north of Miyagi is Iwate, a coastal area that was also devastated by giant waves. The prefecture produces the majority of Japan's gentians, a small bright-blue flower. Unlike Miyagi and Fukushima, which tackled growing new species of flowers, Iwate has been growing gentians since at least the 1960s. The bouquets also feature a small figure of the Olympic mascot, Miraitowa. The cartoon creature has a blue and white checkered headband, and its name is a combination of the Japanese words mirai (future) and towa (eternity). It is meant to be a celebration of Japan's past and future. Gentian flowers from Iwate are featured in the victory bouquets for Olympic medalists. Merrit Kennedy is a reporter for NPR's News Desk. She covers a broad range of issues, from the latest developments out of the Middle East to science research news.	3,800
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The Flagship Complex is a collection of six historic buildings located over two city blocks in the heart of downtown Erie, PA, the poorest zip code in the United States with a median income of approximately $10,600 per year. The Flagship Complex has been renovated as part of a combined three block effort by the Erie Downtown Development Corporation using historic tax credits, Opportunity zone investment and locally raised equity investment totaling more than $100 million to transform and completely reposition the downtown area. The six buildings comprising the Flagship Complex were originally constructed in the mid-19th century. They have now undergone a complete renovation and have been converted into a large mixed-use development containing 42 units of market rate apartments, 11, 225 square feet of retail space containing a restaurant, 12,295 square feet of office space, 23,035 square foot food hall housing nine different operators, and a 22,418 square foot grocery store in what had previously been a USDA designated food desert. This adaptive reuse will increase the property tax receipts from the renovated buildings by 200%, provide access to healthy foods create job opportunities primarily for woman, minorities, and refugees. All but three of the apartments are now occupied having only become available in January. 42 market rate apartments, food hall, grocery store, and market Securities offered through Orchard Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Foss and company is not affiliated with Orchard Securities LLC nor is it a broker dealer.	1,644
Hi-STANDARD is a punk rock band with the members of Akihiro Namba (Vo/B), Ken Yokoyama (G/Vo) and Akira Tsuneoka (Dr). Active since 1991, they have been performing at live houses around Tokyo area. With the release of their mini album “LAST OF SUNNY DAY” in 1994, they began to gain more attention. They released 2 full albums “GROWING UP” in 1995 and “ANGRY FIST” in 1997 from a major record label. These albums also were released overseas with a good record of sales. They soon began to perform overseas around the same time. They started to host a rock festival “AIR JAM” in 1997, which became a significant influence in the punk rock scene of Japan. When they became independent from their major label with the establishment of “PIZZA OF DEATH RECORDS” in 1999, their very 1st release “MAKING THE ROAD” from the new label made a million hit, which was an extremely unusual case for an indie release. They continued on with their actives not only in Japan alone, but also overseas. In 2000, they announced their hiatus after “AIR JAM 2000” and the members began their individual solo projects and/or bands. After a long break of 11 years, all the members simultaneously sent out a message “9/18 Hi-STANDARD AIR JAM. Spread the words!!!” on Twitter in 4/2011 and the official announcement of “AIR JAM 2011” to be held on 9/18 at Yokohama Stadium as a charity event for the relief of Great East Japan Earthquake and of Hi-STANDARD’s stage at this event was made in 5/2011. Among the artist lineup of 15 domestic and overseas artist groups, Hi-STANDARD was the headliner and performed on stage for the first time in 11 years. In 2/2012, they released a live DVD “Live at AIR JAM 2011” featuring this festival and held “AIR JAM 2012” at Michinoku Park in Sendai, Miyagi over 2 days in 9/2012. The live DVD “Live at TOHOKU AIR JAM 2012” featuring the scenes of “AIR JAM 2012” was recently released in 9/2013. Previous Post New Post PiXMiX to release 2nd album on October 19!! The talented girl group “PiXMiX” will release their 2nd album “Mada, Tabi no Tochuu. Tonari […] Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will be touring Europe in November, with a stop in London on the 25th. Pop singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will be touring Europe this November. Part of her KYARY PAMYU PAMYU 10TH ANNIVERS […] Visual kei band Arlequin will release a new single on August 3rd, and they will be playing a special show with a 51-member orchestra at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA on June 30th Visual kei band Arlequin will release a new single on August 3rd. PICTURES will be available in three editions […] The two new YOSHIKI-inspired energy drinks “Real Gold X” and “Real Gold Y” have launch […] Footage from “THE FIRST FINAL”, the “graduation ceremony” concerts held for contestants from SKY-HI’s boy group audition show “THE FIRST”, will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on June 29th. Footage of the last show from THE FIRST FINAL, a series of three “graduation ceremony” concerts he […] DIR EN GREY will release a new album on June 15th! DIR EN GREY will release a new album on June 15th. PHALARIS will be available in four editions. All four will […] Visual kei band ACME will release a new digital single on May 2nd! Visual kei band ACME will release a new digital single on May 2nd. 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Robert Ponte was injured at age fifteen while hopping aboard one of the appellee's slow moving trains without… Court:District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District Date published: Feb 6, 1991 Robert Ponte was injured at age fifteen while hopping aboard one of the appellee's slow moving trains without… Florida East Coast Ry. Co. v. Pickard District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District Feb 6, 1991 September 4, 1990. On Motion for Rehearing February 6, 1991. Appeal from the Circuit Court, Duval County, Major B. Harding, J. MINER, Judge. Florida East Coast Railway Company (FEC) appeals from a final judgment entered pursuant to a jury verdict finding FEC partially at fault for a railroad accident that resulted in serious personal injuries to appellee, Alan Pickard. We reverse. Trial testimony established that for some two years prior to the accident in question, Alan Pickard, a man in his early twenties, had been pursuing a nomadic lifestyle. His peregrinations had taken him throughout the Southwest, the Pacific Coast states and into Montana and Wyoming as he sought to satisfy his curiosity about whether this country "was as great as everyone says it is." Arriving at his destination of the moment, he would find employment at odd jobs and work until the urge came upon him to travel on. His primary mode of transportation from place to place was hitchhiking but, on at least one occasion in the far West, he hopped a moving freight train. Eventually, Pickard found his way to Jacksonville where in late January or early February, 1986, he and a friend hopped a FEC freight train to Miami where he worked about three weeks as a carnival roustabout. Tiring of such work and intending to return to his parents' home in suburban Atlanta, on the evening of Saturday, February 22, 1986, he hopped a northbound FEC freight train back to Jacksonville. When the train pulled into the FEC freight yards the following Sunday morning, Pickard alighted and, knapsack and bedroll on his back, started to walk north through the yard. He recounted that after walking for some distance along the tracks, he happened upon two men who exited a vehicle he described as a "company car" with a FEC logo on the fender. He assumed these men were employees of FEC and asked them where he could go to hop a freight across the St. Johns River. He said one of the unknown men pointed to University Bridge up ahead and told him what time the next freight train would pass that location. He thanked the man and said the man responded "good luck." The identities of these persons remains unknown. He testified that among those with whom he had discussed the subject, it is common practice "not to get on the train unless you know where it's going." Pickard walked to University Bridge and waited underneath the overpass for the freight train to appear as he was told it would. When no train arrived after about a half hour, he grew impatient, climbed up the embankment and left FEC's premises. He walked over to a fast food restaurant nearby for some refreshment. When he left the restaurant, he walked back toward University Bridge with the intention of crossing over the bridge and walking to the highway to hitch an automobile ride north. It was drizzling rain when Pickard reached the bridge over the railroad tracks. There he saw a freight train coming. He clambered back down the embankment, re-entered on FEC's premises and, satisfied that he had avoided detection by anyone on the train, attempted to board a flatcar near the end of the train which was traveling at about 30 MPH. The train gave a sudden lurch which resulted in his legs being drawn underneath. One of his legs was amputated on the spot and his other foot was subsequently surgically removed. Nowhere in his counsel's opening statement, in his deposition testimony which was read into the record at trial, or in his direct testimony at trial, did Pickard mention that he left the FEC premises and thereafter returned, or that when he left the restaurant he intended to walk to U.S. 1 and thumb a ride. This testimony was elicited on cross-examination by FEC's counsel. On January 14, 1988, Pickard filed a complaint against FEC alleging, among other things, that it was negligent in that its employees knew he was going to board a train and failed to warn him of, or take any measures to prevent, the danger, and that it was negligent in failing to maintain any written policy for dealing with trespassers. FEC's answer denied any negligence, pleaded that Pickard was a trespasser or, at most, an uninvited licensee to whom it owed only a duty to refrain from willful and wanton acts and to warn of dangers known to it but not apparent and asserted that Pickard's negligence was the sole proximate cause of the accident. Among the witnesses as to liability called by plaintiff at trial was Ferrell Vincent, a former railroad safety inspector for the Federal Railroad Administration. Mr. Vincent offered the opinion that FEC was negligent for failing to have in place a written policy "requiring employees to protect against trespassers" and instructing employees "in methods to achieve their result." As an example of the type of written policy he testified was standard in the industry, Mr. Vincent cited with approval the written trespass policy of the Seaboard Railroad system. He read that policy into the record: Trespassing on railroad property is dangerous to trespassers as well as to employees and is prohibited. Employees are expected to use reasonable means to prevent trespassing. When feasible children must be warned and courteously escorted from the property. Others must be tactfully told to leave. Do not try to physically block or eject trespassers. To do so could prove to be dangerous. If the trespasser refuses to leave the property after being tactfully told to leave, prompt report must be made to proper authority or security officer. At the close of plaintiff's case, FEC moved for directed verdict. The trial court granted the motion as to two issues raised in the complaint but denied it with regard to the issue of Pickard's status and FEC's negligence in light of that status and with regard to whether FEC was negligent in failing to maintain a written policy regarding trespassers. At the close of all testimony, FEC renewed its motion for directed verdict on the remaining issues which motion the court took under advisement. After its deliberations, the jury returned a verdict finding plaintiff's damages to be $4,000,000, but finding him 90% negligent and FEC 10% negligent. The court entered judgment on the verdict and this appeal ensued. From what we can glean from reading appellant's briefs and plumbing the depths of the record on appeal, three issues are presented for our review. First, it urges that the trial court reversibly erred in refusing to grant FEC's motion for directed verdict based on its argument that, as a matter of law, Pickard's gross negligence was the sole, active, direct, proximate legal cause of the accident and that FEC was not negligent. Next, FEC argues that the trial court erred in denying its motion in limine to prohibit plaintiff from alluding to other trespasser accidents which have previously occurred along FEC's operating line and to the alleged conversation between Pickard and the unidentified supposed employees of FEC. Lastly, FEC maintains that the gross amount of damages found was excessive. Appellant failed to list these issues in its initial brief as required by Rule 9.210(b)(1) of the Fla.R.App.P. Thus, we have had to formulate the points in controversy using the concluding paragraphs of appellant's initial brief. Concluding, as we have, that the trial court did not err in admitting testimony regarding prior accidents and the conversation Pickard said he had with the two unidentified men in FEC's freight yard, we affirm as to this point. Reasonable persons could speculate as to the truthfulness of Pickard's account of the circumstances surrounding this chance encounter and the substance of the conversation, but we view that as a matter for the jury to decide. Likewise, we do not find that the amount of damages awarded is so gross as to shock the conscience of the court and thus affirm on this point. However, finding that the trial judge erred in not granting FEC's motion for a directed verdict on the issue of causation, we reverse. Uncontradicted testimony from accident investigator Bucher and Ms. Barrickman of FEC's property protection division revealed that they interviewed Pickard in the presence of his mother five days after the accident, that he appeared to be in full control of his faculties and that, as he described the events leading up to the accident, he made no mention of any conversation with anyone in the FEC freight yard. Both testified that they first learned of such a conversation when questioned on cross-examination by Pickard's attorney at trial. Both witnesses also testified, again uncontradicted, that Pickard said he knew he had no business being at the site of the accident, that it was his fault and FEC could not have done anything to prevent it. In his trial testimony, Pickard did not explain his failure to apprise the investigators of the conversation with the two men nor did he deny making the statements attributed to him. During her testimony, Pickard's mother, who sat through the interview, did not deny that her son made the statements testified to by investigator Bucher and Ms. Barrickman. Here, as below, appellee maintains that FEC was negligent at both the management and the operational levels of its railroading activities. At the management level, he faults FEC for "failing to adopt and enforce a uniform written rule for its employees to follow in encountering trespassers." The essence of appellee's argument that there was operational negligence involved in his accident is succinctly stated in his brief: The conduct of the two employees who pointed the way to Mr. Pickard is by itself sufficient evidence of negligence by FEC. The two employees should have told Mr. Pickard to leave. If he did not, they should have called security. They should have warned Mr. Pickard of the hidden dangers of train hopping. They certainly should not have told him of where to catch the train. Turning first to the management level negligence issue, we initially observe that the thrust of the written trespasser policy of which appellee's expert approved at trial is, simply stated, to get unauthorized persons off railroad property, tactfully, if possible. Only if a trespasser refuses to leave is the employee directed to summon "proper authority." Whether told to do so or not or whether his discoverers have knowledge of his departure or not, once a discovered trespasser, in fact, leaves the premises, perforce he is no longer on the premises, which is, after all, what the rule was fashioned to accomplish. Otherwise stated, if there is no discovered unauthorized person on the premises, there is no one upon whom a written policy could operate. To predicate FEC's liability in this case on a no-written-trespasser policy is to forget that there must be a causal connection between the negligence complained of and the injury suffered by appellee. Here, assuming the truthfulness of Pickard's account, the men he encountered did not tell him to leave nor did they escort him off the premises. However, he left FEC property of his own accord and for his own purposes. With his departure, his status changed from that of unauthorized but discovered person on premises to invited patron of Wendy's Restaurant. On this record, we can discern no causal relationship between the fact that FEC did not have a written trespasser policy and appellee's injuries and hold that no such relationship existed as a matter of law. The standards of the railroad industry as embodied in the written Seaboard policy apparently do not require employees to escort unauthorized persons off the premises unless those persons are children of tender years. The operational negligence argued by appellee before this court amounts to the following: (1) the two employees should have told Pickard to leave; (2) they should have warned Pickard of the hidden dangers of train hopping; and (3) they should not have told him where to go to catch the train. It is not urged on appeal that FEC employees were guilty of negligence in the operation of the train that caused Pickard's injuries. Significant to note, also, is the fact that at all times pertinent to this matter, appellee's status as a trespasser or, at best, an uninvited licensee on FEC property, has been accepted by the parties as a given. Nor does appellee maintain before this court that FEC's employee's failure to ask him to leave the premises and their directing him to University Bridge underpass amounts to their giving him implied permission to hop a freight or somehow sanctioning his doing so. Presumably, this is so because there was no proof adduced below that FEC had authorized these unidentified persons to give Pickard permission, either expressed or implied, to hop a freight. In the absence of such proof, it cannot be presumed that such employees have such authority, particularly where, as in Florida, such use of the track is made a crime by statute. See generally 75 C.J.S. Railroads, § 900(b), at 280 and § 927(a), at 341-2. Any person who, without permission of those having authority, with the intention of being transported free, rides or attempts to ride on any railroad train in this state shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in Section 775.082 or 775.083. With respect to appellee's first operational negligence argument, it is likely that all reasonable persons would agree that Pickard should have been directed to leave the premises even though he was not at that time in a position of peril. His appointment with tragedy was yet an hour or more away when he encountered the FEC employees. Even though not telling him to leave may be seen as negligent conduct, leave he did and, as we concluded with respect to appellee's management level negligence argument, we can find no causal connection between such negligence and the injuries he suffered. In addressing appellee's failure-to-warn argument, we deem it appropriate to explore to some extent the development of the law in this area. In cases where, as here, such an argument is necessarily predicated on an injured person's admitted status as a discovered trespasser or uninvited licensee, a landowner has a duty to warn the discovered trespasser of a condition known by the landowner to be dangerous when such danger is not open to ordinary observation. Post v. Lunney, 261 So.2d 146 (Fla. 1972); Wood v. Camp, 284 So.2d 691 (Fla. 1973); Morris v. Florentes, Inc. et al, 421 So.2d 582 (Fla. 5th DCA 1982). Section 342 of the Restatement (Second) of Torts (1965) which was cited with approval in Morris, supra, provides: A possessor of land is subject to liability for physical harm caused to licensees by a condition on the land if, but only if, (a) the possessor knows or has reason to know of the condition and should realize that it involves an unreasonable risk of harm to such licensees, and should expect that they will not discover or realize the danger, and (b) he fails to exercise reasonable care to make the conditions safe, or to warn the licensee of the condition and risk involved, and (c) the licensee does not know or have reason to know of the condition and risk involved. Important to note at this point is that the operational negligence complained of in this case, including the failure to warn, occurred an hour or so before Pickard was injured. At the time of his conversation with the unidentified FEC employees, he was, at most, an uninvited licensee entitled to be warned about known dangers not open to ordinary observation. Florida East Coast Railway Co. v. Gonsiorowski, 418 So.2d 382 (Fla. 4th DCA 1982), review denied, 427 So.2d 736 (Fla. 1983). The issue as we see it, however, is not the status he occupied upon his discovery on the premises but rather the duty owed him at the time of his accident. In Hix v. Billen, 284 So.2d 209 (Fla. 1973), the Florida Supreme Court defined the duty owed persons on premises in terms of the negligence alleged. If the alleged negligence deals with the condition of the premises, the landowner owes no duty to a trespasser or "uninvited guest licensee" except to avoid willful and wanton injury to him and, if his presence be discovered, to give him warning of any known dangerous condition not open to ordinary observation by the uninvited licensee or trespasser. On the other hand, where active conduct or affirmative negligence is alleged and the presence of the licensee is known, ordinary negligence is the "measure of care" owed by the landowner to the licensee. Hix at 210. The effect of Hix, then, is to make an injured licensee's status vis-a-vis the landowner irrelevant in terms of duty owed if his presence on the premises is known to the landowner and if his allegations involve active conduct or affirmative negligence. Four years later, in Maldonado v. Jack M. Berry Grove Corp., 351 So.2d 967 (Fla. 1977), a sharply divided court reaffirmed the rule of law laid down in Hix in finding liability on the part of a defendant who permitted a "dangerous situation" to develop on its property and failed to take "sufficient" precautions to alleviate the dangerous situation. Indeed, it was the defendant's failure to take precautions that the court found to be the "active conduct" or "affirmative negligence" rendering irrelevant the status of a young child who was determined to be an uninvited licensee. Hix and Maldonado have been followed in a number of railroad injury cases. See Florida East Coast Railway Co. v. Gonsiorowski, supra; Seaboard System Railroad, Inc. v. Mells, 528 So.2d 934 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988); Shumake v. Florida East Coast Railway Co., 534 So.2d 1178 (Fla. 4th DCA 1988). Gonsiorowski involved a plaintiff who had been drinking and attempted to cross the railroad tracks at a place not designated as a crossing. He tripped over some railroad spikes near the track and struck his head on one of the rails rendering him unconscious. The engineer of an approaching train saw plaintiff on the track at a distance of about 150' but was unable to stop the train, in part because the train had defective brakes. Raising issues of plaintiff's status on the premises, the railroad company moved for a directed verdict which was denied. From judgment entered on a jury verdict awarding plaintiff $500,000, the railroad appealed. In affirming the judgment, the Fourth District reasoned that actually two injuries had occurred. At the time the plaintiff stumbled on the spikes and fell on the track, "he was either an undiscovered trespasser or an uninvited licensee" entitled to the duty owed to such a person under the dictates of Wood v. Camp, supra. However, finding record evidence that the railroad was on notice that the area in which the spikes were located was used as walkway, the spikes were located in weeds and grass and that a company policy required the spikes to be picked up, the court held that a jury issue existed as to negligence and whether the danger, i.e. the spikes, was open to ordinary observation. As to the injury that occurred when Gonsiorowski was hit by the train, the court held that his status on the premises was irrelevant because the injury was not occasioned by a condition on the premises but rather by negligent operation of the train. Mells, too, involved a reveler asleep on the railroad track who was hit and injured by a train. From a jury verdict in his favor for $200,000 the railroad company appealed. Citing Hix, Maldonado and Gonsiorowski, this court held that Mells's status on the premises was irrelevant in view of his allegations that the company employees were guilty of negligent operation of the train and that a jury question as to negligence was presented. In Shumake v. Florida East Coast Railway Co., supra, the plaintiff appealed a judgment on the pleadings entered against him. He had sustained personal injuries when he attempted to cross FEC's tracks by climbing between the cars of a stopped train. As in Gonsiorowski and Mells, he had alleged that his injuries resulted from negligent operation of the train. The Fourth District reversed the granting of a judgment on the pleadings finding that Shumake should be permitted at trial to adduce evidence as he had alleged that FEC had actual or constructive knowledge of his presence but failed to exercise reasonable care for his safety. It will be observed that in each of the railroad injury cases alluded to above, an issue on appeal involved negligence in the operation of the train. As previously noted, no such issue is raised on appeal in the case at hand. Additionally, in Mells and Shumake, the plaintiffs filed pre-trial motions seeking to preclude the railroad from making their status an issue or referring to them as trespassers. Here, status was made an issue by the plaintiff in order to place himself in a position to complain that FEC's lack of a written trespasser policy and the failure of FEC's employees to tell him to leave the premises caused his injury. In Gonsiorowski and Mells, railroad employees had actual knowledge of the plaintiffs' perilous position at the time of the accident that caused the injuries complained of. In Shumake, the court held only that the plaintiff should be permitted to adduce proof that the railroad company had actual or constructive notice of his presence on the premises ". . . at the time of the accident. . . ." Shumake, 534 So.2d at 1180. (Emphasis supplied). In the instant case there was no evidence presented below that FEC's train operating personnel had knowledge, either actual or constructive, of Pickard's presence on the premises at the time of the accident. At best, the evidence makes out a case that FEC employees had actual notice of Pickard's presence on FEC property an hour or so earlier at a place considerably remote from the situs of the accident. Testimony at trial indicated that University Bridge, a structure measuring some three city blocks in length and spanning more than two dozen railroad tracks was barely visible from the point Pickard said he encountered the two FEC employees. Although appellee offered evidence of numerous trespasser accidents along FEC's operating line over the years, such evidence was only relevant to the issue of FEC's failure to have a written trespasser policy in place. There was no testimony or other evidence adduced below that any trespasser had ever been injured in the area around University Bridge underpass or that FEC train operating personnel knew or should have known that a trespasser was in their midst at the time and place of Pickard's accident. Thus, any allegation that FEC knew or should have known of Pickard's presence necessarily relates back to his earlier encounter with the unidentified employees. Based on his arguments on appeal, it is unclear whether Pickard is attributing his accident to affirmative negligence on the part of FEC employees or a dangerous condition or situation that existed on FEC property. Whatever his theory of negligence, however, his presence on the premises must have been known at the time of his accident for liability based upon failure to warn to attach to FEC. Hix, at 210. For purposes of this analysis, it matters not whether Pickard complains about affirmative negligence or a dangerous condition on FEC premises, the duty to warn remains the same. If such a duty existed under the facts of this case it involved only an obligation to warn him of a known dangerous condition not open to ordinary observation. Be it remembered that Pickard was not a child of tender years as in Maldonado. Neither had he been drinking at the time nor was he unconscious as was the plaintiff in Gonsiorowski nor was he a helpless inebriate sleeping on the tracks as in Mells. He was a veteran freight train hopper who believed himself at the time of his accident to be conversant with the dangers attendant to jumping freights. Since there is no evidence in the record from which it could be inferred that the unidentified employees were possessed of any greater appreciation of the dangers of freight hopping than was Pickard, one might rhetorically ask, of what could these employees have warned him? Should they have told him that it was foolhardy in the extreme to attempt to clamber aboard a freight train moving at 30 MPH in the rain? Ferrell Vincent, Pickard's railroad safety expert, testified that "you're shooting craps anytime you board a moving freight train at more than ten miles an hour" and that "slack action" in a long train "generates terrific force" and will cause one to lose his handhold on a freight car "in a heartbeat" particularly as rain renders that handhold "slick as a whistle." At trial this exchange took place between Pickard and his attorney: Q. Did you have an appreciation of the dangers of catching a freight train? A. I thought I did. But now I do. In his trial testimony, Pickard described the train he tried to catch as "short." Other testimony established that it was 22 cars in length. In response to a question posed to him by Pickard's attorney as to whether the conditions he described were "hidden", Mr. Vincent replied in the affirmative. Had we been sitting as fact finders, we would have been hard pressed to accept that characterization of what seem to us to be self-evident perils involved in attempting to board any vehicle moving at 30 MPH. Even assuming, however, that the question of whether these were "hidden" dangers was a jury issue, as we have noted above, the evidence in this record falls considerably short of establishing that the FEC employees with whom he said he spoke had any greater knowledge than did Pickard of these dangers. It follows, then, and we hold that regardless of Pickard's status at the time of the accident or his allegations of negligence, he has not presented competent, substantial evidence which would impose upon FEC a duty to warn. Appellee's primary operational level negligence argument is simply cast and baldly stated in "but for" language in his brief. He maintains that but for FEC's employees telling Pickard where to go to hop the freight train, this accident would not have happened. Such an argument may satisfy cause-in-fact but, in our view, it does not address legal/proximate cause. After his conversation with the FEC employees and whatever his mindset regarding hopping a freight train at the underpass, it is undisputed that he left FEC property and while off premises changed his mind about hopping a freight train in favor of thumbing an automobile ride north on U.S. 1. On his way over to U.S. 1, he changed his mind again, which decision resulted in tragic consequences. Thus, to our minds, the inquiry becomes whether the negligence of FEC's employees set in motion the chain of events leading to Pickard's injuries or simply provided the occasion for Pickard's own gross negligence. We find the latter to be the case and, in this regard, also find the supreme court's decision in Department of Transportation v. Anglin, 502 So.2d 896 (Fla. 1987) to be instructive. In Anglin, Mrs. Anglin, her husband and his brother drove their truck across a Seaboard Coastline railroad track and through a six-inch deep sheet of water which had accumulated over the highway during a day of heavy rain. The puddled water apparently doused the truck's engine which sputtered and died. With Mrs. Anglin steering, the brothers pushed the truck off the side of the road. Thereafter, with Mrs. Anglin again in the driver's seat, the brothers pushed the truck trying to jump-start it. When this proved unavailing, Mrs. Anglin got out of the truck and joined her brother-in-law in pushing while her husband got behind the wheel. Some fifteen minutes after the Anglin truck hit the water puddle and with the Anglins still pushing the stalled truck, a truck being driven by one DuBose passed them heading in the opposite direction. Seeing the Anglins predicament, someone in the DuBose vehicle yelled to them that help was on the way. After traveling a short distance, the DuBose truck turned around and drove back toward the Anglin vehicle at a rate of speed too great for prevailing conditions. DuBose failed to stop the truck and it barrelled into Mrs. Anglin causing injuries which resulted in the amputation of her legs. In due course, the Anglins filed suit against the Department of Transportation and Seaboard Coastline Railroad alleging negligent design of the railroad tracks and the adjacent roadway which resulted in the pooling of water as above described. The defendants' motions for summary judgment were granted based upon the trial court's reasoning that as a matter of law, the actions of the Anglins in leaving their place of safety and pushing their disabled truck back onto the highway and DuBose's losing control of his truck were independent, efficient, intervening causes of the accident which broke the chain of causation between the alleged negligence of Seaboard and the Department of Transportation and Mrs. Anglin's injuries. On appeal, this court reversed the granting of summary judgment by the trial court, finding that a jury question was presented on the issue of whether plaintiff's injury was within the scope of danger or risk arising out of defendants' negligence. The supreme court, finding no such jury question, quashed this court's opinion, reasoning that the negligence of the defendants in allowing water to pool did not set in motion a chain of events which culminated in Mrs. Anglin's injury. The court also laid to rest the notion that all questions involving intervening cause require resolution by a jury. In so doing, the Court cited with approval the third district's opinion in Stahl v. Metropolitan Dade County, 438 So.2d 14 (Fla. 3rd DCA 1983), which held that as a matter of law and policy, tort liability ought not attach to results which, although caused by the defendants' negligent act or omission, ". . . seem to the judicial mind highly unusual, extraordinary, bizarre or, stated differently, seem beyond the scope of any fair assessment of the danger created by the defendants' negligence." Anglin, 502 So.2d at 899, citing Stahl, 438 So.2d at 19. (Emphasis added). Applying the lesson of Anglin to the case at hand, we find that Pickard's departure from FEC premises, his abandonment of his earlier expressed intention to hop a freight train across the St. Johns River, the change of mind that brought him once again onto FEC property and his bizarre, reckless or, at best, highly unusual and extraordinary attempt to board a swiftly moving freight train in the rain combined into an active, independent and efficient intervening cause that severed the tenuous chain of causation between the negligence of FEC's employees and Pickard's injuries. Otherwise stated, in our view, Pickard's actions recounted above were so far beyond the realm of foreseeability that, as a matter of law and legal policy, FEC should not be held responsible for the injuries he suffered. He tempted misfortune once too often or as Ferrell Vincent described it, he opted to "shoot craps" with chance and chance won. REVERSED and REMANDED for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. MINER, Judge. The motion for rehearing is denied. SMITH, Judge, specially concurs. I concur in the result reached in the opinion by Judge Miner. Having registered my dissent to the majority decision to reverse the appealed judgment (there being no majority opinion joined in by at least two judges) without setting forth my reasons in a written opinion, and having been justifiably criticized for this omission in appellant's motion for rehearing (it has been my usual practice to explain my reasons for dissenting), I now write to explain why I again dissent to the court's decision to deny appellant's motion for rehearing. I would grant rehearing, withdraw the prior decision, and affirm the judgment of the circuit court for the reason that the majority's decision to reverse is based on a misunderstanding and misapplication of the law to the facts of this case. To more fully explain my reasoning, it is necessary to briefly restate the material facts. Alan Pickard's right leg and left foot were severed when he tried to "hop" a moving train operated by Florida East Coast and fell under the wheels of a flatcar. Pickard testified at trial that, prior to the accident, he was walking along tracks in the Florida East Coast freight yard in Jacksonville, carrying a bedroll and a backpack, and came to a set of buildings where he saw workers. He noticed two men get out of a vehicle he identified as a Florida East Coast company car near the tracks. One of the men was holding a clipboard. He asked the man where he could catch a freight train across the river, and the man pointed to the University Boulevard bridge and told him what time the train was due to pass and where it was going. Pickard told the man "thank you," and the man replied, "good luck." Pickard then walked directly through the yard, past several employees, and followed the man's directions to the bridge. When the train came, he threw his backpack on the flatbed and reached for the handle. The train jerked, threw him to the ground, and severed his right leg and left foot. Ruby Spurway, administrator of general claims for Florida East Coast for 14 years, was called by the plaintiff and testified that she maintained the records on all accidents occurring on Florida East Coast property. She stated that, although trespasser accidents occur "fairly often," "pretty frequent," and "at least twice a month," Florida East Coast maintains no written instructions, rules, or regulations instructing Florida East Coast employees on procedures to be followed when trespassers are encountered on the company's property. Farrell Vincent, a retired safety inspector for the Federal Railroad Administration, testified that he had served in that position for 23 years and that his expertise was in the area of railroad operating rules and practices. He stated that a major portion of his duties consisted of investigating all of the major railroad accidents that occurred within his area of inspection and that Florida East Coast's trespasser-accident rate was four times greater than the national average. In his opinion, Florida East Coast was in violation of common and accepted railroad safety standards based on written rules requiring employees to take protective action as to trespassers and instructing employees in methods to achieve that result. He read to the jury rules of two railroads addressing this problem and testified that those rules are standard throughout the railroad industry. He explained that the federal government required all railroads to submit and file a copy of their operating and safety rules with the FRA, and that federal regulations required that railroads periodically instruct their employees in the written rules and make field checks to ensure that the employees are complying with the written rules. He stated that there was no comparison between a written rule and having "some kind of nebulous policy nobody knows or understands." He explained that there are many hidden dangers associated with trying to board a moving train: for example, the speed of a moving train is very difficult to calculate, slack action generates a terrific force that will grab a handhold out of a hand "in a heartbeat," and loose rocks in the track beds make running on those beds very hazardous. After the court denied Florida East Coast's motion for a directed verdict at the end of Pickard's case on the ground that the evidence of negligence on the part of Florida East Coast was legally insufficient to warrant submitting the case to the jury, Florida East Coast presented evidence that four or five "no trespassing" signs were located within the immediate vicinity of the accident. Raymond Wyckoff, Florida East Coast's president, testified that "no trespassing" signs are posted every 500 feet between Jacksonville and Miami on both sides of the right-of-way and at crossings. He admitted that Florida East Coast has no written rule directing employees how to deal with trespassers, but stated that "everyone" knows not to permit trespassers on the property. Wyckoff testified that the train involved in the accident had no schedule, and only the dispatcher knew what time it would pass the location where Pickard tried to board. He stated that no Florida East Coast employee is authorized to tell trespassers where they can hop a freight, and if employees did, it would not be within the scope of their employment or in furtherance of the company's business. Investigator Kenneth Bucher testified that he interviewed Pickard five days after the accident, and Pickard told him that Florida East Coast could not have done anything to avoid the accident, and that he was at fault and should not have been there. Carolyn Barrickman, a Florida East Coast policewoman who accompanied Bucher when he interviewed Pickard, corroborated Bucher's testimony. Fred James, the Florida East Coast engineer operating the train that hit Pickard, testified that he did not see Pickard at all and that there was no way he could have avoided the accident. Only the yardmaster knew where his train was going and when. Florida East Coast renewed its motion for directed verdict at the close of all the evidence, and the court took it under advisement. The judge instructed the jury that if they determined that Pickard was a trespasser or licensee and that his presence was not known to Florida East Coast, the duty on the part of Florida East Coast was only to avoid willful and wanton injury to Pickard. The court further instructed, however, that even if Pickard was a trespasser or licensee, if Pickard's presence was known to Florida East Coast, the railroad had a duty to use reasonable care for his safety. The trial judge also instructed the jury to determine whether Florida East Coast was negligent in failing to maintain a written policy to prevent trespasser accidents, and, if Florida East Coast was negligent in that regard, whether such negligence was the legal causal of Pickard's injuries. No issue of the propriety of these instructions is raised on appeal. The jury returned a verdict finding Pickard 90 percent negligent, Florida East Coast 10 percent negligent, and assessing gross damages in the amount of $4,000,000.00. The court entered final judgment in accordance with the verdict and ordered Florida East Coast to pay Pickard $400,000.00 in damages, thereby implicitly denying the motion for directed verdict it had taken under advisement at the end of the evidence. The trial court did not err in denying Florida East Coast's motions for directed verdict. In Helman v. Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, 349 So.2d 1187 (Fla. 1977), a personal injury action arising out of a railroad crossing collision, the supreme court reviewed the fourth district's reversal of a jury verdict and stated that the following "three incontrovertible premises" were relevant to its disposition of the case: (1) it is not the function of an appellate court to reevaluate the evidence and substitute its judgment for that of the jury; (2) if there is any competent evidence to support a verdict, that verdict must be sustained regardless of the appellate court's opinion as to its appropriateness; and (3) the question of whether a defendant's negligence was the proximate cause of the injury is generally one for the jury, unless reasonable men could not differ in their determination of that question. In this case, the testimony of Ruby Spurway and Farrell Vincent supplied competent, substantial evidence to support a jury finding that Florida East Coast was negligent in failing to implement and maintain a clear policy evidenced by rules directing employees in the prevention of accidents to trespassers, and that such negligence was a contributing cause to Pickard's injuries. The jury could infer from Pickard's testimony that the two men he talked to were Florida East Coast employees, that they became aware that Pickard was a trespasser or licensee who intended to hop a train across the river, and that the employees failed to attempt to stop him and remove him from the property or to warn him of the danger, but rather told him where to hop the appropriate train. The testimony of Florida East Coast's president and its other employees merely contradicted evidence presented during the plaintiff's case, thereby creating disputes in material facts to be resolved by the jury; their testimony did not establish the railroad's innocence of this negligence charge as a matter of law. Thus, the trial court correctly submitted the issue of negligence to the jury. After determining that Florida East Coast was negligent, however, the jury still had to determine whether such negligence was a proximate cause of Pickard's injury. Helman, 349 So.2d at 1190. The evidence before the trial court clearly made out a jury issue on this element. The jury could legitimately infer that, instead of directing Pickard not to attempt such a dangerous undertaking and ordering him off the property, the negligent conduct of the railroad's employees assisted and encouraged Pickard to continue pursuing his obviously dangerous intended course of action to hop the next train. Florida East Coast and Judge Miner's opinion do not complain so much that this causal nexus was not established by the evidence; rather, they rely on the doctrine of independent intervening cause, contending Pickard admitted that, after he reached the University Boulevard overpass, he left the railroad premises and went to a Wendy's restaurant located at the foot of the University Boulevard bridge, where he obtained a cup of coffee and waited until he heard the train coming. This admitted fact, Florida East Coast argues, was an intervening act constituting a break in the chain of causation as a matter of law and, therefore, terminated Florida East Coast's liability for the negligent acts of its employees while Pickard was a trespasser on its property. I agree that the jury could have so interpreted the evidence; but I disagree that the jury was required to so interpret the evidence as a matter of law, the only basis on which the trial court could enter a directed verdict for the defendant. This court recently reversed a final order directing a verdict for a defendant because the trial court had determined, as a matter of law, that an intervening cause was not foreseeable. Layden v. Corrections Corporation of America, 570 So.2d 994 (1st DCA 1990). The court stated: Ordinarily the question of whether an intervening cause was foreseeable is for the trier of fact. Our Lady of Divine Providence v. Sweetwater, 482 So.2d 440 (Fla. 3d DCA 1986). Only when reasonable persons could not differ as to whether an intervening cause was foreseeable may the court determine the issue as a matter of law. 482 So.2d at 442. Here, reasonable persons could differ in their determination as to whether Ms. Cleavinger's failure to invoke the speedy trial rule was foreseeable. Evidence was presented that CCA knew Layden's quarantine status was preventing him from communicating with his attorney and appearing in court, and knew Layden did not have infectious hepatitis, yet it continued to hold him in quarantine while doing nothing to correct the misinformation it had previously communicated to Ms. Cleavinger. Cleavinger testified that but for CCA's placement of Layden in quarantine, she would have invoked the speedy trial rule. The credibility of that testimony, and the weight to be given it in determining whether and to what extent CCA was a legal cause of damage to Layden, were issues for the jury. 570 So.2d at 995. The plaintiff in this case was no less entitled to a jury determination on the issue of intervening cause than was the plaintiff in Layden. Furthermore, the jury was legitimately entitled to infer that, even though Pickard went to a nearby restaurant to get a cup of coffee while waiting for the train to arrive, he never abandoned his intended course of action to hop a train pursuant to his encounter with the railroad employees and encouragement by their negligent conduct to pursue his intended course of action without receiving any warning of the extreme dangers involved. Since the jury could so find, application of the doctrine of an independent intervening cause as a matter of law was completely negated. I find nothing in the evidence that required the trial court to attribute to Pickard, as a matter of law, the intention to abandon his endeavor to hop a train. The trial court correctly assessed the evidence and determined that causation was a disputed factual issue on which reasonable persons could differ. This court's decision to reverse is necessarily predicated on a misinterpretation and misapplication of the law, and constitutes an unwarranted override of the jury's legitimate fact-finding function. I would, therefore, grant rehearing and affirm the trial court's judgment. Summaries of Florida East Coast Ry. Co. v. Pickard District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District Feb 6, 1991 Florida East Coast Ry. Co. v. Pickard Court:District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District Date published: Feb 6, 1991 Robert Ponte was injured at age fifteen while hopping aboard one of the appellee's slow moving trains without…	47,306
Foot tapping music, appealing outfits and stunning dance moves, KPOP music is everything that a music lover wants. The Billboard toppers B.T.S. had been reigning the […] Do you like it? 0 Read more February 22, 2020 Which audience is the target for Pop Music? Pop music is a genre that is typically the’ popular’ mainstream music. The pop music is distinguished from the other styles by the elements of fashion, […] Do you like it? 0 Read more February 20, 2020 Top Indian Pop songs Music has no language, and that has stood corrected for centuries and centuries. All music lovers welcome good tunes and peppy lyrics irrespective of language. No […] Do you like it? 0 Read more February 10, 2020 Evolution of Pop Music Pop music as we see today started around the early twentieth century. Pop music is also known as Popular music or Popular […]	885
I employ a number of different pedagogical methods in the classroom. It varies between courses and lessons. I get the impression, though, that I do a lot more traditional lecturing of the "sage on a stage" variety than my colleagues. I often do this because I worry that classroom discussion can encourage students to feel entitled to uninformed opinions. You don't get to have an opinion on moral/ethical issues like whether racism is bad or on matters of social fact like the poverty rate. Lecture encourages students to foster a critical respect for experts. This isn't to say that there is no place for discussion in my classroom, just that I am careful with how it is used. Imagine that the world has been one big epidemiology classroom for the past two years. How much listening have students done to the experts? How many students have opted to debate those experts? What have been the consequences? I'm of the opinion that the story of history has been toward progress and that we can reasonably predict that progress to continue into the future. Critics will point out setbacks (e.g. recent increases in violence toward Asian Americans or increases in crime rates). Could these represent reversals? Sure, but the historical data are noisy, and we regularly witness short-term blips revert to the trend line of the historic mean. Short-term variability does not negate the long-term trend. When I say it's a safe bet that things will continue to get better, I am not saying that will happen on its own without effort. Somehow people think that the work that goes into making progress happen is outside of my prediction. It's not. I'm predicting that people will continue to put in the work because that is entangled in the historic data as well. A lack of complacency is a part of my model. I could be wrong. Social science is probabilistic. 21 December 2021 My wife and I finally finished watching The Beatles documentary, Get Back, a couple days ago. It took us seven or so sittings to get through it. (Kids, amirite?!) Here are a few relatively disjointed thoughts. I was struck by how much of the footage is just a bunch of blokes dicking around. It seemed unprofessional, especially given their deadline(s). I've played in more than six bands since I was a teenager, and none of them, no matter how unserious, had rehearsals--let alone recording sessions--that were as unstructured this. I reminded myself, though, just how important play is to creativity. All work and no play makes Homer something something. It really does all come together on the rooftop. I've seen many online making note of how well The Beatles seem to anticipate each other as they jam. Without being condescending, it really just strikes me as what it is to be a musician and how it is to be in a band. It's not particular to The Beatles. When John plays a I chord followed by a IV chord, it's not magic that Paul and George know that the next chord is almost certainly the V. That's just a good guess based on the most basic of applied music theory. I understand that for the uninitiated this can seem remarkable, but if anything, it's surprising that they aren't even better than they are. I had a preconceived notion about this, which I would have been happy to have been wrong about, but none of The Beatles are great musicians. (They were really lucky to have Preston, who is an amazing musician, sitting in.) I was shocked at George's lack of chops, in particular. He talked at one point about how Clapton and others play virtuosically and laments that he can't do it. To be clear, though, The Beatles weren't bad musicians. They, all four, are undeniably great songwriters with unique voices (metaphorically). To me, Paul is better at piano than bass. (Don't get me started on that awful muted Hofner bass tone! Ugh.) It was interesting to see John and George playing the Fender Bass VI. It's somewhat confusing why they wouldn't just play a traditional four-string, though. At times, I found myself impatient, noting that I wouldn't watch this kind of boring shit for anyone. Why The Beatles? Most of us don't have the patience to watch paint dry--unless it were really interesting paint laid down for the Mona Lisa by da Vinci or something, which I think is what we see here. Peter Jackson is a great filmmaker, but I'm not sure if he did an awesome job with low quality stuff or a lackluster job by not having edited down much further. It was remarkable how passive the police were! Especially from the perspective of an American in 2021, the police response was just so subdued. We are so accustomed here today to seeing heavily armed and aggressive responses from law enforcement, this seemed almost comically understated. It's also worth noting that the main complaint from the responding constible was the disruption to local businesses, because, you know, capitalism always trumps art. It's incredible to see the advances in audio technology over the past fifty-some years. Most of the microphones were unrecognizable. There was a surprising lack of audio isolation between the instruments, amps, and vocals. Indeed, they were even relying on a PA system, which would be utterly unthinkable today! The norm, even if tracking live, would typically be to have each musician in his own space, either in an isolation booth or surrounded by gobos, and for each person to wear headphones for monitoring. There is also a humorous moment when the legendary Glyn Johns recounts how he asked EMI for four monitor speakers for the control room, and they said, "Why? You only have two ears." They weren't wrong. A lot is also made of how authoritative Paul is and how passive George and Ringo are. Indeed, George seems increasingly uncomfortable in that passivity to the point of temporarily quitting the group. Again, this is just the way bands work. It is a near-impossibility for bands to be completely egalitarian and equitable. Someone has to have an overarching vision and the boldness to impose it and others have to embrace a supporting role. Most bands, including The Beatles, break up because of disagreements about how to best differentiate creative tasks. As a side note, Paul essentially admits in front of Linda that he'd choose The Beatles over her when he speculates that John would choose Yoko over them. Much has already been said about Yoko and her supposed role in The Beatles' breakup. Speculatively, it didn't always appear to me that Yoko's presence was voluntary, as if John was forcing her to be there. 08 December 2021 Our new president recently did the typical "listening tour." Of course, the scheduled times were predictably inconvenient and brief. There was, however, an online submission process. I'm posting my letter to the president below. Dear President Cox, I am sorry that I haven’t yet had a chance to meet you and that I was not available to attend our designated listening session. I did, however, want to take a moment to share some broad concerns. The past several years, especially the last two, have been difficult for everyone on campus and in our community. As faculty, it has been difficult not to feel exploited and demoralized. The Regents, USG, and, at times, even GC administrators have signaled their disregard for us. Here are just a few examples of the injustices we’ve endured: being forced to abide firearms in our classrooms the [unilateral] reimagining of a more limited, advisory role for the University Senate being forced, under threat of termination, to do in-person instruction during a pandemic being forced to answer to a state legislator who demanded to know and compiled a list of which of our programs and classes teach Critical Race Theory repeatedly not receiving merit pay having tenure gutted At no point has anyone intervened on the behalf of faculty (let alone staff, students, or common sense) in these matters. No one in a position of authority stood up and said, This is wrong. I would respectfully encourage you to take immediate, ongoing, and active steps to repair this damage, and I humbly ask you to prepare to take action on our behalf when required in the future. There is much trust to be rebuilt.	8,709
Sharing my ideas about working with resin, jewellery-making, creating leather jewellery, and lots of other crafty stuff. Friday, January 28, 2011 Life here in the Hillam household has been a little bit topsy turvy these past couple of weeks and blogging has had to take a back seat. Our eldest son left for Duntroon (Royal Military College) last week. It was one of life's special moments - you know the ones I mean; when you're happy, sad, proud and anxious all at once. Who knew that a child leaving the nest would be so hard on the parents? And as if it wasn't hard enough to have one child leave the nest, the youngest child also left home this week to begin university studies interstate. There has been so much organising to do to get her new home set up with the basic necessities that a household requires. And then finally, the moment came when it was time to leave. Another one of those special moments - lots of tears and a moment of anxiousness as you wonder if you have equipped them to cope with what life throws at them. There are still two children at home but all of a sudden, our household is mighty quiet. I'm already missing the hustle and bustle and comings and goings of four adult children. I think they are too! Whilst all this has been going on, and in between all the teary moments, there has been a lot of activity in the studio in preparation for CHA. There have been samples to complete and a Designer Showcase to put together, so sadly, blogging has taken a back seat as a result. But I thought I'd share a pic of my Designer Showcase with you in it's early stages. There were lots of adjustments made to it after this snap was taken but it gives you a bit of an idea of what I've been doing whilst I've been neglecting my blog. I'm pleased to say that it's all now packed in my suitcase and both my suitcase and I have arrived safely in LA. Tomorrow the CHA education program begins, and then on Saturday the show floor officially opens. The next few days will be exciting but at the same time it will be hectic as there is so much to cover during the show; people to meet, seminars to attend and new products to discover. If I get a chance, I'll check back in during the show with an update. But until then, I hope you'll find time to spend crafting! If you can't get enough of My Tutorials and you want even more inspiration, click here to find my books and printable pdfs Would you like to comment? Thanks for stopping by today. Your comment is really appreciated. Previous Home Next Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) Hi, I'm Myléne. Resin expert, resin educator, and designer for the Craft and Hobby Industry. I welcome you to my blog. I write about how to work with resin, making jewellery, working with leather and so much more.	2,812
Parenting Grown Children: What Dr. Spock Forgot to Tell Us: Covid, Kids and the Comfort of a Hug: Is it safe to travel to see our kids and grandkids? The kids may be adults now, but the parenting isn't over. We still have our issues. « Covid, Us and Our Grown Kids: We're a luckier generation. \| Main \| Observation: Carolyn Hax on what to do if a grown child pushes you away. » March 30, 2021 Covid, Kids and the Comfort of a Hug: Is it safe to travel to see our kids and grandkids? The headlines have been reassuring: "Grandparents are getting to hug their grandkids for the first time after getting vaccinated." Well, that's fine for grandparents who live near their grandkids or within driving distance. Those of us who have to fly--well, that's another story. In the best of all possible worlds, we should hold off on airplane travel unless it's absolutely necessary. Does a hug qualify? Our public health gurus tell us, Don't do it unless you must, even if you're fully vaccinated. Maybe by summer when even more people are vaccinated (and a fourth wave either doesn't rise or is under control) it might be safer to go. We're making plans to see both our grown kids and their kids later this spring and again this summer. We'll fly, as we did last fall. This article spells out what we can expect if we take to the air. Here's what I learned from it and from others: It will be more crowded and busier than it was in September 2020 when we took our "see the kids" trip. Planes will be fuller. Delta is still blocking middle seats but that's only through April and may change for May and beyond. Other airlines are filling all seats on their flights. So we may be sitting cheek-and-jowl again. Here we go, back to normal but in way that we wish would be back better. word. Airlines required (but didn't enforce) masks when we flew in the fall. The current Transportation Security Administration has mandated masks at airports and on airplanes through May 11; airlines have become stricter about enforcing their own mask-up rules. A T.S.A. spokesperson said it was too soon to say what will happen after the May date but given airline mask requirements, the rise of a fourth wave and the variants that are around, face coverings are likely to be required for the seeable future. Given concerns about that fourth surge and President Biden's plea to wear masks, we''ll probably double mask while traveling. Just to be sure. At the height of the pandemic, most airlines stopped food and drink service. They may start again--at least with beverages and snacks. What happens to our masks when and if the airlines roll those drink carts down the aisles? Can't eat or sip a soda with a mask on, so what do we do if we're thirsty or hungry? We may have to mask between bites. Most food concessions remain closed at many airports--though that may loosen up as vaccination totals climb. When we flew in September, there were one or two concessions available to buy food. We ate our lunch while we waited to board the plane. The airport was eerily empty so we had plenty of space to ourselves. If more passengers show up at airports, concessions may begin to reopen and socially distanced space may be harder to find. When we get to our destination there's the question of whether, even though we're vaccinated, we can carry and spread the virus to our loved ones. The research so far is unclear, though it leans toward non-spread. Some of us may luck out in that our grown children may be vaccinated by the time we travel--and therefore immune from anything we pick up during our travels. Our New York State kids already have appointments for jabs. If we put off our trip till their second shots take root, we can visit with them in their home with fewer precautions--and more hugs. Posted at 10:21 AM in covid 19, grandchildren, pandemic behavior, visiting grown children \| Permalink Comments Covid, Kids and the Comfort of a Hug: Is it safe to travel to see our kids and grandkids? The headlines have been reassuring: "Grandparents are getting to hug their grandkids for the first time after getting vaccinated." Well, that's fine for grandparents who live near their grandkids or within driving distance. Those of us who have to fly--well, that's another story. In the best of all possible worlds, we should hold off on airplane travel unless it's absolutely necessary. Does a hug qualify? Our public health gurus tell us, Don't do it unless you must, even if you're fully vaccinated. Maybe by summer when even more people are vaccinated (and a fourth wave either doesn't rise or is under control) it might be safer to go. We're making plans to see both our grown kids and their kids later this spring and again this summer. We'll fly, as we did last fall. This article spells out what we can expect if we take to the air. Here's what I learned from it and from others: It will be more crowded and busier than it was in September 2020 when we took our "see the kids" trip. Planes will be fuller. Delta is still blocking middle seats but that's only through April and may change for May and beyond. Other airlines are filling all seats on their flights. So we may be sitting cheek-and-jowl again. Here we go, back to normal but in way that we wish would be back better. word. Airlines required (but didn't enforce) masks when we flew in the fall. The current Transportation Security Administration has mandated masks at airports and on airplanes through May 11; airlines have become stricter about enforcing their own mask-up rules. A T.S.A. spokesperson said it was too soon to say what will happen after the May date but given airline mask requirements, the rise of a fourth wave and the variants that are around, face coverings are likely to be required for the seeable future. Given concerns about that fourth surge and President Biden's plea to wear masks, we''ll probably double mask while traveling. Just to be sure. At the height of the pandemic, most airlines stopped food and drink service. They may start again--at least with beverages and snacks. What happens to our masks when and if the airlines roll those drink carts down the aisles? Can't eat or sip a soda with a mask on, so what do we do if we're thirsty or hungry? We may have to mask between bites. Most food concessions remain closed at many airports--though that may loosen up as vaccination totals climb. When we flew in September, there were one or two concessions available to buy food. We ate our lunch while we waited to board the plane. The airport was eerily empty so we had plenty of space to ourselves. If more passengers show up at airports, concessions may begin to reopen and socially distanced space may be harder to find. When we get to our destination there's the question of whether, even though we're vaccinated, we can carry and spread the virus to our loved ones. The research so far is unclear, though it leans toward non-spread. Some of us may luck out in that our grown children may be vaccinated by the time we travel--and therefore immune from anything we pick up during our travels. Our New York State kids already have appointments for jabs. If we put off our trip till their second shots take root, we can visit with them in their home with fewer precautions--and more hugs.	7,398
Vélez completed their tour of London with the utmost of success and fun. There were soccer elements, cultural elements, and political elements that the kids got to experience and benefit from during the trip. * Training at Charlton was excellent and provided the balance between new and challenging exercises as well as excitement. * Training at Chelsea was the kids' favorite but perhaps our (Velez coaches) second favorite. We believe the Charlton training benefited the team more but the Chelsea trainer is the utmost in statesmanship for the club. A crowd pleaser. * Training at Arsenal was interesting. Perhaps the kids toughest (they were very tired going in) and the technical requirements were quite tough. Given that Arsenal does not lend out its Academy coaches, we understood that we were getting an Arsenal Community Development coach. it was interesting material. Very tough for the kids to master and ultimately something we will be bringing and using at home. But the kids didn't care for the lack of excitement in the practice. Had we to do it again, we would have skipped Arsenal. * Tottenham was exciting and fun as we got Academy coaches working with the boys. Lots of energy and demanding techniques. We could see a full week with them at a better facility. In retrospect, if we were to do it all over again, we'd probably ask for one Club to coach the kids for 8 sessions over 6 calendar days with rest built in. Every time we went to a new Academy, because the coach's did not understand the level of our kids, they'd start from the beginning with them. Fatigue also caused diminishing returns. * Game against Graves End and Northfleet ended 3-2 Vélez through four quarters. Big and fast but a good matchup. Our dribblers did well against them. * Game against Fulham U14 + some U15's ended 2-0 Vélez through four quarters. Very technical in their play. We thought they'd be a lot more physical but they were actually quite gentlemenly in their approach to the scrimmage. I was very surprised. * Game against Cambridge U16 ended 0-0 through four quarters. Very fast and strong with good organization. It was difficult to get the ball in the net but we had the run of play. * Game against Reading U15 ended 3-0 to Reading through two halfs although it was 1-0 for a very long time into the game (60+ minutes). It was a very physical affair bordering on violent especially towards the beginning of the match. we had kids with teeth knocked out and jaws broken, concussions, hyperextended knees, pulled muscles and fatigued to no end. Six players in total at the hospital or team trainer after the game. They too took some knocks as the game was played at a tempo unseen by our kids before. In retrospect, had we gotten hurt trying to win balls and had they simply been bigger, stronger, and faster to the balls, then we would have been in awe of the quality of athletes and of the level of their play. But the truth is that we got hit late and repeatedly with half, but not all of the injuries, being due to mistimed tackles. Our love of holding the ball precipated a lot of the late hits and the referee called very little (no foul with one of our boys holding his teeth in his hand). Our taller dribblers took the brunt of the punishment as the little guys were hard to catch. It was impressive to see the difference in body mass between the Reading team (mixture of Academy players and adjuncts that train with the team)and ourselves as we looked tiny in the midfield where ironically, we had most of our success. To their credit, they were very well organized on the ball and had the run of play. Absent of the violence, it was an impressive display of power and talent. We were proud to see how some of our boys could not only keep up with the Reading boys, but could also impose their playing style forcing Reading to make adjustments. * Riot? Did anyone say riot? Prior to the Chelsea - Celtics match, some Velezians got to enjoy a riot outside the stadium with people getting arrested, beers getting thrown with punches, and horses and cops everywhere. It was actually quite exciting. Luckily, most of the team was already in the stadium. Vélez kids also enjoyed everything from the Theatre to the House of Commons to Lillywhites, Carnaby Street, British Museum, Natural History Museum, Soho, Cambridge University, Reading, and lots of other attractions. The smiles on their faces said it all. The toughest part was trying to get them to watch the correct way prior to crossing streets. Quite a few scary moments for us coaches. If we were to do it all over again, we'd cut back on the "team" outings and simply leave the time as open time, so that families or groups can go where they wish to go or simply stay behind and rest. We needed to schedule more rest. * Unfortunately, the terrorist threat cancelled all flights out of Heathrow for days (including ours). The resourceful Velezians found alternate routes home prolonging their vacation through places like Shannon, Manchester, and Belfast. Thankfully, everyone made it home safely although some boys were late for high school tryouts. A very special thanks to all the parents and to Cambrian for making this trip so enjoyable and valuable. Cambrian was intrumental in ensuring we all found our way home and was flexible the entire trip to ensure that all our needs were met. Kudos. Official Itinerary Posted by Miguel Nuila at Mar 10, 2006 4:00PM PST ( 0 Comments ) Click here for schedule and then click on U14M NCS. Posted by Miguel Nuila at Feb 9, 2006 4:00PM PST ( 0 Comments ) They will be rescheduled! Posted by Miguel Nuila at Jan 16, 2006 4:00PM PST ( 0 Comments ) Several Vélez will be attending Man. U's soccer school prior and some after the London expedition. England will never be the same!	6,130
I didn’t really feel like writing about the President’s speech because, quite simply, I didn’t feel that I had anything useful to add to either side of the debate. The President struck all the right notes but he did it in a desultory manner, as if ticking off items from a shopping list. I thought his stressing the rule of law was diminished by his throwing up his hands and saying that we can’t throw 11 million people out of the country. I agree. But there are ways that we can enforce the law without rewarding the lawbreaking. The very good aspects of the speech include a halt to the “catch and release” of illegals (that Malkin rightly points out should be followed everywhere, not just along the southern border), the building of additional fencing, and a slightly more nationalistic tone when talking about the flag, the English language, and assimilation in general. The bad parts of the speech…well, actions speak louder than words and Bush has a long way to go to get even part of his conservative base to rally around him on this issue. I agree with Ed Morrissey that we were probably expecting too much, that Bush has been a centrist on this issue from the get go. And AJ Strata has a good point about rallying behind a policy once it has been announced. This is well and good and important to remember. But something else much more fundamental is at work here. Perhaps its the final realization that after more than 5 years in office, Bush will never be what we wanted him to be - a Reagan conservative. Sure to be a tremendous disappointment to the majority of center right and conservative Americans, they could easily come to see themselves as leaderless on domestic issues for the next two years. And perhaps they are. Over-riding the timely struggle over immigration, conservative Republicans and Reagan Democrats also have to contend with a Republican majority in the Senate which seems just as out of touch. Without an overwhelming majority of Republicans in the Senate, and many of those now appearing to be far from conservative, it is quite possible that Democrats will be able to hide from any responsibility for our current government’s failures, saddling Republicans with most of the blame, possibly leading to electoral victory for the Democrats in the Fall. It’s unclear if even political pressure will be able to effect anything like a genuine solution on immigration this year. Certainly the President offered nothing in terms of a serious solution. And the details behind the Senate version of an immigration bill only serve to make it worse. That Senate version, thankfully, is probably DOA once the immigration bill goes to conference. If what the Heritage Foundation says about it is true - that it will allow 100 million new immigrants in the next 20 years - House Republicans better plant their feet in concrete and not allow such a bill to see the light of day. If they do, we may be looking at revolution and not just dissatisfaction. The probability of a third party would skyrocket and President Bush would be presiding over the destruction of the modern Republican party. Personally, I wouldn’t leave the party over immigration. There are, after all, much more important issues. For instance, what good would it do to build a fence to keep people out of a country that has been destroyed by a terrorist attack? And for my money, until the liberals show that they are serious about protecting this country (much less, as AJ points out in this jaw dropping post, that we are at war in the first place), what good does it do to switch parties? Or start a new one for that matter? For some reason, when trying to analyze what is going on with this immigration debate, I keep hearkening back to the Civil War and the way Lincoln governed the last 2 years of his Administration. Beset by Copperhead Democrats on the left and weak-kneed Republican moderates who were faltering in their support for the kind of brutal war that Lincoln was finally beginning to fight by 1863, the Great Emancipator turned to his hard-core base of support in the Abolitionist movement. Support for war policies that led to the rivers of blood being spilled by the spring of 1864 didn’t necessarily require all Republicans marching in lockstep as much as Lincoln being able to rely on the 1/3 of House and Senate members who were “hard war” men - people who wanted to take the war to the South and make them suffer for starting it. Lincoln was not so much a “hard war” man as much as he was a “quick as possible end to the war” man. In this, he knew that the South must be subdued, not just defeated on the battlefield. Using the passion and energy of the hard war crowd, Lincoln was able to sustain the one commander who thought as he did; Ulysses Grant. In so doing, Lincoln assured a northern victory. What his alliance with the bitter old men meant to reconstruction didn’t concern him as much as winning the war first. He believed (even though he never got the chance) that he could control the reconstruction debate by marginalizing the hard war men and dictating a kind of peace that all Americans could live with. Couldn’t Bush have done something similar? He has so underutilized the conservative base for 5 years, only calling on them during the election of 2004. For the rest of the time, there have been deficits, the Prescription Drug Plan, big spending initiatives, K Street shenanigans, and a host of disappointments that may have caused people to just tune him out on immigration even though some of what he says should be pleasing to the right. By trying to govern by pleasing all, he pleases none. And it has cost him much goodwill and support. Finally, Andrew McCarthy pointed out that one of the problems is that there actually is no “Big Fix” to be had on immigration, that the best we can hope for a graded steps on the road to sanity. I think there is a lot of truth in that notion - one that conservatives should take to heart when looking at the President’s immigrations proposals. Not perfect by any means. But a pretty good place to start. Let me throw my .02 US in here…. Do i want a better “fence”? Sure, an actual physical wall, fence, whatever. Or a invisible fence, ie Guardies at the border, Predator drones, more Border Patrol agents, ramp it up. We alos need to make the “legal line” shorter. I don’t think anyone has touched on how long it takes to get even a green card; if it’s YEARS for a law-abiding, hard working immigrant, that’s unacceptable. And then there’s the guest worker program. You can call it whatever you want, i’ll go along with it if it’s real purpose crawl up the @$$ of immigrants with a microscope and make sure they aren’t drug dealers or terrorists. What about the illegals already here? Their beneifts should be few; i’ll let your kids go to school here and i’ll pay to have you see a doctor, maybe, and maybe i’ll let you have a drivers licence, provided you can read the road signs (aside: learn some english!). Other than that, nothing, especally the right to vote unless you become a citizen and pay your taxes, sorry. As far as sending them back, ooooo, thats kinda tricky. I really don’t want to throw grandma and grandpa and little kids across the fence. Immigrants who are “set up”, ie a place to live, kids in school, a job, even if it’s “under the radar”, should be sent to the back of the legal line. People less well entrenched could be sent back. But bear in mind all it takes is one INS agent manhandling one little old lady on video tape and wel’ll have Hillary and Co frothing at the mouth Do we need to form a 3rd party over this? Not really, espically if, somehow, it makes the left stronger and the right weaker. In summation, i can live with what the prez laid out in his speach. Comment by Hurricane567 — 5/16/2006 @ 12:58 pm [...] From Rick Moran of Rightwing Nuthouse, in his essay on the president’s address to the nation last night: This is well and good and important to remember. But something else much more fundamental is at work here. Perhaps its the final realization that after more than 5 years in office, Bush will never be what we wanted him to be â€“ a Reagan conservative. [...] What I find interesting is the reference to the Senate bill allowing 100m new legal immigrants in the coming decades, and how this is viewed as the ultimate “bad thing”, that will lead to (dammit) revolution. I think this gives lie to the claim that the core problem is with the lack of control over the border, or the underclass of people living outside the law, or rewarding those who have come illegally etc. It seems that the ultimate outrage, for most on the right, will be stoked by a system that might well control the border, eliminate the outside-the-law underclass, and punish past law-breaking. Because the ultimate outrage is that there will be new immigrants of any kind (well, of the brown kind), even if legal. There is a very deep and dark well of nativism that is open to exploitation in the soul of most people. The xenophoibic instincts of many on the right, stoked by the constant use of fear as a motivator for support of foreign adventures, seem ripe for futher exploitation on the immigration issue. Overnight polls show the American people viewing Bush’s speech favorably - 79%, and their view of his handling of immigration jumping up 25%. That gives me the comfort to take pleasure in the self-immolation of the hard right that is on display these days, without much fear that their ugliness will find traction with the general public. Tano: You’ve left some pretty ignorant comments in the past at this site but this one takes the prize; full blown idiocy. The problem with 100 million immigrants over the next 20 years is our ability to absorb and assimilate them - a problem you conveniently ignore in favor of calling people who are concerned about it a racist. That tactic of the left meant to delegitmize rather than engage debate is typical but doesn’t work here. Rather all it does is reveal your own shortcomings in analysis as well as a casual attitude toward the facts. The nativist element is much smaller than it ever has been both statistically and in decibel levels. This debate on the right (there is no debate on the left - there never is among the lockstep loons who always seem to be able to ascribe evil motives to their adversaries) is about security and the rule of law vs. economic necessity. It’s the main street Republicans vs. the ultra-capitalists who you have pointed out on more than one occasion are pretty chummy with Bush. And those poll numbers are likely to plummet the more people realize what is really in that Senate bill - a recipe for disaster. Read the Heritage piece and come back here and be as sanguine as you appear to be. It simply is not possible for the United States to absorb and assimilate that many people in so short a time. It’s about doing what is possible and in accordance with the law and our own national security interests. First of all Bush is out-and-out lying about the guard going to the border, it’s not going to happen, it was a bone thrown to appease the outraged right. As for adding new border guards, the National Intelligence Reform Act included the requirement to add 10,000 border patrol agents in the five years beginning with 2006, but Bush only allowed funding for 210 new border agents, yes you read that right 210 new agents. He does not want the border secure, he has waited 51/2 years and only now does he realize our border is out of control. And then he says deporting the 11 million to 20 million illegal aliens already here is simply impossible, but then brags in his address that we have deported 6 million illegal aliens in just the last five years. Why is 6 million possible and praiseworthy, but 11 million is a ludicrous impossibility? Comment by Radical Centrist — 5/16/2006 @ 3:06 pm Rick, Why is that those who make a daily habit of ascribing evil motives to their adversaries (that be you, and seemingly everyone on the right) takes such offense when the same is offered back to you? You conclude your response to me with an assertion that “its about doing what is possible and in accordance with the law”. My whole point was to point out that the legality issue is NOT primary - the opposition from the right is to a proposal that would allow LEGAL immigration - in fact the opposition is even more heated to that proposal than it is to the notion of doing nothing (i.e. leaving the illegals illegal). As to what is possible to assimilate, I find your attitude, and the attitude of the right in general to be completely disingenuous. You guys are the ones who are usually the loudest defenders of the notion of free markets. So, what happens to your belief in the magic of markets? The REAL underlying issue that has led to the current situation is one of government regulation vs. the workings of the labor market. The economy needs labor. There is market for labor. Sometimes there is a big need, sometimes less of a need. Any rational immigration policy would enact some mechanism by which legal immigration quotas would be sensitive to the needs of the economy for labor - not just labor in general, but the different types of labor. But we dont have that. We have a dynamic economy, and we have a political process, not a rational process, for determining immigration quotas. There is rarely any incenctive, at the district level, for a politician to advocate for raising quotas. And so, in classic form, the market finds ways around the irrationalities imposed upon it. The economy needs workers - no legal path exists for the need to be fulfilled - paths will be found outside the law. People come here for work. We should WANT them to come, to the extent that work is available. Unemployment is at 4.7% - only slightly above “effective full employment”. If you care about the health of the economy, the prosperity of the country, then the only rational conclusion to make is that the level of immigration that has happened to date is just about the perfect level that should have happened. If these illegals had not come, or even if some significant percentage had not come, the country would be poorer, and display less economic vitality than it does. There simply are not enough unemployed Americans that could have filled in any gap. Hence, the market for labor has worked, depite the irrationalites of government imposed, absurdly low quotas. To the extent that the Senate bill allows legal immigration, that immigration will take at a level that approximates the needs of the economy (at least it will do so to an infinitly more sensitve extent than the current system). If workers come here some day in the future, and find no work, then they will not bother leaving their families. They will not be able to simply collect welfare here - you know perfectly well that that is not how welfare works in this country. Anyway, bottom line. The rational, conservative approach to immigration would be to put our own self-interest, the needs of our economy as the primary criterion by which to set immigration levels. I see NONE of that on the right today - only appeals to nativism, and the existential fear of the brown wave. I’m sorry if you find that harsh, but you havent given me any reason to believe that this is not the driving, if unacknowledged, concern. Comment by Tano — 5/16/2006 @ 3:16 pm If what the Heritage Foundation says about it is true â€“ that it will allow 100 million new immigrants in the next 20 years I still question their numbers. IF it’s true, indeed. Re Bush not being a “Reagan conservative,” I can’t say I agree with that. Both are (were) pragmatists, with a long-range vision. Both are/were willing to give a little to the center on certain issues in order to achieve the most important goals–Reagan with the Cold War, Bush with the WoT. Bush’s critics on the right want everything they want NOW! and exactly THEIR WAY! when there are other things involved that they simply don’t understand or care to take into account. One example is the issue of politics on the other side of the border–it’s become trendy among certain people to throw around “El Presidente” and slag him for trying to work with Vicente Fox, but they are either not aware or apathetic about the very real possibility Mexicans may elect a Hugo Chavez clone this year, one who is using the “existential fear of the brown wave” as a campaign tactic. It’s working, in fact. We’re going to have a REAL problem with illegal immigration if that happens, and it won’t be farm/construction workers crossing the border that are the threat. It only took 19 people to kill 3000 people, and we’ve got millions crossing the border now. Imagine how it’ll be with a real enemy running Mexico. And why isn’t anyone addressing the porous border with Canada? I’m more worried about the kind of illegals that go that route than the guy sneaking through to do manual labor. I hope you don’t think your impression of the right’s arguments are representative of ALL the right. I agree with you, there is an undercurrent of xenophobia–eh, screw it, racism–beneath some people’s “arguments.” It’s not the view of most conservatives at all, but those that do show their @sses as such seem to get an inordinate amount of attention. First of all Bush is out-and-out lying about the guard going to the border, itâ€™s not going to happen, it was a bone thrown to appease the outraged right. Bullsh-t. Lying? You know this? Do you know anything about the guard? So you mean to tell me that Sgt Joe Schmo who goes on his annual training will go to Base X to do his time, fill the square, and NOT go where he’s needed? Do you have any idea how many people there are in the National Guard, and what they actually do? They don’t even have to touch the people who aren’t already activated for the WoT! And do you ACTUALLY believe that we can round up and deport all the illegals? Ha! Don’t you think that if the gubmint knew who and where all the illegals were, they would have been deported? Good grief. Basically, my view is that this problem is a lot more complicated and difficult than people realize. They’re thinking abstractly, as in “illegals bad, make them stop.” While I wholeheartedly agree that illegal immigration is bad and I want the problem to stop, I’m not a fool. This is going to take a lot of work, and a lot of money (then watch people howl about spending!), and there are many, many factors that aren’t even being considered by the vast majority of Americans (not just conservatives). The easy thing to do would be to say “it’s too big to tame this beast” (see also: Social Security–thanks, Congress, for nothing)–the hard thing is to actually have a workable plan. You can’t plan for something like this in the abstract. Will the Border-Deranged Syndrome victims be willing to spend billions and wait years for an actual fence to be completed? I seriously, seriously doubt it. I’d wait and I’d accept the expense, but then I’m not one of the ones going ape5hit about the whole thing either. And frankly, I’m tired of my allies on the right acting like a bunch of spoiled brats. They keep calling themselves “the base,” but “the base” does not mean “the stubborn extremists” or “the far right.” “The base” is the people who are loyal, like me. That doesn’t mean I don’t have expectations, but it does mean I won’t take my marbles and go home every time I don’t get my way. I don’t get what’s so hard to f’n understand with these people about Democrats not giving them ANYTHING they want. How, HOW could people be so jaw-droppingly stupid? Peggy Noonan, even? There are no words to describe the level of amazement at their utter naivete and just plain stupidity. So I say FINE, if they want to bail, good. That means the GOP will be flushed of the stupid. And I won’t forget it, either–I’m STILL pissed about 1992. Stupid single-issue ideologues. Comment by Beth — 5/16/2006 @ 4:40 pm What on earth are you talking about. Bush didn’t even consult the governors of the particular states he was going to draw the NG from. Shwatzenegger is against it, Napolitano is against and Richardson is against it, I haven’t heard any comments from the Gov. of Texas. Bush can’t just randomly take guards from other states and put them in Cali, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, and he needs the consent of the Governors of those states to deploy the troops. And again he’s only now after 5 1/2 years realizing their is a problem on the border. Also to the larger point, he has had authorization to hire 10,000 new border patrol agents and has only funded an additional 210 new border agents. And sure people come here to work, it’s not America’s fault that Mexico and most of Latin America is a swirling cesspool of misery. People come here to work, they also commit crimes. It is estimated that illegal aliens make up 1/3 of the US prison population, in LA county,a full 85% of oustanding warrents for rape, robbery and murder are for illegal aliens. Also the stresses they have put on our educational system, medical sytem and penal system in some states is rising to the breaking point. Illegal immigrants also depress wages for the American worker. The University of Maryland did a study of how illegal immigrants depress wages; In Wisconsin in the early 80’s the average meat-packer earned $18 dollars an hour with benefits and the breakdown of the workforce was overwhelmingly native born whites and blacks, flash foward to today, and the average wage is $9 dollars an hour with very little benefits. And it wasn’t that Americans no longer wanted to do the jobs, it was because of the availability of cheap immigrant labor that supplanted the more expensive Native born labor force. The over-arching point is this, we have had many so-called immigration reforms since 1965 with the promise that we would start enforcing immigration laws, no such thing occured. We are now contemplating creating new laws that congress and the President have no intention of enforcing. They haven’t enforced the old laws why should we believe they will enforce the new laws. And this is the reason that base is up in arms, as the Who rightly said, we won’t be fooled again!!! I certainly never assumed that nativism drives the entire right, but the more I look for rationality, the less I find,,,so I begin to wonder. Even you, who seems to want to disassociate yourself from the nastiness, turns around and starts ranting about the coming apocalypse if Obrador wins the election - and I really gotta start wondering whats going on here. If anything, having a Mexican leader that is more focussed on uplifting the poor, rather than trickling down to them, may well help to lessen the economic disparity between our countries, and thus lessen the incentive to migrate (probably marginal lessening, granted). Fox is completely tapped into the RW corporate mentality that sees Mexican workers as part of the Greater American Economic Structure. Obrador would probably be more inclined to build a Mexican based economy, rather than see Mexico as appendage to the US. For immigration issues, that may be more to your liking. Comment by Tano — 5/16/2006 @ 5:27 pm You’re right in saying both Bush and Reagan were pragmatists. I would have to say however that Reagan felt the pulse of conservatives a lot better and was able to finesse their disappointment. We all remember the James Watt plea “Let Reagan be Reagan” - as if he could be anything else! What Watt was really saying was let Reagan’s rhetoric match his actions. The conservatives during Reagan’s terms were mad at James Baker, Don Regan, and David Gergen because they thought that those guys and other moderates were holding back Reagan from doing some really whacky stuff. Reagan ended up doing what was possible while still making it look like a victory for conservatives. Bush as President with his own majority in Congress isn’t given that same benefit of the doubt. These “full loaf or nothing” Republicans don’t look to Bush’s aides for the answer to thier frustration, they blame the President himself. In a very important way, Bush has been his own worse enemy on this and it’s probably too late to change. The economy does not need workers in the least. It has tons of unemployed or underemployed workers. They are called minorities and teenagers. That is an unqualified lie. What employers want is simply to pay Third World wages for easily exploited cheap labor. To ascribe racist motives to the Black, White, Asian, and Hispanic working Americans who are fighting to protect their families from the future of net downwards social mobility you have mapped out for them is a filthy slur and lie. All the fury going around in the righty blogs reminded me of the Harriet Myers episode. There seemed to be alot of scorn and contempt directed towards Bush and Myers then. Today I saw President Bush referred to as “El Presidente”. I find that hateful and hurtful. He may show (obviously way too much for some) an abundance of compassion and mercy towards the immigrants here illegally, but I believe his first priority is to protect America. He has never given us any reason to believe otherwise and on many occasions he has been villified for the efforts he made in that goal. All the energy directed at President Bush should probably be directed towards your LOCAL representatives on both sides of the issue. Even though Rick says your first post on this thread as idiocy, you make good points. I am glad you didn’t start off flinging insults. I have to agree with Rick on a couple points. The issue is assimilation. I hear people touting the “Scandanavian Utopians” as the liberal ideals, but how many of those so called European nations have an immigration policy anywhere near as liberal (both definitions) as ours? There is a reason why they don’t let anyone that wants to come enter the US. Another issue is that it is hypocritical to those who want to enter the US through legal channels. My father came from India legally in 1969(yes that makes me brown). He had to be one of the best in his industry to even have chance to come to America. I admit many ignorant right-wingers stamp their feet and scream, “Dey took r jerbs!!!!!”, but it isn’t just white people that are against illegal immigrants. As horrible as it sounds but many inner city African Americans hate the idea that Mexicans can come in and do the same job for less. While it is true capitalists like myself do believe that we need the cheap labor, we also realize they are breaking the law. On this issue, it is hard to make everyone happy. Many do not realize this but people sometimes misuse the term capitalism. Not all Republicans are capitalists. Many of them are actually merchantilists. They have to follow that economic philosophy if they want to be re-elected. One example is the tariff that Republicans placed on cheaper foreign steel. It was designed to protect industry not overrall commerce. Ironically, Bush wants to institute a guest worker program. It is capitalist in nature, but at the same time he stole a page from the French. It appears to you that there is less sanity on the right because it would go against your principles if they appeared reasonable. Both political extremes tend to find flaws quicker on the other side. Irrationality and absurdity is a multipartisan issue. For instance look what Howard Dean said at the CBN. Gay and Lesbian Democrat supporters said it wasn’t the first time he made that “slip up”. Is he stupid? No, he was pandering to garner more votes. That is where the absurdity exists. Those 19 people that killed 3000 didn’t cross the Mexican border. It’s not that Obrador is a socialist/communist, it’s that he DOES hate America. If there’s one thing we do not need, it’s someone who would be happy to let terrorists in the border. I’m not even talking about Mexican workers, in that case, although you can be sure he wouldn’t do anything to help that situation. I don’t know what your opinion of Hugo Chavez or Fidel Castro is, but if you think they’re OK then I guess Obrador is your man. I can’t imagine why any American would advocate an enemy on the border, though. I don’t care if he talks about “uplifting the poor.” I put our interests first. To be sure, the Mexican economy plays a huge part in the immigration issue, but if you don’t think Mexican workers are a problem…well, there’s a disconnect. Look, I’m as frustrated as anyone with the rhetoric being thrown around. I’ve been attacked myself for calling things as I see them–there is racist rhetoric to be found in blog comments at some of the fever swamps, and some of the more hardcore immigration fanatics have either ignored such rhetoric because the yahoos support their basic points, or they’ve egged it on. All I’m saying is that those yahoos really don’t represent us, and I regularly call out those who don’t nip it in the bud. How they manage to operate a computer to excrete their crap is a mystery to me. Bush canâ€™t just randomly take guards from other states and put them in Cali, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, and he needs the consent of the Governors of those states to deploy the troops. Every single member of the National Guard is required to perform annual training. They don’t necessarily–or even USUALLY–perform that training close to home/in their home state. Sgt Schmo in Chicago may have his AT in Florida or Kansas or whatever. If they’re going to do AT anyway, what’s the problem with putting them to work in TX/NM/AZ/CA? I was in the military; I do know. And I’ll tell you what else: the AT they do isn’t something that they can’t change to a different location or function, either. It simply is NOT a big deal. heâ€™s only now after 5 1/2 years realizing their is a problem on the border. Wrong again. Bush has had immigration plans for YEARS; it’s only been in recent months that suddenly the PUBLIC decided it was an issue. Look it up. Furthermore “the base is up in arms?” Wrong. I’m not “up in arms.” I am the base. I don’t sit out elections like the assholes in 1992 to “teach Republicans a lesson.” Fat lot of good that got them. It’s single-issue spoiled toddlers who “won’t get fooled again,” not the base. I have no patience at all for that nonsense. I’m not interested in your “estimates,” either. Do you advocate deporting blacks too? After all, they make up the majority of the prison population. And while we’re at it, how about deporting all MEN? They’re responsible for the VAST, overwhelming majority of crime. I’m not for “amnesty” or soft on illegal immigration, either. The difference is, my opinion is not based on ignorance and hysterical fear. Today I saw President Bush referred to as â€œEl Presidenteâ€ Heh. Probably a hundred times, and they’ll say there’s nothing objectionable about saying that. How’s “wetbacks” strike you? I actually had some idiot trying to DEFEND the use of the word “wetback” in comments at my site! These fools have no clue. The more crap they fling like that, the more people they turn away from their point of view. Bunch of f’n amateurs. Comment by Beth — 5/16/2006 @ 11:51 pm Those 19 people that killed 3000 didnâ€™t cross the Mexican border. You meant that for me? Hell, that’s what I’ve been saying all along. Nobody bothers talking about the illegals that come from anywhere BUT the Mexican border. My only point was that someone like Obrador may not mind having people like that slip through his country to come here. If not Islamic terrorists, then certainly there are plenty of others from our own hemisphere who bear ill will towards us. And how about the flow of drugs into the country, if nothing else? Obrador definitely won’t be working with us in that regard. Comment by Beth — 5/16/2006 @ 11:57 pm One of the problems here is that the very far right has lost sight of who the real bad guy here is. It’s not Juan the leafblower or Maria the maid. They are just here because the US is great compared to the $#!+hole Mexico is. Note to V Fox, i have a mop for you to clean up your country with. Either tell me where to mail it or i’m going to stick it someplace you won’t like. The drooling left isn’t the villain, either, just ignore them for now. The real enemy are guys like Zacarias Moussaoui and Mohamed Atta who seek to exploit the same gaps Juan and Maria did not to have a better life but to destroy the United States. So what do we do? Let’s make Juan and Maria the heroes here. Quit laughing! Here’s my idea. If Juan and Maria step into the light, stand in line, fill out the paperwork, get legal, and show others, both the ones here and ones still in Mexico, how easy it is, that’s less resources needed to chase them down (and deport them)and more to find the aforementioned terrorists and maybe stop another 9-11 in its tracks. But we gotta tell Juan and Maria this, so how about scraping together some cash and buying a little tv time on every station from Beaumont TX to L.A. to pitch my “get legal, stop terrorism” idea to the masses? Good idea? Bad idea? Why? Comment by Hurricane567 — 5/17/2006 @ 2:13 am Thank you for clarifying. I do agree that Obrador will cause major problems for the United States. I am not so much worried about him allowing terrorists enter into the US as I am worried about him trying to start a revolution. With all the talk of “Reconquista” already floating around, it will be just a matter of time when members of the Communist Latin Community in California show their faces on a grand scale. One problem with socialism is that it only kindof works in nations of educated people. The reason why is that with the government controlling everything; there is a greater chance for mischief.Many anti-liberals (left-wingers) claim that socialism does work, because it works in Norway. Norway receives a lot money from oil. It also has a very, very, strict immigration policy. If oil is deemed obselete, that nation is SOL, no more progressive socialist paradise. Good old Chavez has ruined Venezuela’s oil industry already. I have an issue with many people on the US left supporting Chavez. Hugo openly supports Iran, Syria, and Libya. He was the only foreign leader of note to visit Iraq while Saddam was in power. He has had advisors who have denyed the existence of the Holocaust and blasts the “Jewish Financial Institutions”(Norberto Ceresole). The Jewish community has experienced persecution in Venezuela. The Jewish population has been cut in about half since Chavez has been in power. Many progressives still view him as a hero because he is in opposition to Bush. I guess in their eyes anyone really is better than Bush, even if the leader believes in National Socialism and hates Jews. For legal immigrants, it can take many years to enter the US. Illegal aliens want to enter the US now. Based on current immigration law, these aliens would not be allowed in legally. WOW ! A BILL TO BE ENFORCED WOULD HAVE TO BE ONE OF THE “AMERICAN WAY” First all must register to pay taxes on all incomed earned. 2) one must be in the U.S. FOR TEN YEARS working, paying taxes, and with no excessive criminal record. 3) One must a 10 years and one day pay “a fee” of $5,000 for staying in this country for the ten years. 4) upon being within the U.S. for twenty years you now become a U.S. citizen! Why the harshness? Well I believe if you want to be here so bad, and have so much to give to this country then the 20 years is fair? Fair? yes.. because now your not getting a free ride, working and paying no taxes, milking the system, and now you want to drive back into your country, and not hop the wall into it!! Now its time to pay the piper while you are here, and make something of yourself.. maybe its time to live as a family of 4 in a home vs: a family of 10.”America lov it or leave it” !!	36,617
As former vice president for government, community, and public affairs at the University of Pennsylvania, I read with interest your March 10 op-ed advocating for a Harvard-assisted public school in Allston, which mentioned the public school attended by Penn Alexander University in Philadelphia (“As Harvard seeks to build in Allston, how about a university-affiliated public school?”). Penn Alexander, a K-8 school, has been a great asset to the university and the community and represents one of five Penn initiatives in West Philadelphia. These initiatives were community-based, in that West Philadelphians helped identify them as key to improving their community. Importantly, and I would say essentially, they were also fully aligned with the interests of the university. In the case of the university-assisted school, it was critical that Penn’s Graduate School of Education be engaged in the effort and that the school district, teachers’ union, and city and Commonwealth governments support school. Get an opinion todayThe essentials of Globe Opinion, delivered to your home from Sunday to Friday. The initiatives identified ways in which the university could align its business functions and practices with community interests. They included cleanliness and safety, which saw the creation of a University City neighborhood and a program to install street-level lights throughout the neighborhood. Another initiative aimed to increase the number of local residents involved in construction, particularly women and people of color in the building trades. Other initiatives have increased local retail options, particularly a grocery store, and addressed the availability of affordable and improved housing. The underlying principles of these efforts recognized that challenges to communities required coordinated responses, identified by the community itself, with meaningful consultation and research by those studying urban issues (another benefit for the university ). Penn benefited from the leadership of its then president, Judith Rodin, and the full support of its trustees, who understood that a great university depended significantly on its relationships with its neighbors and on the civic and political leadership of the community. Thanks for the editorial “As Harvard Seeks to Build in Allston, How About a University-Affiliated Public School?” This steers the conversation about community benefits in the right direction. Time and time again, developers have used the community perks “carrot” to deflect community opposition. Sometimes the promise of community benefits comes dangerously close to co-opting community organizations and leaders. Allston-Brighton has not been immune to such practices. Your suggestion of a Harvard-affiliated public school illustrates how community benefits should be approached: Benefits should be public, that is, they should benefit the entire community. This should not be confused with other more privatized so-called benefits, such as individual scholarships, grants to private schools, and small grants to certain local civic groups. Related posts: Public school teachers ready to welcome students back in person debate over critical bleeding race theory in public school libraries \| New Ongoing petition against delay in public school sports in Hawaii Distance education has lowered public school enrollment, study finds Prev Post Received 3,500 complaints against Thanjavur institution: NCPCR tells Supreme Court \| Latest India News Next Post RBKC backs parents opposed to takeover of Holland Park School academy chain You might also like More from author Public school Public School Playoff Field Set Public school Annual Function at Sri Ram Ashram Public School, Amritsar : The Tribune India Public school Voters approve arts education funding for every public school in the state Public school UC Berkeley is the #1 public school for startup founders in the 2022 Pitchbook… Prev Next Comments are closed. Public school School academy School fee School institution School university credit card credit score debt consolidation elementary school higher education high school interest rates public schools school academy school board school districts school students school year united states young people Recent Posts Horizon Therapeutics plc announces scientific collaboration with leading research institution to advance autoimmunity and inflammation research	4,668
Apollo 12 pilot Alan Bean stands on the moon during the second lunar landing in November 1969. A Hasselblad camera is fixed to his chest, and mission commander Pete Conrad is crisply reflected on his helmet’s visor, as Bean holds up a gleaming cylinder filled with lunar dust. Space-philes can download a high-resolution version of this iconic black-and-white photograph for free from NASA’s website at any time. But if you’re looking for something a bit more luxe and have $3,000 to spend, you can buy a much rarer, vintage silver gelatin print from Sotheby’s. The image, developed in NASA’s photographic laboratories immediately after the mission and autographed by Bean himself, is one of more than 200 prints peddled by the auction house in its first-ever space photos sale, taking place today. “I love the stuff, people love the stuff,” says Cassandra Hatton, who started up space exploration auctions at Sotheby’s three years ago. “Give the people what they want, you know?” The market for space memorabilia is growing. Five years ago, Hatton handled a Bonham’s sale that brought in $1 million for just under 300 lots; her most recent in July at Sotheby’s, involving 218 lots, nabbed $5.5 million. The 275-year-old auction house began dealing in space in 1993, when it sold three moon pebbles weighing .0007 ounces—about as much as a raindrop—for $442,500. Hatton resold them last year for nearly twice that. She’s also brokered the $1.8 million sale of the cloth bag Neil Armstrong used to bring back the first lunar samples and a number of spacesuits. “I usually put them on and model them for our catalog,” she says. “Can’t resist.” The 50th anniversary of the moon landing has further fueled attention on space—particularly photos. In July, Hatton sold a vintage print of Buzz Aldrin climbing down the ladder of the lunar module during the Apollo 11 mission for $40,000, her biggest image sale yet. People bid from all over—the Middle East, Central America, Asia—though buyers from the US, UK, and France dominate. While some have a niche, like 19th century lunar photography, others are less discriminating. “I have one client in particular who is just an obsessive space photography collector and this is all they do,” Hatton says. “They’re just constantly buying.” NASA offerings in the current sale include official photographs numbered in red or black ink—most taken with Hasselblads by the astronauts themselves and printed directly after the mission on glossy 8×10 Kodak paper for distribution among the press. Since they were frequently handled, finding popular images—like Earthrise from Apollo 8, the first American spacewalk, or Buzz Aldrin’s space selfie—that aren’t scuffed or ripped isn’t easy. It’s a similar story for the Lunar Orbiter prints on sale. Those were shot by unmanned aircraft between 1966 and 1975 for the purpose of locating potential landing sites. Most depict dirt, craters, and other terrain. More exciting, off-mission shots—like the first view of Earth from the moon—aren’t as common. “Those would usually be printed at the request of a higher-up person in the military or NASA,” Hatton says. “They weren’t printed in large batches.” The more pristine prints tend to come to Sotheby’s from former government workers in the military and at NASA who received them through their jobs, Hatton says. Years ago, someone found a bunch in a dumpster outside Edwards Air Force Base in California—a “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure kind of deal.” Most in the current sale come from private collector Phillip Kulpa. There are also some intimate, candid snapshots from the estate of NASA’s first senior photographer, Bill Taub, who documented the Project Mercury and Apollo missions and hung his favorite snapshots on the walls of his home. Oh also: UFO pics. The auction includes several taken in 1976 by “Billy” Eduard Albert Meier, a Swiss ufologist who claimed that aliens began communicating with him at age 5 in 1942. Most famously, one image appeared prominently on a poster in the office of David Duchovny’s character on The X-Files. “A lot of my clients who are interested in space exploration are also kind of interested in the concept of alien life and UFOs,” Hatton says. “It’s not too far off base.” Or, perhaps, one person’s space shuttle is another person’s spaceship. What we get wrong about “people of color” Every tech company wants to be a bank—someday, at least How earnest research into gay genetics went wrong The Real ID is nearly here, and you can’t fly home without it	4,760
Am I being thick or is there just one Theme Option? Where are the others? I had a smf3 forum some years back and found them straight away. Set up doesn't seem that different but there doesn't seem to be any options Post by: CreateAForum on January 10, 2012, 10:16:52 pm Yes only one theme but we offer a style manager were you can create your own styles/themes or use ones found on the forum. Post by: vedruss breeze on January 11, 2012, 08:59:40 am So can I find a range of a few ready made themes under 'style' then, and chose one of them? Or do I need to faff about and add in colours and amend details getting frustrated and annoyed? Can you tell me the simple steps? Post by: vedruss breeze on January 11, 2012, 09:05:21 am /^%$~@ curve theme, #765 what? I'm not a web designer, I just want to have a a range of about 8 or more templates, of which I can see visually as finished samples... then select one of them by pressing a 1 button which is obvious and there right in front of my nose. I think this design is awful and takes into consideration 1 type of person (the tinkerers) and excludes another type (the asserters) who just want to put their content into ready made formats, with minimal tinkering. Is smf3 still around and does it still have options? I can't be wasting my time with this poor user unfriendly version Post by: CreateAForum on January 11, 2012, 02:57:20 pm There is no smf3 what's unfriendly about this version? I am having other styles created but they are different colors that this one mainly. Post by: aIURbliS on January 11, 2012, 11:29:10 pm We don't have much custom styles to offer around here, if we get more activity, we might have some people who know enough css to make some awesome styles.	1,867
It is no accident that our Republic has had a two party system in place in virtually every election cycle since the founding and that the Democrats and Republicans have taken turns governing since 1860. The Constitution all but assures that our politics will be dominated by exactly two parties and politics helps ensure that the current two parties will be the two parties of the future. Much more at the link. Discuss there and/or here but, please, read it before so doing. UPDATE: Steven Taylor and Matthew Shugart, political scientists who study elections for a living, have some interesting insights into the issue. Shugart notes that the institutional dynamics that I cite for the US have not held for other cases. FILED UNDER: Political Theory, Published Elsewhere, US Constitution, Democratic Party, elections, Matthew Shugart, Republican Party, Steven Taylor, TSA James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College and a nonresident senior fellow at the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm vet. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner. Comments Thursday, 10 August 2006 at 14:46 “Obviating.” Nice to see I’m not the only one using that word. Dunne’s “The Dimmocratic Party isn’t on speakin’ terms wiv itself” remains perfectly applicable 100 years later, which I see as an important confirmation of JJ’s thesis. Thursday, 10 August 2006 at 14:51 It is truly telling of the two-party polarity, when you have to tell people to read the article (prejudgement?)… I agree that the system will always produce two parties, but not that the Democrats and Republicans will necessarily be the parties in power. Historically, they have not been, and there is always room for a power shift. It just takes money… It is interesting that you mention the two party system forcing the participants to the center. I think what we’re seeing these days is a majority voter base that is centrist, with the parties pulling outward. How many moderate candidates have been ousted because their position on an issue that ‘looks’ too much like the other side? Look at the hanging of Joe Lieberman for example. I am often frustrated by the two-party system because of this all-or-nothing approach. That, and the deadlocked legislature and the nasty mud-slinging campaign trail (that lately has become a 24/7/365/term battle to discredit the other guys). Highly counter-productive. But, change it will. I think everybody is sick of this. If you look at the inflammaotry issues that divide us, specifically the ones where there is no compromise, I think that you will find most Americans think they are in the middle. James Joyner says: Thursday, 10 August 2006 at 14:55 Unfortunately, whenever I post an excerpt of something complex, people tend to comment without actually bothering to click through. That sends the debate off into needless tangents, something I’m trying to police a bit more effectively. People have been saying they’re tired of polarization for a couple decades now (recall Bush 41’s 1988 convention speech and inaugural address)but negative campaigning and polarization have been increasing, not tapering off. Because of gerrymandering, polarization works quite effectively in House races. In Senate and presidential races, effective candidates target their messages more carefully. Thursday, 10 August 2006 at 15:08 I agree with you completely about the stability of the two party system here and the near-certainty of the present two major parties will hold on to their positions. However, is it really true that the intrinsic structure of our system guarantees that two and only two parties will contest for power here throughout eternity? It seems to me that while our system prevents challengers from gaining power that shouldn’t be construed as prohibiting a one party or no party system from evolving. IIRC in the beginning there were, effectively, no parties and that was stable for a while. Then wasn’t there a single party situation there for about 30 years in the 19th century? Because there is no prize for second place, as in the proportional representation system common in many parliamentary systems, our system encourages — indeed, essentially forces — candidates and parties to the political center in an attempt to get as close to a majority as possible or, in the case of multi-candidate elections, more than anyone else. Is that actually what’s happening right now? I see little evidence of it. Quite to the contrary I see both parties dashing away from the center as quickly as their little feet will carry them. I’m beginning to wonder if there’s not a possibility that political parties in the United States are beginning to lose coherence and relevance. A combination of the rise of the ultra-wealthy (compared to, say, a generation ago), the power of the conventional media, and the developing power of the Internet seem to me to reduce the economic motivation for a party system (not dissimilarly to the way that careers for women reduces the economic motivation for marriage). That would seem to create an opportunity for gaining power without the backing of a party. Thursday, 10 August 2006 at 15:17 Political parties — the Federalists and the Democratic-Republcians — began to evolve almost as soon as George Washington became President. The elections of 1796 and 1800 made them a fact of life in electoral politics, but the divisions that brought them about were brewing (largely within Washington’s cabinet) from the beginning. Thursday, 10 August 2006 at 15:26 One further thought: Yes, its true that the Democrats did dominate the White House during the first half of the 19th Century, but that doesn’t mean that there wasn’t a two-party system. After the Federalists died out, the Whig Party challenged the Democrats quite effectively. Thursday, 10 August 2006 at 17:53 I agree with much of your article, except I think you missed the importance of the third party. Not that a third party is likely to win any time soon, I agree with you on that. But if you look at the elections in the last 40 years, 1968, 1992, 1996 stand out for their high third party percentages. In addition, 1980 and 2000 had lower third party percentages, but they did seem to impact the vote in critical ways. In 1968, this helped the republicans because it siphoned support from the democrats. In 1992 and 1996, it helped the democrats. All three of those years saw less than a majority support the winner. In 1980, Regan got a majority, but there was still a strong third party vote percentage. 2000 again showed no candidate getting a majority, so while the third party vote totals were smaller than the other years, they were likely just enough. The thing is that to make an impact, the third party needs to be fairly closely aligned to one of the parties. The third party siphon works more to deny a party victory (because it pulls mostly from that party and all the events you talked about pushes victory to the other side), than to push the other party up. To imagine the impact of a third party, imagine Hillary, Gore, McCain and Rudy in 2008. If any three of those people run, then one of the parties will win, namely the party that doesn’t have two people from its party running. The other thing to recognize that absent some specific events, the natural majority goes to the republicans, reflecting the nations mid point being slightly right of center. If you look at the last 100 years, the democratic victories can be traced to 1) third party candidate siphoning off votes from the republicans (1912, 1992), 3) Incumbent winning reelection after case 1 or 2 (1936, 1940, 1944 and 1946, though you can also make the argument that 1996 is due to third party vote) 4) response to scandal (1976) 5) response to VP carrying on after president dies (1948, 1964). The only other election the democrats won is 1960, which was the closest election in the last 100 years. 112,827 votes separated the winner from the loser (0.16%). I’ll leave it to better students of history than myself as to whether any party machines helped to secure those extra 112K votes. For the last 40 years, the GOP advantage has been even more apparent. This certainly doesn’t mean that the GOP can’t lose. But absent scandal, economic disaster or a third party siphoning off votes, the GOP would seem to have the advantage.	8,679
Commonly I see the measurement of unit test coverage contribute to the continuation of poor development practices. Often when teams try to improve their code coverage, they unwittingly create more problematic code that continues to be a drag on the organization. Increasing code coverage without improving development practices isn’t likely to lead to improvements in the quality of the software. Coverage is a Result Not a Goal The crux of the problem is that high code coverage is the result of quality-first development practices. Naturally, organizations with low coverage are missing these practices. Instead of dedicating time and effort into improving practices, they look to increase code coverage, misconstruing the result as the goal. Code coverage is considered a proxy metric for the quality of the system or the ability to find issues before they get to production. However, code coverage is a poor proxy metric at best. Tested codebases are ostensibly easier to change and will prevent issues from getting into production. This is simply not the case for organizations that try to achieve high code coverage alone. I discuss some of these challenges in my previous article, Avoiding Automated Testing Pitfalls. Code coverage metrics cannot measure the quality of the tests. Low-quality tests can achieve high coverage, but not test anything of value. They can increase coverage percentages, but be so hard to understand that they are a maintenance nightmare. Misuse of mocking, which is common in poorly designed systems, can lead to huge gaps in testing core functionality. Trying to achieve high coverage without focusing on improving the design of the system or the development practices is a recipe for more problems. Code coverage cannot assess the importance of the areas that are tested. Development teams trying to achieve a coverage percentage without learning new practices will look to get those percentage gains in the simplest and fastest way possible. Before we rush to blame developers or “hold them accountable,” I would like to shine a light on the system of work, which is where the problem lies. Organizations create these development and delivery problems because of a mindset that they have clung to for far too long. It is this mindset that shipping to production as fast as possible is the only measure of success that is the problem. In these organizations, there is no time to learn, experiment, or improve the way development teams work. Teams are laser-focused on today, cutting corners that add risk and delays tomorrow. It’s in these systems of work where developers need to increase coverage numbers as quickly and safely as possible so they can get back to delivering in the short term. They don’t have the luxury of slowing down to learn. Improving daily work is even more important than doing daily work. Since developers aren’t refactoring production code into testable designs, learning Test-Driven Development, nor learning legacy code techniques, they are instead looking for any tests they can write without modifying production code. They end up with extremely simple tests that side-step the riskiest areas of the codebase or create large and brittle tests that suffer from false failures. Test Quality is Paramount The previous example illuminates one of the biggest issues with trying to achieve high coverage without adopting improved development practices; it will result in additional low-quality code being introduced into the codebase. Tests being produced without improving the design of the code results in tests that are brittle and hard to maintain, often testing the least important areas of the system. —Unknown Valuable Tests Achieve Lower Coverage Individually The industry has adopted the term microtests to describe the attributes of the most valuable types of tests. Originally coined by Industrial Logic consultant Mike Hill, it serves to differentiate valuable tests, that are often developed using Test-Driven Development, from the less valuable tests. When I teach microtesting and sustainable test suite design I use a mnemonic I’ve created called SOS. I’ve found that organizations suffering from a glut of poor unit tests are often sinking, so making use of a maritime distress signal acronym seems appropriate. I’ve written at length about this topic in this post, SOS - To Save Sinking Test Suites. SOS stands for Small, Obvious, and Simple. It serves to remind developers of the attributes of high-quality microtests. High-quality microtests are very small and only test a couple of lines of production code. It is the sheer number of these tests that contributes to the high test coverage. Organizations trying to achieve high coverage will often write large tests that aren’t obvious nor simple to get as much coverage per test as possible. When organizations have coverage goals it often results in backlog items to write tests for areas of the code that are separate from the business value they are delivering. This is a significant and avoidable risk for organizations and a sign that they aren’t improving development practices. My recommendation is to build improvement habits by practicing them every day. The best way to build these habits is to write tests for all code changes. And code changes are driven by functional changes to support the increasing business value of the software (e.g., user stories, new features, bug fixes, etc.). In other words, microtested code is part of the team Definition of Done for every user story or bug. To be able to write high-quality tests the development teams need to refactor existing code to make it testable. When the creation of tests is separated from functional system changes, it incurs risk for the organization for no benefit. Code that isn’t being modified doesn’t need tests until it’s modified. Building backlog items and projects around writing tests will never build the team skills required for tests to be developed in lockstep with all functional changes. Benefits of Code Coverage There are a select few cases where I think measuring code coverage is valuable. One such example is a team-level measure to track the progress of getting a legacy system under test. Trying to improve a legacy system feels like an insurmountable goal at times. Teams rely on legacy code techniques to safely and incrementally improve the quality of the code as they are making functional changes. It’s common for a team to feel like it would be best to rewrite the system from scratch, which can introduce a whole new set of problems. Tracking coverage can be a great morale booster for development teams to see the progress that they are making every day. Another example is teams that rely on static code analysis tools, like NDepend. These tools use code coverage as part of a set of metrics they provide. One such metric is the CRAP metric; yes it’s funny, but stands for Change Risk Anti-Patterns. The CRAP metric measures the increased risk of introducing a bug when making a change by identifying areas of code that have high cyclomatic complexity and low code coverage. I think this is a great measure for teams to identify potentially risky areas of the system. When I’ve seen code coverage used successfully it was a team’s internal measure — not imposed on them by their organization. The teams who adopted it were relying on quality-first development practices already and wanted to measure the result of those practices to show an increase in their code coverage. My recommendation is that software organizations should stop focusing on code coverage as a goal. Instead of investing time and money into increasing coverage, they should make investments in the technical practices and quality-first engineering discipline of their development teams. I would focus on learning Test-Driven Development, refactoring skills, legacy code techniques, and software design skills. Encourage developers to work and learn together. Leaders should be creating a learning environment where teams feel safe to take time to learn these skills. The result will be a significant improvement in quality and thus an improvement in productivity, morale, and code coverage. Remember code coverage isn’t a goal to achieve, but it’s a byproduct of quality-first development practices that create not only high-quality changeable production code but also high-quality sustainable test suites.	8,698
I've been meaning to show off my new Marni for H&M sandals which I bought after a rather stressful experience online. Regular readers of my blog will remember this post where I told you all how I'd ordered them after a scrimmage online...they arrived and I was beyond excited, and then I opened the box to realise they'd sent the wrong size. HOW disappointing! Well, I sent them back, but only after re-ordering a new pair, which H&M sent with no postage charge and a 10% discount, with a promise to refund the original payment and p&p I'd forked out. I'm still waiting for my refund, though I called up earlier in the week as I was concerned that the parcel might have been lost (I sent it via Royal Mail.) No, the advisor assured me on the phone, it had been received and my refund was being processed...for the second amount paid (i.e, less the p&p and discount.) No, no, no! I tried to explain, but due to the Easter weekend (blah blah blah) there was no one there to sort it out. So I shall be calling them up Tuesday to make sure I get the correct amount of money back; it's almost an extra tenner and since it was their mistake (on both counts) I think this is only fair. What a stress! Aside from this, the sandals are beautiful and I love them. I haven't worn them yet (partly due to the weather, partly because I am too scared!) but I know I will, roll on summer! What do you make of them? I think they are SO Marni, I love the shape which is so distinctive and characteristic of the brand. I was torn between these or a tote bag and I am so glad I got these; they really are lovely and a good investment. You may also like: Jessica said... You should definitely call them to get your complete and total refund! I hope you are having a fantastic Easter weekend! 7 April 2012 at 23:41 Unknown said... 8 April 2012 at 14:44 Previous Entries Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) Blog Archive August 2022 (2) January 2022 (1) June 2021 (2) March 2021 (2) February 2021 (5) November 2020 (4) August 2020 (2) July 2020 (2) June 2020 (3) May 2020 (2) April 2020 (6) March 2020 (3) December 2019 (2) November 2019 (1) October 2019 (7) September 2019 (1) August 2019 (2) April 2019 (2) March 2019 (2) February 2019 (3) January 2019 (2) December 2018 (6) November 2018 (7) October 2018 (4) September 2018 (4) August 2018 (6) July 2018 (6) June 2018 (4) May 2018 (6) April 2018 (8) March 2018 (13) February 2018 (8) January 2018 (13) December 2017 (11) November 2017 (10) October 2017 (6) September 2017 (8) August 2017 (10) July 2017 (18) June 2017 (11) May 2017 (13) April 2017 (15) March 2017 (12) February 2017 (15) January 2017 (17) December 2016 (17) November 2016 (13) October 2016 (18) September 2016 (16) August 2016 (17) July 2016 (19) June 2016 (21) May 2016 (26) April 2016 (24) March 2016 (27) February 2016 (23) January 2016 (25) December 2015 (23) November 2015 (25) October 2015 (26) September 2015 (22) August 2015 (25) July 2015 (26) June 2015 (26) May 2015 (24) April 2015 (25) March 2015 (26) February 2015 (22) January 2015 (27) December 2014 (24) November 2014 (27) October 2014 (23) September 2014 (22) August 2014 (22) July 2014 (22) June 2014 (20) May 2014 (23) April 2014 (22) March 2014 (22) February 2014 (20) January 2014 (21) December 2013 (20) November 2013 (18) October 2013 (28) September 2013 (23) August 2013 (23) July 2013 (24) June 2013 (17) May 2013 (20) April 2013 (20) March 2013 (19) February 2013 (15) January 2013 (12) December 2012 (10) November 2012 (12) October 2012 (18) September 2012 (13) August 2012 (18) July 2012 (16) June 2012 (25) May 2012 (28) April 2012 (28) March 2012 (25) February 2012 (26) January 2012 (30) December 2011 (24) November 2011 (23) October 2011 (22) September 2011 (28) August 2011 (24) July 2011 (22) June 2011 (27) May 2011 (28) April 2011 (27) March 2011 (27) February 2011 (26) January 2011 (15) December 2010 (42) November 2010 (22) October 2010 (32) September 2010 (37) August 2010 (23) July 2010 (8) June 2010 (15) May 2010 (9) April 2010 (14) March 2010 (11) February 2010 (13) January 2010 (17) December 2009 (16) November 2009 (4) October 2009 (17) September 2009 (16) August 2009 (9) July 2009 (8)	4,275
Compass Homes, your Columbus custom home builders, is excited to bring you a Parade Home like no other in 2016. We are always thinking of ways to motivate & inspire people, and our partnership with multiple central Ohio designers should do just that! We are excited to profile local designer, Ruthanne Hanlon. We asked Ruthanne a few questions so that you can get to know her design style & know what to look for in the Parade of Homes this year! How long have you been in the field of design? I’ve been in the field of design since 1994, after graduating from Villa Maria College in upstate New York. What was your very first project? When I was about 10 years old, I drew a shape of my sister’s & my bedroom and cut out shapes of our furniture so she & I, who were always feuding about space & organization, could rearrange our room without actually having to move furniture. Little did I know that was a floor plan. Unfortunately it wasn’t to scale so we ended up moving the furniture many times anyway. What inspires you? Nature inspires me. The colors, textures, and most importantly, lighting, always catch my attention and inspire design ideas. What do you believe is good design? Good design uses spaces that are tailored to those who live in them, regardless of trends & mainstream thoughts. Everyone has different tastes, preferences, and lifestyles. Our homes should reflect that and make us feel good as soon as we walk in the door. Where is your favorite place to shop or get ideas? Antique shops are my favorite places because I like unique, one of a kind items with a history. Color trends have changed so much throughout the years that it’s always interesting to see those palettes and how they were utilized. Why did you decide to participate in the 2016 Parade of Homes? Compass Homes builds such a beautiful home and Pamela & Chad are so great to work with. It’s exciting to showcase new ideas and inspire those who attend. What are you most looking forward to designing for this year’s Parade of Homes? I’m looking forward to all aspects but especially the bedrooms, to try and come up with something unique & inspiring! What are the hot colors/design trends for 2016? Gray continues to dominate and there’s a healthy balance of both energetic, bold color combinations & soothing, serene, muted pastels. It’ll be interesting to see which trends are showcased at this Parade of Homes. Any other information you want to share with us? I can’t stress enough how important it is to design & decorate your spaces so that they appeal to you, your family, and how you live in these rooms. The gorgeous photos you see in magazines are beautiful but only if they suit your taste. Don’t be afraid to go against the grain and create an oasis that speaks to your soul. Be yourself and follow your own design path. Stay tuned to Compass Homes, your new home builders Powell, to read about more of our amazing 2016 Parade Home designers as we continue to profile them on our blog and Facebook page. The difference is in the details. Compass Homes is a boutique custom home builder for families in central Ohio. We build well thought out and efficient homes. We do this through a detailed design/build process and putting "more thought" into every step of building your home. We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. Sign me up to receive emails on new listings, dropped prices and exclusive events and open houses. utm_campaign This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The difference is in the details. © 2022 Compass Homes, Inc. All Rights Reserved \| "More Thought Per Square Foot" Is a Registered Trademark of Compass Homes	4,062
Good morning brothers and sisters. Yesterday we looked at the response of Zacharias on the news of John being born. Now I want to take you to his wife, Elizabeth. We will start with the scripture wher Post not marked as liked Response? Good morning brothers and sisters. This is the time of year that we remember the birth of Christ. let's talk about when God does respond and how our response is. But believe it or not, I don't want to Post not marked as liked Good morning brothers and sisters. While I am still waiting on the conversation from the other day to still take place, I was studying on holiness. But what does that mean exactly? Let's look at some	676
Posted: 29th October, 2018 in Case Studies, Customer Service, Sales , Tips & Tricks, Training and mentoring Recently I came across a wonderful quotation by an unknown author, that read “Self-confidence is a super power. Once you start believing in yourself, magic starts happening”. It got me thinking. How many times in our lives, have we missed out on an opportunity because of a lack of self-belief? How many times have we given up before we have even started? And how many times have we discouraged others to try because we think it’s too risky? If we are really honest, I am sure we can all think of plenty of examples when we missed out on exciting adventures and wonderful opportunities. But have we ever stopped to think about the effect it can have on our confidence and self-esteem when we play safe or avoid trying new things? We don’t start life this way. When a baby is born, we believe everything is possible. We automatically assume they will learn to walk and talk. We give them heaps of positive encouragement when they fall over so they will get up again and eventually get it right. Somewhere along the way, we lose this wonderful sense of self-belief and optimism. But when do we stop believing? And when do we sow the seed of doubt and start putting obstacles in the way? As a society, we are greatly influenced by praise and recognition, in the same way we are affected by criticism and rejection. We are often conditioned to believe we cannot do something. We stick with what we know, what we are good and thereby start to live within our comfort zones and avoid risks. However, when we stop challenging ourselves - we stop learning. When we stop learning - we stop growing. It is safe to say most people have yet to reach their potential. It has very little to do with intelligence, opportunity or resources. It is to do with a lack of self-belief and the result of the thoughts and actions we take. It may be a fear of public speaking, the lack of confidence to apply for a new job, a disbelief we can learn a language, an apprehension to try a new sport or take on a challenge. The good news is that we can rewire our brains to positively change our thoughts, actions and behaviour. We can unlearn what we have learnt, get rid of the negative thoughts and relearn new positive beliefs. There are a number of steps we can take to increase our confidence and self-belief to achieve our goals: Fake it until you make – Change your mindset and body language by standing tall, walk with purpose and adopt a smile. You’ll feel stronger and positive - others will start to believe you too. Use positive language – focus on inspiring words rather than negative ones that will drain you, scare you or stop you. You will feel more confident and people will respond better. Positive affirmations – everyday use positive affirmations – it helps your mind be more receptive to change, deal with challenges and build confidence. Focus on positive people – talk to confident people, learn from them, study and mimic their behaviour. Focus on can do’s – Focus on the skills and resources you need to learn or obtain to overcome challenges Do something that will push you out of your comfort zone – Take a risk and do something you didn’t think possible. Set your deadline, tell others, sign up and commit to it. Visualisation – learn to create a mental image of you achieving goals. Let yourself see and feel the results. Break it down – avoid becoming overwhelmed, create realistic plans - break down the steps at each stage Shut it down – every time you can feel yourself becoming negative, breath, exercise, take a walk, think of something positive or use other relaxing techniques to reduce the anxiety. Share this article: < back to blog For more information, please contact us now. Call us on 01 2764347 or email us at [email protected]	3,955
Who changed the Sabbath?See how the Sabbath day was changed to Sunday, and who did it.www.logosapostolic.org/ exAdventist OutreachMinistry of former Adventists with Biblical Answers on Adventismwww.exadventist.com/ Jesus was crucified on a Friday and rose on a Sunday. He rested on the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, Saturday. Mary and Martha came to the tomb on a Sunday morning ( the first day of the week), after the Sabbath. God never changed the day. He didn't say keep "a" Sabbath holy. He said keep "the" Sabbath holy, which is "the" seventh day of the week" which most people in the world see as Saturday. I recommend the book "Ten Commandments Twice Removed." Traditionally the Jews kept the Saturday Sabbath and throughout the Bible we notice they stick to their traditions. Traditions been the very thing Jesus argued against. Traditionally we keep a Sunday Sabbath. Are we to keep to Jewish tradition or to our own. Traditionally the Jews do not see Jesus as the Messiah, are we to stick to their beliefs and traditions or our own. Traditionally the Jews named the days of the week are we to stick to their traditions or our own. Note that traditionally the Jews record their days according to the Lunar Calendar - God only created the Moon on the 4th day - so according to His word this was Wednesday of our week and according to Lunar Calendar (part Tues & part Wed). The answer is simple: we have to observe a Sabbath not a Day. Note that in all arguments the Day seems to have become more important than the Sabbath. Jesus been the Sabbath. Monday is the 1st day of the working week. God said work for six and rest the 7th. At the time Mary and Martha were around, Saturday was the Sabbath the seventh day of rest and they started working on Sunday to Friday. If the specific day where of any importance to God he would have named them and numbered them. Church leaders work for God and also need to rest but for them to rest either on Saturday or Sunday just won't work out so they choose other days of rest. The thing I really love about the Sabbath it must be observed but not on any particular day, it keeps the debate of God alive. Does God consider a specific day Holy, I don't think so, He does however expect us to observe a Sabbath, set a day aside. Our respective leaders are to decide this day and we are to follow our leaders who are selected by God to lead us. If you consider Saturday Sabbath keepers argument and the Sunday Sabbath keepers argument they are both valid and biblical. They can both be argued for and against and these arguments are valid. However it does become up to the individual to build a relationship with God and ask Him for guidance on this matter. I have and God has clearly let me know that a day a specific time of the week does not matter. He is more concerned that it is kept. Keep in mind a seventh day could be different from person to person. This would depend on your working week. God provides us with our jobs. I like the way the 7th is argued. Yes it could mean The 7th day of the week or if read in the context the bible puts it God says work for six days (note He does not say work from the first day of the week to the sixth day of the week).Now which six days should we work and which not. If I work from Wednesday to Tuesday and rest on the seventh day is this a sin. No I have worked for six days and rested on the 7th Day. How does on the 7th day in this context become "The 7th Day of The Week". Monday is not the first day of the week: Matthew 28:1 (niv) "After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb." Jesus resurrected on Sunday (ie Easter Sunday) and the first day of the week is what the bible says Jesus rose on. Therefor Sunday is the first day of the week. And any way look up the definitions of the days in a dictionary, it will say Sunday is the first day of the week. God didn't really name or number the days we did, and he knew we would. God knows everything, he knew your name even before you were born, so of course he knew man would name the days of the week and man put the seventh day as Saturday, and in the Bible God said to rest from all of your work on the seventh day (Saturday). Also I suggest that you read Matthew 28:1, it talks about how Mary and Martha came on Sunday morning (after Jesus was crucified) to see the sepulchre. It says "In the end of the SABBATH as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,....". Sunday is the first day of the week, (although some people put Monday as the first so they can say that Sunday is the seventh and make it the Sabbath), but as in the text Sunday was the first day, and if it was the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, then Saturday has to be the Sabbath. It's the 4th commandment and not observing it would be breaking one of the commandments which would be a sin. Jesus was a Jew and the Jews worshiped on the seventh day (Saturday), and they still do. I think that had God wished for us to stick to a specific day he would have named the days or said the seventh day of the week. He clearly states to work six days and rest on the seventh day. No where does God number or name the days. Man does. God was just interested in us resting and spending one day with him. If you are in Israel the Sabbath will be on the Saturday. If anywhere else it is Sunday and some countries there isn't one. If your church has it on Saturday then enjoy it with them and keep it Holy if it is on a Monday then keep it Holy. However make sure you stick to the commandment to the letter, work for six days, and rest on the seventh day, set the seventh day aside for rest. Now here is the downside of God's people not respecting Gods wishes. We are split over a day. Instead of standing together neither side will celebrate the Sabbath with the other side. God did not just establish the Sabbath for the Jews, but for all of mankind. The Sabbath was created on the last day of Creation. There was only Adam and Eve, and no such thing as a Jew. In Genesis 1 we are informed that the world as we now know it was created in 6 days. On the 7th day God ceased from all of His work, as recorded in Genesis (2:2-3). This is the only day that God set aside and made Holy, and which he blessed. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. In the 4th commandment (Exodus 20:8-11) we are clearly informed: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Yes. Saturday is the True Sabbath if we see Genesis 2:2 God had establish on the seventh day the Sabbath so mankind can rest on that day. This day was not meant for the Jews.(Mark 2:27). The Jewish people were around until 2000 years later. In the New Testament we see that God never change the Sabbath he said in John 14:15 " If ye love me, keep my commandments." Other texts: Matthew 5:17;Galatians 3:24. No. The Hebrew Sabbath is based on the Hebrew calendar. We are now using the Gregorian calendar, therefore Sabbath can fall on any day. Computing Hebrew Sabbath in a weekly basis will require a complex computer programming. Note: this makes no sense, as the Hebrew and Gregorian calendar calculate months and year differently. Both calendars are based on a 7-day week, and everybody agrees that the Sabbath comes around every 7 days. Besides, computing conversions between various calendars is not complex for a 21st century computer. God told us to keep the seventh day holy, and he did not say to do it based on the sacred calender (Hebrew calender). After the Sabbath, as Sunday morning was dawning, Mary Magdelene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Suddenly there was a violent eartquake; an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled the stone away and sat on it. ( Matthew 28 ) Clearly in this verse you can see that the Sabbath Day is Saturday. Saturday is the Sabbath, it says so in the fourth commandment "seventh day". And it doesn't matter which calendar we use because God's word stands forever and it is forever true, so I believe what my Bible says and it says what it says in the fourth commandment. Over 140 languages call the 'seventh-day' Sabbath. Saturday is the Sabbath. Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. The seal of God is accepting Jesus and following Him, including keeping the seventh day sabbath (Friday to Saturday sundown).	9,197
Some people with less common transgender identities express feelings of being made to feel excluded, erased or ‘not trans enough’ for general transgender spaces, organisations and even identity labels. However the organisers of these spaces intend that all transgender people should be welcome and included and do not wish to see anyone turned away. There is a mismatch between how inclusive transgender organisations feel they are or should be and the message their terminology, resources and support materials are giving to non-binary, genderqueer, gender variant and gender transgressive people. This article is directed at organisations already including or representing transgender people and aims to highlight how well-meaning transgender support and information materials can exclude or erase the experiences of transgender identified people who feel they are on the fringes of, or currently outside of the ‘transgender community’. The most basic way for a transgender organisation to show all transgender people that they are included and represented is to describe the organisation and give its definition of ‘transgender’ in a way that includes those people’s identities. If a transgender person reads an organisation’s materials and fails to see their own experience reflected or, worse still, sees their identity erased by a simplistic or highly prescriptive explanation of what ‘transgender’ means, they are unlikely to feel included or represented. Before we begin to look at how to demonstrate inclusion of all transgender people, we require a definition of what ‘transgender’ should mean. Practical Androgyny’s definition is as follows: ‘Transgender’ is an umbrella term that can potentially cover all people who transgress or transcend (go beyond the limits of) society’s rules and concepts of gender. People may be transgender due to their self expression, identity or personal history. Transgender is a wide and nebulous concept and so is mainly used as a ‘cover all’ term to allow all people who experience prejudice or discomfort due to their ‘transgressive gender’ to be described and protected (such as in hate crime or employment protection legislation). Most people who fall under the umbrella of an inclusive ‘transgender’ definition are likely to have their own specific identity label that may or may not include some concept of ‘transgender’. Some people who technically fit the definition may even strongly object to being called ‘transgender’, however others in the same position may feel just as strongly that it applies to them. Some people with ‘niche’ identities under the transgender umbrella may also use ‘transgender’ as their main identity label, as this is more widely understood. As with the label ‘queer’, the potential for who may be covered by ‘transgender’ is wide, but it is up to individuals whether they personally choose to adopt a ‘transgender’ identity (self-identification). However what is most important is that no organisation claiming to include, support or represent all transgender people should ever exclude or erase anyone who feels their experience or identity is transgender. Examples of inclusivity Many organisations provide similarly inclusive definitions of transgender. For example, the Transgender Education Network of Texas has a verbose definition of transgender, I’d recommend reading it in full, but here is a relevant extract: Transgender Education Network of Texas defines the term transgender as an umbrella term applied to a variety of individuals, which have an internal gender identity (a self identification as woman, man, neither, or some other combination) different than their sex assigned at birth (the identification by others as a male or female based on physical/genetic sex), and/or individuals which may exhibit behaviors, or a gender expression that diverge from the normative gender role (woman or man). A transgender individual may have characteristics that are normally associated with a particular gender, identify elsewhere on the traditional gender continuum, or exist outside of it as other, agender, Genderqueer or third gender. Transgender people may also identify as bigender, or along several places on either the traditional transgender continuum, or the more encompassing continuums which have been developed in response to the significantly more detailed studies done in recent years. Definitions of transgender used for the purpose of protecting individuals from hate crime or discrimination tend to be equally wide. For example in December 1998, the City and County of San Francisco’s Human Rights Commission published Compliance Guidelines to Prohibit Gender Identity Discrimination respecting San Francisco Administrative Code Chapter 12A, 12B, 12C; and San Francisco Municipal Police Code Article 33. These explain: Transgender is used as an umbrella term that includes female and male cross dressers, transvestites, drag queens or kings, female or male impersonators, pre-operative, post-operative or non-operative transsexuals, masculine females, feminine males, all persons whose perceived gender or anatomical sex may be incongruent with their gender expression, and all persons exhibiting gender characteristics and identities which are perceived to be androgynous. Wikipedia opts to recognise that there are a number of different, possibly incompatible transgender narratives and includes the following overlapping definitions: Transgender (pronounced /trænzˈdʒɛndər/) is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles. The precise definition for transgender remains in flux, but includes: “Of, relating to, or designating a person whose identity does not conform unambiguously to conventional notions of male or female gender roles, but combines or moves between these.” “People who were assigned a sex, usually at birth and based on their genitals, but who feel that this is a false or incomplete description of themselves.” “Non-identification with, or non-presentation as, the sex (and assumed gender) one was assigned at birth.” Cultural factors How an individual expresses their ‘transgressive gender’ may vary depending on background and culture. This can affect the type of language they use to explain their own identity, and the identities of other transgender people. It can even affect whether they see themself as transgender at all. There are transgender roles within a variety of cultures and communities. Within Western culture there are several potentially transgender roles available within gay, lesbian, fetish and crossdressing subcultures, described through medical ‘disorders’ and treatments, and represented through the media or niche online communities. Which of these roles (or explanations) a transgender individual is initially drawn to depends on their background and life experiences. They may continue to see themself and other transgender people through the lens of these roles even when moving from one role or subculture to another. For example, some transsexual men may still consider themselves to be part of the lesbian community while others would reject this strongly, and some transsexual women would consider themselves to be ‘full time crossdressers’ or ‘autogynephilic’ while others would reject this equally strongly. There are many different ‘transgender communities’ based around different subcultural roles and philosophies, different in person or online groups and communities (such as social or support groups, club nights or gender clinics), and different writings and literature. Each of these communities may have their own differing transgender discourse and vocabulary, reached through consensus between its members. Each transgender community’s discourse may seem incorrect, exclusionary or even offensive to another transgender community, even when they are self-describing identical concepts. Exclusion and erasure is often an unintentional consequence of attempts to make definitions and descriptions neat, simple and easy to understand. As an activist focused on practicalities, this author recognises that it is desirable to explain concepts so that they appear straight forward and compelling to laypeople. However this should never be done at the expense of people’s identities and experiences. There is no single transgender narrative that covers the self definitions of all transgender people. It is not possible to make statements such as ‘all transgender people have a gender identity different to the one they were assigned at birth’ or ‘all transgender people are trapped in a body of the wrong sex’ without erasing the experiences and self definitions of some transgender identified people. Not all transgender people subscribe to the concept of ‘gender identity’, not all transgender people experience discomfort around their body and/or their social role. Many transgender people identify with the gender they were assigned at birth but are driven to ‘crossdress’, request alternative pronouns or transgress gender boundaries in some other way. Even those transgender people who have ‘transitioned’ may still consider themselves to be members of their assigned sex, hold non-binary genders or to fit within both binary gender roles under some circumstances. Do not force transgender people to adopt a prescribed transgender narrative or discourse in order to be included or represented by your organisation, unless you recognise and explain that you are explicitly excluding those who do not. It is problematic when an organisation claiming to represent all transgender people explains transgender in terms that many would reject. It is especially problematic when such organisations seek to define how transgender people are legally defined or explained to the general public, their employers, medical professionals and loved ones. Language that may exclude or erase transgender experiences and identities If your definition of transgender and your supporting materials are explained in terms of a single simple transgender narrative, those who do not adopt this narrative or see their experiences reflected in it are likely to feel excluded or erased. The following are examples of problematic language and concepts used by major transgender organisations at the time of writing. None of these would necessarily be problematic when explained within a wider inclusive description of transgender. They become problematic when presented as applying to all transgender people, through direct statements or by nature of applying to all examples and case studies presented. ‘Covers transsexual people and crossdressers’ In the 1990s it was common for many organisations claiming to be ‘transgender’ to see this as simply a term that covered both transvestites and transsexual people. This often went hand in hand with the equally outdated implication that individuals assigned male at birth and transitioning to or crossdressing as female were the default type of ‘transgenderism’. It should not need to be stated that if your definition requires all transgender people to identify as either transsexual, transvestite or a crossdresser, you’re excluding and erasing a large proportion of transgender identifying people. However the following definition was found on the website of a major UK transgender charity that otherwise does admirable and important work: Transgender: An umbrella term used to include transsexual people, transvestites and cross-dressers, as in “the transgender community.” This author is informed that the charity is making an effort to be more inclusive and are already working with genderqueer identified people. I look forward to seeing their website and this definition expanded to include non-binary gender and genderqueer identities and experiences. Binary gender only / Excluding non-binary and genderqueer people Defining transgender solely in terms of the binary genders (female and male, man and woman, girl and boy) excludes those transgender people who have non-binary gender identities such as agender, bigender, polygender or intergender identities, or ‘third gender’ identities which are defined without reference to female and male. Those who seek to adjust their lives to live as women or men Alternatively the exclusion may be through omission, by including a number of examples or case studies of transgender experience, none of which reflect non-binary genders. As non-binary gender is a little-known concept, it is not sufficient to simply cover non-binary experience by implication, for example saying ‘an other gender’ instead of ‘the other gender’. While this is an admirable first step, non-binary gender should be spelt out explicitly. If a list of transgender terms is provided, ‘non-binary gender’ and ‘genderqueer’ should be included within the definitions. One of the first things this author checks when viewing an organisation’s materials is whether ‘genderqueer’ (a term that has been in common use for over a decade) is mentioned or defined anywhere. Not explaining the concept of genderqueer or non-binary gender within explanations of other transgender terms is a clear sign that I’m not included, or at least not considered important. When providing additional definitions, do not provide definitions of some specific identities under the non-binary or genderqueer umbrella while excluding others. For example if you list bigender, intergender and third gender but omit agender, those who are agender may feel intentionally excluded, or at least annoyed to have been overlooked when other specific identities were singled out. Also be aware that some people with non-binary genders may not include themselves under the label ‘genderqueer’ as this may have political/philosophical connotations in some contexts. Many transgender people experience their gender identity or gender expression as a fluid feeling that changes with time or setting. Some feel different genders on different days, or have different gender preferences around different groups of people. Some experience gender as a social phenomenon that is imposed on them by, or shaped through, their social interactions with others. Some transgender people identify as having fluid gender that changes from day to day or moment to moment. They may express this through androgyny or by shifting between different gender roles or presentations at different times. Whether they identify as gender fluid or not, most people’s identity and/or self expression shifts over time. Not all transgender people consider themselves to have been born transgender. Not all transgender people consider their past history of identifying as a different gender than at present to have been a falsehood or mistake. Not all transgender people consider their current gender identity or expression to be permanent. Explaining transgender solely in terms of a static life-long gender identity or expression erases those whose gender changes over time. Using a prescriptive transgender narrative that expects life long consistency of identity excludes or alienates those who experience any degree of fluidity and fluctuation in their gender over whatever time scale. Often when an organisation successfully acknowledges the existence of non-binary identified people, it nonetheless falls short on inclusion when defining terms such as ‘transsexual’ or ‘transition’, for example: Transsexual Person: A person who feels a consistent and overwhelming desire to transition and fulfil their life as a member of the opposite gender Transition: The process of moving from living in one gender to living in the other Many transsexual or transitioning people consider ‘physical sex’, gender roles, social perception and gender identity to be separate factors to their gender dysphoria. They may experience discomfort over their body but not their gender role, they may transition solely to change their body and not their social role or may wish to change their social role while feeling no discomfort over their sex. Many people with non-binary gender identities transition to change their body and/or social role. Many people who currently have non-binary identities have transsexual medical histories (such as this author). Many people with non-binary gender identities take cross-gender hormones or undergo surgeries or cosmetic procedures to remove or alter sexual characteristics. As such it may alienate or erase these people’s experiences to describe such procedures only in terms of binary gender, or to make assumptions about the gender identity or pronoun preferences of all people undergoing them. E.g. not only transsexual women undergo facial hair removal or voice therapy and not only transsexual men bind their chests or undergo ‘top surgery’. Similarly, social and medical transition need not always follow the same path or include the same elements. While many organisations recognise that some people choose not to transition ‘full time’ or choose to undergo hormone therapy without altering their social role, there is little recognition of less common transition paths such as surgery without hormone therapy or ceasing or ‘reversing’ hormone therapy after gaining permanent changes and/or undergoing surgery. There is a tendency to gloss over or omit discussion of ‘detransition’ due to fear that this casts transsexual people in a poor light or makes arguments for the provision of transgender surgeries seem less sound. However doing so erases those whose end goal was to transition to a state of androgyny or gender neutrality, or who found that their gender dysphoria was abated through medical transition making some part or all of social transition unnecessary. ‘Detransitioners’ are often individuals with non-binary gender identities who found they did not fit a traditional ‘transsexual path’. ‘Detransition’ to some degree is not uncommon, what is uncommon is for such people to no longer identify as transgender in some way, or to regret the process of exploring and expressing their transgenderness in order to discover their comfort point. While there may be a perception that non-binary gender or androgyny is often a ‘phase’ or experimental identity for those on the way to binary and/or transsexual identity, there are many who had the opposite experience of going through a ‘phase’ of binary transsexualism before settling into a non-binary gender expression (this author included). Those who choose not to transition, to delay their transition or who choose to omit, ‘reverse’ or subvert any aspect of their transition are no less transgender than those for whom the traditional transsexual transition path turns out to be correct. Many transgender people feel that the concept of transition does not apply to them at all and that they are fully transgender without making any social or medical changes. This too is an equally valid transgender experience. A common problematic approach is to define transgender solely in terms of ‘gender identity’, for example: Transgender people have a gender identity different to the gender role they were assigned at birth. This implies that those who transgress gender boundaries while identifying with their assigned gender are not transgender. This would exclude those who identify as transvestite or as a crossdresser, or pressure them to adopt a similar narrative incorporating the concept of gender identity. It could also potentially exclude those who experience gender dysphoria towards their body (often described as ‘sex’ rather than ‘gender’) but not their social role, such as self described ‘FtMtF’ and ‘MtFtM’ transsexuals. The above definition could be made more inclusive by also mentioning ‘gender expression’ and society’s current expectations, for example: Transgender people have a gender identity or expression different to the gender role they were assigned at birth or are expected to exhibit in adulthood. Some transgender identified people feel that they do not have a gender, perhaps identifying as non-gender, agender, genderless or neutrois. They may or may not feel that this lack of gender constitutes a ‘gender identity’ and may or may not feel the need to ‘transition’ in some way in order to express it. Such non-gender people are likely to feel excluded by a definition that refers to all people having a gender identity, or that all transgender or transitioning people are motivated by their gender identity. Language such as welcoming people of ‘all genders’ is equally likely to cause unintended feelings of exclusion. Some transgender organisations recognise the potential for exclusion in the language of gender identity and attempt to be more inclusive by substituting female and male with the associated terms ‘feminine’ and ‘masculine’. Some organisations define gender solely in terms of ‘expression of masculinity and femininity’. Others seek to avoid referring to gender assigned at birth (as in ‘FAAB’ or ‘MtF’) and so use ‘transfeminine’ or ‘transmasculine’ as substitutes (with the implication than all trans people are one or the other). Many transgender people however reject the concepts of ‘femininity’ and ‘masculinity’, or identify with the side of that ‘continuum’ traditionally associated with their assigned gender. Transsexual men may see themselves as femme or feminine and reject the implication that they are at all masculine, transsexual women may equally see themselves as butch or masculine and reject the implication that they are feminine. Non-binary gender identified people, especially those who see themselves as non-gender, agender or ‘third gender’ are just as likely to reject ‘feminine’ and ‘masculine’ as they are ‘female’ and ‘male’, seeing both as false binaries (as does this author). Using feminine or masculine to describe those who consider themselves to be the opposite, or who reject the concepts of femininity and masculinity as part of a false ‘socially constructed’ binary, is likely to cause those people to feel alienated, excluded, misgendered or erased. Another common problematic approach is to define transgender solely in terms of ‘gender dysphoria’ or ‘Gender Identity Disorder’, or to use these interchangeably with ‘transgender’, ‘trans’, ‘transgenderism’ or the concept of being ‘gender variant’. As gender dysphoria is tied closely with the ‘medical model’ of transsexualism and Gender Identity Disorder this implies that all transgender people are (or should be) some variant of transsexual. This restricts who may be described as ‘transgender’ to only those who follow the common transsexual narrative of feeling extreme discomfort with their ‘sex’ or ‘assigned gender’ that drives them to wish to present themself as a different gender role within society. The treatment of ‘gender dysphoria’ and ‘Gender Identity Disorder’ is regulated by a medical organisation known as the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (previously know as the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association). This organisation effectively polices the definition of who qualifies as gender dysphoric, ‘suffering’ from Gender Identity Disorder and (due to the nature of their name) who is seen as ‘transgender’ by medical professionals. Materials produced by organisations following the medical model tend to be heavily focused on gender dysphoria as a medical phenomenon that drives all transgender behaviours and identities. If crossdressing, non-binary gender or genderqueer identities such as bigender, agender and fluid gender are represented at all, these are described as driven by gender dysphoria, either as alternative ways of coping with gender identity disorder (manifestations of transsexualism) or as variations on it (perhaps the disorder is not felt strongly or is seen as ‘Gender Identity Disorder Not Otherwise Specified’). This can create an apparent transgender hierarchy and appear to relegate many forms of transgender to ‘transsexual light’, implying that those who do not transition experience the same feelings of discomfort as those who do, but are choosing to cope without ‘full treatment’. A definition that places emphasis on gender dysphoria therefore implies that a level of discomfort or even suffering is required in order to adopt a transgender identity, leading to some genderqueer or gender variant people feeling ‘not trans enough’ or that their feelings of transgender identity are ‘appropriation’ if they feel transition is unnecessary or do not experience severe discomfort over their body or social role. Such emphasis also excludes those who crossdress or transgress gender boundaries for other reasons, even though they may experience transphobic abuse/gender policing or consider themselves to be transgender. It is not necessarily problematic for organisations wishing to represent and include all transgender people to make reference to the medical model and the phenomenon of gender dysphoria. As this is most likely the current dominant transgender narrative, it is likely to be incorporated into the self identities of many transgender people. However it should always be made clear that many other transgender people do not experience gender dysphoria and do not define themselves in terms of the medical model of transgenderism. These people’s experiences should not be forced into the narrative of gender dysphoria or be implied to be of lesser importance or significance than those who do fit that narrative. It may be perfectly valid for an organisation to choose to only represent those who experience gender dysphoria and fit the medical model, but if this is the case that organisation should clearly acknowledge that it is intentionally excluding some transgender people who do not fall under its remit. It should not speak for these people or claim that they are not really transgender. Many transgender organisations refer to themselves as ‘trans’, say they cover all ‘trans people’ or use ‘trans’ interchangeably with ‘transgender’. However, in practice ‘trans man’ is used exclusively to describe FtM transsexual men and ‘trans woman’ is used exclusively to describe MtF transsexual women. Therefore there is a clear implication that ‘trans’ refers to transsexual people, or at least those who have a gender identity different to that assigned at birth. Transgender people who identify as, or are commonly seen as, the gender role associated with the sex they were assigned at birth (men or women) are unlikely to feel comfortable describing themselves as ‘trans’, as others may assume that they are transsexual or appropriating transsexual experience (claiming to be ‘trans men’ or ‘trans women’). As many transgender organisations and individuals use ‘trans’ and ‘transgender’ interchangeably, many gender transgressive, genderqueer or gender variant people who have every right to a transgender self identity, may nonetheless feel that they are ‘not trans enough’ to quality as transgender. It is not uncommon for people to use terms such as ‘genderqueer’, ‘gender outlaw’ or ‘tranny’ (note, others consider this offensive) to describe themselves while not feeling comfortable with ‘transgender’ or ‘trans’ for this reason. Recently there has been a move in some online transgender communities to adopt the alternative inclusive abbreviation ‘trans’ (the asterisk is a wildcard, denoting that several different suffixes could apply). This could be short for ‘transsexual’, ‘transgender’, ‘transvestite’, ‘trans man’, ‘trans woman’, ‘(gender) transgressive’ or ‘(gender) transcendent’. There is also the implication that the wildcard invites and includes the reader’s own personal self definition. As such trans is understood to also include genderqueer, gender variant and gender non-conforming people, and all other potentially transgender identities. The use of ‘trans’ is a quick, shorthand way to symbolise that your definition of ‘transgender’ is the widest, most inclusive form. One word of caution though, be wary of using ‘trans’ to only mean non-binary or non-transsexual transgender people as this could lead to othering. Say ‘trans’ only when you mean all transgender people. Do not imply that some people are ‘trans’ while other people are ‘trans’, by definition ‘trans’ must be inclusive of all. Be wary of including intersex in descriptions and definitions of transgender without clarifying that the majority of intersex people do not object to the gender they were assigned at birth or consider that their intersex status makes them transgender. Do not, for example, list intersex as one of many transgender identities. Intersex is a separate but potentially overlapping issue. However do be aware of intersex issues and avoid erasing intersex experience by describing sex in purely binary (dyadic) terms, or implying that assigned sex and genetic or physical sex are always equivalent at birth. Equally transgender people should be wary of appropriating intersex experiences by describing transgender as a type of intersex condition, their own gender identity as intersex (intergender would be more appropriate) or by using intersex people’s existence as an argument against the gender binary or in support of transgender rights. There are many more transgender people than intersex people and so our appropriation of their identity could easily drown out the voices of a group that already struggles for visibility. Allow intersex people to talk for themselves and choose whether they (personally) belong in our communities. If a transgender organisation opts to also represent and include all intersex people, it should fully understand (preferably through first hand experience) intersex issues and expect to cover intersex people who do not consider their identity and experiences to be at all transgender. Summary and recommendations ‘Transgender’ is an umbrella term that can potentially include a wide range of gender transgressive identities, self expressions, behaviours and personal histories. Organisations that wish to include all transgender people often unintentionally exclude or erase some transgender identities or expressions with their resources and choice of language. When non-binary gender, genderqueer or gender variant people look through an organisation’s materials, they look for reflections of their own experiences. If an organisation aims to include and welcome all people with transgender identities, their materials should do the following: Recognise that transgender is a wide umbrella term; define ‘transgender’ in a way that does not exclude or erase any transgender identified people Do not simplify transgender experiences into a single prescriptive transgender narrative; recognise the diversity of transgender experiences, narratives and self-definitions Never make statements about all ‘trans’ or ‘transgender’ people that only apply to transsexual or binary identified people; if you mean transsexual and/or binary gender, say this explicitly Including a glossary or list of definitions of transgender terms; at least include ‘genderqueer’ and ‘non-binary gender’ Selecting ‘officers’ or board members to represent the organisation or be involved in its policy or decision making process Recognise that non-binary gender, genderqueer and crossdressing people can also be transsexual; do not simplify definitions and descriptions of transsexuality to erase non-binary transsexuals Recognise that some transgender people feel they have no gender identity or identify with the gender they were assigned at birth, but have transgressed gender and earned a transgender identity or status by other means; transgender men and women could have been assigned those genders at birth Recognise that some transgender people reject the terms ‘feminine’ and ‘masculine’ or identify with the side of that binary ‘appropriate’ to their assigned gender; ‘transfeminine’ and ‘transmasculine’ can sometimes be misgendering or erasing Recognise that some transgender people experience gender fluidity and do not expect their gender to remain the same in the future; some people experience gender as changing day to day or arising through their interactions with other people Recognise that not all transgender people experience gender dysphoria or subscribe to the concept of gender identity, this may mean recognising and explaining that you are explicitly excluding some transgender people because they do not fall under your remit Be aware that many people assume that ‘trans’ or even ‘transgender’ refer only to transsexual or gender dysphoric people, and so may need their identities listed separately to ‘trans’ or ‘transgender’ in order to feel included Consider using the wider ‘trans’ in the place of ‘trans’ when referring to all transgender, genderqueer and gender variant people, however do not use ‘trans’ only when referring to non-transsexual people as this would be othering Be aware of, but avoid appropriating or erasing intersex experiences; recognise that intersex is a separate but potentially overlapping issue to transgender Posted in Blog, Campaigning For Change, Language and Pronouns, Websites and Social NetworksTagged discrimination, experience, inclusivity, trans community This is v cool and useful! and must have taken many hours of work! I salute your creativity and commitment! Of course the bits I’m now going to talk about are the ones I slightly don’t agree with have transgressed gender and earned a transgender identity or status by other means; I’d rather say “arrived at by other routes” than “earned by other means”. “Earned” stood out to me as a loaded concept to bring in here – it has associations for me of policing and exclusion. As in, “who has earned their transgender status & who hasn’t?” (“who decides?”) what do you reckon? On a more minor level, I also had a quibble about your commentary on the definition/explanation “Transgender: An umbrella term used to include transsexual people, transvestites and cross-dressers, as in “the transgender community.” I think there’s a difference worth acknowledging between omitting identities and defining them as not included. If you say an umbrella term “includes” x, y and z, you’re not actually saying it doesn’t include a, b and c as well. Logically, x, y and z are just example categories. Your framing of that phrase put it in the context of if your definition forces all transgender people to identify as either transsexual, transvestite or a crossdresser . I think “force” is the wrong word here. I’m not saying at all that it was a wrong example to include – it’s a good example of putting the emphasis in a certain rather traditional place, and I agree the omission of other possibilities is problematic, and arguably misleading. But it’s not, I think, as problematic as literally defining the un-mentioned possibilities out of the scope of transgender. Not wanting this literary housekeeping to take away from your overall useful arguments, though. Go you Thanks for the feedback, constructive criticism is always welcome! I prevaricated over ‘earned’, I used it with the intention that it would be loaded with the implication that all types of transgender people potentially experience prejudice, loss of status and threat of violence for their transgressive gender, be that gender identity, expression, bodies or medical history. It was meant to be loaded against transgender people/organisations who are intentionally excluding people who are ‘the wrong kind of trans’ or ‘not trans enough’, to say to them that there’s more than one way to ‘cross the line’ into transgressive gender in our society. I’m comfortable having used ‘earned’ within the context of the social model of transgender (versus the traditional medical model) I outlined in the first few sections. Essentially there are gender identities, bodies, histories, behaviours and expressions, they are potentially neutral, they become transgressive within the context of a society that enforces gender roles and policies bodies and legal status. However I do see your point and can see that others may well read it that way too. I would hope that the larger context of the article would make it clear that the social model of transgender described is considerably wider than the medical model. And regarding the singling out of that particular definition, I should really have done what I did with other examples given and reworded to an archetypal representation of a number of different organisations (there are others that have similar problems but they tend to be about crossdressing rather than claiming to be for all transgender people). I experienced such complete disbelief (bordering on outrage) over how that organisation’s materials as a whole were so very clearly aimed at binary MtF TS, TV and CD people with FtM TS people added as an afterthought that I took the exact wording out of context, only to then discuss it as if the context was there (in an earlier draft it was a full on name and shame). However, I would still argue that ‘used to include’ in this case is meant as ‘used to describe’, it’s not the same as ‘can include’ or ‘such as’, the ‘used to’ has a particular meaning. There is a strong implication that it’s listing the full set, it’s not just a list of examples with an omission. I would certainly find that definition extremely alienating even outside the context of the wider site, and feel ‘forced’ to adopt a very limited and misgendering transgender narrative in order to interact with the organisation (or at least do a lot of work to educate them, which I’m not sure others would be willing to do). And yes, a definition that defined transgender without reference to labels but said something like ‘people who express a desire to live as women or men through transition part or full time or by coping in other ways’ would be even worse, but then that’s paraphrasing another definition elsewhere on the same website… I’ll have a think about how that section can be rewritten to be clearer. It’s the part that went through the least rewriting from the original concept of the article and I think it shows. Thanks again for the excellent constructive feedback! Nat April 30, 201112:30 am Changed ‘Includes’ to ‘Covers’ and ‘forces’ to ‘requires’. I think that’s enough to make the point more clearly, especially when combined with our discussion in the comments. Thanks again! Nat April 30, 20112:05 am Reply After several Tumblr users commented on the summary and recommendations posted there to express dislike of ‘trans’ because defining ‘trans’ clearly should be enough, I wrote the following: ‘Trans’ is problematic because it’s used in ‘trans man’ and ‘trans woman’ to exclusively mean transsexual/gender dysphoric individuals with gender identities/roles different to those assigned at birth. There are many people who happily identify with their assigned gender of man/woman while being transgender in their gender expression or behaviour. By most people’s usage they could not be ‘trans men’ or ‘trans women’. Consider actor and comedian Eddie Izzard, a self identified transvestite man who experiences harassment for his gender expression. He is not a ‘trans man’ by most people’s usage (and by the usage of many major transgender organisations, especially in the UK), but he is a ‘transgender man’ or a ‘trans man’. Equally if you’ve chosen to subvert or expand your assigned gender role to express your genderqueerness, rather than tell the world you’re a different gender, it’s hardly a stretch to feel you don’t qualify to call yourself trans or to worry about appropriation. Which is why many transgender identified people would call themselves genderqueer or gender non-conforming rather than a ‘trans person’. I’ve spoken to enough transgender identified people who do not consider themselves ‘trans’ because of the community’s usage of ‘trans man’ and ‘trans woman’, that I’m convinced that ‘trans’ and ‘trans person’ are potentially problematic when used as umbrella terms in the place of ‘transgender’ or ‘transgender person’. So be wary of using ‘trans’ when you mean all transgender people, because in common usage ‘trans’ is clearly associated with gender identity and transition (although I can see how this might be hard for some people to see when they’re in the position of being clearly and unambiguously covered by ‘trans’). I should stress that the ‘trans’ point was included for when orgs are considering using something short and snappy in their name, in headlines or in length restricted mediums such as Twitter. My message all along was to avoid erasure through simplification, and shortening down to a single abbreviation is likely to do that. But if there’s limited space, organisations should consider using ‘trans’ over ‘trans’ to at least signify that they are inclusive of all transgender identities. As with all points, this has to be within a wider context of actually demonstrating real inclusivity, otherwise it’s no different to LGB groups adding a T but making no changes to accommodate, welcome or represent transgender people. The thing with “trans/” in any form is that it implies physical transition, and some trans/ people aren’t going to make any sort of physical transition, including myself. And of course with this is the exclusion of those people who don’t physically transition, again the “not trans enough” thing comes in, and folks used to the binary are utterly uneducated about it because still to them being a woman means having a vagina and so on (in general). Yes some people will always see it as that way, although I’d say linguistically it isn’t true – the word was chosen because of the difference between ‘gender’ and ‘sex’ and also arguably because of the similarity between transsexual and transvestite. Ironically ‘transgender’ was originally coined to be exclusively for people who didn’t take or were prevented from taking the ‘transsexual path’. It was only later repurposed to be a unifying umbrella term for all. It seems the voices of those who do ‘physically transition’ are so dominant in online transgender communities that it’s now approaching the opposite to its original meaning (not helped by the Harry Benjamin committee taking on the word). But semantics/etymology aside, there are enough people out there who have transgender identities but don’t feel included in ‘transgender’ because of the perceived emphasis on transition, so there is reason in practical terms to make it clear what you’re taking ‘trans’ or ‘transgender’ to mean. In addition to giving a wide, inclusive definition of transgender and supporting materials that make it clear that all forms of gender transgression are included, the least ambiguous way to make it clear your organisation is fully inclusive of all transgender identities is to separately list genderqueer, gender variant and gender non-conforming people as included within your transgender umbrella. If some people have individual identities that they may not necessarily see as included, list them prominently in your organisation’s description. (But take care not to imply they’re actually separate from transgender). Nat May 6, 201112:59 am Reply Yet more Tumblr follow up, specifically in reply to the April 30, 2011 at 2:05 am comment above: I am not unaware of these issues – I did consider using ‘trans’, but first wanted to investigate the term, because I had been under the impression that when ‘trans’ is used in its umbrella sense, it was meant to refer to all identities covered by ‘trans’. I decided not to adopt the term after discussing the issues behind it with trans friends and acquaintances of various identities, binary and non-binary. We concluded, in short, that ‘trans’ as an umbrella term SHOULD be used to encompass all identities covered by ‘trans’, and that if someone uses it to mean something less inclusive, they are using it incorrectly. Some of the people engaged in this discussion help run the UK organisation Gendered Intelligence, an organisation by and for trans people which defines ‘trans’ in the broadly inclusive sense. When used as an umbrella term, ‘trans’ is a pars pro toto synecdoche: where part of a concept is used to refer to the whole. Not everyone covered by the umbrella term ‘trans’ must self-identify as a trans person. You are correct: describing Eddie Izzard as a ‘trans man’ would be misleading, given the common understanding of ‘trans man’, but he does fall under the trans umbrella, so technically he is a man who is trans. That doesn’t mean colloquial usage must always reflect this. I have a number of friends and acquaintances who would never personally self-identify as ‘a trans person’, but still consider themselves to fall under the trans umbrella. To give some examples of this: a genderqueer male-bodied person who is contentedly perceived as a male crossdresser, but is comfortable with male pronouns; a female-bodied genderqueer person whose gender presentation is completely feminine and prefers female pronouns, but self-identifies as being a mix of male and female; myself – I’d identify as a cisgender transvestite and not as a trans person, but understand transvestism as being included under ‘trans’ as an umbrella term; et cetera. In sum, I feel that using ‘trans’ narrowly is inaccurate, and that rather than bowing to that inaccurate use and creating a new term, it would be better to simply use the existing term as it should be used. To be absolutely clear, I am not in any way saying that ‘trans’ should be defined narrowly. Transgender is a wide and welcoming umbrella term and anyone who falls under that umbrella should have the right to call themself trans if they feel comfortable with that. The point the article was making is that a large and significant group of people with transgender identities do not believe they qualify for being called ‘trans’ specifically because of the ‘trans people’ usage and the dichotomy many sites/resources make between ‘trans vs cis’ (not recognising that people can be both ‘trans’ and ‘cis’ at the same time or not consider themself to fit either). In fact the definition and usage of ‘cisgender’ itself erases many transgender people due to the implication that it’s the opposite of ‘transgender’ while simultaneously solely defined in terms of gender identity and/or dysphoria. The article was suggesting that when space is limited and a single short word is required, such as in an organisation’s name, when writing headlines or on character limited sites like Twitter, organisations should considering using ‘trans’ as that single word as it is universally recognised as including all transgender/gender variant identities. In a limited space, how are people to know that you’re using the umbrella term or the exclusive ‘trans people’ usage? The fact that there are two different usages of the word, one of which excludes many transgender people is demonstrably problematic. In practical terms, using ‘trans’ without a verbose inclusive definition right next to it absolutely will alienate some transgender people, regardless of whether it should* or not. So it is sensible to use it with caution and sensitivity, and be aware of its potential implications if you’re trying to appear inclusive even when taken out of context. Adair May 4, 20115:44 pm Reply Wow, I am awed by your knowledge and sensitivity to the issues in this post. One thing I might add: Don’t imply that identities are always discrete, mutually exclusive entities. Personally I find all sorts of labels describe me in bits and pieces, and not necessarily only at different points in time. I think that relates to your points that, say, a trans man might identify with the lesbian community or a trans woman might reject being called feminine. But also someone might be an agendered FTM high-femme cross dresser–and then some. Again, you hit close to this several times in your post (like pointing out that someone might be trans* and also identify with their assigned gender), but I’d say to explicitly include mention of or examples of people with multiple simultaneous contrasting identities, or an identity that can’t be captured in any specific terminology. Nat May 5, 201112:33 am Reply Thanks for the feedback! I’m glad you appreciate the article. You have a very valid point, I think lots of non-binary people have transgender identities that can’t be neatly described in less than a long conversation, and even then contain contradictions due to the differing narratives used to explain different aspects of gender. I’d go so far as to say I’m generally cautious about simple one word identities that have the implication of a neat package where social role, bodily changes and surgical outcomes all follow naturally from choosing one label. It encourages people questioning their identity to jump to easy answers or feel pressured to want other things because one part of the package is necessary for them. I know I felt that pressure myself and almost made some bad, irreversable decisions because of it (and several ultimately incorrect reversible decisions, but I think that sort of experimentation is healthy for everyone). I myself overlap several different trans* identities to varying degrees, or depending on context, and yet the way they’re often described makes them sound discrete and mutually exclusive. I was gender dysphoric for my body before I transitioned, I often feel dysphoria from social roles and yet in many ways feel like I don’t have a gender identity, but simultaneously feel that my gender is a complicated changing concept. I could explain myself as agender but classically transsexual for my body only, but I also found myself extremely comfortable with the androgynous body I ended up with by chance and actually worry that if I gained more pronounced secondary sexual characteristics I might get physical or social dysphoria from those. I enjoy gender play, I’m comfortable with different pronouns from different people and in different contexts, I reject gender roles and terms like masculine and feminine, and I also want to expand gender roles to allow wider degrees of gender expression for everyone. So you could quite easily describe my identity/expression in various different ways depending on your narrative, or find reason to exclude me from many of the identities I’ve used for convenience. I’d argue that this is covered under the point of not oversimplifying things into neat concepts and labels at the expense of erasing real people’s experiences and identities, but there would certainly be no harm in spelling it out explicitly. I could also say that some people are comfortable with different identities/treatment with different people and in different social contexts. Some people are happy to have different pronouns or gendered names around family, friends or loved ones or even in the bedroom but would be unhappy with the same treatment from strangers. For some first impressions from strangers must match their gender and family can call them whatever they like, for others the opposite may be true. I covered this under fluid gender, but I actually think it’s more like ‘contextual gender’, or differing types of dysphoria. I’m actually planning on an article in future that talks about different types of ‘passing’/affirmation/blending for differing types of dysphoria/aspects of gender and how these can interact or even potentially cancel each other out. Thanks again for your feedback! toasty redhead May 14, 20119:56 pm Reply Thank you for a great post. Ash June 25, 20117:57 pm Reply Thanks for this. There are a few things I hadn’t thought of that seem obvious once you mentioned them. The need to say a group or venue welcomes people of all genders and also people without a gender was a very good one. I sometimes forget that it is possible to live without a gender of some sort coming into play during social interaction, but that’s just because it does for me. I know other people live more consistantly as nongendered and it’s useful to be reminded. The point about not appropriating intersexed identity is not a new one for me, but it’s one I always struggle with because I only “appropriate” it to the same extent that any postoperative transsexual “appropriated” the gender they have to (at least say they) “live as” to get the surgery. I do make the sex/gender definition, and I would always use terms like “ambiguous” or “hermaphrodite” to describe myself because it’s the obvious physical description of my current state. Which is largely due to how I had myself surgically remodelled, which was largely due to my gender identity. I suppose I could use trans-hermaphrodite or something like that, but like many transsexuals I get pissed off with being judged to be “really” the gender they labelled me at birth and so I don’t necessarily want out myself as not-born-this-way to everyone when I make reference to my sex. What sort of language would you suggest as being more respectful to people born intersexed while avoiding having my gender/sex dismissed as not “real” but “just” a binary-sexed person who goes in for body modification? I’m not trying to be argumentative here, by the way, I’m interested in what you have to say. I bet if anyone has a useful and well thought out response to this question it will be you! Nat June 25, 201111:33 pm Reply Hi Ash, thanks for your feedback on the inclusivity article, I’m glad you found it useful. Regarding your wish to avoid appropriating or erasing intersex experiences, I think you might find this Privilege Denying Non-Binary Person macro relevant to why dyadic by birth people should not use intersex terms. It illustrates the point of privilege that non-binary people who consensually transition in adulthood have over intersex people who are subjected to non-consensual surgeries and “treatment” throughout their childhood and adolescence. The majority of people of intersex experience consider themselves to be binary gendered in adulthood, and consider their intersexual bodies or histories a physical or medical issue rather than a matter of identity. Most intersex people would consider the term ‘hermaphrodite’ to be a slur. Those intersex people who hold non-binary gender identities tend to consider themselves intersex and transgender (or genderqueer) rather than simply intersex. At least in the past, the intersex community used the term ‘intergender’ to talk about the experience of feeling one’s identity to be between the binary options, as they recognised that the majority of intersex people do not have that experience. With the intersex appropriation issue aside, I also would be very nervous about an identity defined and policed on the basis of whether a person was able to obtain surgery. I consider it harmful and problematic to conflate identities and ‘transition goals’ in that way. Non-binary people have our gender identities (or lack of gender identities) regardless of whether we feel the need to ‘transition’ in any part. I find it most helpful to take every aspect of ‘transition’ as a separate decision and not assume that our identities come as a ‘package deal’. I recommend the same of binary identified trans people as well. I think that for most transsexual people the configuration of their genitals is something private and not directly connected to the identities they present to the world. The majority of trans men do not undergo genital reconstructive surgery but still consider themselves to be men (and are likely to consider their genitals to be male regardless of how society defines them) and an increasingly large proportion of trans women are also opting to be ‘non-operative’ without feeling that they are any less female. So to conclude, I would recommend referring to yourself as being ‘physically androgynous’, or if you wish to be more specific, ‘genitally androgynous’. You may also find it appropriate to talk about your identity as ‘intergender’ or describe yourself as an ‘androgyne’, which in its earliest recorded usage in the 1500s was used as a synonym for hermaphrodite but which has no intersexual slur word connotations. I hope you found this response useful and well thought out Ash June 26, 20111:43 am I did, thank you for taking the time to write it The main problem I have with following what you say, which is not new to me in terms of it’s ideas but certainly a very usefully summed up record of the main arguments used against confusing intergender with intersexed experiences, comes from the everyday need that I have as a sexworker to have an easily understandable description of my current physical sex. Without doing this effectively there would be too many misunderstandings and FAQ-answering sessions with every person who might be interested in buying my time or my porn and those who were the most interested might totally fail to find me. I suppose that while most people’s genitals aren’t so publically on display (and perhaps, therefore, not so fundimental in conveying or failing to convey gender identity to the mainstream viewer who hasn’t learned the sex/gender distinction) the feeling that one sometimes has to simplify their identity to get a bit closer to being understood by people who are several steps away from grasping it’s entirety, is one that a lot of people can relate to in one context or another. Finding the best compromise between “feels accurate” and “is generally understood” can be difficult and is a constantly evolving path. You’re right, people will never be able to agree on what terms are or aren’t perjorative. This is a big reason that I a) use a term that a lot of intersexed people don’t want rather than actually use the word “intersexed” about myself and b) only use it about myself and other people who self-identify that way. This, along with “queer” and “tranny” and a host of other words are certainly best used only about oneself and/or one’s loved and well-understood friends rather than entire groups of people who might not want the label. Arguing about what labels other people should (be allowed to) have is a sure-fire way to offend. I think this is the main reason why I still think the logic involved in debating privilidge and granting identity rights in inverse proportion to it becomes very shaky. If you can say “intersexed people are more of a minority and have fewer privilidges than transgendered people, therefore the latter should not appropriate the former identity” then it seems logically almost inevitable you would then accept what most of us see as the obviously transphobic and hateful argument that “female-born people have fewer privilidges than male-born people, therefore the latter should not appropriate the former identity” which a few of the feminists I have the least respect for still like to bang on about. I keep coming back to this and trying to see the logical difference between these two statements that so many transgender people I respect can clearly see. I hope this will one day “click” so that I can understand if not agree with the argument being made but at the moment I’m still not quite understanding why those two ideas are not directly parallel, and hence if one is false then the other will be also (although I do recognise that there are different types and degrees of discrimination, and that the invisbility and opression of intersexed people as a group is different to, often more severe than, and also often experienced in addition to, the type of opressive sexism one might face because of being percieved as a woman. So I can definitely agree that it is vitally important to try to educate people -first and foremost myself!- about intersexed people and their many different needs and identities with a view to helping this end.) Ash June 26, 20111:54 am ..oh, and this intersexed-activism guide for allies pdf you’re pointing me in the general direction of looks like a fantastic resource for continuing to educate myself and others about some of the experiences people have had with this issue. many thanks! Nat June 26, 20115:40 pm Yes! Here’s a direct link to the Full Frontal Activism Post for anyone else reading these comments: http://fullfrontalactivism.blogspot.com/2010/07/intersex-treatment-trauma-and-sexual.html Nat June 26, 20115:39 pm Thanks for explaining your situation more clearly. An earlier draft of my reply actually mentioned that ‘hermaphrodite’ is seen as a slur in part because it’s perpetuated by the adult industry and is associated with a fetishisation of intersex bodies. It’s similar to ‘shemale’ and ‘tranny’ which has recently been declared a no go slur word by some trans activists. As a sex worker, it may well need be the de facto ‘industry standard’ to use when describing yourself to potential clients. I recognise that you can’t rely solely on the ethical queer audience. I’d recommend that you be aware of the ethical issues (as you are being by having this discussion), use the words that are necessary to give clients the appropriate image but work to incorporate less problematic language into your more detailed explanations and more personal interactions. I don’t agree with the argument that it’s equivalent to saying AMAB trans women are appropriating women’s identities. As my previous reply outlined, intersex issues are those of systematic mistreatment and erasure, and are seen by most affected as medical in nature, not a matter of identity. Their issues stem from having the choice to remain unaltered taken from them. Few consider intersex to be a matter of gender. I agree though, educating people is vital, but I’m wary of speaking for intersex people, just as I’d be wary of anyone speaking for me without first hand experience. I’d recommend getting in contact with intersex people, especially those who are sex workers or otherwise involved in the adult industry and asking how they deal with these issues and what they’d suggest. These might be a good place to start: http://www.ukia.co.uk/ http://www.isna.org/ Good luck, and it’s good to hear from you again, if you’re the Ash I think you are Trans Camp video responses – Practical Androgyny January 12, 20122:57 am Reply […] gender identities. But there are many more people besides me whose experiences of being agender, bigender, fluid gender, genderqueer etc are erased by that […] Email (required) (Address never made public) Name (required) Connecting to %s Notify me of new comments via email. Δ	65,204
Obstructive Sleep Apnea poses a deadly risk to the health of those impacted by the disorder. However there is a brand new treatment that just cleared a major hurdle. Sleep Apnea has been called a silent killer. It is commonly linked to obesity, high blood pressure, increased risk of stroke, diabetes, as well as a number of other health concerns. Traditional treatment is not always popular with those afflicted. However a new form of treatment was just approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on April 30 to treat the sleeping disorder, which impacts an estimated 22-million Americans. The procedure was first performed right here by Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin. \"I didn't know what sleep apnea was,\" Daniel McKee told CBS 58. \"I just noticed, and I complained to my doctor, about daytime tiredness. I was just extremely exhausted throughout the day.\" McKee was hardly alone in not knowing why he always felt so tired during the day. It was only after he was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea that he learned just how severe an issue he faced due to his lack of sleep. As it turns out, restless sleep is far more than just an inconvenience. \"Sleep loss is a health crisis, along with obesity,\" warned Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin Division of Sleep Medicine chief Doctor B. Tucker Woodson . \"Both of them are major health problems. We're now becoming a real sleep-deprived society.\" For the last ten years, Doctor Woodson has been working on an alternative to the traditional treatment of sleep apnea. Many, who suffer from the condition, use a mouth appliance to keep the tongue from making it difficult to breathe while asleep. Some use a device, called a CPAP, that creates constant air pressure in order to maintain proper breathing. The problem is, those methods do not work for everyone and some choose not to even use them due to discomfort.\" \"I would put it [CPAP device] on and start at low pressure, and I would get off to sleep,\" said McKee. \"Bottom line, I'd wake up in the middle of the night and I couldn't tolerate it any longer.\" McKee's frustrations led him to a new study, conducted by Dr. Woodson. McKee was selected to be one of the 126 test subjects to undergo an experimental procedure. \"We have a new treatment,\" Dr. Woodson told CBS 58. \"A nerve stimulater that actually augments the normal nerve activity during sleep. And it helps hold the airway open.\" Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin have been involved, clinically, in the project for ten years. Dr. Woodson said they were the first institution in the U.S. and North America to actually implant, and treat, someone with the device called Inspire. Basically it triggers the tongue to move and create a clear passageway for breathing. \"There's a main implant in the chest,\" described McKee. \"And there's a sensor down in my rib cage area, and also the electrode attached to my tongue.\" A remote is placed against the implant in the chest and the user can activate it, pause and stop the implant with the simple push of a button. It also offers a timer, so it starts after you fall asleep. CBS 58 asked McKee how invasive the procedure is. \"I wasn't sure what I was getting into at the time,\" confessed McKee. \"[But] it wasn't that invasive. I mean it was a little bit more than I thought it was. But still, all in all it wasn't that invasive.\" Dr. Woodson backed up McKee's claim that it really is not that invasive, as far as surgeries go. And the benefits? \"In a recent New England Journal [of Medicine] article, based on a multi-center, multi-country study -- we actually had a 70 percent success rate with the device,\" said Woodson. \" I sleep better at night,\" McKee said. \"I wake up more refreshed. I don't snore any more, or for the most part -- which that was the number one thing.\" We asked McKee if he would be willing to tell others it is worth checking into. \"Oh sure.,\" he confirmed. \"I would recommend it. I mean it may not be for everybody, but it is for me. It is for a lot of people like me.\" Besides improved health, there is always the added benefit of a happier marriage too. \"One of the things that was very exciting about this, is it did a great job treating snoring,\" Woodson said with a smile. \"And yes, the spouses were very happy.\" Sleep loss should not be taken lightly. Dr. Woodson told CBS 58 that people don't really appreciate that it is a bona fide health problem. Now that the implant has received FDA approval, it clears the way for health insurance providers to consider covering the treatment in the future. Share this article: facebook twitter Complaint: 10-year-old charged as adult after fatally shooting mother over VR headset Two dead in vehicle fire near 30th and Capitol Dorow joins crowded state Supreme Court field, candidates make their pitch to voters Tomorrow 35° Partly Cloudy China's Zhengzhou, home to world's largest iPhone factory, ends Covid lockdown UW Health chief quality officer discusses flu and other respiratory illnesses Latest Idaho State Police adds patrols to university campus as school holds vigil for 4 students killed in unsolved stabbings	5,366
Viviane's Cleaning & Restoration Inc knows that dealing with the effects of hoarding in Melrose can be overwhelming. If your belongings are piled high throughout your house, call Viviane's Cleaning & Restoration Inc for help. We will treat you with respect and compassion while going through your possessions. We take care of determining what is truly valued and what is not to make your home pristine again. We have been helping community members since 2002, so give us a call at (978) 216-2484 today to get started on your Melrose hoarding cleanup project! If you or someone in your home is having trouble letting things causing your home to be no longer presentable, we can help! We have skilled experts who know how to properly take care of the miscellaneous items piled throughout your home. Viviane's Cleaning & Restoration Inc goes through every item and determine if it needs to be kept or thrown away and ensure that any important documents or items are kept. If you are feeling overwhelmed by all the items in your home, call us to take care of it in a cost-efficient and timely way. If your clutter has been building up over a long period of time, cleaning it on your own without the proper tools can be dangerous. Mold and mildew can grow in rarely cleaned areas affecting your health and well-being. These unkempt areas can also harbor insects or small animals, so it is best to be equipped with any necessary tools and skills. Any of these things may be hiding in your clutter are be dangerous to you and those you live with, so it is crucial to deal with it quickly and efficiently while still staying safe. We realize it can be embarrassing to admit you or someone you know has a problem with hoarding then deal with it. That is why Viviane's Cleaning & Restoration Inc is here to make the whole process as smooth as possible. We will handle your situation with respect and discretion, so no inquisitive family members or nosy neighbors will suspect anything. After giving us a call, you can go back to holding events and gatherings at your home in a matter of days. We offer reasonable pricing on all of our services and have been doing hoarding clean up on any and all types of homes for over 20 years. Call us today at (978) 216-2484 so we can handle your junk removal in Melrose, MA. 5 - "Marcus and his team did an awesome job. My grandmother's house was in really bad shape after being a hoarder for 20 years. He cleaned up the whole house from top to bottom and made it look brand new and completely clean." Jimmy in Norwood, MA 5 - "Marcus went above and beyond to clean up my condo, which was an entire mess with a sewage leak, mold problems, clutter, and "hoarder"-like issues. And he took care of many ancillary issues that came up with my pet birds, even taking them to appointments with the vet and taking them to his own house when there would be fumes from mold removal at my condo. I am in rehab after getting a bad ankle fracture and Marcus came over to show me pictures of the progress on my place, and coordinated with a bird sitter. He replaced the toilet, and many other details like towels, shower head, bed mattress, linens, and overal made the condo safer for when I return. I had never experienced that level of assistance from one individual,m but his tenacity truly gets the job done and more. If you hire him, he will "be your sledgehammer" and go for ever detail with great determination. I will not hesitate to recommend him to my family and friends for any job you need help with. Thank you so much Viviane's Cleaning and Restoration Services, Inc.!" 5 - "Absolutely wonderful. My apartment was in an awful state due to my being in the hospital long-term, and they cleaned it and organized it top to bottom. Excellent customer service too. 10/10 would recommend." Sky in Somerville, MA 5 - "Great experience. Great smell. My perfect everything looks great from top to bottom. The deep cleaning I recommend for my family and friends. Five stars for Marcus And Team, Viviane's Cleaning!!!" 5 - "Working with Marcus was very easy. He came to the job with a lot of experience. I told him what I was looking to have done and he explained exactly how he would accomplish it, the length of time the project would take, the products he would use and when the job would be completed. In my situation, my basement needed a lot of attention. To begin with he gave my basement a serious cleaning. From there he used mold killer and remediation with mold resistant paint. Once the walls were completed he epoxy painted the floors. Within three days the basement transformed from a very ugly place into a clean, spotless and bright basement. It looked better than it ever had looked. Marcus works fast AND efficiently. He is very cooperative and helpful from beginning to end. Thank you, Marcus!" 5 - "I am a very busy person so I do not have time to clean the house. My children were exposed to bacteria in places that I only cleaned over. I was worried, but I met Viviane’s Cleaning and Restoration Services and they gave me the confidence I had lost to my home for a long time. Your services were excellent and now my children and I can be sure that our home is free of bacteria." Sara W in Winthrop, MA 5 - "I highly recommend Marcus and his team. They were top-notch and did a wonderful job of cleaning our home. They were fair priced and trustworthy as we handed them the key to our home. It was amazing to come home to an immaculately clean home. Don’t hesitate to utilize Viviane’s Cleaning & Restoration." 5 - "We had them come in for some post-construction cleanup. We were blown away by the quality of their work, and how thorough they were. Marcus and his team went above and beyond our expectations, and we’d love to have them clean our house regularly. Our hardwood floors look brand new. Highly recommend!!" Nick T in Lynnfield, MA 2019-03-18 5 - "Our condo had not been extensively cleaned in years. We reached out to Marcus and he responded promptly and came over to take a look at our place. He offered us a fair quote and he addressed all of our questions and concerns. Marcus and his team deep-cleaned our condo while we were on vacation, and when we came home it was like walking into a new place. Everything was spotless and we couldn't find a speck of dust anywhere. Our stove and refrigerator looked like new inside and out. Marcus is extremely responsive and professional and I would recommend this service to anybody." 2019-03-04 5 - "We experienced a mold problem in our downstairs family room due to a leaking waste pipe which went unnoticed for some time. Our insurance adjustor suggested Vivianes Cleaning Inc. We contacted them and Marcus came out and inspected our problem. Shortly thereafter we received a call and an appointment was made to correct the problem. All personnel were excellent in performing their job and correcting our problem in one day. Hopefully never, but if I have a future issue, I will call Marcus for mold remediation!" 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning, most professional, honest people you could hire. Great service and phenomenal at their cleaning skills, I leave my door open to them and trust them completely. My house has never been so clean, the price is very reasonable, and they work exceptional. I highly recommend" 2018-09-10 5 - "I cannot express how satisfied we are with Viviane's Cleaning! They are very trustable, flexible and I can always count on them !! The owner Marcus is always on top of everything to make sure we are happy with the services provided. I strongly recommend their services, fantastic service!" 2018-09-10 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning's team consistently does fantastic work. They are highly professional and dedicated. My home has never been so clean. From the first top to bottom clean to their fort-nightly visits, they are always diligent, trustworthy, respectful and thorough. Thank you for making my home sparkle, great job guys, highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning !!" Scott Z in Georgetown, MA 2018-09-10 5 - "The best Vivian and her team have been cleaning our house for about seven years now, and we couldn’t be happier. Marcus and Vivian have helped us prepare our old condo for sale, and scrub down our new home before we moved in. Both clean as if they owned the place - with meticulous attention to detail. Everything looks spotless and brand new after Vivian has visited - it’s a great feeling to return to our home after She and her crew hand cleaned. Not quite sure how she managed to get rid of some of the kitchen and bathroom residues. What’s more, is that we trust Vivian without reserve. She has her own set of keys to our home and is a true professional. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have developed a relationship with Marcus and Vivian ... 2018-08-13 5 - "Vivian and Marcus have been our housekeeper for over 10 years.. I have never found anything to be broken or lost after both are here. Marcus and Vivian communicate well with our family if there are any changes in the schedule for cleaning. I find her to be most efficient, a very hard worker, pleasant to speak to, and a very honest person. Vivian has never increased the price of cleaning our home, however, due to her efficiency we have voluntarily raised her amount of pay based on her performance. Vivian has also been recommended by our family to several neighbors and our adult daughter and continues to maintain working relationships to all we have referred. I would recommend Viviane's Cleaning to anyone in need of a cleaning service" 2018-08-08 5 - "Vivian and her wonderful helpers have been helping me clean both my own house and several weekly "vacation" rentals for the past 11 years. Vivian is a first-rate person and she runs a tight ship as far as her cleaning business goes. She doesn't miss a detail and is always prompt to suggest what's needed in every rental unit each week. This is a HUGE help as we need to have things perfect for the next guests checking in. One could never find a better cleaning service and everyone I've recommended to call Viviane's Cleaning for any Cleaning Services, has been thrilled." Darlene K in Gloucester, MA 2018-08-08 5 - "Marcus and Vivian did a fabulous job with a deep cleaning of our entire house last week. They are both friendly and professional. They left our house feeling like brand new. We highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning to anyone looking to have their house or business cleaned, great job guys ..." Clark M in Ipswich, MA 2018-08-08 5 - "Marcus and Vivian and the crew have been working for me in my home for several years. They are invariably smiling when they arrive, are flexible if I need them to come another day, are willing to go beyond the routine cleaning chores and always leave the house sparkling. I highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning to anyone looking for an excellent cleaning company." Diane H in Topsfield, MA 2018-08-08 5 - "Marcus and Vivian's team have been cleaning my house for a number of years, and they do an excellent job. It's so nice to come home to clean, pet-hair-free floors and a sparkling bathroom. Marcus cares about his business and is in it for the long term, and it shows in the consistently high quality of her work and his team's work. I hope to be with Marcus and Vivian for many years, great job guys!" 2018-08-02 5 - "Marcus and Vivian are the best! Both have been cleaning my old house now for a couple years, through renovations, major and minor, and I always know I’m going come home to a sparkling clean house. And, because both use all green cleaning products, it never bothers my asthma! I can’t say enough good about Viviane's Cleaning - they’re awesome!" 2018-08-02 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning is amazing! I came back to a sparkling house. They got every speck of dust, got my stovetop looking factory-fresh, and even cleaned the gross plunger in my bathroom sink (!). Marcus and his team were a delight to work with, very good quality of work., I am very happy, highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning for all my friends and family. 5 Stars ..." Anne C in Burlington, MA 2018-08-02 5 - "We were so pleased with the great work that Marcus and Vivian did to clean our roof. Our contemporary house has a complicated roof with several sections and levels. It was so dirty from being in the woods under many trees. They did an excellent job and could not have been easier to work with! We highly recommend them for delivering quality work at a good price and for being so professional and reliable." 2018-05-03 5 - "We are so pleased with our clean roof, pool decking, sidewalks and porches! Marcus was professional, responsive with follow up emails and calls, fairly priced and did an excellent job. We will be using this company again and highly recommend them , great job now my roof is great nice and clean ...." Chris S in Georgetown, MA 2018-05-03 5 - "Marcus and Vivian were on time, performed the service that he outlined, and then gave me a solid explanation of services provided, what I could expect to see over the coming weeks and months. They cleaned up their work and let me know I could contact them if I had any issues. I would recommend Marcus and Vivian for others looking to have their roofs cleaned ! Five Stars for Vivianes Cleaning for Roof Cleaning ..." Jack C in Byfield, MA 2018-05-03 5 - "Marcus responded immediately to my initial inquiry (actually answered his phone while on the roof from another job!) He was able to give me an estimate from pictures of my house that I emailed to him and shortly after, he came out to the house to do the work. They were friendly and professional, totally explaining the process they use as well as explaining the downside of untreated algae, moss and lichen - an eyeopener. We were more than happy with the work that was done and we would recommend them 100% ! The best roof cleaning i am very happy with my clean Roof , Five stars ..." Cathryn P in Rowley, MA 2018-05-03 5 - "Marcus and Vivian were very professional on site. He answered all my questions and referred me to a video of how important keeping Alage And Moss Off My Roof really is ! I was sent photos during the process to show me before and after shots..What a difference in my roof! I would totally recommend Marcus and his crew for Roof cleaning and whatever your needs are on his line of work , Great job guys !" 2018-05-03 They did a great job and for a reasonable price. My roof had been very dirty because there were big trees over it. It had a layer of moss and dirt and there were even weeds growing out of it! Now it looks new and the rest of the house is clean, too. I think the price seemed fair. It was lower than I feared it would be so I didn’t even bother to get additional estimates. I think this is the best company in my area for the job and I will use them again." John Z in Wilmington, MA 2018-05-03 5 - "A to Z, Viviane's Cleaning was an excellent choice. They were recommended by a fellow contractor. He uses them for post construction cleanup and trash removal. I called at 9 am Monday morning to schedule an appointment for Tuesday 7 am preferably. Customer service was prompt. The young Lady, Vivian and Marcus asked all the right questions. Vivian and Marcus acknowledged the urgency of my request and promised to call me back with a plan. Within an hour Marcus was back to me with a schedule. Vivian and Marcus were coming the next morning at 7 am. They arrived with all their equipment and thoroughly cleaned out a basement that has not been cleaned in 45 year’s. They were fantastic . Five stars for Viviane's Cleaning..." 2018-01-29 5 - "I have been using Viviane's Cleaning services regularly for 6 months and have LOVED it. They do an excellent job keeping our 3 bedroom, 2 bath condo clean and free of dog hair. We have 2 dogs and my mother and some friends of mine are highly allergic to pet hair so it is important to us that the pet hair be kept after and Marcus and Vivian Maid does an absolutely fantastic job with this. I am always excited to get home after work on days when I know they have been at the condo to clean. I have found the maids to be incredibly good at their work, punctual, and trustworthy. The prices for services are also very reasonable. The communication with the main office via telephone and email is also very reliable and friendly. I would highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning for any type of cleaning services ..." 2018-01-29 5 - "I have an older aunt in the Topsfield area who had knee surgery and isn't able to move around much, let alone take care of regular house cleaning tasks. I searched, interviewed, reviewed at least 3 companies and decided that Viviane's Cleaning was the right choice. It's been about 4 months and my Aunt has nothing but great things to say. They are polite, professional and do a fantastic job she says. I am just thankful that my first choice was a good one, anytime you have someone coming into your home you don't want there to be any mistakes. I can assure you, if you need or want a cleaning company, this is a great one , Thank you, Marcus, for fantastic service you provide for me. Five stars for Viviane's Cleaning ...." Stella M in Topsfield, MA 2018-01-23 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning company - Very responsive customer service. Easy to reach, friendly staff, and the cleaning crew was attentive to details. I placed the booking online, and asked for Eco friendly products. They even cleaned the sides of my oven, which I would have never thought I could reach. I would recommend them if you are looking for ease of booking, great customer service, and great cleaning" Lisa m in Topsfield, MA 2018-01-23 5 - "We have been working with Viviane's Cleaning for over a 4 years now and we have been very happy with everything that they do. Their customer services is great - everyone in the office is always pleasant and they are very responsive. In addition, we have also been very fortunate to work with Marcus and Vivian , They are the best and an absolute pleasure - we always look forward to seeing both !" Adams F in Reading, MA 2018-01-16 5 - "I've been using Viviane's Cleaning for my office cleaning every week for nearly three years. They're prompt, thorough, and easy to work with. Marcus has been my primary Pro for the last several months and he's lovely--friendly, good with my dog, efficient, and does a great job., Thanks Marcus for a fantastic job and the work your team does for us !!!" 2018-01-16 5 - "This company has the BEST CLEANING SERVICE in Boston to offer. They came on time and left my office shining. I also contracted them to do my small apartment on State St and that is always shining too ! Viviane's Cleaning is an awesome cleaning service. Thanks, Marcus, five Stars for Viviane's Cleaning." John P in Boston City Hall, MA 2018-01-16 5 - "Viviane's maid services did an excellent job of cleaning my greasy kitchen and sorting out stuff . Very handy help for working women ... Would definitely recommend. It's such a great feeling to come back to a clean and organized home after work." Luiz C in Bradford, MA 2018-01-02 5 - "Today was my first experience, the crew was on time and the owner, Marcus, personally came to introduce the team as well as walk through the house to ensure that nothing was missed. I have worked with many cleaning services, however, this was very professional and I will be signing on for the year! They are well priced and have been very responsive right from the start! A very happy and satisfied client !" Susan P in North Andover, MA 2018-01-02 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning did a fantastic job cleaning my house! The experience of having Marcus and Vivian come to my house was completely stress-free and they did a great job cleaning all the spots and corners that my previous cleaning company left neglected. I decided to go with Viviane's Cleaning based on positive on-line reviews and I am so happy I did. They are nice, professional and very attentive to detail. I look forward to having them come every week from now . Thanks Marcus and Vivian for a fantastic job ." 2018-01-02 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning; Marcus came with Vivian, and they were very good. They cleaned doors, floors and bathrooms, they didn't miss a thing! I am very pleased and can't wait for them to come back again. She is quick and does a really good job! Thanks Marcus, you let me enjoy my day off with just laundry and dinner to do! You guys are a life saver , five stars for both !" 2018-01-02 5 - "I don't have words to describe their services are just wonderful. Marcus and Vivian are very sweet and pay attention to everything that I had asked for. Both are very detailed oriented and never leaves dirt behind. I really appreciate the work that this crew is doing in my home for about 4 years" 2018-01-02 5 - "They did a fantastic job cleaning my house since the first time. I already have their services for about 2 years and I am always satisfied with them. I really have to recommend such a beautiful job. They are very thorough, go under everything and make sure that each corner/ spot is cleaned and sparkle. Thanks Marcus and Vivian !!!" 2018-01-02 5 - "Viviane's cleaning this company really does give an excellent residential cleaning service. The maids were nice and thorough with the cleaning. Easy to communicate with them. The pricing is just right. The cleaning was done in just a day without problems and no spot of dirt to be found. I am so glad that I got to have their service , Thank you again Marcus And Vivian !" 5 - "The entire crew was amazing ! Under the great leadership of Marcus , the foreman, the job was well organized, planned out and finished ON TIME and ON BUDGET. They were so courteous, professional, thoughtful and performed seamlessly and without a lot of supervision all the work that was needed and provided timely updates to me to assure me and answered ALL my questions to keep me informed and calm during a really stressful time ! It was such a pleasure working with Viviane's Cleaning and I would recommend them - especially the team I got assigned for the 2 day job - without reservation" 5 - "Marcus and crew to the rescue ! I don't have the correct words to use that are succinct enough to say what a great job this company did for our home. Marcus is a rockstar in terms of flexibility, customer service, and the actual cleaning required. We no longer have to invest in new carpeting. If 10 stars were available, I'd rate them a 10 Tim C in Saugus, MA 5 - "Marcus and his team provided outstanding service. Response time was within 20 minutes. Pumped out 6” of storm water (our pump failed) from a flooded basement/finished family room. They left fans to dry out the place and remediate mold. Marcus worked with us while we waited patiently for our insurance company coverage/quote. I would recommend this Viviane's cleaning team to anyone!" 5 - "Marcus and his crew are truly lifesavers. On 2 occasions we have used their services and I cannot say enough about how quickly they responded and did a thorough and excellent job. We used them for mold remediation and pest eradication and removal (Yuck). Outstanding Service! Thank you Marcus !" 5 - "For medical, infection control reasons I needed everything in my house cleaned and sterilized - carpets, area rugs removed, furniture and curtains. It was short notice and Marcus From Viviane's cleaning came in and did everything beautifully. They were very careful with furniture and moving things. The area rugs were cleaned, stored and returned/replaced when I was ready. The team was professional and cheerful. Communications and arrangements were easy - they accommodated my schedule and were there when they said they would be. I will definitely use them again." Pedro D in Winthrop, MA 5 - "Marcus and his team, led by Vivian , were the most courteous and knowledgeable professionals in their field. They were prompt, helpful, and able to attend to our damaged floors in a timely and rapid manner. We used them for our flood/leak related issues and would call on them again. We would highly recommend these highly trained professionals for any disaster relief issues. Thank you Marcus and team for all your help !" A sewer back-up is a miserable experience but if you have to go through it, this company has got your back. Our sewer backed up after a monsoon downpour. Marcus answered the phone at 9:30pm and got us in the queue for a clean-up the next day. Marcus sent out Rafael and his team the next morning and they worked to pull wet carpet out of our basement, moved bins of belongings out of basement, then cleaned and disinfected the area. Came back a week later to finish the job by removing drywall. Again, Marcus and his team worked to keep the dust down while they cut and removed wet drywall. Always helpful and friendly. They did a fantastic job! Throughout the process Marcus checked in by phone to see how things were going and to help out with moving the process forward with the insurance company. very recommend Viviane's cleaning for all my friends and family !" Devon F in Wakefield, MA 5 - "Marcus and his team at Viviane's cleaning of Salem came to our rescue when our garage and basement flooded. Marcus and Rafael were extremely kind and compassionate as well as responsive and informative. Marcus and his assistant arrived at my home as promised and swiftly took care of extracting the water, setting up equipment to dry out the area and shared their expertise on the many options for next steps in dealing with our situation. I highly recommend Viviane's cleaning of Salem - they are THE BEST !!!" Eric S in Marblehead, MA I wanted you to know that I am very pleased with how you handled my claim. I know that I will never be completely at ease with this mitigation/restoration/insurance process (I definitely don't want more practice at it either:)), but you definitely helped me feel that it is a manageable one. I appreciate that Viviane's cleaning was responsive to my situation and my needs by patiently providing detailed explanations and updates almost every day to reassure me that quality work was being done and progress was being made to restore my home and life back to normal as soon as possible. Your team was extremely professional, always on time, warm and understanding. Most importantly, I think the team did a meticulous job demolishing/sanitizing/cleaning the kithen cabinets, floors, and wall. Thank you for acting quickly and for your empathy, dependability, trustworthiness, and quality service." Paul Z in Middleton, MA They did a $15k job for me. Came in right at the quote they promised, and stayed late everyday to complete it. I have worked with a lot of contractors and companies, and nobody comes in on time and cost - these guys did, and went above and beyond on quality , Thank you Marcus for fantastic job, five stars for your company !" Douglas p in Topsfield, MA Unbelievable staff this team is from the office to the workers, Marcus and his crew were the most polite people I've meet and very hard workers, they cleaned all day in 15 below degree weather, the house came out beautiful and they were very friendly and understanding. I will always use this company." 5 - "Among the most responsive, effective and customer-oriented companies I have experienced. The Viviane's cleaning crews saved us multiple times in 2017 when we dealt with an unexpected issue in our basement. Even when they were dealing with a host of emergencies following historic rainfall, they responded in minutes to our call and worked into the night to resolve our problem. We are grateful for their help and would not hesitate to call them again" Truly impressive response time, the team arrived earlier than promised. The staff was extremely professional, courteous and helpful with remediation suggestions. They had the clean-up done within hours and then immediately set equipment to bring our facility back on-line. Their recommendations were invaluable in limiting both the damage and downtime." Richard f in Burlington, MA Viviane's cleaning is one of the most professional, competent, courteous and helpful businesses I have dealt with in many years. Marcus and Vivian had excellent recommendation for dealing with a water leakage emergency from an upstairs bathroom. They are generous with their time and energy and got the job done right. Thank you, Marcus and Vivian for everything !" Wendell S in Middleton, MA Based on 2 flood events when I have called Viviane's cleaning two traumatic leaks, this company is just excellent and the people are great. They are nice, responsive, and professional. They are in a business that you only have reason to call when you are in a crisis, and from my experience I give them highest marks. The respond to emergencies, get right to the cleanup, and make you feel like it will all be OK." 5 - "Highest Honors to Viviane's cleaning ! A December 2017 Nor ‘Easter brought up to 6” rain and caused extensive flooding in the area. The first time in 11 years that my basement took in water. Even though Viviane's cleaning was fully booked given the extensive damage in Salem Mass and surrounding communities, Marcus Viana , Viviane's cleaning owner, took extra measures to summon team members and equipment to attend to my situation. There was a mutual recognition that time was of the essence in order to prevent permanent damage and spare significant expense. Marcus staff was top-notch, a true reflection of an organization dedicated to client service. I can’t thank the Viviane's cleaning Team enough for their dedication and high touch service, Five stars..." Wilson S in Salem, MA 5 - "I would like to give both praise and a thank you to Marcus Viana the owner of Viviane's cleaning Inc and his assistant Rafael . I own a building in Saugus with 8 Apts and 4 stores. Due to the accumulation of snow and ice, I developed a water leak from my roof which created water damage to the 2nd and 3rd kitchens and rear halls. I called my roofer, brother, and Viviane's cleaning and they all showed up very quick. After the leak was diagnosed and repaired, Marcus and his helper then went through all the tests for water damage inside the building. A few days later after the leak was stopped, Marcus , Rafael, my son and the Arbella Insurance adjuster went through all the damages. Because of Viviane's Cleaning assistance, my problem was resolved with the insurance company in a very prompt and efficient manner. George S in Saugus, MA 5 - "This company really does give an excellent residential cleaning service. The maids were nice and thorough with the cleaning. Easy to communicate with them. The pricing is just right. The cleaning was done in just a day without problems and no spot of dirt to be found. I am so glad that I got to have their service , Thank you again Marcus And Vivian !" Kenneth R, House Cleaning in Lynnfield, MA 5 - "I've worked with Viviane's Cleaning for both my home and office in Boston. Marcus is not only very responsive and fairly priced, but is a professional which is more important to me than price. Very comfortable with them in my home, office and around my clients and the results are great! I highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning !" Dana K in Boston, MA 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning, these guys do an excellent job. We had them out to clean the office and windows and we were very impressed with the work they did. They were on time, courteous, and fairly priced. We highly recommend five star's for Viviane's Cleaning." 5 - "Marcus and Vivian just cleaned our Store in Marblehead. He and his company, Viviane's Cleaning are very efficient. It was easy to schedule an appointment with him. He cleaned our whole store top to bottom about one week ago. He arrived earlier than the scheduled time and quickly did a spectacular cleaning job. The price was right and we highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning Services..." 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning does an AMAZING JOB ! Great customer service, reasonable prices, spotless cleaning every week, and my time back to focus on my business instead of cleaning my business! Viviane's Cleaning is my #1 choice for commercial cleaning." Blake D in North Reading, MA 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning , I have had nothing but positive experiences for both myself and referred clients to Viviane's Cleaning, Inc. over the last decade . It continues to amaze me how Marcus and his team provide the same exceptionally consistent quality of service over such a long period of time. Thank you, Marcus! Five stars for your company !!!" 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning has cleaned our building for several years and we are thrilled to off load that responsibility to them. They do a wonderful job and we often recommend their services to our own clients. thanks Marcus !" Jay H in Boston, MA 5 - "Viviane's cleaning , Marcus and Vivian have been cleaning my home for several years and I have been consistently very happy with their service. Most of all, I trust them fully in my home, even when I'm not there. It is such a treat to come home to a wonderfully clean house! I would recommend them to anyone. Thank you so much guys for everything , you guys the best !" Priscilla F in Middleton, MA 5 - "I have used Viviane's Cleaning for the past 4 years Marcus and Vivian they are AWESOME. They are dependable, easy to coordinate with - and of course, great cleaners. From scrubbing the baseboards to mopping the floors to deep cleaning the bathroom, they have great attention to detail. And, they are nice. I highly recommend hiring them - you will be happy you did , Thank you Marcus and Vivian , You guys is Fabulous !" 5 - "I have been working with Viviane's Cleaning for many years and have had a wonderful experience ! Marcus and Vivian They are not only professional but extremely detailed in their cleaning and communication. I would highly recommend their services. They are truly 5 Star !" 5 - "I have had nothing but positive experiences for both myself and referred clients to Viviane's Cleaning over the last few years . It continues to amaze me how Marcus and Vivian's team provide the same exceptionally consistent quality of service over such a long period of time , Thank you guys !" Kelly P in Topsfield, MA 5 - "I was looking for emergency cleaning service nearby so I came to Viviane's Cleaning - very quick response, thank you so much Marcus and Vivian !" Rick S in Danvers, MA 5 - "We've been using Viviane's Cleaning for about one year and we are very happy with their work. They are easy to have in our home, and they often ask if we're happy with their work. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Viviane's Cleaning to family and friends. Great job !" 5 - "We have been working with Viviane's Cleaning for almost 6 years and recommend them highly. Marcus, Vivian, and the crew are prompt, reliable, professional, super friendly, and best of all, they consistently do a great job. The always go above and beyond. I love their extra personal touches. If you're looking for help in your house, look no further..." Julie R in Wakefield, MA 5 - "I have been using Viviane's cleaning for about 3 years now and I love them. I always breathe a huge sigh of relief when I come home and they have cleaned. My apartment always looks awesome and they are easy to schedule with and very reasonably priced. They are the best , Thank you Marcus and Vivian for the fantastic job !" Erika S in Boston, MA 5 - "I am the longest client of Viviane's Cleaning Service. We have been together since Marcus and Vivian first started her business and I first bought my house here in Wakefield in 2002 . Not once have I ever been unhappy with her work. Unlike most cleaners who get laxed over time, Marcus and Vivian always do a GREAT job. Both are as good today as were in 2002 ! I recommend this service to anyone. Another thing I have to mention is how honest Marcus and her workers are. You can leave your Rolex watch or a dime on the table and both will be there when you return! This is a great service I enthusiastically give Viviane's Cleaning FIVE STARS !!!" 5 - "I had a wonderful experience with Viviane's Cleaning Services ! They did such a thorough deep clean and were wonderful to work with. They were very professional, and my wife and I were thrilled with the results! It was my first time using a cleaning service and I would definitely use them again!" 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning is extremely professional and does fabulous work. It's always so nice to come home to a spotless apartment ! Very reliable for regular cleanings and Marcus and Vivian are also incredibly accommodating for short notice "I have guests coming this weekend" cleanings. I highly recommend!!" 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning and her staff are ALWAYS professional and do an amazing job ! Marcus and Vivian are very friendly, I trust Marcus and Vivian with a key to my apartment and never have I felt uncomfortable with her having access to my home. It looks like I'm walking into a brand new home every time after Marcus and Vivian and staff have been here! Would HIGHLY recommend Viviane's Cleaning Services to anyone looking for an excellent cleaning company with reasonable pricing. Whether you are looking to have weekly or bi-weekly cleaning... look no further!" Matt Z in Middleton, MA 5 - "This company Viviane's cleaning , They have been cleaning my apartment for the last year, and I have never been so happy with a cleaning service. I have had various companies in the past clean my place, but no one has ever done even half as good a job as this company. Attention is spent on the details, and I am always so thrilled to come home to a place that not only smells fresh and clean, but actually is fresh and clean. The company has the keys to my apartment and the team is completely trustworthy. I feel lucky to have finally found such a great cleaning company and I would recommend them to anyone , Thank you guys !" 5 - "The Viviane's cleaning team was fantastic! I needed a good house cleaning during the busy holiday season, but after seeing how great they did, I am definitely going to be a repeat customer not only for my home, but for my office as well. I highly recommend this company if you want a thorough cleaning and want to deal with true professionals. Thank you Marcus and Vivian !" 5 - "Very happy with Vivian and Marcus and her team. They are very efficient and do a great job. After coming off of a bad experience with Merry Maids, it was great to find somebody who is trustworthy and reliable. Vivian and Marcus are very responsive and easy to get in touch with over email, text or cell. I would highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning , The feeling of coming home from work to a spotlessly clean home is very addictive , I love , you guys wonderful...." Jane M in Ipswich, MA Marcus and Vivian, very professional & thorough service, reasonable rates & flexibility in scheduling. I cannot say enough good things about this service - there is nothing better than coming home to a sparkling clean home after a very busy day. I'm located in Saugus -Mass , so they are willing to travel !" Tania S in Saugus, MA I have Vivian and Marcus come to my house twice a month -- but wish it was every week! Vivian and Marcus are very professional and show up on-time as promised (or if she can't make it, she will call to re-scheduled etc) They do a fantastic job of cleaning my 6 bedroom house, kitchen, living room, dinner room and 2 baths ! At first, Vivian and Marcus did one big deep-clean and cleaned the windows too with Big Discount , because I did the house cleaning , Now both maintains the place with weekly visits. I totally trust her and him , they are in and out in 3 hours or so -- the place always looks great. Both really pay attention to the details ! Great service -- I highly recommend them !" Carol G in Gloucester, MA I had a tenant in my condo for three years and recently moved back to the area. When it came time to move back in let's just say it was in a serious state of disarray. There were 3 years worth of built up grime. After 5 hours , Marcus and Vivian had given it a thorough deep clean and had the place glistening. Marcus and Vivian also couldn't be more pleasant. I would strongly recommend Marcus and Vivian from Viviane's Cleaning , Service to anyone , Thank you guys , very good job, hard work you guys..." Kevin S in North Andover, MA 5 - "We had a cleaning job for our house we had just sold in Topsfield - Ma . I Hiring Viviane's Cleaning The price was really reasonable and the job impeccable. I chose them because they could accommodate a last minute request for cleaning. I am glad I called them , Great Job , Marcus and Vivian , thank you guys !" Jonathan S in Topsfield, MA 5 - "I have been using Viviane's Cleaning for about 3 years I love them. I always breath a huge sigh of relief when I come home and they have cleaned. My apartment always looks awesome and they are easy to schedule with and very reasonably priced. They are the best !" 5 - "We have been working with Viviane's Cleaning for almost 10 years, and recommend them highly. Marcus and Vivian and her crew are prompt, reliable, professional, super friendly, and best of all, they consistently do a great job. The always go above and beyond. I love their extra personal touches. If you're looking for help in your house, look no further , Thank you , great job guys !" Mike P in Stoneham, MA 5 - "I have been using Viviane's Cleaning for five years and I can't imagine my life without them! I have an enormous, hairy dog that sheds a lot, as well as two small children. When they clean, there is not a hair left in sight. I have had many cleaners over the years and they are by far the best, and as such, I recommend them to everyone I know. They can be trusted, they are punctual and they will follow your unique instructions to a T. The other thing I love is they are super open to your feedback. If something isn't to your liking, they will make sure they make the necessary changes and that you are a happy customer. 5 stars for sure , Thank you guys !" We love Marcus , Vivian , and their team! I can't imagine that a cleaning service could be any more reliable than they are. They've never missed a visit in 2 years, and they always leave our home looking fresh and shiny. We communicate mostly via text and pay via Credit card - couldn't be easier. On the rare occasions that we request improvements, Marcus is always extremely receptive and kind. On top of doing a great job with cleaning, everyone on the team is friendly and caring, and we're lucky to know them!" 5 - "I've been using Viviane's Cleaning for about a 2 year, and they're great! They communicate very clearly by email, Text to confirm every week, and they are very consistent and thorough with their cleans. I don't always have time to completely pick up before they come (though I try!) but they don't mind the clutter! (They just organize it into a neat stack for me, which really helps:) Highly recommend, Great Job, Thank you For Everything!" Marian S in Wakefield, MA 5 - "We have been using Viviane's Cleaning for 4 years and could not be happier with their service. Marcus and team are wonderful and are so thorough and reliable. They are also fantastic with our two young children. I have recommended them to all of my friends and everyone absolutely raves about their work. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Viviane's Cleaning and I strongly recommend them to anyone looking for a fantastic cleaning company!" Pam R in Woburn, MA 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning Services provided superior cleaning service at my home. The staff members were extremely thorough, efficient, and courteous. They treated my home with the same care and attention to detail that they would their own home. The job they did was beyond my expectations. Prices are reasonable, and the owner of this company is clearly dedicated to honest, quality work and service. I highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning . I have used their services for more than a year on multiple occasions, Viviane's Cleaning , I have never been disappointed in the quality and professionalism of their work." Jessica F in Reading, MA 5 - "Such a wonderful experience working with Marcus and Viviane. My home is sparkling clean and I couldn't be happier. I look forward to having them back in the future! I would highly recommend them! -Deanna" Deanna in Saugus, MA 5 - "Marcus and Vivian did an excellent job doing a deep cleaning for an apartment that I am moving into. Marcus came out a few days beforehand and gave me an estimate that was very reasonable. Both of them were very nice and the cleaning was quick yet very thorough. They even cleaned some things free of charge. I was amazed by how clean the apartment was in just a few hours! Would highly recommend Viviane's cleaning for deep cleaning and/or other cleaning needs." Luba L in Winthrop, MA 5 - "Just wanted to drop you a line to let you know what a fantastic job Marcus and Crew did power washing my home today! I was amazed at the difference in the brightness of the siding and I have never seen the foundation and steps look so nice and clean! It looks like a new house ! Thanks for the great service guys !" Just wanted to let you guys know that Marcus and crew was out this morning to power wash my house and they did a great job. The house looks great. Marcus is a very nice guy and very professional. I would recommend your services to my family and friends. Thank you..." Frank P in Cohasset, MA 5 - "This is the best cleaning company that I have ever used ! Finally; Someone that shows up on time and does everything that Marcus and Vivian from Viviane's Cleaning both would do (and even a lot more ) and at a very fair price. I will definitely be using Viviane's Cleaning on a regular week basis... Thank you so much Guys, Great Job !" 5 - "I have had Marcus and Vivian from Vivianes Cleaning clean my house for a number of years now. It is such a pleasure to walk into my house after they have been there. Not only is there a beautifully clean house, but there are little extras like an unmade bed - made; dishes that were in the sink that I couldn't fit into the dishwasher - washed and drying on the counter. Marcus is an animal lover so my dog and cat are the lucky recipients of his attention during a long day home alone. The 2 most important things, though, are the complete trust I have in Marcus and his reliability. In addition, his willingness to accommodate schedule changes that may occasionally pop up for me, is always greatly appreciated. I would wholeheartedly recommend Viviane's Cleaning to anyone who inquired... 5 - "Marcus and the Viviane's Cleaning team just did a deep cleaning on my house. They worked non stop for almost 4 hours. My house looks & smells amazing. The staff is friendly and thorough. Every corner of my house is cleaner than its ever been. I highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning and can't wait to have them back next Week..." Jason C in Burlington, MA 5 - "Marcus and Vivian from Viviane's Cleaning, Inc. have been cleaning our home for almost five years. They were recommended to me by friends whose home they have cleaned for over 8 years. They have always been thorough in their cleaning and respectful of our belongings. They have never broken or damaged anything in our home. My family trusts them in our home alone without reservation. There is never a problem if a cleaning time or day has to be rescheduled. They are also friendly, conscientious, reliable and reasonably priced. I highly recommend them and I know you will be very satisfied." Very glad to recommend Marcus from Viviane's Cleaning for my retail store . I found him through Google , and found him to be every bit as good as the reviews say. Marcus is a real professional who follows through -- he responds quickly to requests for info, and provides the services requested. He did a fine job ( Post-Construction ) and ( Windows cleaning ) at my new store, Abercrombie & Fitch at a very reasonable price... He's also a pleasure to deal with. Two thumbs up for Marcus !" 5 - "I found Viviane's Cleaning here on Google Plus . Good reviews, so I reached out and Marcus and Vivian were everything the reviews promised --- responsive, professional, timely and competitive. I was pleased with the service and would gladly recommend Viviane's Cleaning to my family and friends...." 5 - "Viviane's cleaning service is fabulous. Marcus and Vivian are excellent people to do business with. Both are clear in spelling out exactly what his understanding is as to what work he will be doing and provides this in writing with the amount the service will cost. Marcus and Vivian are responsive, communicative, fair, and very nice as well. Thank you Guys !" Susan M in Wakefield, MA 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning and the staff that assist Marcus do a very thorough job. He goes above and beyond the actual cleaning. He is mindful of sharing when he notices an insect(s) in case it is a sign of a larger problem with your property. They are dependable and states that he will stand by his work, which I've never had to address the work that they do as I am always pleased. He does great work for a good price. Glad I was able to find Marcus Vivian from Viviane's Cleaning at a time that I needed cleaning services , Thank you !" Lucca M in Byfield, MA 5 - "I walked into the house today after our first cleaning and was blown away at how wonderful the house looks! Every inch of the house was cleaned and it smells great. It's very reassuring to know that all the chemicals used are non-toxic. I will highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning for Green Cleaning, to all my friends and family. They you guys; Marcus and Vivian, you the best" Ryan T in Saugus, MA 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning did a fantastic job! The owners Marcus And Vivian are a pleasure to work with and they went out of their way to accommodate our schedule. The house was cleaner than I have ever seen it once they were done! This is a trustworthy company that communicates in a prompt, friendly, professional manner and delivers exceptionally high quality results." 5 - "I couldn't recommend this crew more highly! A pipe burst in my apartment over the weekend and after it was fixed and the water had been removed the floors were coated in a layer of black soot. Marcus and Viviane From Viviane's Cleaning was in my apartment for just over an hour and when I returned the floors were immaculate. There was also a very pleasant floral smell from whatever they used to do the job. Marcus insisted on cleaning the hallway floors as well for no extra charges. I still can't believe how quickly and how thoroughly everything was cleaned. Professional all the way around. I would gladly do business with this team again ! Thank you very Much , Marcus and Viviane Great Job Guys !!!" 5 - "We have been using Marcus and Viviane's services for over 6 months now. We hired them to clean our freshly renovated colonial in north reading and could not be happier with the services they provide . They are extremely courteous and respectful of our time, always willing to accommodate our busy schedule. We really appreciate them paying great attention to detail and making sure that we are happy with the result. They are always very responsive to our requests and willing to go above and beyond . We love coming back home after Marcus and Vivian clean it spotlessly . They deliver a great quality at a very reasonable price. We would highly recommend their services." Anonymous in North Reading, MA 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning services have been reliably cleaning for my home for over 4 years. They are extremely dependable and always have a high quality of work. In addition, they are very warm, nice people who we enjoy having in our home. My young children look forward to the days they come and often greet them with big smiles when they arrive! " Peter L in Gloucester, MA 5 - "Viviene has been cleaning my house for the last ten years and I couldn't ask for a better and most reliable person to clean my house. I feel very comfortable and always know that the house will be very clean after each visit. I definitely recommend using Viviene and her team!" 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning its The Best , What a joy to come home to the scent of a sparkling clean house and smell good. Always completely accommodating. Attention to the smallest details. I've always felt safe having Viviane's Cleaning services in my home thank you for great job you guys do ....." Mark D. in Middleton, MA 5 - "I 100% recommend Viviane's Cleaning for all your housecleaning needs. Viviane and Marcus have been cleaning my home for the past year and a half and the quality of their work is always outstanding. They are reliable, flexible, and their rates are reasonable. They are wonderful people and completely trustworthy - not only do I enjoy seeing them on the occasions when I'm home during their cleanings (even my shy dog loves them), but I feel completely at ease having them in my house when I'm not home. I had previously used another cleaning company that sent out a different employee for each cleaning, and I feel much more comfortable knowing my home is in Viviane's capable hands. And after a long day at work I love coming home to a spotless house!" Sara K. in North Andover, MA "I recently moved into a house that I purchased and found that it was in great need of cleaning. My friend and myself tried taking on this task and failed to accomplish much in the 5 hours we spent cleaning. After contacting quite a few cleaning services, and I find (Viviane's Cleaning) Marcus and Vivian reached out and was very quick to come inspect and provide an estimate. With such a tight timeline, Marcus and Vivian were able to come the next day and clean. I left them at my new home and came back about 5 hours later to a very surprisingly clean house! Needless to say I was impressed! I have now got Marcus' number saved in my phone and will certainly be a repeat customer. Thanks again!" Justin Bell in Salem, MA 5 - "We have been using Marcus and Viviane's services for over 6 months now. We hired them to clean our freshly renovated colonial in North Reading and could not be happier with the services they provide. They are extremely courteous and respectful of our time, always willing to accommodate our busy schedule. We really appreciate them paying great attention to detail and making sure that we are happy with the result. They are always very responsive to our requests and willing to go above and beyond. We love coming back home after Marcus and Viviane clean it spotlessly. They deliver a great quality at a very reasonable price. We would highly recommend their services." Andrey K. in North Reading, MA "Marcus was very professional! He came and inspected our apartment the next business day after calling. He was able to schedule our cleaning when we wanted, and the apartment came out great! Very easy to deal with and very good job." 5 - "What a joy to come home to the scent of a sparkling clean house and smell good. Always completely accommodating. Attention to the smallest details. I've always felt safe having Viviane's Cleaning services in my home." Shona D. in Rowley, MA 5 - "We have entrusted Viviane's Cleaning to clean our office for the past two years. Their professionalism and quality of work has been unmatched in this area. We have watched as Viviane's Cleaning has grown over the years without losing their attention to detail or their hands on approach. I highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning to anyone interested in quality commercial cleaning." 5 - "We strongly feel that the cleanliness in our office has a strong effect on our productivity, and we can thank Viviane's Cleaning for helping to make our business so successful. They routinely clean our offices, and set us up on floor maintenance schedule that keeps our tile shining like new all year round. I have recommended Viviane's Cleaning to all my friends for their commercial, office and industrial cleaning needs. This company is simply amazing." 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning services have been reliably cleaning for my home for over 4 years. They are extremely dependable and always have a high quality of work. In addition, they are very warm, nice people who we enjoy having in our home. My young children look forward to the days they come and often greet them with big smiles when they arrive!" Karen D. in Gloucester, MA 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning has been cleaning my house for many years. Everything sparkles and shines after they leave! I have found them to be very responsible both professionally and personally Marcus and Vivian. I would recommened them to you unconditionally." Rose C. in Georgetown, MA 5 - "Vivian and Marcus, since she's started her business. I wouldn't ever think of changing services. Vivian and Marcus is great, always eager to please, reliable and more importantly, both honest! In fact, when we're on vacation Marcus and Vivian comes to check my house and my pets. I've recommended her to several friends as well as family. Additionally, both a lovely person. I feel confident that both can do the job, large or small. I have no difficulty recommending Viviane's Cleaning, thanks for all you do for us!" 5 - "I walked into the house today after our first cleaning and was blown away at how wonderful the house looks! Every inch of the house was cleaned and it smells great. It's very reassuring to know that all the chemicals used are non-toxic. I will highly recommend Viviane's Cleaning for Green Cleaning, to all my friends and family. They you guys; Marcus and Vivian, you the best!" John W. in Beverly, MA 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning, For Green Cleaning is the greatest. I have used Viviane's Cleaning, for Green cleaning serivce, for over six years. Vivian and Marcus are reliable, efficient and pleasant to know. Their cleaning in super. I recommend their services!" Edward F. in North Andover, MA 5 - "I have been using Viviane's Cleaning services for longer than I can remember. I have happily referred them to many neighbors and friends. I am 100% satisfied with every aspect of their service. Professional and efficient, Marcus and Vivian are the best!" "Viviane's Cleaning, For Green Cleaning is absolutely amazing. We needed cleaning done in an apartment our son and his wife were moving into. The previous tenants had 2 cats. You can imagine the cleaning that needed to be done to get rid of cat hair, dander and cat smells. First of all they made a special effort to do it the next day. What they accomplished was a miracle. This apartment is spotless. It was not an easy job, but I am very grateful for them. This is an extreme case. I will recommend them to anyone." 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning, Pleasant. Thorough. Always providing a little bit extra. Marcus and Vivian have been tremendous. Their crew is professional and respectful. I am paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Rod would always do the little things that made my life easy. From taking away my Christmas tree, to replacing light bulbs, to changing bed linens, anything that was difficult or challenging for me to do, they gladly took care of it with a smile on their face. Reasonable prices, quality service." Glen R. in Hamilton, MA 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning, Marcus and Vivian deliver the highest level of execution. From the moment I met with Marcus and Vivian to tour my home and discuss their services, I knew that it would be a perfect match. Marcus outlined every attention to detail as well as the bio-friendly products they use to get the job done. From door frames to walls, these guys do it all. Not only did Marcus five a good sales pitch, but he and the team delivered on every single promise from day one. Marcus and Vivian have gone above and beyond my expectations. Just last week for example, I was delighted to arrive home and notice that our porch had been cleaned from top to bottom. Though we had discussed from the beginning that this would not be expected, Marcus and Vivian took the initiative to clean it anyway. I give my highest recommendation to Viviane's Cleaning, and if anyone has inquiries regarding their services, would be happily discuss my experiences with them this past year!" Dona L in Manchester by the Sea, MA 5 - "I am going on 4 years with Viviane's Cleaning. I found them on Web and so thankful that I did! As a full time working mother of 3 boys; the service provided by Vivian & Marcus have been a God send! I also recently completed 2 years of night school for a graduate degree on top of working. Thank you Vivian and Marcus for taking a HUGE part of my stress away! My house sparkles and thanks to Vivian - our smiles do too! If I could give you 10 stars I would!" 5 - "Marcus was a great person to work with. He took GREAT detail in his work. I was so impressed with his work. I hired Viviane's Cleaning to do the job I am so happy. Thanks Marcus for the great job you did!" Mike J. in Marblehead, MA 5 - "Vivian and Marcus did a terrific job cleaning our empty house before we sold it. 3 floor plus a very large basement. They arrived when they said they would and gave us an accurate estimate. We were very pleased with their work, Thanks Vivian and Marcus for an excellent job!" Mary B. in Winthrop, MA 5 - "We have just begun but I notice Viviane and Marcus are responsible with their time and have been very good about working with me. They come to my house every week and I appreciate that they come in with a price to start that was not ridiculous because it was a first time. They wanted me to be happy with them and it was a fair way to show what they can do and I so appreciated it." "I am writing to refer both Viviane and Marcus Leal as housecleaners for your home. This terrific team has been coming to our home for over 7 years. They have always arrived on time and cleaned thoroughly and efficiently. They are meticulous about getting to all of the tough to reach places and this job is performed consistently on each visit. There are 2 adults, 2 children, and 2 dogs that live in our home, which means a lot of action and the house, rugs, walls, and floor take a beating. Viviane and Marcus help to erase all signs of chaos that go on daily in our home. I will also compliment their attention to the schedule. I have not had one cancellation in 7 years, and rescheduling has only happened due to holidays. Viviane is great about being flexible with these occasions and will always fit us in. I often work from home and have observed these two working. They are truly moving the entire time! They move beds to get the dust bunnies, tables to reach fallen crumbs, and dust and polish shelves that even I am not tall enough to reach. One added bonus is that both Viviane and Marcus are sweet, caring, and honest individuals. I have enjoyed a quick chat and cordial smile when they arrive and recommend them both in the highest regard." 5 - "Viviane's Cleaning Service is the best! I've tried several other cleaning services and they were sub par. A few of them even skipped the bathtub! Anyway Viviane and Marcus do a very thorough job! They are reliable, always show up on time, clean my entire apt. including inside the refrigerator, the trash cans.. They include services that others don't. They are also very friendly and efficient. I look forward to them coming every other week to clean my place. They leave my apt. perfectly clean and sparkly." Anonymous, House Cleaning in Cambridge, MA 5 - "I just wanted to thank you again for doing such nice work at my house. I'll be away several days next month and leaving for SC mid to late January. Will be back in May. I will contact you then for some help with spring cleaning and washing windows/screens." 5 - "Hi. My name is Beatrice Flammia. Viviane and Marcus have done cleaning for my daughter and myself for over 10 years. They are the best. We have become very close with them both. They are experts at what they do. Extremely professional. I actually consider them friends." 5 - "Viviane and Marcus have been cleaning our home for over three years. We are extremely happy with how well they clean our home. I am always impressed by how they go above and beyond what I've asked them to clean. I love walking in on Friday after they clean and my whole house is spotless and smells fresh. They are trusting, reliable, and very personable. I would highly recommend them both."	68,695
People are the most valuable asset of any business, but they are also the most unpredictable, and the most difficult asset to manage. And although managing people well is critical to the health of any organization, most managers don't get the training they need to make good management decisions. Now, award-winning authors and renowned management Professors Mike Useem and Peter Cappelli of the Wharton School have designed this course to introduce you to the key elements of managing people. Based on their popular course at Wharton, this course will teach you how to motivate individual performance and design reward systems, how to design jobs and organize work for high performance, how to make good and timely management decisions, and how to design and change your organization’s architecture. By the end of this course, you'll have developed the skills you need to start motivating, organizing, and rewarding people in your organization so that you can thrive as a business and as a social organization. Lehrplan anzeigen Kompetenzen, die Sie erwerben Bewertungen Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarHalf-Filled Star 4.6 (2,412 Bewertungen) J 4. Nov. 2019 Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star A fantastic, thought provoking course. Gave us a lot of things to reflect on and be mindful of in different situations in the organization. Thank you Prof Cappelli and Prof Useem. Grateful to you. Hilfreich? AA 25. Mai 2018 Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star The case studies in the course are exemplary. For an MBA student to understand the decision making process at the highest level and to gain right decision making approach this course is a must . Hilfreich? Aus der Unterrichtseinheit Tasks, Jobs, and Systems of Work This module is designed to teach you the difference between a task and a job. You'll learn how jobs are historically designed, and you'll explore some of the drawbacks related to past work systems. You'll also learn how job design has been influenced by engineering and psychology. Finally, you'll look at real world examples from the GM and Toyota to compare their respective approaches. By the end of this module, you'll understand how jobs and systems of work have evolved to improve employee performance and productivity. Engineers and Psychologists: A Battle for Designing Jobs7:36 Lessons from the Japanese and US Auto Industries14:12 Unterrichtet von Michael Useem Professor of Management and Director of the Center for Leadership and Change Management Professor of Management, Director, Center for Human Resources Testen Sie den Kurs für Kostenlos Skript Sprache wählenEnglischFranzösischKoreanischRussischSpanischptPt So our last big point is to talk about systems of work. We've been talking about individual practices, motivation early on, job design now in this section. How they fit together in ways that create synergies, that make them even more powerful. So one simple example of this it that we know that profit sharing and stock options for employees at a broad based level for the work force as a whole seemed to have very little effect on employee performance. If you combine profit sharing with employee participation, then you get a much bigger effect, and why is that? Well, profit sharing might give you a motivation or a sense of identification with a company that creates some sense of willingness to help the company, but unless you have involvement and participation so you can make some decisions. Autonomy as it were. You've got no way to exercise that motivation. You put these two together and then you start seeing some effects. We teach a couple of cases here at the Wharton school about how these practices bundled together can actually drive the competitiveness of the whole firm, we see this easiest in the for profit area, but you can see it almost anywhere. We teach a case for a company that we've named Holt Chemical, it's not the real name of the company, and this was a student project of our MBA students many years ago. What happens in Holt Chemical is, this is a company that was in the specialized chemical business, competing as bigger companies had lower costs. But what Holt was able to offer was customer service that was Really good, how do they do that? First of all they didn't hire a professional sales people, they hired chemical engineers, and when they hired those chemical engineers they put them to work first in the factory, their chemical plants so that they would get some understanding of what the chemicals felt like, looked like, worked like. And also, they knew who made the chemicals in the plant, and who were the experts in the plant on those chemicals. Only then did they go out in the field and start dealing with customers. They'd stay with customers, more or less for life, or at least their life in the company. They were paid a straight salary, no commission, they had no incentive to push different kinds of chemicals on clients so the clients started to trust them. And because they were chemical engineers they were already oriented toward solving problems with chemicals, which is different than chemists who are interested in chemistry per se. Pretty simple set of practices but it produced something that helps sustain the company and its competitive advantage, that is, its customers are willing to pay a premium to buy chemicals from Holt, in order to get their customer service which was really just sales people who were effectively consultants. They knew a lot about their chemicals, they knew a lot about their clients and they knew what would work where. The problem at Holt Chemical is they called in a consulting company that was giving them advice on how to improve profitability, and the advice turned on giving these sales people incentives to sell more chemicals that were more profitable. As soon as they did that the customers started to notice that you couldn't necessarily trust what the sales people were pushing on you. And the first thing that happened is some of the sales people themselves noticed this and quit, because they didn't like this new arrangement. They didn't see themselves as sales people primarily. The second thing that happened was, the customers started to bolt, because they didn't trust Holt's service so much anymore, and the products of competitors were cheaper. So, Holt's entire competitive strategy begins to unravel, because of a change in management practices. Actually, just one change which then broke up the synergy between their other practices, and made them as a company not so successful anymore. Another quick example, out of the world of retail is, the folks at Nordstrom. Who have for decades now had the most profitable department store. Sales per square foot, how did they do it? The sell more or less the same that stuff everybody else does sells. They sell their own brands, they sell fashion. And the way they do it is their competitive advantage, and that is, sales people who tailor the experience to individual customers, give them whatever they need. How do they do that? Partly hiring, they try to hire people who are enthusiastic. They don't bother training people because theres not much training you need. You don't need to know the polymer account in sweaters you just need to be able to tell people, that looks great on you and let me let you know when somethings on sale and I'll bring this to your house. The other reason they don't train them is they don't want you to have a standard way to deal with costumers. They want you to do whatever It takes to make that customer happy. And they have huge commissions in terms of a percentage of their pay. They watch through a lot of people. People who don't fit get pushed out pretty soon. But because they're not spending a lot of money hiring, or training people, when they lose them, it's not that big of a deal. But the ones they keep figure out how to please Nordstrom customers. They maintain their own customer base and they got a big financial incentive back to motivation to sell well. So in that case, it's not a series of complicated practices, and it's not often things that you might call best practice. No training, no careful selection. But it fits together in ways that work for that company given where their business is. And I think that leads us to a conclusion here from this part of the course. And the conclusion is if you do the management of people correctly, it's not just about being able to keep your costs down or able to implement and execute strategy or whatever the processes are the company wants. It is possible that you can actually create the competencies that drive the strategy of the business. And this is going to tie our section of the course into other sections on strategy you're going to hear about in a little bit. Durchsuchen Sie unseren Katalog Melden Sie sich kostenlos an und erhalten Sie individuelle Empfehlungen, Aktualisierungen und Angebote.	9,224
Canadian Olympian Jeane Lassen has announced she is seeking the Liberal nomination for Takhini-Kopper King. The riding is currently held by NDP MLA Kate White. Canadian Olympian Jeane Lassen has announced she is seeking the Liberal nomination for Takhini-Kopper King. The riding is currently held by NDP MLA Kate White. For the past 20 years, Lassen has been travelling the world while representing Canada and the Yukon at various weightlifting competitions. In 2008 she became the first Yukon athlete to participate at a Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, placing eighth in the 75-kilogram division. She also coached Christine Girard, who went on to win a bronze medal at the London Games in 2012. Now, Lassen says she’s ready to start giving back. “Serving the people of Takhini-Kopper King by representing them at the legislative assembly would be the greatest privilege,” she said from the Yukon Arts Centre yesterday. “Sandy Silver has a leadership style that resonates with me. I appreciate he’s looking to build a team of diverse candidates.” Lassen said her biggest priority is community engagement and making Yukoners feel like they’re being listened to. A lot of people don’t go to the polls, but she wants to change that by getting people more engaged, she added. Growing up in the Takhini Trailer Court, Lassen was always involved in physical activities. Tobogganing, climbing the clay cliffs, biking to school, delivering newspapers, stacking firewood and playing street hockey were some examples she gave. But it was in the summer of 2014, when her friend Tamara Goeppel joined the race to become the Yukon’s next Liberal MP, that she decided she wanted to make a foray into politics. “That seed was planted then and it’s been on my mind ever since,” she said. Lassen also wants to advocate for people who live in trailer parks. Those people face different barriers, she added, and she’d like to help address that. “There’s a cycle of debt that can occur when you’re paying a mortgage and a pad rent at the same time,” she said. In 2014, tenants of the Takhini Trailer Court were notified of a $25 per month pad rent increase, up to $410 per month as of June of that year. That’s on top of the mortgage most homeowners pay on their trailer. Lassen was born in Victoria, B.C. and moved to Whitehorse while in Grade 4. She took up weightlifting a couple years later at age 12. She won silver at the 1995 Canada Winter Games in Grande Prairie, Alta. at the age of 14. She graduated from F.H. Collins Secondary School in 1998 and studied Education at McGill University in Montreal, Que. She retired from competitive weightlifting in 2009. Lassen has also taught at Whitehorse Elementary and worked as a physical literacy coordinator at Sport Yukon.	2,801
Since Jdate is Jewish-specific, you can like to share whether you’re Kosher to some degree or not and exactly how usually you attend Synagogue. When you join up SilverSingles, most important factor you may do is take those personality check. The quiz is certainly one hundred 25 questions with seven article prompts, and it’d consider you 30 to fourty minutes to end. Yes, it is just a lengthy sign-up course of, although SilverSingles sticks to the classic relationship proficiency for a justification. To sign up meant for DateMyAge. com, create your bill and supply your fundamental data plus your relationship choices. You can add images to your account, including an eye catching cover photo. Then, choose your pursuits and compose somewhat about yourself within the About Myself part. In this way, this guide prospective customers you to a virtual community of prospective take pleasure in pursuits so, who fit the definition of a soulmate. Launched in once again in 1996, AFF is actually stay and lively for over twenty years. With an enormous selection of numerous personal preferences and going out with demands, couples looking for an open-minded plus1 will have plenty of nice information at their disposal. Exceptional to this webpage, the funny function will allow paid members to see pictures of others, as properly his or her age and resolve whether they’re excited about assembly that individual. While smaller than the other two alternatives on the list, Catholic Match is made to serve a definite niche—building Catholic relationships. Receiving signed up is normally quick and simple, plus the app’s software is simple to use. If you’re seeking to discover a Catholic faith-based relationship, give this app a go. Testimonials. com created an enlightening article “The Best Online Dating Sites, ” delivering a video presentation sites that were most probably to truly get you a appropriate match. They say studying online courting websites is definitely a “subjective process” as totally different people have completely different needs, wants, and aims for his or her loving lives. In different phrases, one person provides a lot of money, and spend that on an desirable date. You will find no paywalls in sight, even so the onus can be on you to initiate talk. The revolutionary choices applied whereas constructing this instantly brought in this courting platform huge visibility. The app connects properly with social media, which includes Facebook, Spotify, and Instagram, so you can show totally different aspects of your personality. It’s actually good to relax and rise in fantasies along with the net like consideration. The app consumers can create themselves while search for love-making affairs with males, girls, couples, teams, or transgender individuals. There are few alternative routes to generate salary whereas your relationship web-site is still growing. Consider contacting corporations that manage affiliate programs or promoting your customers’ private information and contributes to different businesses if you need to start your career money the moment potential. Ning additionally supports integration with Google AdSense, so you most probably can present ads in your internet site and receive money for that. You are able to share your blog posts about social media channels like Fb, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and the like to make certain they achieve as many people as possible. Building your relationship website on Ning, you presumably can both create a local area (your_domain_name. ning. com) absolutely free or apply your custom made area. The storage you need to use is determined by the membership plan picked. Not only does that let you interact socially within the convenience of your personal home, but will also enables to get in contact with persons no matter all their geographical location. It should depict the brand’s symbol, catchphrases, images of cheerful couples remembering numerous milestones, and a breakdown of all the features that users usually takes pleasure in. Building a internet dating web site may sound like a daunting task, with appreciable advancement and style costs. Nevertheless , with Elementor and WordPress, you’ll find a way to design a fully useful and cost-effective online dating web site now. Elementor’s options, templates, and drag & drop manager permit you to custom-design your very personal online dating internet site. Simply conform to the steps under and you’ll be up and operating very quickly. In search of. com is the site notorious for anybody looking for an association. The wonderful factor about a great arrangement is usually that the expectations are upfront and start. When you happen to be on the lookout for a 3rd you all the time wish to obviously clarify what boundaries you have along with your associates. Help all of us keep this kind of protection going with a one-time monetary gift or a continuing membership promise. Give the marriage some time earlier than arranging a meet-cute in actual life to move to the subsequent level of your alliance. In truth, youre extra more probably to uncover long-term companion pets than the younger age. The founding fathers of Professional Singles comprehended this and stuffed the void simply by creating a digital platform for that mature crowd. It’s most likely the greatest via the internet courting websites for significant relationships that includes an older age of romantics. You’re prompted to get the ball rolling with matches evaporating in 7 days. It’s a lot less pressure than Bumble’s 24-hour time limit however nonetheless eliminates a listing packed with folks that no longer care enough to response or schedule a meet-up. Like a quantity of other applications, CMB will never show your profile to different buyers except you could have a clear graphic, mechanically filtering the whole part of faceless users you will find on different apps. Seeing that 2007, mujeres cachondas Zoosk features a massive repository of you on the lookout for serious relationships and more. Looking for. com is the central elite romantic relationship website the site over over 20 million individuals find legitimate and trusted relationships that fit all their way of life. EHarmony is one of the greatest choices for severe relationships. Due to Vibe Examine function, potential companions already in a conversation can even begin a live video chat practice session in the occasion that they can both agree with the fact. A sense of community is likely one of the most necessary stuff in the world. All of us ensure these interactions are off to the excellent begin by sharing recommendations for on-line internet dating. The esteemed membership for one of the excessive relationship programs prices around $59. ninety five. It may be higher than the earlier system but its knowledgeable clientele and verification tests do save from quite a lot of bother. You can scroll and time inside the system freely without worrying about assembly con artists and social hikers. If we obtain down to the nitty-gritty aspects of this system, the Top notch Singles requirements involved individuals to work burdensome for the membership. Effortlessly, you must end up being particular person for a match since even they who find themselves probably compatible with you dedicated to his or her users, could be solely a bubble. These are convenient options independently, it really works without problems. They have enjoyable to have a chat and exit making use of the internet along with other users. A few of them often usually are not good appricots, nonetheless it maintains stuff amusing. I’ve twice with somebody, which in turn appears Do not thoughts the following meetup. It could be the biggest group for single Muslims with four mil members within a hundred eighty countries. Once you create a profile, it’ll present you with a lot of compatible profiles and ones that meet your preferences. If you’re involved, you press the center icon, and if you happen to be not, press the X. Muzmatch even offers a free video calling function the place you’ll have the capacity to chat with your match ahead of deciding to offer them your precise volume. There’s a free of charge model of the app, as well as a subscription readily available for $19. fifty two every thirty days rendering extra features. Christian Mingle is certainly nice for people who are in search of Christian singles only. On the contrary hand, Jdate is good for those that need Judaism singles. Leave a Reply Cancel 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. ABOUT US We are the only professionally managed company, in the whole of Gujarat, for Supply & Servicing of Air-Conditioners Air Conditioner in Ahmedabad. More than two decade of hard-core experience in the industry, has made us versatile in catering to all types of requirements in this sector, viz. Design, Sales, Service, Installation, Maintenance and Spares.	9,116
After all, decision-making is about choosing, and what we choose is based on subjective values of what’s better or worse for the situation. Decisions are binary (A or B) because our brains basically have circuits firing for either choice, and the circuit that fires more wins. So you ask, what impacts the firing of these circuits so I can make a good decision? It involves the three steps in making great decisions. A decision can only be as good as the information it’s based on. Seem obvious, right? Let’s say you are trying to decide where to go for dinner. What kinds of inputs are there? First, do you want to go out at all? Then there are things like what time, what type of food, what places are available, how much to spend, and how to get there. Most individuals do not have a full set of factual information when deciding. Our brains give priority to recent and common ‘facts,’ and we aren’t aware that this is happening. But we think we have enough facts. This is like your common set of favourite places to eat, instead of every place within thirty minutes. This fact-limiting approach is often because of the second rule. Step 2 – Watch your assumptions. Even with our simple example, we make assumptions. Our emotional state influences the assumptions we make. For example, how hungry is everyone? Are you or others working to please someone or impress someone? Our emotions influence the assumptions we make about availability, service, quality of food, cost, and getting there and back. What complicates this is that each person is sensing and making assumptions about the emotions of others in real time. How much one person prefers a type of food, is worried about cost, or “imagines” how nice it would be at a certain place. Nobody wants to seem pushy, so everyone defers to everyone else, and the group can’t decide! Emotions influence the significance of different facts such that some facts override other facts. The cost will often override quality. Avoiding disagreement and wanting to please will override one’s preferred choice. Each person involved makes assumptions about their facts and what others think. The key is to be aware of the assumptions being made. Ideally, one reviews and validates any assumptions. This is part of getting the facts. Step 3 – Trust people you trust. Let’s say a friend told you to avoid Sloppy Pete’s Pizza. But you LOVE pizza, and it’s close by and not expensive. And you are hungry! What might happen? You “discount” the advice of your friend. And you might not even bother to check out what other pizza places are available. Your friend is actually very reliable. They have given you good advice before. But you decide not to “trust” their advice and go with your gut feeling. The “let’s get pizza now” circuit was firing stronger than the “find another place” circuit, so you ordered the pizza. After waiting over an hour, paying extra for the delivery, and eating cold pizza with cheap crust and skippy toppings, you feel pretty unsatisfied. How did this happen? Simple, your emotional, subjective thinking circuits fired stronger than your objective, rational thinking circuits. You did not make a great decision! Subjectivity is part of decision-making. While decision-making is a complex biological process, it is not a purely cognitive one. Deciding the answer for two plus two or if one cookie is bigger than another are cognitive decisions. Is the bigger cookie better is a subjective choice and depends on an individual’s values and objectives. The stories or opinions you have about cookies, which are subjective, will influence your decision. Deciding which cookie to eat is subjective. Deciding to eat it now or later is subjective. The subjectivity is valid. When deciding, the challenge is to be aware of one’s subjective, feeling-based thinking. Level of differentiation and great decisions. One aspect of differentiation is the ability to recognize subjective feeling-based thinking versus objective, rational thinking. Feelings are useful information. Feeling hungry is useful, but that shouldn’t be the sole factor in deciding when, what, and how much to eat. Feeling anxious about food that has made you sick in the past is valid but shouldn’t automatically drive your decision-making. The point is to recognize the feeling but be objective about it. For example, it might be a fact that some food upset you in the past, but it’s an assumption that this will happen again. The goal is to recognize the fact and the assumption so one can validate the assumption. Don’t just assume and don’t just discount feelings. Comfort is not the basis of a great decision. Our anxiety (I’m nervous about this) can often interfere with decision-making. We can want to choose the “comfortable” option versus the “better” option. Putting off medical tests or deciding what to eat or when to exercise can be like this. Even trying something new versus what’s familiar. Making choices for your children can REALLY be like this. A child asks – “can I stay out until 11 pm? I’ll take the bus home?” The parent (anxiety rising) replies: “I don’t think that’s a good idea, no.” Now the parent feels better. But they have conveyed a lack of confidence and level of “the world is scary” to their child. The parent isn’t really aware of the assumptions they are making, it’s just the discomfort they are reacting to. The parent could have gotten more facts: where will you be, who will you be with, what’s the bus situation like, how about 10:30 instead. They could have also said, “Well, this gets me nervous, so let’s talk about it so aren’t making any assumptions.” This example could have also been, “Yes, go ahead” because the parent didn’t want to experience the discomfort of a big argument. Better decision-making is possible. Differentiated thinking would recognize that not getting facts, not recognizing assumptions, wishful thinking, not trusting advice, and not recognizing anxiety can all lead to poor decisions with poor outcomes. Differentiated thinking understands that feelings aren’t bad but that subjective thinking is not fact-based rational thinking. Decisions based on feeling comfortable aren’t wrong but should be very conscious choices. That comfortable “feeling” will be based on assumptions that could be inaccurate. The key is being thoughtful and aware of subjective versus object thinking and how it’s influencing your decision-making process. Years ago decided to work on differentiation and being more thoughtful. I gathered facts about the concept, I discussed and thought about my assumptions. I listened to others that I considered advisors. Maybe that’s why it’s been a great decision! Now it’s your turn to think about how you can be more thoughtful in making great decisions. This post was inspired by the following article: Listen to Dr. Papero on Anxiety and Decision Making: Anxiety and Decisions. Previous Posts Previous Posts Select Month November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 December 2021 November 2021	7,349
jobsearcher.com/blogWhat Makes a Company a Great Place to WorkAfter one too many after-hours emails, you’re on the hunt for a new gig. But what makes a company a great place to work? And how will you know when you find one? Finding a motivating, safe, and productive work environment is important for our mental and physical health. If you’re financially frustrated, creatively stuck, or just plain over it, it’s time to find a healthier workplace where you can flourish. jobsearcher.com/blogWhat Makes a Good Boss? The Top 12 Qualities & AttributesThink back to the best boss you’ve ever had—does someone come to mind? We hope so! Okay, now think back to the worst boss you’ve ever had. I’m sure you can conjure up a few faces. jobsearcher.com/blogHow to Recruit and Retain Gen Z EmployeesAs Boomers and the oldest Gen X are exiting the workforce, younger Millennials and Gen Z are flowing in. While the younger generations seem to be completely different than the older generations, many care about some of the same things- financial security, working conditions, etc. However, due to social and cultural differences in the era that Gen Z has grown up in, they have concerns that were never even workplace topics of discussion 20 years ago. jobsearcher.com/blogHow Does Temp to Hire Work? Benefits, Concerns, & MoreWhether you’re just starting out your career or are looking for the next opportunity, the job market has never been more burgeoning with opportunities. From flexible work options and freelancing gigs to seasonal and temp-to-hire work, people today are spoiled for choice when it comes to finding engaging and fulfilling work. jobsearcher.com/blogExplore Your Skill and Find the Best Way to Make Money From HomeWhen you just can’t stomach another drive-thru coffee on your morning commute, close your navigation app on your phone and search for easy ways to make money from home instead. With a computer and some niche skills, there are countless opportunities for you to earn a living from your couch. (Okay, fine, your home office.) Below, we’ll explore 30 different ways to make money from home, as well as a few “too-good-too-be-true" warning signs to know to keep you from booking the wrong remote gig. jobsearcher.com/blogHow to Write an Address Correctly: Explained with ExamplesIt's hard to imagine a scenario where a text or phone call just won't do these days. With communication at our fingertips, you may think learning how to write an address is a superfluous skill. But it's a skill that will come in handy when you need to fill out healthcare forms, ship a package, order food delivery, or even apply for new jobs. jobsearcher.com/blogWhat is Employment Participation RateAccording to economists, there are four factors of production that go into creating higher quality goods at lower prices. These are Terms of Service This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.© 2022 All Rights Reserved	3,050
Francis Snoding of LTS Tax Limited, and the Tax Sub-Committee for Guernsey Society of Chartered and Certified Accountants (GSCCA), is interviewed by Locate Guernsey. LG: What sort of questions are you currently being asked by individuals looking to move to Guernsey? For example do individuals ask how they can become Guernsey resident? FPS: Yes and my answer depends on what they mean by Guernsey resident. If they mean can they live in Guernsey, this is relatively easy. Any UK or EU citizen can move to Guernsey immediately and live in a property that they have bought or rented, although they would need to be mindful as to whether they have rights to live in local market, otherwise it will be an open market property. LG: Presumably the question regarding Guernsey residence leads on to the tax test of residence? FPS: Yes, the question as to how an individual becomes Guernsey resident is usually tied into their tax status in Guernsey. My answer generally summarises the basic rules for becoming a Guernsey tax resident for new arrivals. LG: Is it a difficult process? FPS: There are complexities but in essence it is down to a day count, which means if you are in Guernsey for 91 days or more during a calendar year, you will be Guernsey resident for tax purposes, and for the purposes of counting a day, this is determined by where the individual is at midnight. There are a few forms to fill in but it is a relatively straightforward process. LG: So for individuals that are present in Guernsey for 91 midnights or more, they are subject to Guernsey tax at 20% on all of their worldwide income? FPS: That is generally correct, although some individuals who broadly spend less than 182 days in Guernsey and spend 91 days in another jurisdiction can be classed as “resident only”. This means they are not charged to Guernsey tax on income arising outside of Guernsey, but are subject to tax on Guernsey source income only, subject to payment of a “standard charge”, which is in effect a minimum annual payment of £30,000. I should also point out that Guernsey bank interest and most investments are not counted as Guernsey source income, as such for the majority of individuals that are moving to Guernsey in this category, £30,000 is the maximum they pay. LG: That sounds quite attractive, so is this a once and for all election? FPS: No, individuals are able to elect in and out of this category on an annual basis. LG: You mentioned income tax at 20%, what are the other Guernsey taxes? FPS: There are none, Guernsey does not tax capital gains, does not have a wealth, death or inheritance tax and does not levy VAT. LG: That is interesting, can you tell me about tax capping? FPS: Individuals who are not “resident only” will be subject to Guernsey tax on their worldwide income at 20%, however this is subject to a maximum annual tax of £110,000 in respect of non-Guernsey source income. LG: What about Guernsey companies, are they subject to 20% tax also? FPS: Guernsey companies are subject to a standard tax rate of 0%. Tax is generally collected when it is withdrawn from the company by a Guernsey resident in the form of salary or dividends. If the company invests or trades in Guernsey property, or is a public utility company then the tax rate is 20%. There is also a 10% rate for banks and fiduciary companies. LG: Guernsey on the whole sounds very attractive, are there any other taxes that individuals looking to be relocate should be aware of? FPS: It depends on the individual and their sources of income. It is possible for individuals to be resident in more than one jurisdiction, therefore even though they may successfully demonstrate they are classed as Guernsey tax resident, they need to be mindful of the tax residence rules and the number of days they spend elsewhere. In addition there may be other non-Guernsey taxes to consider depending on sources of income or gains, and whether any other jurisdictions they are connected with levy death or inheritances taxes. The important thing to remember is to speak to their tax adviser or one that deals with the type of tax they need advice on. LG: Is there anything else that makes Guernsey attractive from a tax perspective? FPS: We have a number of tax treaties that prevent double taxation of income, and we also have a new rule being introduced that is likely to be attractive to some new residents. This new rule will enable individuals that are new residents, with non-Guernsey companies that have reserves of undistributed income at the date of arrival, to distribute those reserves within two years of arrival, and for that income to be treated as capital for Guernsey tax purposes and therefore not subject to Guernsey tax. Director LTS Tax Limited Previous Next Let us keep you updated * We will send you regular emails, keeping you up to date on Guernsey and industry news/info. You can opt out at any time.	4,941
The number of online dating services for marriage is on the rise. There are many different elements that get into making a fantastic dating internet site, but the most critical of them all with regards to dating is the matchmaking user base gender percentage monthly users best give. Matchmaking websites need a high percentage of single ladies and single men within their user base in order to make a profit. If you have a smaller number of users of one men and single women, it is harder for the matchmaker to discover a appropriate partner to bring to a new relationship. What do client reports asks us regarding dating sites meant for marriage? The topmost concern they raise is expense. The good news is, the majority of dating websites offer no cost registration. Best of all, the cost-free registration does not have long and no requirement to become a member. Single males and females who are searching for serious romantic relationships register on the finest dating sites with regards to marriage and get a come to feel for what various other members are just like. Once registered, singles can browse users on the site to check out someone who matches the requirements. A good internet dating community includes thousands of lonely people looking for a time frame and there is usually someone to send out messages to or talk with. There may be just a few free dating sites for matrimony on the internet, but these are very few when compared to tens of thousands of lonely people looking for a particular date on totally free dating sites. Many free online dating sites for matrimony will give you a limited number of profile searches every day. This constraint is put in place for the reason that site wants to protect you from having multiple dating profiles and too many matches. They want to defend their customers coming from inundating them with offers they do not qualify for. Lonely women who require a00 free dating site to get marriage in support of have one or maybe more potential matches should consider signing up at a paid community. Paying fees for a internet dating site with regards to marriage will not be a bad idea. You are protecting yourself from using something that will meet you with anyone else. You are also more likely to meet others who are also buying serious romantic relationship and some of them may be looking for marriage oriented singles too. If you sign up for a high end dating community, you are probably going to pay a premium health club price to match with a particular set of persons. If you were to look through the free online dating sites just for marriage you would probably probably get a larger percentage of complements within your budget. A paid membership rights dating site allows you to browse profiles without having to pay an arm and a leg in addition to more potential for getting a critical date. Various online daters like swiping right to get yourself a response. This may not be a good idea with respect to couples that are serious about outset a https://gloria-brides.com/slavic/slovenian-brides dating romantic relationship. Swiping brings singles to your profile without necessarily enthusiastic about a serious relationship. Most swiping is intended to get a response although not always a serious you, so if you are seriously planning to start a dating relationship, consider the above things before you swipe. company about voice call promotion call about us PARKEN Solution is Bluk SMS, Software Development Company. Our main motto is Customer Satisfaction and Product Quality.	3,684
A Hollywood actor, Bruce came to Jesus as Lord and Savior in 1989. In 1993 he was cast to portray Jesus in The Gospel of Matthew, widely considered one of the most landmark Jesus films ever made. The experience was life-changing, and Bruce turned from his secular career to Christian films, ministry and writing. A prolific speaker and author, Bruce has traveled the globe and authored several books sharing the love and Person of Jesus, including the best-selling In the Footsteps of Jesus. and Jesus, the Man Who Loved Women. Founding Marchiano Ministries in 2001, Bruce has worked extensively in South Africa including outreach, church planting and the care of impoverished/HIV-affected children. Bruce's many Christian films are numerous including the Pure Flix hit The Encounter. Interestingly, Bruce holds the humbling honor of portraying Jesus in more films than any actor in film history. Launching Marchiano Ministries Films in 2016 Bruce debuted as producer/director in the award-winning pro-life film Alison's Choice. Bruce is now in production on a film of The Gospel According to John, entirely funded by donation. Bruce lives in southern California with his family, Maria, Brooke and Shane. Bruce's books and films are available on "As Bruce's pastor of many years I can tell you that his film work is not a career to him but a ministry. Jesus is his Savior for whom he lives and serves faithfully."	1,424
Taylor Stewart describes herself as a Glow-Getter; a driven, busy gal who strives to achieve her goals in life while attaining a beautiful glow both inside and out. Taylor started her journey in the beauty sector in the Falkirk area three and a half years ago. She says, “I was always confident at doing my… UncategorizedBy 17 Degrees January 9, 2020 Colin Niblo is founder and owner of Phoenix Gym in Falkirk Town Centre. When did you start your business? I started the business in 2009; at the beginning I was instructing classes and boot camps in different places across the area. I realised I wanted somewhere that we could do everything under one roof and… UncategorizedBy 17 Degrees January 9, 2020 Caroline mentioned last year that she would love to go to The Roman Camp Country House & Restaurant, so we were delighted to be invited to the country house and experience the tranquillity last November! The Roman Camp Country House & Restaurant was built in 1625 for The Dukes of Perth as a hunting lodge…	1,065
Author : Ofer Amitai, Messianic pastor Jerusalem and Director of Israel Prayer Centre Situation in Israel and praying for leadership Dear Friends, I send this little update with some trepidation. I don’t know how many of God’s people in the... May 23, 2020 Author: Ofer Amitai, Messianic pastor Jerusalem and Director of Israel Prayer Centre Jerusalem Day Every Jerusalem Day, I cannot help but reflect on the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967 and Israel’s victory parade on Independence Day in 1968. I had a... Aviv Ministry – March 2020 by Dov Bikas Apr 24, 2020 Title: Aviv Ministry – March 2020 Author: Dov Bikas, Aviv Ministry Date: 25.4.2020 Most recent Tel Aviv outreach Dear Praying Friends, As our country is taking more and more quarantine measures, our ministry in Tel Aviv continues as much as possible. On the... Beit Hallel Congregation – April 2020 Apr 15, 2020 vojisrael.org Shalom, One would think that during such difficult times, when everybody is struggling and trying to... Whose news are you watching? – Julia Fisher reports on her recent visit to Israel Nov 11, 2013 Whilst millions read, hear and watch secular news reports, unlike other journalists I feel challenged to report on what God is doing in Israel and the Palestinian Areas and get the stories of the people I meet to as wide an audience as possible, because, frankly, they...	1,391
Sweat collects on his brow, salty and profuse. He absentmindedly wipes it away with a roll of his shoulder and focuses on the gritty process in front of him. Pedro Robles-Hill compares 35-millimeter to 70-millimeter reels at the Loft Cinema’s projection booth in Tucson on Oct. 10, 2016. Each reel holds only one part of a movie, with an average of eight reels needed for an entire film. (Photo by Alexis Wright / Arizona Sonora News) Pedro Robles-Hill looks up. The machine is still operating with no clogs, rips or tears in the mechanisms. Its loud and grinding sound labors with almost hypnotizing precision, while the heat increases to almost uncomfortable levels. He pushes forward. A glance at the time reminds him that he has only been at work for only a half an hour, with another hour or two before he can escape to a cool haven, a chair and maybe the bathroom. Those hours fly by, and before he knows it, his task is done. For a projectionist contending with the fading chore of running film in a digital age in an “arts” movie theater like the Loft Cinemas in Tucson, the job is never quite finished. After a transition period for over a decade, using mechanical projectors to show movies on film is a nearly extinct process. In 2015, more than 97 percent of the roughly 45,000 commercial movie screens in the United States use digital projection, according to data from the Motion Picture Association of America. Some filmmakers, among them the director Quentin Tarantino, have disparaged this transition away from film, the standard for movie projection for most of the history of the movies. Digital moviemaking, Tarantino lamented at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014, represents “the death of cinema.” While digital movies are easier to shoot and to exhibit in highly automated modern movie cineplexes, images on 35-millimeter film are richer in texture and far better yet are the 70-millimeter film that select movies used to be produced in, say Tarantino and others who mourn the demise of film. One of the two projection machines used to show film at The Loft Cinema in Tucson on Oct. 10, 2016. Only one reel can be held at a time, meaning it is the projectionist’s job to change the reels during each film shown. (Photo by Alexis Wright / Arizona Sonora News) However, even as the digital revolution reached near supremacy on location and in the projection booth, a strange event transpired. A fairly small number of movie exhibitors — the industry’s term for theater operators — decided to revive the old 70-millimeter technology. They’ve bought up and refurbished old 70-millimeter projectors, scoured Hollywood film libraries for the relatively few movies produced using the expensive technique. They even have trained employees working projection booths the old-fashioned way, though their lives aren’t in danger like they once were, with film formerly composed of silver nitrate. The Loft, located on East Speedway, is a nonprofit cinema that shows many movies that would otherwise go unseen on a big screen. As one of the major players on the national circuit of what used to be known as “art house” cinemas, the Loft is digitalized for the most part, but says it maintains a commitment to showing movies in 35-millimeter film when available. For exhibitors showing movies on film, the difference between 35-millimeter and 70-millimeter prints is the size of the film that runs through the projector. A 70-millimeter print has more clarity and a far higher visual resolution than 35-millimeter film or high-definition 4-K digital, said Jason Denholm, director of operations for the Loft. Print is more expensive to process than digital and it is harder to distribute, requiring the shipping of the heavy reels of physical film itself to a theater. By comparison, digital movies are easily distributed via hard drives, Denholm noted. In a typical modern cineplex, digital movies are projected onto various screens essentially with the flip of a switch. Projecting movies the old-fashioned way, on film, means maneuvering reels, monitoring the physical film as it trundles through the projector, and even skillfully switching from one projector to another as a reel runs out. That requires a skilled hand in the booth. Pedro Robles-Hill is such a projectionist. He said he initially started off working at a Century cineplex projecting 35-millimeter film in the years before digital became the standard. Once it made the shift, “I had to find ways to keep doing it,” Robles-Hill said of his love for film projection. For him, there’s more to the job than just pressing a button. For every movie shown in film, the Loft does a “dry run,” including to make sure each print has good sound quality. After checking each reel, setting up the film is another process for the projectionist. Since each standard movie comes in an average of eight reels, and with each reel playing for about 15 to 20 minutes, there is no rest for the projectionist running the show. Depending on the size of the print film, the reels can be a manageable weight or they can get excessively heavy. “My arms are a little less tired after a shift,” Robles-Hill said, comparing the weight of 35-millimeter reels versus 70-millimeter reels. In recent decades, most 35-millimeter projection systems required a projectionist to splice the individual reels of film together onto one oversized horizontal platter, so the entire film runs continuously through a single projector, without a need to change over to a second projector. Yet, the Loft utilizes a vertically designed projector that only holds one reel at a time, so more than one projector is needed to run a movie. Projectionist Pedro Robles-Hill (not pictured) holds 70-millimeter film up to the light at the Loft Cinemas on Oct. 10, 2016. The 70-millimeter film is two times the width of regular 35-millimeter film, making it a challenging medium to work with at times. (Photo by Alexis Wright / Arizona Sonora News) What happens is that the reel holding the one part of the film is manually loaded onto the top part of the projector, with the print being fed into a series of turning knobs. The film is then transferred to another, empty reel at the bottom to hold it until the projectionist can put the print back on the original reel after the movie ends. If the print is a 35-millimeter one, the sound is fed through a knob that reads an narrow line that runs along the edge of the film to a surround sound system. The 70-millimeter print uses a stereo system that the projectionist also has to manually start. Making sure the projectors change seamlessly from reel to reel is daunting, but Robles-Hill jokes that it gives him an adrenaline rush. The comeback of 70-millimeter film embraced this year by the Loft was partially thanks to Tarantino insisting that his 2015 movie Hateful Eight, which he insisted on filming in 70-millimeter, be distributed and shown in 70-millimeter, said Joshua Gleich, associate professor of the School of Theater, Film and Production said at the University of Arizona. The Loft and other theaters in the U.S. are driving new interest in the lush visual images afforded by 70-millimeter film and in finding 70-millimeter prints available to be shown using an expensive technology that, even in its heyday, accounted for only a small number of movies released. Typically, they were expensive “blockbuster” films and epics, made in 70-millimeter for first-run showings in major movie houses and then converted to 35-millimeter for wider theatrical distribution. This makes it possible for some theaters to show historical and old movies in print again, such as mint copies of epics like Lawrence of Arabia with Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif, among others. In January, meanwhile, the Loft joined the trend to show movies made on 70-millimeter film. Movies in 70-millimeter on the Loft’s “70mm Showcase” agenda for this year include Aliens (1986) to be shown on Oct. 23 and 25, and a repeat of 2001: A Space Odyssey on Dec. 18 and 20. In this day and age though, projectionists and cinema lovers are working to keep film alive. “I’m going to do it as long as I can,” Robles-Hill said. “This is what I would call a dream job.” After college, Alexis Wright plans on going into publishing or business management. Born and raised in Vancouver, she found herself in Tucson for school. Her passion for baking erupted into a full-blown addiction. You can usually find her testing recipes or scouring the city to find the best happy hour. Download high resolution images here. Leave a Reply Cancel 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. Current ye@r * El Inde (indearizona.com) offers readers and media outlets the best journalism produced by students at the University of Arizona School of Journalism. Our original content is published during the fall and spring semesters. All material may be reproduced—with byline and credit to El Inde at the University of Arizona School of Journalism, please. Archives Select Month May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 October 2021 May 2021 April 2021 January 2021 December 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 December 2010 November 2010 September 2010 February 2010 January 2010 Recent Posts The most and least popular specialty license plates in Arizona in 2022 Phoenix Union High School District announces support of trans students, denounces anti-trans legislation	10,713
The five most beautiful letters in the world, to you who are getting old: wish you well for the rest of your life! The five most beautiful letters in the world, to you who are getting old: wish you well for the rest of your life! 21 Jun 2022 Beautiful morning light, accompany you to read. time is a wheel, going around in cold and summer, but smoothing people's edges and corners inadvertently. suddenly surprised, to a certain age, all the frivolous youth, are turned into a glass of wine, condensed into the past. teenagers listen to rain songs upstairs, adults listen to rain in passenger boats, and in their twilight years they listen to rain monks. wait until you get old and go through the difficulties of the world before you slowly understand life and learn to be compassionate. a misty rain is a lifetime, and extreme simplicity is beauty. the five most beautiful letters in the world are dedicated to us who are getting old! Our emerald green prom dresses offer a glamorous array of fabrics, prints, fits, and designs. If you have any questions, our fantastic customer service is ready for you. first letter: write to self-love Dear you: once you have experienced this and that suffering, you should slowly understand that you are also old, and your body is not as good as it was then. You should learn to love yourself and take good care of yourself. there is a passage in there is a passage in there is a passage in only by loving yourself well can you have a deeper understanding of the gentle side of life, spread kindness and tolerance more frankly, and become more capable of protecting the people you love. there is no dress rehearsal in life, so you can't start over again. Cherish the rest of your life. give yourself a holiday once in a while, go for a walk and don't let yourself get too tired. remember that when you are good enough to meet the beauty of the world, you deserve to be loved and loved. believe that when you start to love yourself, the world will begin to love you. second letter: to cherish Dear you: have you found that the older you are, the more relatives you will leave? Life is impermanent. I don't know which comes first, tomorrow or accident. Xi Murong once said with emotion in "Little Red Gate": there are many things in the world that you think you can do again tomorrow, and there are a lot of people you think you can see again. so, when you temporarily put down your hand or turn around temporarily, all you can think of is the hope that you will be reunited tomorrow. Sometimes, even this hope can not be felt. because you think that since the days are coming like this, of course they should just go by. Yesterday, today and tomorrow should be no different. but there will be one time, as soon as you let go and turn around, something will completely change; the sun goes down, and before it rises again, some people will say goodbye to you forever. in an impermanent world, we can only cherish life, try our best to live, and be kind to family, relatives and friends! Life is a lonely journey, all encounters are not inevitable, if you have the honor to accompany for a while, it is good luck to cherish. third letter: to the mindset Dear you: we come naked and go naked. Don't worry about what you don't need. Life is your own, you don't have to show it to others, you don't have to care about what others think. know that you are not RMB, how can everyone like you? living your life well, doing what you like and living what you like is the happiest way to live your life. you can listen to the birds outside the window and feel the new life of the day when you get up in the morning, or you can listen to the gentle morning broadcast and receive kind greetings from others. the sound of the wind sweeping through the window and the sound of running water in the faucet are knocking on the door of happiness. you can go out of the house, blend into the noisy market and experience the joy of bustling, or get close to nature and feel the pure beauty of the fragrance of birds and flowers. on weekends, a group of like-minded friends walk the way they want, see the scenery they want to see, see the people they want to see, say what they want to say, and be happy all the time. fourth letter: to Health Dear you: you are no longer young and have a heavier burden on your shoulders than anyone else. There are old people at the top and children at the bottom. If you have anything to do, who will share it for you? No matter how busy you are, please take good care of your health. in good health, you can take better care of your family, enjoy a happy life, and do what you want to do better. there is a good saying: A lot of things are precious only when we are about to lose them. The same is true of feelings, and so is health. you can treat money and fame like dirt, but you can't squander your health, because once your health is overdrawn, you can never buy it back, and it's too late to regret it. remember: living, the body is the most important! only when you achieve physical and mental health, your quality of life will be improved and your life will be better! Your family will feel more warm! the fifth letter: to Life Dear you: after half your life, I believe you have come to understand that how to live your life ultimately depends on how we view it. is bitterness or sweetness, joy or helplessness, all within your own control. the length of life, but the accumulation of a second, enjoy the moment to the fullest, to live up to this good time. as the poem fairy Li Bai wrote in "drinking with the secluded Man in the Mountain": Life need not be too beautiful, as long as someone loves deeply; not too rich, as long as you live happily; not too strong, as long as you live with dignity. in this way, things will be beautiful and peace of mind. May you and I face it calmly in this life.Gains and losses, calmly face the joys and sorrows, calmly smile to see the flowers bloom, live a normal heart. cherish what you have at present, don't complain, don't be negative, don't be discouraged. No matter rich or poor, open mind is free, regardless of beauty and ugliness, self-confidence is beauty, whether safe or not, living is happiness! live a simple life and enjoy plain happiness. Recommended No matter how far a woman is, she needs to read these 10 sentences. Put (this article is priceless) Nov 11,2022 COVID-19 's special medicine is coming, and it works with a single shot! Zhang Wenhong: "this will be the last winter of the epidemic."... " Nov 11,2022 Accept yourself, wake yourself up, change yourself. Nov 11,2022 The best way to save one's life is not to keep in good health, not to exercise, but to. Nov 11,2022 The magnetic field in you determines who you will meet. Nov 11,2022 The best spiritual appearance: a good face Nov 11,2022 The three precepts of life: self-knowledge, self-examination and self-discipline Nov 11,2022 I've talked to thousands of couples about marriage: 18 priceless advice to you who are married and ready to get married.	7,114
Sukhi Kang, the owner of Hope Panago Pizza, says it was simply “the right thing to do” when it came to feeding people during the floods. (Kemone Moodley/Hope Standard) Pizza shop owner in Hope reflects on feeding stranded travellers Suki Kang says he drew on experiences from Punjab hometown during the floods Nov. 24, 2022 9:28 a.m. Last November’s floods took many Hope residents by surprise; many in the community hadn’t had to grapple with the effects of a heavy rainstorm before nor a flood that left them without hot food or electricity. But for Sukhi Kang, the owner of Hope Panago Pizza, the flood was a very familiar sight. “Long story short, where I come from, in my hometown in India, we would get a lot of floods,” says Kang. “And our village was the highest campground that people could safely come to [in the area]. And people were hungry. And the only thing we could do was [feed] them. And my father would say, ‘do not charge them money. Anyone that comes to you, give them food. It’s okay’.” Kang says that his father emphasized the importance of helping those affected by the floods, every time they struck. And that providing for your neighbours and anyone in need was the right thing to do. It was this experience, along with his father’s teachings, that inspired Kang to give plenty of fresh and free pizza to the hundreds of people stranded on the highway during the floods. “It was just the right thing to do,” says Kang. “[And] I had to do something…So, the next thing that was on my mind was how was I going to do this? How was I going to give people pizza?” At the time, power had been cut off to Hope. Rather than letting the food in his restaurant go to waste, Kang used the generator obtained from Mayor Victor Smith (who, at the time, had been councillor) to cook pizza and distribute it to those stuck. “I called up Victor and said, ‘let’s make some pizzas’,” says Kang. He goes, ‘how are you going to do that?’ I said, ‘if you provide me a generator.’ And he goes, ‘15 minutes’.” Kang, with the help of a few of his workers, used up all the ingredients in his restaurant to make the pizzas. During this time, Kang also called up Hope Pizza Place and got them onboard with helping him feed everybody when his supply of food ran out. This generosity was greatly appreciated by those stranded — many who were tired, hungry and scared. In fact, Kang says he received a lot of thank you cards and expressions of gratitude long after the floods. A resident of Hope and the owner of Panago since 2011, Kang moved to Nunavut in 1991 before eventually finding a home in the district. His time in the city, especially during the floods, has made him proud to be a member of the Hope community; he says he is proud of how quickly and willingly the people of Hope worked together to look after those who were stranded. “I know now that if I ever needed help, that this is the best community to come together and stand up for you. And that’s something we’re kind of losing in these days,” says Kang. “When someone is in trouble, people don’t call each other for help anymore. So, I’m proud to be here.” When asked about future atmospheric events, Kang says he will simply do what he did before; go with the flow and be ready to help those in need. “I wouldn’t change anything. I’d do what I did before…my kids were so proud of me for doing this. And it feels good.”	3,508
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Thread starter JC … Go to page Next First Prev 2 of 16 Go to page Next Last JC Gold Member Apr 3, 2021 JB Cases said: If I score better than you then does that mean I am right? Click to expand... I actually feel kind of bad for you. If I get to the point with pool where I'm ambivalent to get on the table I'll just hang it up and move on. Pool is the pool table and everything on and around it. Silver Member Apr 3, 2021 JC said: I actually feel kind of bad for you. If I get to the point with pool where I'm ambivalent to get on the table I'll just hang it up and move on. Pool is the pool table and everything on and around it. Click to expand... Well, let's hope you don't get there. In addition to my physical issues I have a family, a business, and several houses to take care of. Pool is 4th or lower on my current list of priorities. The investment in time vs what I would need to give up on other areas contrasted with the probable improvement gain isn't worth it right now. Regarding the idea that if I score better than you in any shotmaking test then that makes me right.... You know full well that that is complete bullshit. Now if 100 people take the same test and the aiming system users are the high scorers then perhaps that amount of data has some correlation to the method of aim used when controlled for the other variables. Here is a basic difference. I love pool enough to want to help people get better and take joy in their improvement. People who spend their time knocking aiming systems and denigrating aiming system users don't seem to really like this sport because they spend time trying to drive people away from learning more about the game. The way a player's eyes light up when they build their skills and experience clear improvement is a really satisfying feeling. Last night a guy stopped me to tell me that his jumping is on point after a clinic I gave a few weeks ago. I see people knocking jump cues and denigrating jump cue users and think to myself these people bitch about the decline of pool while they actively put down those who want to enjoy the game. Two days ago we sold a $1000 case to an APA 3 who has been playing less than a year. She also owns several thousand in cues. Maybe you all would feel better if she wasn't interested in pool and spent her time and money elsewhere. Because this is exactly the type of person who will go find a more pleasurable activity when the people she is trying to get advice from decide to tell her that she is self-deluded for expressing joy at learning a method that knockers don't like. You could make your points about the value ratio of fundamentals vs systems with denigrating a single person in any way. But instead you choose to put down those who enjoy learning things that you personally don't like. My daughter likes sunny side up eggs. She would feel like shit or get pissed off if I told her that people who like their eggs that way are dumber than other people. Myself, Stan and every other outspoken CTE user are fully clear that fundamentals are extremely important. We are also clear that bad fundamentals will absolutely reduce the pocketing success despite being on the right shot line. So it's not like people are not aware of this. This forum is about aiming. Why not simply let those who want to talk about aiming do that in peace? There is really no good reason to be negative. One player said to me last night concerning aiming systems, "hell yes I am looking for magic bullets because I want to win and anything that can help me play better is something I am interested in learning." I said in response, I think we are not looking for magic bullets but instead reliable tools. He agreed with that. Reactions: BC21 AzB Silver Member Silver Member Apr 3, 2021 People don't criticize all aiming systems, just the ones lacking in proof. IMO, those that speak up to point out inconsistencies and problems in any kind of system or methodology or product love the sport far more than those who turn a blind eye to these kinds of issues. As to knocking any particular individual, typically they bring that on themselves ;-) Open any thread here and that is clear to anyone with fourth grade reading comprehension and who can follow a discussion to see how it devolves when "believers" turn to ad hominem attacks rather than logic. L AzB Silver Member Silver Member Apr 3, 2021 JB Cases said: Myself, Stan and every other outspoken CTE user are fully clear that fundamentals are extremely important. We are also clear that bad fundamentals will absolutely reduce the pocketing success despite being on the right shot line. So it's not like people are not aware of this. This forum is about aiming. Why not simply let those who want to talk about aiming do that in peace? There is really no good reason to be negative. One player said to me last night concerning aiming systems, "hell yes I am looking for magic bullets because I want to win and anything that can help me play better is something I am interested in learning." I said in response, I think we are not looking for magic bullets but instead reliable tools. He agreed with that. Click to expand... John, you're so right. All we ever wanted was to discover and use reliable tools to pocket the balls better. Been saying that for YEARS. However, "The Fig", "The White", and "The Johnson" have raved and ranted for YEARS, that CTE is not a reliable tool. The same trio has raved and ranted about Stan Shuffett being a con man, a huckster, a snake oil peddler, a guy who promises "some kind of book" and never delivers, a guy who promises "free videos of what it can do" and never delivers...then when he does deliver the same group continues to rant and rave about "it's boring", "I went to sleep", "I found flaws in his presentations", "it isn't logical", "it can't be proven", etc. etc. The same trio that "plays innocent" with horse puckey comments like...…"we just want civil logical discussion"...……..while they trash the method and the man relentlessly. I, myself, laid some trash talk on Brian Crist's "Poolology" a while back because I considered it complicated (to me). But I never said it didn't work or nobody but a fool would buy it or that he was a little swindler. I did say he wasn't as hot of a player as he THOUGHT he was after I saw him choke to death against Arannis and give away his money, but since then I've left Brian Crist and his Poolology alone. "The Fig", "The White", and "The Johnson" will NEVER stop with their trashing, though, and leave us alone. In a real live pool room, some thug would've already busted them across the face with a pool cue for being such knockers. It's just something they cannot control. Keep an eye on this post, my man. It won't be here long. "The White" will have it deleted and have me kicked out of here like he did to Spider. Silver Member Apr 3, 2021 Low500 said: Keep an eye on this post, my man. It won't be here long. "The White" will have it deleted and have me kicked out of here like he did to Spider. Click to expand... What a shame - and all your posts (this one's a perfect example) are chock full of useful information about CTE. chgo JC Gold Member Apr 3, 2021 JB Cases said: Well, let's hope you don't get there. In addition to my physical issues I have a family, a business, and several houses to take care of. Pool is 4th or lower on my current list of priorities. The investment in time vs what I would need to give up on other areas contrasted with the probable improvement gain isn't worth it right now. Regarding the idea that if I score better than you in any shotmaking test then that makes me right.... You know full well that that is complete bullshit. Now if 100 people take the same test and the aiming system users are the high scorers then perhaps that amount of data has some correlation to the method of aim used when controlled for the other variables. Here is a basic difference. I love pool enough to want to help people get better and take joy in their improvement. People who spend their time knocking aiming systems and denigrating aiming system users don't seem to really like this sport because they spend time trying to drive people away from learning more about the game. The way a player's eyes light up when they build their skills and experience clear improvement is a really satisfying feeling. Last night a guy stopped me to tell me that his jumping is on point after a clinic I gave a few weeks ago. I see people knocking jump cues and denigrating jump cue users and think to myself these people bitch about the decline of pool while they actively put down those who want to enjoy the game. Two days ago we sold a $1000 case to an APA 3 who has been playing less than a year. She also owns several thousand in cues. Maybe you all would feel better if she wasn't interested in pool and spent her time and money elsewhere. Because this is exactly the type of person who will go find a more pleasurable activity when the people she is trying to get advice from decide to tell her that she is self-deluded for expressing joy at learning a method that knockers don't like. You could make your points about the value ratio of fundamentals vs systems with denigrating a single person in any way. But instead you choose to put down those who enjoy learning things that you personally don't like. My daughter likes sunny side up eggs. She would feel like shit or get pissed off if I told her that people who like their eggs that way are dumber than other people. Myself, Stan and every other outspoken CTE user are fully clear that fundamentals are extremely important. We are also clear that bad fundamentals will absolutely reduce the pocketing success despite being on the right shot line. So it's not like people are not aware of this. This forum is about aiming. Why not simply let those who want to talk about aiming do that in peace? There is really no good reason to be negative. One player said to me last night concerning aiming systems, "hell yes I am looking for magic bullets because I want to win and anything that can help me play better is something I am interested in learning." I said in response, I think we are not looking for magic bullets but instead reliable tools. He agreed with that. Click to expand... You may be on to something John. I believe aiming better will help all level of players and I never said otherwise. My contention is there are so many things a person can do in pool to bullet proof their game that aiming gets too much attention. Until you can deliver the cue ball where you need to everything else is putting the cart before the horse. Here's the rub though. In the minds of CTE people there is NO other aiming system. Go back and read my OP here. Did I single out CTE? No but you all know I'm denigrating you personally because CTE is the only aiming system you worship. I did not mention CTE yet out come the antibodies to fend off the attack. Not one time did I mention that particular aiming system in this thread before this post yet out comes the long knives. BTW I have never been particularly good at ball pocketing drills. Look at Brian, his fargo is right there with us and he hit 46 in a row. So we must have other tricks in our bag besides aiming to defeat him half the time right? You tell me to let those who want to talk about aiming do so in peace because that's what this forum is for? A simple non mouse click by you takes care of it. Followed by some keystrokes that don't happen. Instead you ramble on and on. And another thing, you aren't the only one with a busy life. I run a demanding business 50-60 hours a week. Build cues in my spare time. Have a needy wife and a ten year old daughter that I spend as much time with as they need. And there is a decent chance I'm older than you are. Not sure. And I run a BCA pool league here, one of the first in the country to report to Fargorate. Yet in spite of it all you have managed to log more games into Fargorate than I have. Self evident. Last edited: Apr 3, 2021 Silver Member Apr 3, 2021 #27 JC said: You may be on to something John. I believe aiming better will help all level of players and I never said otherwise. My contention is there are so many things a person can do in pool to bullet proof their game that aiming gets too much attention. Until you can deliver the cue ball where you need to everything else is putting the cart before the horse. Here's the rub though. In the minds of CTE people there is NO other aiming system. Go back and read my OP here. Did I single out CTE? No but you all know I'm denigrating you personally because CTE is the only aiming system you worship. I did not mention CTE yet out come the antibodies to fend off the attack. Not one time did I mention that particular aiming system in this thread before this post yet out comes the long knives. BTW I have never been particularly good at ball pocketing drills. Look at Brian, his fargo is right there with us and he hit 46 in a row. So we must have other tricks in our bag besides aiming to defeat him half the time right? You tell me to let those who want to talk about aiming do so in peace because that's what this forum is for? A simple non mouse click by you takes care of it. Followed by some keystrokes that don't happen. Instead you ramble on and on. And another thing, you aren't the only one with a busy life. I run a demanding business 50-60 hours a week. Build cues in my spare time. Have a needy wife and a ten year old daughter that I spend as much time with as they need. And there is a decent chance I'm older than you are. Not sure. And I run a BCA pool league here, one of the first in the country to report to Fargorate. Yet in spite of it all you have managed to log more games into Fargorate than I have. Self evident. Click to expand... Because when fargo was introduced I spent time promoting it and helping to create events where people can get lots of games in. Plus there were events from previous years that were already in. I didn't say I haven't played I said I have no extra time to be dedicated to improvement right now. I said my body and my eyesight are deteriorating which makes it harder to play now. Also I haven't even tried the half ball spot shot challenge yet. Haven't had time to go to the training facility and shoot it on the 9ft with tight pockets. Once again though the point is that you can make your point without the nasty magic pill comments. If you notice I say aiming systems users and don't say CTE is the only one that works. Cte happens to be the one that works best for me. Your previous comments about cte users are clear enough indication that your denigration includes them and is likely to be the first target you think of. Spot shot Kenny would make hundreds of spot shots in a row. That is zero indication that he could have made the shot ten times in a row if the object ball were moved six inches to either side. Silver Member Apr 3, 2021 #28 Also, what you are asking for is that you get to attack and knock and I shouldn't respond. I asked you to let people talk about aiming in peace. You turning around and saying that your version of peace is that you get to knock and denigrate without pushback is really silly. Again the difference is that with this post you are essentially saying that whomever doesn't meet your arbitrary standard of fundamentals is stupid for looking at aiming systems and those of us who use aiming systems never say that players are stupid if they don't. You need to reread your original post and maybe if you try to see it from a different perspective you might see what I mean. I think you know what I mean clearly but that allowing people to discuss peacefully is not your motivation. Last edited: Apr 4, 2021 AzB Silver Member Silver Member Apr 4, 2021 #29 JB Cases said: Also, what you are asking for is that you get to attack and knock and I shouldn't respond. I asked you to let people talk about aiming in peace. You turning around and saying that your version of peace is that you get to knock and denigrate without pushback is really silly. Again the difference is that with this post you are essentially saying that whomever doesn't meet your arbitrary standard of fundamentals is stupid for looking at aiming systems and those of us who use aiming systems never say that players are stupid of they don't. You need to reread your original post and maybe if you try to see it from a different perspective you might see what I mean. I think you know what I mean clearly but that allowing people to discuss peacefully is not your motivation. Click to expand... You say cte works best for you but I notice you dont have cue ball control or play shape for any next ball in your demonstrations. Is there a specific reason why you dont feel shape is a factor besides aiming or do you feel you dont need to using your cte AzB Silver Member Silver Member Apr 4, 2021 canwin said: You say cte works best for you but I notice you dont have cue ball control or play shape for any next ball in your demonstrations. Is there a specific reason why you dont feel shape is a factor besides aiming or do you feel you dont need to using your cte Click to expand... S AzB Silver Member Silver Member Apr 4, 2021 Low500 said: In a real live pool room, some thug would've already busted them across the face with a pool cue for being such knockers. ...kicked out of here like he did to Spider. Click to expand... This is not a pool room. The statements made herein ARE what's in contention. If you cannot address the merits of Counter Thunk Estimates then why would you expect the questioners to go away? L AzB Silver Member Silver Member Apr 4, 2021 straightline said: This is not a pool room. The statements made herein ARE what's in contention. If you cannot address the merits of Counter Thunk Estimates then why would you expect the questioners to go away? Click to expand... sigh….I guess because I'm just a sucker for human nature and keep thinking that even the most hardened individuals will eventually leave others alone to aim a pool ball any way they choose...without heaping ridicule and skepticism on them or the man who put it all together, Stan Shuffett, who is a good friend of mine. I was able to do that with Brian Crist and his Poolology…I stopped trashing him and his method. If his fraction method works good for him and his followers, that's okay with me. Why can't others do the same concerning MY chosen method? This is Easter Sunday, the day that shook the Roman Empire when my savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Enjoy this day, Straightline, don't forget to pray and shake someone's hand every day. Regards, I see dead balls Silver Member Apr 4, 2021 There are many exercises to check stroke and aim. One of the ones I think is most fun is to try to hit the object ball so thinly that it hardly moves. Once the distances and speed increases it gets trickier and trickier. One of the most satisfying things to me is to hit the ball so thinly that it just wobbles in place. Now, THAT is hard to do. The rationale is that if you know where the edge of the ball is (and are able to hit it), then you have a great starting point for any aim. AzB Silver Member Silver Member Apr 4, 2021 There are many exercises to check stroke and aim. One of the ones I think is most fun is to try to hit the object ball so thinly that it hardly moves. Once the distances and speed increases it gets trickier and trickier. One of the most satisfying things to me is to hit the ball so thinly that it just wobbles in place. Now, THAT is hard to do. The rationale is that if you know where the edge of the ball is (and are able to hit it), then you have a great starting point for any aim. Click to expand... You can use almost any shot as a sanity check. As an example: a while back I noticed that I was getting a lot of unintended english on my 14.1 break shots. A swarp had crept into my stroke. So I think anytime the CB or OB does not behave exactly the way you intend you can go back and use that to diagnose a mechanical issue. Silver Member Apr 4, 2021 Low500 said: In a real live pool room, some thug would've already busted them across the face with a pool cue for being such knockers. Click to expand... Low500 said: This is Easter Sunday, the day that shook the Roman Empire when my savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Click to expand... Your sincere goodwill is touching. chgo S AzB Silver Member Silver Member Apr 4, 2021 Low500 said: sigh….I guess because I'm just a sucker for human nature and keep thinking that even the most hardened individuals will eventually leave others alone to aim a pool ball any way they choose...without heaping ridicule and skepticism on them or the man who put it all together, Stan Shuffett, who is a good friend of mine. I was able to do that with Brian Crist and his Poolology…I stopped trashing him and his method. If his fraction method works good for him and his followers, that's okay with me. Why can't others do the same concerning MY chosen method? This is Easter Sunday, the day that shook the Roman Empire when my savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Enjoy this day, Straightline, don't forget to pray and shake someone's hand every day. Regards, Click to expand... Jesus actually returned as promised. He said something like, "fool me once..." and vanished. He is rumored to be laying low in a gay review. Nobody has a problem with Stan S. AFAIC, he shoots good, wonderful. He has ideas on pool, even better. He wants lots of money for a concept he can't explain. Oh, wait... Silver Member Apr 4, 2021 canwin said: You say cte works best for you but I notice you dont have cue ball control or play shape for any next ball in your demonstrations. Is there a specific reason why you dont feel shape is a factor besides aiming or do you feel you dont need to using your cte Click to expand... Um, I have addressed shape in some videos. Of course shape is important and I have never ever never ever ever said otherwise or in any way downplayed it. In fact I made several videos about the use of cte and backhand English to play shape when stun, draw or follow at the right speed isn't enough. Last edited: Apr 4, 2021 Silver Member Apr 4, 2021 straightline said: Jesus actually returned as promised. He said something like, "fool me once..." and vanished. He is rumored to be laying low in a gay review. Nobody has a problem with Stan S. AFAIC, he shoots good, wonderful. He has ideas on pool, even better. He wants lots of money for a concept he can't explain. Oh, wait... Click to expand... He can and does explain it. Just because I don't understand particle physics doesn't mean that particle physics are not a valid field. One does not need to explain things to your satisfaction. When a person puts out ideas and they find resonance and provide tangible benefit. In the case of aiming systems the clear immediate tangible benefit is improved pocketing. S AzB Silver Member Silver Member Apr 4, 2021 JB Cases said: He can and does explain it. Just because I don't understand particle physics doesn't mean that particle physics are not a valid field. One does not need to explain things to your satisfaction. When a person puts out ideas and they find resonance and provide tangible benefit. In the case of aiming systems the clear immediate tangible benefit is improved pocketing. Click to expand... Yeah but the guys at Cern aren't spamming AZB about splitting atoms. And I have zero issues pocketing with contact geometry. L AzB Silver Member Silver Member Apr 4, 2021 JB Cases said: He can and does explain it. Just because I don't understand particle physics doesn't mean that particle physics are not a valid field. One does not need to explain things to your satisfaction. When a person puts out ideas and they find resonance and provide tangible benefit. In the case of aiming systems the clear immediate tangible benefit is improved pocketing. Click to expand... John, since you're a member of Stan's CTE Pro One site, you might want to take a look in there today. There is a slow motion video taken from behind Efren of him definitely sliding his bridge hand into an offset position and then pivoting to the shot line. He is better at disguising it than Bustamante. That secret group of Filipinos is way ahead of most American players. (Validating what is written on page 83 of the "Center Pocket Music" book.) It could be encouraging to some of the guys you try to help, who may be getting barraged with negativity from the skeptics and knockers. I can just about imagine the heat they're getting from those who are uninformed and filled with hatred.	25,624
This is the first in a mini-series of guest blogs coming from respected and experienced local river enthusiasts. Our hope is that these insights would be helpful in not just informing the public but also reminding all of us to protect the treasure that is the Truckee River. Current State of the Truckee This is is the third (or is it fourth?) year of a drought being experienced here in the Western United states. Last year was among the three worst years for precipitation since we started tracking it in 1895 and — despite better than average precipitation this year– the Sierras experienced the lowest measured snowpack since 1950. To obtain a further sense of severity, consider that the US Department of Agriculture has declared all counties in both Nevada and California to be in a Drought Emergency, the Governor of California has declared a state of emergency and has mandated a 25% water reduction, and our primary water supplier here in Washoe county (TMWA) will be tapping into drought reserves that haven’t been utilized in 20 years. And, as most of you know, the majority of our water comes from our beloved fishery: the Truckee river. To put it very simply: the Truckee river, as a fishery, is in trouble. Last year the river got down to dismal levels of flow during the hottest months of the year (In Reno we saw 14 cfs in a river that normally runs 200-500 cfs during the same time period) and this summer will bring similar conditions. In “normal” years the Truckee river is supplied with ample water for recreation, domestic, and agricultural use from Boca Reservoir, Stampede Reservoir, and storage in Lake Tahoe. The last I checked, Boca is at about 15% of capacity, Stampede is just over 13%, and the California Department of Fish & Game partnered with Trout Unlimited Truckee 103 to relocate the famous fanny bridge trout since water is no longer available from Lake Tahoe. Boca Reservoir – May 2015 Stampede Reservoir (and my daughter) – May 2015 All that to say we are already seeing extremely low flows on the Truckee river and should expect it to continue (and worsen) throughout the summer. If there is any upside to this, it’s that the Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) has been conservative in their drought preparation with 9 years of drought reserves in several reservoirs and underground reserves. That said, it is my understanding that TMWA will release water from their drought reserves for domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses (including supplying their own power generation plants) but there is no guarantee that recreation or wildlife will be considered in these releases. 2015 to date. Awful. For comparison the Truckee ran 300-600 cfs average during the same time period in 2012. Truckee River through Reno on 5/14/2015, pardon the iphone capture Last year the fishing community and river users showed unprecedented support for a voluntary hoot owl closure on the Truckee river. This year it is imperative we do the same. Until then, spread the word of this drought to your friends and family and as the weather warms keep a thermometer with you so you can call it quits when water temperatures reach the low to mid 60’s. You may also consider targeting trout in areas of the river where flows are higher and steeper gradients provide increased dissolved oxygen levels for the trout. This generally means fishing upstream of Reno, ideally above the many diversion dams that provide our water. A healthy rainbow caught up in the canyon stretches of the Truckee River – May 2015 It is also time to reduce water consumption which we can start doing immediately on the domestic level in our homes and offices. I feel like I am writing a cheesy PSA but low flow plumbing fixtures, fixing leaks, and following your watering schedule, can all have a big impact on the amount of drought reserves that are used this year. Quite often we rank as the most arid state in the nation, so it is time to reconsider that acre of lawn with a swimming pool and design something a little more low impact. There are some decent resources for all this on the TMWA site. If you are like me, you are probably feeling sorrow at the endangerment of a wonderful fishery that we have here in the Reno-Tahoe region. Along with the ski resorts, and lake Tahoe itself, the river is a major attraction for visitors and residents who enjoy, rafting, fishing, swimming, and many other recreational activities. Something I hope my children will be able to experience in future years. You are probably also feeling a lot of frustration that you won’t be able to hit the Truckee as much this summer and escape those sunny-day-in-the-office blues. But that can (and should) be avoided. Sure, I’ve had big brown trout fever as bad as the rest of us– the kind that keeps your wallet thin, your wading boots muddy, and your net smelling like fish. But if there was ever a summer to give the Truckee a break and explore the other myriad of opportunities in the area, this is it. There are an incredible number of high mountain lakes, creeks, and streams which many of us have not considered with the Truckee river in your backyard. Now it’s time to pick up a hiking trail book and check out that lake you’ve spied on google maps, or go take that extended weekend trip to a river you’ve had on your wish list. Another option– and the one I’ve become the most partial to– is to pursue other species. Namely, carp. These fish thrive even during our drought because they have a much higher tolerance for high water temperatures, low dissolved oxygen and– due to some gnarly teeth pharyngeal teeth– they can take advantage of some abundant protein sources that trout can’t, like freshwater clams. They are big, strong, and will test your skills as an angler. You will have to trade in your 5wt for a 7 or 8wt and you will have to start measuring your fish in pounds instead of inches. They abound in the warm waters east of Reno and can be targeted on the Truckee river, in local urban ponds, and in many of the lower elevation lakes in our area. You can target them with a fairly simple selection of patterns including crawdads, damsels, worms, and even dry flies like cottonwood seed patterns. Tie your flies on stout hooks, carry some 12-16 lb tippet, and be prepared to sight and stalk them so you can get your fly close to their feeding zone without spooking them. Carp caught by David Nakamoto in a local Reno area pond May 2015 Beautifully colored carp tail caught in a reservoir east of Reno – August 2014 To be honest, I’ve enjoyed a lot of amazing days carping without another angler in sight and don’t wish an end to this solitude. But it will only be to the benefit of our regional trout fisheries if I run into a few other folks out there chasing the poor man’s bonefish. You may even find yourself with carp fever—the kind that keeps your wallet thin, your wading boots muddy, and your net (if its big enough) smelling like fish. Cheers. Brian Johnson is a husband, father, writer, photographer, and good man to grab a beer with. Follow his outdoor adventures over at: (www.thehaddiscatch.com)	7,438
Clean fuel injectors are a must if you want to have good fuel efficiency. The fuel injector in a Chevy is responsible for metering the fuel that enters the intake manifold, and ultimately the engine. If your fuel injectors are dirty or are leaking, you'll notice decreased performance, increased fuel consumption, and your engine may not run at all in extreme cases. If you are having trouble, you'll need to know how to troubleshoot Chevy fuel injector problems. Turn the Chevy on. Idle the engine. Unplug the electrical connector on each injector on the fuel rail (located in the front of the engine) one at a time. Make note of the idle speed. Then, reconnect the electrical connector. Do this for each injector and if you notice that the drop in idle speed is roughly the same for each injector, then they are operating normally. If the idle speed does not drop when you unplug one of the injectors, then that injector may be faulty. Check the voltage of the connector. Set the voltmeter to Volts. With the engine still running, unplug each injector one at a time. Note the electrical contacts on the injector and the connector. Place the red lead on one of the connector (not the injector) contacts and the black lead on the other contact. If you get a reading of between 1 and 2 volts, then the connector is working fine. Check each injector's resistance through the electrical connector with a voltmeter. Turn off the engine. Set your voltmeter to the Ohms (Ω) setting. This will test the resistance across the connector. Pull the connector off the injectors one at a time and place the red lead on one of the electrical contacts on the injector itself. Place the black lead on the other contact. If all injectors show the same or similar resistance, then the injectors are working properly and the suspect injector in step one may actually have a faulty electrical wire/connection. Things You'll Need Writer Bio I am a Registered Financial Consultant with 6 years experience in the financial services industry. I am trained in the financial planning process, with an emphasis in life insurance and annuity contracts. I have written for Demand Studios since 2009.	2,208
(Reuters) – WeWork’s new Executive Chairman Marcelo Claure on Wednesday defended huge payouts to the office-sharing company’s founder Adam Neumann and said there is now “zero risk of the company going bankrupt,” according to an audio recording of a meeting he held with employees that was reviewed by Reuters. The meeting took place a day after WeWork’s largest shareholder, SoftBank Group Corp (T:), provided a $9.5 billion lifeline and took over the company, including payments to Neumann to give up control. In response to a question from one WeWork employee, Claure said Neumann was like any shareholder of the company who deserved the right to sell his shares. “There’s a level of gratefulness that we’re going to have for Adam, because he’s the one who built this business,” Claure said. Neumann has the right to sell his stake in the company for as much as $970 million, sources previously told Reuters, as part of a tender offer in which SoftBank will buy up to $3 billion in WeWork shares from investors and employees. He currently owns a little over one fifth of WeWork. SoftBank has also agreed to extend him a $500 million loan to repay a credit line from JPMorgan Chase & Co (N:), as well as pay him a $185 million fee for a four-year assignment as a consultant to WeWork, one of the sources said. WeWork cofounder Miguel McKelvey had kicked off the meeting by introducing Claure to the staff at the company’s New York headquarters and addressed the tumultuous few weeks WeWork had experienced. “I think I’ve run out of words to describe what’s been going on from surreal to crazy to unbelievable to…bonkers,” McKelvey said. In August, WeWork filed for a splashy initial public offering. This week, it was struggling for survival as it has been quickly burning through the cash on its balance sheet. The IPO was abandoned in September as investors balked at sky-high valuations – a deal in January had tagged its worth at $47 billion. The rescue by SoftBank now values it at just $8 billion. Investors also questioned both whether its business model was sustainable given big losses it was suffering and the way that Neumann was running the company, triggering his resignation as CEO. Claure, who was previously CEO of U.S. wireless carrier Sprint Corp (N:), set an upbeat tone during the hour-long meeting at which he encouraged questions. “My goal is to be part of one of the most amazing comebacks in history and to build jointly with you guys,” said Claure, who is also the chief operating officer at SoftBank. Claure said that the new cash injection meant WeWork was not going to struggle to survive. However, it was going to focus very differently, he said. “Make no mistake, the world has changed. The growth stories don’t sell any more,” he said. Adding that the challenge was to “build a company that has an amazing product, that delights our customers, but also makes money.” And that meant deciding which of the markets around the world “makes sense for us to be in, which market doesn’t,” he said. According to its website, WeWork has 856 office sites in 123 countries that are open or about to open. Claure said he did not know how many layoffs would take place as WeWork looks to “go back to basics.” Sources close to the company have mentioned a range of figures for possible layoffs in recent weeks, from as few as 2,000 to as many as 5,000 out of its 12,500 employees. Claure said that despite the turmoil, WeWork’s landlords were “eager to find different models of working with us.” WeWork had $18 billion in long-term lease obligations as of the end of June, according to its most recent public financial disclosure. It also had $1.3 billion in net debt. The company is closing or selling a number of businesses outside of the main office-sharing operations. It recently announced it would close the WeGrow private school in New York City after the current school year. WeWork did not respond to requests for comment. Prev Article Next Article Related Posts admin September 1, 2020 Equality key to rescuing U.S.-China business ties: U.S. business lobby admin April 30, 2020 Asian Stocks Up, boosted by Chinese Tech Shares Rebound admin November 12, 2021 More than 100 companies sign letter opposing U.S. state voting restrictions admin April 14, 2021 StockBeat: Bank Stocks Flying as Tail Risks Recede admin March 25, 2020 admin June 28, 2022 About The Author More from this Author Cancel reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Get more stuff like this in your inbox Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox. Enter your email here By signing up above you will receive the AxeDaily newsletter and 3rd party advertisements. Expect up to 5 messages per week from us. You can unsubscribe at any time at the bottom of any of our emails.	5,063
As we go to press a one-day national shutdown organised by the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) is about to begin. Called as a ‘National shutdown to defend the socio-economic interests of the working class’, Saftu held meetings of provincial shop stewards committees at the start of the month to prepare the action. Members of the Marxist Workers Party (CWI South Africa) distributed a leaflet at these assemblies, reprinted below, that analysed this important step and made proposals on the way forward. The National Shutdown Saftu has called for 24 August represents potentially a very important step forward for the working class. It will be taking place under conditions that are significantly different from the previous largely unsuccessful Section 77 actions of October 2020 and February 2021. What is even clearer now than then, is that the capitalist class worldwide has no solution to the crisis of their system, worsened by the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, other than to make the working class pay. Across the world, a new fighting mood has developed, with the working class on the march in their millions. In South Africa, communities are organising their own shut downs. The National Shut Down offers the opportunity to compress the energies of all these actions into a single movement of workers unity against the ANC government and the capitalist system. No worker needs to be told about the desperate situation facing the working class that demands action – increasing prices, low wages, unemployment, cuts to services, crime, gender-based violence etc. The ongoing wave of strikes shows the willingness of workers to fight long and bitter battles. It is a positive sign that the newly elected Saftu leadership has made the convening of Shop Steward Councils central to mobilisation for August 24. It implies that the main lesson of October 2020 and February 2021 has been taken on board – a conscious campaign of mobilisation at shop-floor level is crucial. Saftu’s shop stewards and worker-activists are key to a successful National Shut Down. They are best placed to mobilise the workplaces allowing Saftu’s 630,000 members to rise to their feet as one. Shutting down workplaces across the public and private sectors will be an important demonstration of working class power and the surest way to pressure the bosses and the government. However, no one is under the illusion that a single day of protest – even an extremely powerful one – can solve all the problems facing the working class overnight. Therefore the success of August 24 will be decided by whether or not it is used as a platform to begin a sustained campaign of rolling mass actions with the aim, not only of transforming the living standards of the working class and poor, but preparing the working class for political power too. Ahead of August 24 Saftu’s shop stewards and worker-activists are in the best position to reach out on the ground to workers organised in other trade union federations, as well as community and youth organisations, inviting them to participate. The Saftu leadership is correctly appealing to the leaders of the Cosatu, Nactu and Fedusa federations to participate. But it would be a mistake to leave the question of united strike action to letters and meetings between head offices. Saftu’s shop stewards should create facts on the ground. Both the recent Sibanye and Eskom strikes have demonstrated afresh workers’ yearning for unity in struggle. Saftu activists should make direct appeals to workers organised under other federations through workplace visits, extending invitations to form joint strike-preparation committees that leave bureaucratic rivalries at the door. The Sibanye mineworkers did this and it worked! The public sector should be given special attention in preparations for August 24. The approach of the leaders of the major public sector unions thus far can only lead to another defeat. Accepting the government’s arguments that salary increases are unaffordable is a fatal mistake. The ANC government and its capitalist masters are using the crisis they have created to cripple the power of the trade unions to defend the working class. The failure to turn the threats of strike action in 2020 and 2021 into action has emboldened the government. August 24 should be offered to public sector workers to compel their leaders to rise from their knees. It must be used for the legal strike that their leaders appear to be recoiling from organising. It will not be possible to reach every workplace and community in the ten days remaining until August 24. Therefore the day itself must be used to raise the banner of the working class for the masses to see. This requires mobilising all Saftu members for workplace pickets, marches and other public protest actions. The Nupsaw union’s initiative to occupy the Union Buildings lawns over the night of 23/24 August sets a good example. On every picket line, march and protest the message must be: next time YOU join us! In this way, August 24 can be used to marshal the forces of the working class, test the strength and preparedness of its structures, and push forward unity. It is crucial that the next steps for the campaign of mass actions be decided before August 24. The strike must be used as a platform to promote this roadmap and linked to an appeal to wider layers of the working class to participate in future protests and events. These plans can of course be modified in democratic discussion by workers based on the experience of the strike. But it is crucial that on the day itself leadership leads by answering the question: what next? We propose that a date in September be put forward for a further Section 77 strike (whether this is one or two days should be based on a review of August 24) which would include mass marches in all key cities. Opposition to the ANC government and the desire to remove it has reached new levels. That the Saftu NEC statement calls on the government to “step-aside” and the 5 August Working Class Summit (WCS) declaration calls on it to “resign”, brings all the forces so far organised behind the federation into line with the general sentiment within the working class. But the question that follows is: to be replaced by what? The revolution in Sri Lanka has again shown, like the ‘Arab Spring’ a decade ago, that overthrowing a government is not enough. Unless the working class has an organisation that can take power, one set of crooks will simply replace another. The working class needs its own party! Unfortunately both the Saftu and WCS leaderships refuse to give an answer to the question their own statements pose. They are ignoring the resolutions adopted by both Saftu and the WCS in favour of moving ahead with the creation of a workers’ party. August 24 should be used to correct this. The Saftu leadership should boldly proclaim its intention to launch a workers’ party and announce a date – before the end of the year – for reconvening the Working Class Summit to agree on a launch-date. Shop stewards and worker-activists will need to lobby and campaign for their leaders to take this approach to August 24. Capitalism in South Africa and worldwide is in a total dead-end. Only the working class, taking power and setting about the socialist reconstruction of society, can offer humanity a way out. Socialism Today Issue 260 September 2022 ← An Italian warning Recent Posts Preparing the movement for a Starmer government Ukraine and the anti-war movement The roots of women’s oppression November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 March 2022 February 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 Copyright © 2022 Socialism Today. All rights reserved. Theme: Radiate by ThemeGrill. Powered by WordPress.	8,242
My point of contact with Patricia Highsmith’s work is mainly in the movies: Strangers on a Train, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Two Faces of January, and Carol based on her novel The Price of Salt which I’d read. Edith’s Diary, first published in 1977, is a very different work from all the above. As the book begins, Edith Howland, 35, her husband Brett, and their ten year-old son Cliffie have just moved into small town Brunswick Corner, Pennsylvania, from New York City. The year is 1955. The reason for the move is for Cliffie to grow up in a country environment with more space to roam. Edith’s diary is a precious possession wherein she records her experiences. Edith is quick to immerse in the community and makes a few friends. With Gert, she successfully revitalizes the local paper Bugle, and she continues with her freelance writing. It’s Cliffie that’s her main concern. Cliffie isn’t a normal boy. He keeps to himself, is indifferent to his parents, unkind to their cat Mildew, makes no friends and doesn’t do well in school. That’s enough for alarm, but Edith’s attitude is concern mixed with appeasement. Not long after they’ve moved into their house, Brett’s elderly uncle George comes to live with them, a decision not from mutual consent between the couple. Edith has to take care of George, cook and bring his meals to his bedside, keep the house in good order, write for Bugle and pitch to magazines, all while keeping an amicable social front. Ten years gone by, life hasn’t aligned much with Edith’s wishes. Far from it. Cliffie can’t make it into any college, no full-time job and turns to alcohol and drugs to pass his days. Old George still hangs in there needing more of Edith’s time and attention. Most devastating to her psyche is Brett, who has left her and moved back to NYC to a new life of his own by marrying his young secretary. Highsmith is meticulous in detailing the psychological world of Edith’s, her frail personality, appeasing her son and yielding to her husband. But as life’s burdens become heavier and things get gloomier, Edith’s entries in her diary shift to a more and more uplifting tone. She creates a different life for her son in her diary entries, imagining Cliffie successfully graduates from Princeton and begins a good career, marries a sweet girl who later bears her a grandchild. Edith’s diary is an imaginary narrative that’s totally different from her real life. Towards the end, madness takes over and Highsmith’s ending is both shocking and dismissing. No spoiler here. However, reading the book makes me think of a quote from Little Women‘s author Louisa May Alcott: I’ve had lots of troubles, so I write jolly tales. ––– Louisa May Alcott What’s the difference between Alcott writing jolly tales and Edith’s detailing an alternative life in her diary? If Edith isn’t writing into a diary, which is supposed to be ‘non-fiction’, isn’t she just creating a work of fiction? Where’s the line between escape and creativity? Highsmith drops obvious clues for us describing Edith’s sinking deep into the slough of madness as she actually prepares for her imaginary Cliffie’s visit to her home for dinner with wife and son in tow. So, it looks like Highsmith is showing us the demarkation, when the two lives, the imaginary and the real, merge into one, therein lies madness. But, is Edith’s diary an evidence of madness, or an imaginary work of fiction? Hmm… that would be my question to Highsmith if I were a journalist interviewing her. Now, just let me dwell on that thought some more… Note: Patricia Highsmith’s own diaries will be published in the coming year. Now that would be an interesting read. Related Published by Arti If she’s not birding by the Pond, Arti’s likely watching a movie, reading, or writing a review. Creator of Ripple Effects, bylines in Asian American Press, Vague Visages, Curator Magazine. View all posts by Arti Posted on April 4, 2020 April 4, 2020 Author ArtiCategories Books, life, literature, reading, reviewsTags Book reviews, Books, Edith's Diary, Patricia Highsmith, reading, writing Claire 'Word by Word' says: April 4, 2020 at 10:36 AM What an intriguing premise and an interesting sounding book, a name I’ve often seen and never read, could be the year to do so especially with her own diaries coming out. Arti says: April 4, 2020 at 11:02 AM It’s a captivating read, and I’ve enjoyed Highsmith’s sensitive description of Edith’s inner world. I found this book in a new library in our city about a month ago, before the intense Covid-19 pandemic measures. It’s brand new and I admit a title I’d never come across. Now, after the declaration of the pandemic, all libraries are closed and so this book is now renewed indefinitely. I can read it again and again. We’ll forever marked by this Before and After effect. LikeLiked by 1 person April 4, 2020 at 11:41 AM OK — When this popped up in my email alert it listed only the title and the Alcott quote. I looked at it, more and more perplexed. And then I decided, Arti has decided to write Edith Crawley’s diary! She in chronicling her sense (or lack) of self worth! She’s seeing every conflict with Mary through creative eyes! And oh, the fantasies she is setting out as she writes about meeting Matthew, the return of Patrick (or is it?), her almost-marriage! We’d read about her escape into publishing — was it all it seemed to be? Oh, the possibilities! So, this looks good, the Highsmith. But not, I think, as good as you could write Edith’s story! Arti says: April 4, 2020 at 11:44 AM This is hilarious! You should be writing a book, not just in your diary, Jeanie. LOL, I never thought of Edith Crawley. And yes, you’ve got the storylines all mapped out already. Go for it! April 4, 2020 at 9:20 PM I started reading Edith as I really enjoyed Lila which I discovered here, but as I went along, I became certain that Edith’s liberal beliefs would not be easy to become immersed in, as I am a President Trump supporter, believing God has given him to our country to show how our country could be. Yes, this was written way before his election. Also, some of my nine siblings are liberals and some are conservatives, so am well-versed in the beliefs and rhetoric. Even so, thank you for the opportunity. Arti says: April 5, 2020 at 7:44 PM I believe literature and films can hone our sensitivity towards others and help us be more empathetic. We don’t need to agree with the characters’ views and beliefs to understand their situations and depths of emotions. As we go through this Covid-19 global crisis, empathy is all the more essential as we face the pandemic as one human race. Regarding the book, the political situation during the Vietnam War era is more a backdrop, even Edith’s own political views are non-essentials when compared to the demise of her psychological state. She’s actually a victim of domestic bullying (from both her husband and her son). Her husband divorces her and marries his young secretary, moves away while leaving his own elderly uncle still living with Edith who cares for him for over a decade! Today is Palm Sunday. In this Easter week, I remember Christ’s death on the cross. He died for all, regardless of political or moral stance. Over the past twelve years at Ripple Effects, I’ve tried to show that as someone who believes in the Biblical Easter story, I can still be a thinking person, being in touch with others who might hold different views and have very different life experiences. Easter reminds me too that we all share the Common Grace bestowed upon us by our Creator God, who’d humbled Himself to live among us, exemplifying the epitome of empathy and love. Again, as always, thanks for stopping by the Pond and throwing in your 2 pebbles. April 5, 2020 at 9:54 PM Thank you!! Your open heart is very beautiful. I am 76, with still lots to learn. I did live through the Vietnam War and much more. Perhaps I will try the book again. And I, too, celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and am so very, very grateful and full of thanksgiving that He forgives me my sins. He made us, He knows us, He loves us, He forgives us, each one when we ask. LikeLiked by 1 person Denise says: August 2, 2020 at 9:54 AM I had a read of this, and enjoyed it, although I do think it was a bit long as there were no sub-plots to support the main story. The end made me think of the behaviour of some men who have been regarded as great artists but in their personal lives behaved in a way that was very anti-social (eg alcoholic or abusive to wives). Whereas all the men dismiss Edith’s writing as evidence of unsoundness, when they are pieces that have been bought by papers, including her husband who has been quite abusive in using her as unpaid labour. Great ending, it was very tense. Arti says: August 2, 2020 at 10:12 AM Denise, always thankful for your thoughts after you’ve read or watched and then come back to share. I’m surprised Edith’s Diary wasn’t made into film as it would have made an intense character study. Films back in the old days esp. the Hitchcock ones often dwell on psychological issues like this. But I can see it’s not something modern viewers might like though. Denise says: August 2, 2020 at 1:43 PM Some of the issues were still so pertinent though. The way women end up doing all the caring, easily able to be exploited as Edith was. Ten years of her life stolen. But maybe film makers thought that viewers would expect a bigger mystery if they knew it was a Highsmith? This was a more rounded novel. Arti says: August 2, 2020 at 2:11 PM You’re absolutely right! Domestic bullying (not necessarily violence, but verbal abuse, intimidation) is the reality of some (reports show during Covid lockdown, domestic violence increase by far), and the inequality in sharing of domestic chores, caring etc. as you pointed out. Also, in my own observation of immigrant families, esp. with parents not fluent in English, they tend to choose appeasement to let their children / teenagers have their way. Parents being intimidated by their next generation in a land that’s foreign to them. And drugs and alcohol problems, all families would find that challenging dealing with young people. Denise says: August 3, 2020 at 7:48 AM That’s in Normal People as well! My friends with Irish heritage talk about the history of institutionalised abuse which was there until quite recently, a strong tendency towards appeasement, which explains the pressures on the mother, which might not be so apparent from an English writer.	11,004
Jammu: After summer zones of Jammu division, UT administration on Monday ordered reopening of all the government and private educational institutions in Kashmir division and winter zones of Jammu region “in a staggered manner’’ from March 1 onwards. “All government educational institutions including recognized private schools shall open in a staggered manner for academic activities’’, said an order issued by Administrative Secretary School Education Department, B K Singh, adding “for class 9 to 12 from March 1’’. However, in case of elementary classes (upto class 8), only teachers have been asked to attend for making preparations from March 1. The students shall physically attend classes from March 8, order read. Related Posts Nov 27, 2022 Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at Shri Mata… Nov 27, 2022 “Population control bill is crucial, we have limited… Nov 27, 2022 Principal Sainik School at Nagrota in Jammu has been asked to follow February 8 advisory of the Ministry of Defence for reopening of the school. Last month, UT administration had ordered reopening of high and higher secondary schools from February 1. In case of elementary classes, it had asked teachers to attend from that day for preparation, adding that students shall physically attend classes from February 8. It asked the schools to strictly follow the COVID-19 standard operation procedures (SOPs) in their premises.	1,471
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Sutro Forest is being cut down. As a consequence of both UCSF’s “Vegetation Management Plan” and the new Comprehensive Plan for Parnassus, we expect that the forest will be gone within 2-3 years. The felling is happening now, and trees are being fed into the BANDIT Intimidator. To understand what is being lost, scroll down for an essay on the forest that we wrote in 2009 when this website was originally set up to inform the public and advocate for the forest. There are more photographs in our Blog, as well as HERE (Photo credit: Paul Hudson; click on the name for more of his pictures) IN THE HEART of the city, blanketing a steep hill, is one of San Francisco’s best-kept secrets: its very own temperate cloud forest. It’s a century-old forest of eucalyptus trees as tall as 200 feet high, growing on 80 acres of mountainside. When you’re in there, it’s hard to believe you’re still in a big city. You can follow narrow winding trails through the dense trees filled with birdsong and get lost without a map. At dusk, you may hear the Great Horned owls who nest there. And on a foggy day, it may be the most beautiful place in the whole city, a real cloud forest experience. Not only is the cloud forest strikingly beautiful, it has a 125-year history in this city, and is part of San Francisco’s heritage. It also has characteristics of an old-growth forest. Its ecology has not been fully studied. According to a 2001 report, it has 93 plant species. But not everyone treasures this amazing place; instead of a life-filled complex ecosystem with huge trees, a dense understory, they see 80 acres of weeds. The forest is at risk. “The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way.” Sutro Cloud Forest is the single largest urban forest in San Francisco. Three-quarters (61 acres) of it is owned by UCSF, which officially calls it the Open Space Reserve. The contiguous 19-acre Interior Green Belt area to the east of it is city-owned. We invited those with the stewardship of this Cloud Forest to value it, and care for it as an old-growth cloud forest. (It did not happen.) (The map above is from the Free Association Design blog’s post: Constructed Forests and Contested Ecologies.) Since 2002, UCSF has been attempting to put in place a plan that would effectively destroy the forest and replace it with “native plants.” The excuses have ranged from fire danger (which is minimal, owing to summer fog) to “forest health”, but the underlying story has always been cutting down trees and putting in native plants. Public opposition has slowed the process. This website was set up in 2009, when UCSF sought FEMA funding to cut down thousands of trees – an attempt that did not go through. Since then, there have been several iterations of the Plan. Originally, it estimated that there were 45,000 trees in the UCSF portion of the forest, and planned to cut down 30,000 of them, leaving 15,000 trees. In 2016, there was a surprise revision of the tree-numbers: They estimated there were only 13,500 trees instead of 45,000. But they still planned to cut down most of them: All the dead/dying trees and 6-7,000 of the healthy ones, for a total of 10,000 or so trees. That doesn’t count trees that will be damaged and killed when they’re exposed to wind after being protected by other trees for over a century; or damage to the trees from the heavy equipment that will be brought into the forest. In addition, they plan to mow down nearly all the understory habitat of the forest. The Plan that is currently being implemented is some variant of this – a reduction in the size of the forest, and the removal of most of its trees. In the aerial picture below, the tree-covered hill is Mount Sutro (the tall buildings at the lower edge are in UCSF’s Parnassus campus). For contrast, Twin Peaks, bare of trees, is visible just above it. This beautiful aerial view of San Francisco, taken by Fiona Fay and used here with permission, shows just how important our urban forests are. Reddit June 29, 2009 at 11:25 am I am against the tree removal project. Mary Baxter says: February 23, 2013 at 6:16 pm Pretty basic: solid science isn’t working very well anymore in a world that is clearly governed more by quantum physics relationships than 3rd dimensional limitations of the 17th century. That dogmatic scientism had its place, but it is pretty silly now. Science needs to catch up!!! These trees are far older than any of the people stating that they are not native. If the trees’ consciousness were in charge, would most humans be around? It seems more likely that UCSF has future economic development goals in mind, which is how most trees of the world are cut down. So if you want hard science, you probably need to move into the new scientific paradigm. This is the 21st century. Let the trees stand. It’s good for your breathing December 29, 2015 at 1:17 pm This is such a great statement. Why is UCSF really so determine to remove these trees. Could future development be in their plans and to hell with the trees. This is so disgusting. December 30, 2015 at 7:36 pm Very delayed response. Some friendly corrections: While I agree with you that the Bay Area’s Eucalypts should be left alone and not even considered “exotic” anymore, you are wrong to believe that science has something to do with this issue. Actual science is working very well. It doesn’t need to “catch up” to any aspect of the issue at hand. If you are experiencing dogmatic science, you aren’t experiencing real science. Further, as you demonstrate, quantum theory is rarely discussed accurately by non-physicists. Don’t let the euc-haters bait you into believing this is a scientific issue. That leads to distraction and confusion because almost no one knows what they are talking about in that arena. This is an argument about preference. Simple. Easy. Winnable. ———– Note: Most non-plantation trees in the world are cut down to clear land for agriculture and to provide a (very harmful) fuel source for cooking and heating by the world’s poor. March 15, 2013 at 9:30 am For everyone here who is against the removal of thousands of trees on Mount Sutro – please sign the petition if you have not done so already… August 1, 2014 at 12:44 pm Please amend, or encourage the petition owner to amend, the SaveSutro petition addressees to reflect the July 2014 change in chancellorship at UCSF from Susan Desmond-Hellmann to Sam Hawgood. Good job with this website. [Webmaster: Kathy, thanks for the heads up. It’s been done. We’re also trying to ensure we make the same change everywhere on this website.] December 29, 2015 at 1:19 pm June 9, 2013 at 8:48 am Sign the petition to stop the tree removal !! July 6, 2009 at 4:57 pm Mount Sutro Forest is a thriving urban forest in the middle of our city supporting valuable habitat, providing cloud cover, pollution and erosion control, as well as beauty. There is no justification for its destruction. I oppose its removal. July 8, 2009 at 7:01 am I oppose the destruction of Mount Sutro Forest. Trees are as integral a part of the ecosystem as the human species is. Thus, humanity has an inherent responsibility to protect and care for trees. I oppose the removal of Mount Sutro Forest. July 13, 2009 at 5:09 pm The reference above (“In fact, this area, according to Cal Fire,”) mentions Cal Fire. I’m unable to locate the listing in the ATT phone book. Please provide a phone number for this institution. Many thanks. February 7, 2013 at 5:12 pm From their web site: http://calfire.ca.gov/communications/communications.php The CAL FIRE Communications office mission is to provide information and education to people of all ages, in public forums, through the media and worldwide web, and the distribution and display of printed material. At every opportunity our best and brightest will represent the Communications Division and the Department in a manner that is professional and responsive. Our commitment to this mission will mirror our commitment and dedication to the department and our constituents. Office hours are Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. For inquiries during these hours contact us at (916) 653-5123 If you are a member of the media, and need information or comment, you can call (916) 651- FIRE (3473). July 13, 2009 at 6:51 pm Benito, It’s the California Dept of Forestry and Fire Protection. I got this from their website, which shows fire-hazard maps. http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_prevention/fhsz_maps/fhsz_maps_sanfrancisco.php For some reason, they don’t list a phone number, but as a government department, I presume they have one. Rajiv says: July 23, 2009 at 4:26 pm It needs to stopped and evaluated. who is native and non native? what happens when we punish the ‘non natives’ and who are we to decide? these decisions take time and must be evaluated before we make any hard decisions. Peter S says: August 2, 2009 at 1:53 pm I support saving Sutro forest. I am a neighbor. February 5, 2013 at 8:08 pm Good for you! Hopefully all the other neighbors will rally to the cause so we can stop this stupidity before they ruin everything. john says: August 23, 2009 at 2:37 pm ok, i live on the slopes of mt sutro and consider it my backyard so i have a solid opinion on this… i think they should rip out those ugly creaky and invasive eucalyptus and replant with the tree that belongs on the california coast in the cloud-forest — Sequoia sempervirens aka california coastal redwood trees. b: flammable as heck c: grows uncontrolled and like a weed and d: is frankly not attractive e: the density blocks what would be epic city views from vistas that existed before sutro built his vanity park. yes mt. sutro is a treasure, but an artificial one that can be improved upon. 100 years old is not a virtue if it’s just 100 years of neglect and overgrowth — which is what it was. the original sutro vision had views and was not an overgrown thatch of creaking, flaking, aussie weeds. replant with Redwood trees! who’s with me? August 23, 2009 at 2:55 pm I think if we could wave a magic wand and convert it to redwood, some of us at SaveSutro would be with you. But that’s not the plan. The plan is wildflowers and native grasses – which are as flammable as heck. According to the UCSF report, redwood will only grow in certain areas of the mountain. It would also take a long time to grow, even where it can grow. It’s the tenacity and ‘uncontrolled’ growth of eucalyptus that makes this forest viable. It’s a natural space (though artificially planted). It doesn’t need much control. There’s such a thing as benign neglect. Incidentally, eucs are not flammable as heck in our climate. Check out the letter on grass fires. For epic city views, there’s Twin Peaks. And Tank Hill. Every mountain doesn’t have to be about views. What we’d almost certainly have is a lot more wind. (Have you been up to Twin Peaks on a windy day?) Cutting down the eucs would reduce the apparent height of the mountain around 10%. Even the oak trees carefully planted in the Native Garden on the summit might not survive if the eucs were gone. And I don’t have anything against Aussies, either. Quite like them, actually. Brian says: March 15, 2011 at 8:44 pm I don’t have anything against Aussies either.. not the PEOPLE.. and here at least. However I don’t feel that way for the invasive aussie eucalyptus tree tho. Now as far as eucaylptus being less flamable then grass. yes that is pretty true statement, but only if the grasses are the invasive annual mediterranean grasses brought over in the fur of cows imported here by the Spanish back in the 1700’s. Now as for the Native grasses that they have decided to replace the eucalyptus with, those are perrenial bunch grasses that have been known to stay greener longer and control erosion better then non-native annual grasses, AND they help to fix plant supporting nitrogen into the soil so that other native plants and wildlife may thrive and help carry on the legacy of the wildlife that has evolved and once flourished here locally over many millenia. Lets restore and preserve the true heritage of our land. Restore the native habitat of Mt. Sutro Derek says: May 28, 2011 at 4:30 pm I’m there with you- Redwoods are great- but even San Francisco is beyond their normal range. They can get very windswept. Although Eucalyptus (and Monterey Cypress) are not native to this area, they serve as a windbreak and when mature, allow a variety of species to live in their understory (including oaks and toyons). If anything, the forest might need a little thinning, but not clear cutting. john says: August 23, 2009 at 3:55 pm aussies are great, it’s their weed-like import i dont like so much. i hope can ascribe origin to a species without offending anyone. if you look at the current makeup of the forest up there, you can see a few struggling pines here and there… clearing out the eucs would give them sun (ok “sun” lol) and even if it took 50 years it would be a wonderful legacy to leave. whether the hill is 50 feet higher looking is totally unimportant to me, but if that’s a concern the redwoods will somedy add even more mass and then we can finally win the ‘looks like the highest hill in SF award’. dunno, seems like the argument for eucalyptus is one of taste, and certainly so far has won out over other options. i’ve never worried about the fire in the woods up there nearly as much as i worry about our old wood houses going up in a big quake. i agree that “fire reduction” is probably a red herring and there may be some ulterior motives yet. my ulterior motive is having more places like muir woods. August 23, 2009 at 4:09 pm “even if it took 50 years it would be a wonderful legacy to leave” Yeah. That’s what Adolf Sutro thought, too. He figured he was leaving a legacy for future generations. Who knows but the legatees won’t look at it and say “Which idiot would put a jungle on the best building site in the city? Do you know the value of that land? If we sell it we can build a whole new hospital/ dormitory/ campus….” I personally adore Muir Woods. But that’s not what we’d get. It would be Tank Hill or Twin Peaks. Which we already have. It seems a pity to sacrifice a forest for that. These trees average 120 feet high. Some are over 200 feet high. Once they’re gone, that’s it. And yes, I agree it’s a matter of taste. I love this forest, and the density of the eco-system it’s become. To me, the creaking of the eucs in the wind is part of its music, like the birdsong and the drumming of the woodpeckers. john says: August 23, 2009 at 4:15 pm by the way thanks for putting together the nice website and for caring about the forest, even if we don’t agree on tree options. i am certainly in favor of having “a forest” up there, i guess i’m just real partial to redwoods. August 23, 2009 at 5:48 pm I’m real partial to redwoods, too. Thought I was dreaming the first time I looked up into one. You get a little bit of the same sense when you look straight up into a 100-foot eucalyptus. ETA: Some of the trees are 200 feet tall. For reference, the tallest tree in Muir Woods is 250 feet. Thanks for the compliment about the website. Hope you’ll enjoy browsing through it – and share your comments. (You can comment on each page and post separately, if you wish.) And thanks for the civil discussion. September 6, 2009 at 8:17 am I live on Mt. Sutro as well and am very much opposed to anyone messing with the forest here. At first I really hated the creaking of the Eucalyptus trees, how they’re covered in a tangle of vines, the cats roaming the forest, etc…But I really think it’s the most beautiful part of San Francisco now. However, it seems that UCSF has temporarily halted plans to do anything with the forest. So I guess this counts as success! September 6, 2009 at 12:45 pm The Garden Coach says: October 6, 2009 at 5:00 pm The neighbors abutting the forest should really be concerned about the many literally hazard-state trees that are currently growing behind and beside their homes. I am a local arborist that deals with smaller trees, however it is clearly not looking pretty for many homes with these neglected large Eucalyptus growing immediately next to their properties. If I had a house here I would be hiring a forester (one should be hired by UCSF) quick to get a second opinion and to prevent some serious damage. Call UCSF now and make them accountable! There is so much to do forestry wise that I must say it is a shame that folks are halting any energies (especially free labor) being put into this beautiful but currently dangerous place. Winter is coming quick and there is talk of an El Nino year. Those in San Francisco may recall what happened in our parks and neighborhoods our to trees during those storms.I pray that resources are prioritized with the ivy-ridden eucs. especially. They cannot withstand that extra water weight and wind resistance. Best of luck to the neighbors. October 6, 2009 at 5:09 pm This project isn’t about hazardous trees, which are already being dealt with separately. In recent months, dangerous trees both in Forest Knolls and in Cole Valley have been identified for trimming or removal. It’s a separate and ongoing process. It also isn’t about individual neglected trees of any species, or about storm damage. Have you visited the forest? You keep iterating that the place is dangerous, when it clearly is not. The “ivy-ridden” eucs have stood for a hundred years. The ivy climbs the trunks, but it isn’t in the canopies. The forest in total acts as a windbreak. Your vision of the entire forest crashing is … well, let’s say, imaginative. The Garden Coach says: October 6, 2009 at 8:37 pm Imagine reality. All the LEANING, ivy-to-the-tops eucalyptus. It does not have to be in their now stranggled and meager canopies. Ivy has increased wind-resistance and immense water weight. Imagine reality: Actually having to clear those that have fallen. Yes. Fallen. An unfortunately common occurrence for Rec. and Park employees I know. It is clear you have NOT worked on the ground within these parks or their management. In other words, someone who does not do the work. It’s a bummer to see you are misguiding folks from your armchair with your ideas of beauty and nature. A very single-minded ideology which is showing your obsession with the trees. What have you actually done to improve your parks? Get with it and help! October 6, 2009 at 10:00 pm Trees – of all varieties – do fall from time to time, especially during storms. True, I don’t work in chopping down trees; nor in clearing fallen ones. If that is your line of work, thanks for keeping our roads and parking lots clear. And if a tree falls in the forest, and no one hears – let it be. Fallen trees in forests are part of the ecosystem. June 8, 2014 at 3:21 pm It is now five years later. Can we agree to abandon arguments (and exaggerated warnings) when they are proved wrong? November 28, 2017 at 9:04 pm Garden Coach? October 12, 2009 at 6:39 pm There are a few trees that are inundated with ivy, mostly on one side of the forest. Most of the trees look healthy. Also, this plan will not help AT ALL with defensible space or “problem” trees! It’s a big sham to do a very expensive gardening project. My beef is lying and calling it fire mitigation when clearly, not clearing leaves and brush near homes, not dealing with leaning/sick trees near homes is NO kind of plan. Trying for FEMA funding, half million dollars, to do a gardening project that could cause serious slides and change the neighborhood weather (windbreak GONE), not to mention pour toxic herbicides all over our neighborhood (the hallmark of people calling themselves nativists, who are funded by monsanto/dow to promote herbicide use on “invasives and exotics”) is NOT in any way helpful to our neighborhood. I’m against it. Leave the forest be, it’s not a perfect world, and nothing on earth is lovelier than Muir Woods. But Sutro’s cloud forest is a very wet forest and not a fire danger where they want to cut. We moved here because of the forest and we do love it. June 8, 2014 at 6:09 pm The discussions here are interesting, mostly civil, and more complex than those found in any other medium I’m aware of. Still, at the end of the day, it is a matter of simple human preference, if we allow only facts into the discussion. 1) The portion of the planet currently defined as Mt. Sutro Forest has changed drastically over the last 4.5 billion years. The word “Native” is meaningless in this context. 2) The current ecosystem of Mt. Sutro thrives with very little human intervention. It is biologically successful. 3) There is no “need” to alter Mt. Sutro. No species would be saved by such action. replaced it. The two situations cannot be differentiated on the basis of agency. 4) It is unknowable what the outcome of a restoration (NOT “preservation”) experiment would be. 5) Some number of people love, and want to keep, the Mt. Sutro Eucalyptus forest the way it is. 6) Some number of people do not love, and want to remove, the Eucalypts from Mt. Sutro. 7) This is not an issue of morality. So neither side can be “right” or “wrong.” 8) The decision is one of preference: A) Leave Mt. Sutro as it is; or B) Alter it to some degree, with unknowable results. 9) As a matter of preference, each choice is equally valid. Therefore, when I say “I love Mt. Sutro the way it is” it is no less–and no more–important and relevant than any other statement that can be made about the issue. So have a referendum, pressure UCSF (and the losing side) to abide by the outcome, and call it a day. PS–I’ve lived on Bernal Hill for 20 years. I am pretty familiar with the concept of a grass-covered hilltop devoid of trees. June 21, 2014 at 3:55 pm That seems a logical analysis of this controversy which can be summarized as “it’s just a matter of horticultural preference.” Since you seem to be familiar with the Sutro Forest and you live near Bernal Hill, you are in a better position than most San Franciscans to understand the alternatives. Therefore, I would be very interested to know how you would vote, if you were given the opportunity. Will you tell us? June 22, 2014 at 4:44 am I’m stumped (pun intended) about how to feel that my own preference wasn’t clear. But thanks for asking. I would enthusiastically vote to keep the Mt. Sutro Forest exactly as it is. Why would anyone want to cut down a thriving, beautiful forest and make it into an experimental vanity project for scrub grass fetishists? No thing and no one is “native.” Why is that so hard to understand? People move plants to new places. So do birds and squirrels and the wind. July 8, 2014 at 6:17 pm I agree w/ you completely. Thanks for clarifying your opinion. October 12, 2009 at 9:39 pm I support the UCSF plan. The forest will not be removed or destroyed. A portion of the trees will be cut on 23% of the land. The areas where trees are removed will be planted with a variety of other trees and plants like oak, toyon and bee plant to diversify the habitat. It represents sensible management and enhancement of the resource. October 12, 2009 at 10:02 pm It calls for chopping down 3000 trees on 14 acres, and planting around 250. Oak was the main candidate for planting, which is foolhardy in light of the fact that it doesn’t like wind, it grows slowly, and Sudden Oak Death has already arrived in San Francisco. (Toyon is a bush – California holly – and bee plant is just a plant. Neither is any replacement for trees 100-200 feet high.) The plan’s increasing the fire-hazard, decreasing the carbon sequestration and air-cleaning effect of the forest, raising the landslide risk (both the cut zones are in landslide-prone areas) and will result in toxic herbicides being poured on both areas for years afterward. I don’t see much that’s either sensible or enhancement there. I understand you do support it; your other comments suggest you’re a Mt Sutro Steward and generally favor Native plants. I respect that, but do not think it should be at the expense of the Sutro Cloud Forest. June 22, 2014 at 4:58 am It is good of you to be so civil to Jimbo, but please do not legitimize the use of the word “Native.” It is a nonsense word used by people who have no grasp of the age and chaotic history of the Earth, and who vastly overestimate the power of humans to affect it. October 13, 2009 at 11:21 am There is NO plan to plant redwoods. Redwoods are also in danger from climate change. Do you not read the science about California’s endangered forests? Deforestation and killing trees unnecessarily is also killing precious natives. Eucalyptus trees also take in carbon emissions and give out fresh, clean oxygen. They PROTECT the natives by combating global warming. Can you not see that killing eucalyptus, which have adapted and are healthy, is helping to bring native plants to extinction? The eucalyptus trees are on everybody’s side. They are unfairly demonized. Those trees have had a home on Mt. Sutro for over a hundred years. They are older than any of us writing here…can they not earn the right to exist? The really stupid thing is, somewhere in Australia, some people are pouring herbicides on some California plant. The whole world is being poisoned in the name of NATIVES – can someone smell the money trail here? The whole thing is engineered by the chemical companies to promote their products. And calling it native environmentalism. How stupid is that? You’re polluting your own nest, your own groundwater, your own body, because someone whipped you up against a particular tree. Then YOU are angry. We who have figured out that we’re being poisoned and losing our healthy trees to this ridiculous cause are justly angry. October 14, 2009 at 2:03 pm The climate change argument is a straw man. Making land use policy based on an overarching goal of carbon sequestration is not based in reality. If such goals were put into place, then we should be replacing every piece of non-developed land with monoculture forest containing trees most efficient in absorbing carbon. I’m assuming you continue to own and operate an automobile and use electric appliances and continue to emit carbon dioxide. It may help you assuage your guilt over man’s unchecked burning of fossil fuels, but 3,000 trees have negligible effect. 3,000 forests containing 3,000 trees would have negligible effect. Actually your argument that “calling it fire mitigation when clearly, not clearing leaves and brush near homes, not dealing with leaning/sick trees near homes is no kind of plan”, is the one of the best counter-arguments presented here. This statement you make is actually a starting point for compromise. I think that many (myself included) would be willing to accept a reduction in the scale of the tree removal in the interior and divert some of the FEMA resources toward activities like clearing brush near homes and removing danger trees near homes, if that were presented as an option. If you SaveSutro folks could formulate a compromise like the one I outlined above, there would be room for common ground. You seem to be the ones whipped up about a particular tree, with a hard line stance about not removing any eucalyptus period, not the other way around. Diversifying the forest and the expense of some eucalyptus is moderate, in my opinion. Please stop perpetuating incorrect information. The windbreak will not be gone. Some trees will be removed in a small portion of UCSF land. The larger trees will remain intact and the windbreak will be intact. I’m assuming that you want the windbreak in the first place because it shelters your own house. The forest will still exist, it will not be removed. Stop lying and saying your ‘old-growth cloud forest’ will be razed. And saying, “Pour toxic herbicides all over our neighborhood”, is completely farciacal hyperbole. Herbicide is spot applied only to the specific points it’s needed in small quantity, not dumped from the top of a hill from a cauldron. The vast majority of tree and brush removal is done by hand; I know because I’ve contributed over 100 volunteer hours working to build trails for you to use on Sutro. The oil dripped from your car that runs into the drains is an actual pollutant to our local environment but, again, I doubt you’ll be turning your car in anytime soon. Harryeye, I’m still waiting for my checks from Dow to start rolling in. Do you even know the amount of herbicide that would be purchased? I’m sure the chemical companies are falling all over themselves to get to those dozens of dollars. The conspiracy card is always a great one to pull, it really adds credibility to your arguments. Brian says: March 15, 2011 at 9:22 pm Hey there Harry hows it going? Well here. I just wanted to respond and say that I can certainly see how you can appreciate the uniqueness and splendor of the Australian Eucalyptus tree. However I seriously doubt that the plight of Native habitats worldwide or locally is caused by or will be caused by the planned demise of the eucalyptus forest up on Mt. Sutro. If this proposal goes thru I seriously hope it’s not done with herbacides cause yes, It that would be hazerdous to our environment and as a consequence our health. However I am more in the leaning of Helping to restore and preserve our native wildlife that experienced almost wholesale destruction during the conquest and ultimate settling of this land during the times of the imperialist conquests, because ultimately this our natural heritage as Californians (native or not), don’t you think that’s worth preserving? I have nothing against eucalyptus trees, But they do little to support native wildlife and therefore are not as useful over all (to anyone except those who like to look at them and/or as a windbreak to those who live on the eastern slope of the Hill) I would love to go walk amongst a grove of eucalyptus trees sometime.. but only In Australia. March 16, 2011 at 10:34 am Brian, thanks for coming by to comment. Actually, this forest supports a great deal of native wildlife – more than bunch-grass would. Wildlife of all kinds tend to adapt and make use of environmental resources. The forest is full of birds. Native ones. Take a look at this list: over 40 species of birds use this forest. Or read this description of the rich habitat of this forest. Bunch grass is not that great for animals or birds. They need places to hide and nest and eat. March 17, 2011 at 7:12 am While I will concede that the eucalyptus does provide bird habitat I have to object to the idea that the native vegetation is ‘not that great’ for native wildlife. There is absolutely no grounds to this statement, and it doesn’t make sense. The native birds and wildlife evolved for literally millions of years with the native plants, and to say that native habitat is bad for native organisms simply does not make any sense. You yourself said in another post that the diversity of birds was about the same in the eucalyptus as in native habitat. Bunchgrasses support different animals than trees, no doubt. But, bunchgrass habitat has been destroyed at a much higher rate than woodland (though both have been destroyed). Remember that the animals that use the eucalyptus also can use the redwoods, the mixed evergreen forest, or any of the other eucalyptus groves in the area. Bunchgrass-reliant species just have nowhere left to go March 17, 2011 at 11:43 am Hi Charlie! Welcome back here. I’d suggest another way of thinking about it. Forest habitats tend to support certain wildlife… whether they’re dense eucalyptus or dense oak. That’s what we’re getting here. Grassland habitats support a different type of life. In the context of San Francisco, there seems to be (a) a reasonable amount of grassland, (more than forest, especially forest with dense understory); (b) a limited number of grassland species — maybe rabbits, coyotes, hawks, a few butterflies, meadowlarks. Everyone talks about how native plants are great for wildlife here, but no one seems to actually look at what species use any of these habitats. So, I guess I’d like to know: Which bunchgrass-reliant species? Also: wildlife is adaptable. Though it may have evolved over millions of years, it doesn’t mean that it’s tied to that specific habitat, because those change, too. Anise swallowtail butterflies (native) are adapted to non-native fennel… and it’s the same story with a number of other insects. Coyotes (native) use non-native bushes for cover, and hunt native gophers and non-native rats. Bandtail pigeons (native) happily eat non-native seeds and berries and dine on non-native grains at (non-native) bird feeders. Gophers (native) feed on the bulbils of yellow oxalis (non-native). Hawks and owls eat gophers (native) and rats and mice (some native, some not). And so on. The reason I say that native vegetation is not that great: The reason why “weeds” get ahead in the competitive race is because they’re more prolific. They make more seed and fruit or they grow for a longer period or they can deal with more variation in soils and growing conditions. All this also makes them better habitat and better as a food source. The only exception are a few specific organisms (e.g. the Mission Blue butterfly) that is tied to a specific plant (lupine, in this case) for reproduction — though even those butterflies use non-native flowers as a nectar source. March 17, 2011 at 2:27 pm Hmm, it won’t let me reply to your latest post, Webmaster, I guess the thread got too long… Anyway, we don’t honestly know every species that lived in bunchgrass stands because most of them were destroyed before people were paying attention. Certainly they didn’t support birds that live in tree habitat (except maybe some in oak savannahs). They did support a unique ecosystem that is now almost completely gone. I am not saying Sutro is the best place to restore this habitat type, but I think it is really sad if you aren’t valuing it as a unique and complex ecosystem, just beacuse it doesn’t have as much charismatic megafauna (well, coastal prairie did have lots of elk and antelope, but not anymore and no room in SF for them anyway…) If every part of the world had habitat with 50 species of birds, but it was the same 50 species of birds across the whole world, then we are still left with less biodiversity than if we have 1000s of habitat types, each with 20 species of bird. The anise swallowtails are a neat story, and hopefully the fact that fennel has a new predator will help it move from invasive to a normal part of the ecosystem. As for coyotes, I love them, they are one of the most amazing and adaptable species on Earth, but they certainly don’t need our help. They will be fine regardless of what we do, even if we paved everything we’d still have coyotes. So they aren’t really an indicator of a healthy ecosystem per se. The reason invasive plants produce more seed or plant material is probably largely because they don’t have as many predators. This in turn means they are contributing LESS to the trophic web, not more. Like you said, animals are more adaptable than us humans think, and they are adapting to use these invasive plants. Unfortunately the less adaptable animals – the specialists – may go extinct or severely decline rather than adapting. You are still left with a complex natural system, but less so if extinctions don’t occur. Anyway, I hope you are enjoying the spring. I was just in CA and did enjoy being out in the canyons, even the ones with eucalyptus. Fog season is coming, make sure to get out there and enjoy the fog drip! March 17, 2011 at 3:22 pm Your reply came through fine, but we moderate comments here because like any popular and active site, it gets tons of spam. We don’t really want this website carrying ads for performance-enhancing pharmaceuticals… Sometimes comments take a while to show up. Especially because we do try to respond to comments here. So if there are a lot of them, it may take a few days. I’ve come across the no-predator theory, but I’m not sure how accurate it is in this context. It may also be that the more successful plants evolved in a predator-rich environment, and responded by out-producing them. (Have you read Guns Germs and Steel?) A plant with a million seeds will have a better chance of passing on genes than a plant with only a thousand. And a plant that erupts early and stays longer will also have a better chance at populating the place. I haven’t heard that SF’s native plants do worse because they’re victims of predation. (Except the lupine – it got hit by a fungus one year. But then, the non-native fuchsia got hit by a mite and we can hardly grown them in SF any more. Fungal predators and mites seem to be more of a problem than megafauna — butterflies upward. Consider Sudden Oak Death.) I think the trophic web is a lot more complex than we suppose. Spring has been lovely and rainy (which is also lovely!) by turns. If you come by SF any time, I’d love to show you the forest. If it still exists. March 17, 2011 at 4:06 pm Hi again! The moderation definitely makes sense but there is no reply link at all on the messages with a lot of replies. I think it is just so they don’t get too squished to the right side of the page. ‘Invasion ecology’ is still a very poorly understood thing, so of course I can’t say that the lack of predators thing is certainly true. I have also heard the theory that invasive plants either don’t connect to the mycorrhizal network, or connect to ‘steal’ resources without contributing. It would be very interesting to see if the plants at Sutro have developed a similar mycorrhizal network to native habitat, since it has been there so long. Of course, it is extremely hard to study since it consists of tiny threadlike mycelium in the earth. It might be fun to see which fungi are in Sutro though. (On a side note, have you tried any of the new mobile citizen science programs like Project Noah? Pretty neat stuff)… My gut feeling is that if plants with a million seeds always did better than plants with a thousand seeds, the former would be everywhere and the latter would not exist. There must be some evolutionary process that gives advantages to plants that produce less seed. Some say that stress-tolerant plants produce less seed than ruderals, and are in it for the ‘long run’. Perhaps the increase in human disturbance and impacts is why the ‘ruderal’ (‘weedy’) plants are doing so well near the city. In any event as it turns out evolution involves a lot more symbiosis, and a lot less direct ‘battling’ and competition, than originally thought. You’ve probably already noticed this intuitively since you’ve commented on the connectivity of the organisms of Sutro. And, like you said, the trophic web is just extremely complex. So much we don’t understand! It’s too bad people weren’t interested in doing science when they introduced the weeds. Of course the Native Americans had tremendous cultural ecological knowledge but alas most of that is now lost because they were either killed off or removed from the land. I’ll look you up if I am out your way! After all this discussion, I am really curious about your forest now, I must admit. March 17, 2011 at 6:14 pm I think you’re right about squished comments. I don’t know if I’d call introduced plants “weeds.” Humankind — in fact all migrating creatures — deliberately or inadvertently move plants around. Plants use that dispersal mechanism. Of course, the plants probably didn’t count on jet planes… but they probably did use the jet stream. I do think that one of the things many ignore is natural succession, as well as natural population booms and busts. Stable states are an exception rather than a rule. And our entire way of life depends on introduced plants, from the stuff we wear to the food we eat to the things we grow in our gardens or the lawns our kids play on. We couldn’t live in tepees of hide and poles, or eat acorn flour and fish as a staple diet. Some of the plants that were food — “Pigweed” for instance — are no longer edible in nitrogen-rich environments. I would imagine that what stress-tolerant plants need is flexibility — the ability to withstand drought, temperature fluctuations, animal predation. It may be that ones that thrive in very marginal conditions invest in fewer seeds but make them hardier. If they are indeed more competitive, then they would not need our help. They would be around, and come right back when the population of the ruderals crashed. It’s interesting, though, that some of the native plants also need disturbed conditions — lupine is one. Do you have a reference for the non-connection to the myco network? From what I could discover, it’s certainly not true of eucalyptus. I can’t imagine why that would happen, but if it does, I’d be interested. And yes, I’d love to know what’s happening in the century-old forest. (And if it were indeed “my forest” I would try to find out. It would be an amazing place for citizen science.) Charlie says: March 17, 2011 at 9:01 pm Yay, this one is reply-to-able! Although I am not always successful, I try to draw a distinction between ‘introduced’ and ‘invasive’. Certainly not all introduced plants are invasive. As you point out, we use a lot of them and in fact rely on introduced plants for most of our food and many other things. No one really understand why some plants become invasive in an ecosystem and others don’t. Or, at least, no one I know or have talked to understands it. Maybe someone does, or did in the past. It seems to me very similar to what is happening in the economy with a few large corporations gobbling up or outcompeting the small ones… or a bit like a disease that does not necessarily kill its host. Obviously we can’t go back to hunter-gatherer ways with our current lifestyle. We seem to be ‘stuck’ with a lifestyle that is unsustainable in the long term, and hoping technology fixes things and moves us on to something new… hopefully that works out. Some days I think it will, others I don’t. I also think that around our cities, many areas are kept in a state of early succession… especially fire clearance areas and introduced native grasslands. Some of the chaparral, oak woodlands, and perhaps some eucalyptus forests have reached a more stable state (the ones I have seen less so, it will be interesting to someday see Sutro which sounds like it has a diverse understory!). Maybe there are ways we can live in cities to reduce our disturbance that sends ecosystems to early successional states, and perhaps invite more of nature into our cities. I think it is ‘crashing’ ecosystems to early successional states that bothers me, rather than which plants are native and which aren’t. I do, on a personal level, really love the CA native plants though. Somehow I feel more of a connection to them than most of the introduced plants… I glanced at the mycorrhizal issue and it sure looks complex and poorly understood: It seems that by definition early seral plants steal from or ignore the fungal network… From my brief glance though, many eucs are mycorrhizal too at least in their natural habitat. Maybe one day they will even form symbiotic veg communities with the oaks. I tend to think they won’t but i may be too pessimistic. Indeed there is so much we don’t understand, which is why it is so hard trying to make management decisions. In the end people try to use science, and it’s a good tool, but a lot of times our gut feelings end up giving better answers. The stress tolerants have survived the many years of droughts, floods, heat waves, etc. They are not adapted to modern human society and with their slow generation times may die off before they can adapt to deal with urban disturbance and introduced plants. But like I said I am a pessimist. We’ll see… March 18, 2011 at 12:35 am Thanks for the cool link about non-native plants and mycorhizzae. I had a quick browse through, and it looks like every situation is unique. Which I suppose may be expected. Can you give some examples of the stress tolerant plants you mean? I’m thinking if they can tolerate stress, but not disturbance, they must have interesting adaptations. March 21, 2011 at 11:20 am Stress-tolerant plants that are less tolerant of disturbance usually occur in really harsh areas like deserts and alpine areas. For instance, sajuaro cactus, joshua trees, and creosote bush are VERY tolerant of heat and drought stress. However, they do not tolerate fire, soil disturbance, or competition with weedy plants because they didn’t have to before modern humans came around. In fact, one creosote bush clone is over 10,000 years old! Soil disturbances can take years to recover in habitats dominated by these plants… sometimes even centuries. Combinations of invasive grasses and increased fire frequency are threatening the dominance or even existence of these species in many cases. Another example of ‘stress tolerant’ plants is the ‘cushion’ plants that occur in alpine areas. These are extremely tough against cold, drought, wind, etc, but one stomp can kill a plant that is centuries old. Fast changes in climate can also do that. Some of the chaparral plants act a bit like stress tolerants, albeit adapted to some types of disturbance (fire). Coast live partially fit the description, but not completely because they produce so many seeds. i’ll bet some Eucalyptus trees meet the characteristics too although the ones naturalized around Sutro and other parts of CA seem more like ‘competitive’ life strategy. The idea has been around in a while and I think was first proposed in this paper that is unfortunately unviewable if you don’t have a journal subscription: October 15, 2009 at 2:57 am A few large trees don’t constitute a windbreak. The UCSF application talks of a “sparse canopy of dominant trees.” The wind will go right around them, and in fact, if they have grown in forest conditions, could knock them over – as the original report said when it urged caution in thinning the forest and recommended a trial area of 2.5 acres. A dense forest of tall trees is a windbreak. You accuse us of lying? We have not said the “old-growth” cloud forest is to be razed. We have reported what UCSF has said: that on nearly a quarter of the forest, 90% of the vegetation and the trees under 3 feet in girth are to be removed. That was 3000 trees. The paperwork specifically says they do not intend to reduce the amount of vegetation to be removed based on public comment. That plan will gut those areas of the forest and prevent them from functioning as a cloud forest. As for old-growth, I don’t know who said that (except you). We said 100-year-old cloud forest, which is demonstrably true. It’s older than much of San Francisco, and as historical. [Edited to add: Actually, it does have many of the characteristics of an old-growth forest.] We do support the removal of hazardous trees near peoples’ homes where the home-owners want them removed. But we don’t support the removal of eucalyptus trees inside the forest in order to add native plants. In my opinion, moderation would suggest that other areas would be preferable for Native Plant gardens, rather than an existing century-old forest in which surrounding communities have strong stakes. Stewards should be protecting the forest, not despising the “non-native” plants that constitute it. October 15, 2009 at 3:01 pm Jimbo says, “…but 3,000 trees have negligible effect.” If only 3,000 trees were in jeopardy of being destroyed to support native plants you might have a point. The project on Sutro is only one of many such projects. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of trees in the bay area. On the city’s parkland, hundreds of healthy trees have already been destroyed by nativists and tens of thousands more are planned for removal. Officially, they admit to only 18,500, but since they define trees as those over 15 feet tall, we are actually talking about thousands more. In the East Bay tens of thousands of trees have been clear-cut from the Oakland-Berkeley hills. And YES, in this case the term clear-cut is entirely appropriate. The East Bay Regional Park District has already destroyed tens of thousands of trees from 278 acres of the parks and they have announced their intention to remove hundreds of thousands more on over 1,000 acres of parkland. You folks can pretend that this is a “tiny” project, but some of us have the big picture. None of these trees will be replaced because the native ecology in all of these areas is chaparral, scrub, and grassland. All highly flammable vegetation. Far more flammable than ANY tree, including the eucalyptus. You might believe your own hype. Those who have witnessed the destruction you have wrought in the past 10 years know better. Jimbo also says, “3,000 forests containing 3,000 trees would have negligible effect.” In this statement he reveals a profound ignorance of the very real threat of climate change. Deforestation is one of the primary causes. Yes, there are other causes and they must be addressed as well. That doesn’t give you license to ignore one of the few causes over which we have any immediate control, if we have an ounce of sense. Reminds me of the argument used by a nativist to justify the use of toxic chemicals in our parks. In her opinion, if you use dish soap, shampoo, cleaning products, etc., then you have no right to complain about the use of toxic herbicides. Probably makes sense to Jimbo. Doesn’t make sense to me! October 15, 2009 at 3:27 pm Sort of like equating Motor Oil with Roundup and Garlon? I don’t see people being told to wear protective clothing to handle motor oil, or being told to use smoke columns to ensure the spray doesn’t contaminate homes, people and other plants, or the linkages to non-Hodgkins lymphoma or DNA disruptors in the “inert” parts of it. All true of the toxic herbicides planned for Sutro Unsuspecting Forest. Motor oil is designed as a lubricant. Herbicides are meant to be poisons. If it can all be done by hand, why does Twin Peaks need spraying with herbicides? Right across from a row of houses? And Jimbo, the budget for toxic chemical application only for Edgewood is $22,500. This includes getting licensed specialists to apply it. And it doesn’t include reapplications from time to time. Roundup =/= motor oil. October 15, 2009 at 3:39 pm Jimbo, If you are a volunteer, you are surely NOT using herbicides, which require specific training and protective gear, in some cases by law. So, one wonders if you realize just how much is being used. In 2007, East Bay Regional Park District used 154 gallons and 20 lbs of herbicides. At that time they had removed non-native vegetation from less than 300 acres. Now they plan to destroy non-native trees and vegetation from about 1,500 additional acres. How much herbicide do you think that will take? It boggles the mind. If you are a volunteer and you are being asked to use herbicides, you owe it to yourself to read the Material Safety Data Sheets for these products to inform yourself of how to protect yourself from harm. Steven says: November 16, 2009 at 12:44 pm Very well done. Do you allow guest posts? Nicely done, Steven. November 17, 2009 at 1:16 am Thanks! We accept material for posting (subject to screening) at fk94131 at yahoo.com We have a no-spam policy. December 21, 2009 at 1:33 pm Did anyone see this important article? Also, the San Francisco Chronicle had a story by Dan Kammen. Carolyn Blair, Executive Director [Note from the webmaster: A post about the NYT article, and the story by Dan Kammen (of UC Berkeley) in the San Francisco Chronicle, is here. ] Mt Sutro Resident says: March 8, 2010 at 1:50 pm Just found this site and see that posts are rather old – anything to update on the situation? I am very glad to see that there are others opposed to UCSF’s plans, the questionable basis for it and real motives need a closer look to say the least. The results of their plans could have serious and long term detrimental impacts – various ramifications they are unable or unwilling to anticipate from the cutting of trees to the mulch they apparently intend to leave as well as the pesticides they want to employ – this plan is not what is best for the ecosystem, the many birds that exist or migrate through here, or the human residents. I truly hope that due to their connections and power UCSF does not win out on this.. once it is done there is no going back. Native or not this forest of trees plays important roles for the environment, the birds/wildlife and the people living here. March 8, 2010 at 6:47 pm Mt Sutro Resident: Yes, UCSF has withdrawn their FEMA application. They are now planning a different way forward. Check these two places for an update: and We don’t have all the details yet, but it will involve an environmental review and a 2-acre demo plot. [ETA: They are now talking about 3-4 demo plots, 7.5 acres total.] April 21, 2010 at 5:36 pm Your view of Twin Peaks is clearly incomplete and skewed. Replanted natives only? And besides the usual manually managed aggressive introduced plants? … Conversation moved to the post ‘Dialogue with Sutro Biker.’ April 22, 2010 at 9:58 pm Sutro Biker, this conversation was interesting enough it’s been moved to its own post rather than being buried in the comments… please see July 10, 2010 at 4:32 pm Mount Sutro is a fantastic forest wonderland. To hew down trees according to their plan would be a tragedy. I hope to see it stand for eternity. July 13, 2010 at 8:34 am Very interesting debate here, thank you. A small demonstration project is a good compromise. Let the nativists give it a try. Can the landscape actually be successfully returned to the species composition that evolved here prior to the introduction of eucalyptus, ivy, etc.? Personally, I doubt it, but it would be lovely. Sadly, although there are nature lovers on both sides of the argument, the nativists want to stop the tide of evolution in their zeal to protect the native species they love. Perhaps we can “garden” the entire area in perpetuity, thereby holding in check the natural processes that have clearly welcomed the newcomers. If only humans could learn from nature. Nature is our greatest teacher, if we would only look and listen. Evolution has brought us both the eucalyptus and the redwood…and will bring many more species into the fold unless we, the humans, do not succeed in destroying everything in our supreme stupidity. July 13, 2010 at 10:46 am Ecotopia, thanks for stopping by to comment. The 7.5 acres of “demonstration projects” now planned are supposed only to demonstrate how the area will look after the trees are thinned and the understory removed. They will also be used to experiment with methods of “regrowth control.” Charlie says: July 31, 2010 at 3:28 pm A few things -There is no way that a planted plantation can qualify as ‘old growth forest’ under the current definition of the word. However, if the trees are mature, they are not taking in any more net CO2 than is being released from the forest. If we were concerned with only CO2 we should cut down all the trees, bury them or otherwise remove the carbon from the system, and then let something else regrow. -When comparing fire danger between eucalyptus and ‘grass fires’ you are comparing two non-native plant groupings because the grasses you see around the bay area that are tall and dry are also mostly invasive grasses. -Redwood forests with their diverse dangly lichens and such are much better at gathering fog than eucalyptus. Oak forest probably is too. I don’t think an eucalyptus plantation can qualify as a ‘cloud forest’ either. I think there are valid reasons for saving some of these trees – they are pretty, and they probably aren’t spreading into intact native ecosystems. Isn’t that enough? Why make up questionable scientific claims too? Sorry, this probably won’t be a popular post, but I wanted to share my thoughts. July 31, 2010 at 4:14 pm Charlie, thanks for your comments. We welcome all comments here, “popular” or not, and we try to respond. In terms of “old growth” – it’s a matter of definition. This forest meets many of the conditions for Old Growth (large live trees, layered structure, dead trees, and interdependent communities). Obviously it’s not native, but unless you view it through a Nativist lens, that doesn’t detract from its beauty, or the fact that it’s an ecosystem. And we do know exactly how old it is: 125 years. Redwoods might be better at harvesting fog, but they don’t do well in windy conditions, and this hill is very windy – and would be much more so without the eucalyptus. These do an excellent job – I was just up in the forest, and except in areas where it’s been opened up (broad trail areas with little understory or tree cover), it was actually slushy even though it hasn’t rained in months. We don’t need to go into whether it’s technically a “Cloud Forest” because then we end up with chopping logic on definitions. What we do know is that it harvests moisture, and creates a very damp, even wet ecosystem within itself, and one adapted to these conditions. In terms of fire-hazard – if you look at the Native Garden on the summit, you’ll see dry grass that is presumably native. We haven’t really discussed the flammability of native plants, but they are indeed flammable. Here’s a reference. And frankly, unless someone is weeding and tending continuously, non-native grasses do grow in areas opened up to sunlight. That may well be what happened on Angel Island. Charlie says: July 31, 2010 at 4:44 pm I don’t really understand why you throw around the word ‘Nativist’ like you do. You make it sound like some sort of slur. I love California native plants, and it makes me sad that they are being displaced by ruderal weed species that have no natural predators. I am not a native purists who never plants non-native plants. However, I don’t understand the hatred towards native plants. People (who are reasonable) don’t dislike Eucalyptus because it isn’t NATIVE, but because it is INVASIVE. There is a big difference and they aren’t always the same thing. I would love it if an entire ecosystem from Australia were stuck on that hill, as full and complex as any ecosystem that had many thousands of years to evolve. However, you only have one species from an ecosystem, so you are left with a ‘skeleton’ with one plant component, and other native or naturalized organisms trying to survive under it. True, this is in and of itself a sort of ecosystem, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense to compare it to something that took thousands or even millions of years to form. Again this doesn’t mean the trees don’t have value. I just take issue with saying it is as valuable to natural processes as an actual native ecosystem. I think it is totally valid to call it a grove of old and magnificent trees, to point out that animals use the trees, and to say you want it to stay there. If it is cut down and half-hearted restoration occurs and is then abandoned, it will just turn into invasive grasses and forbs, which just about everyone agrees is ‘worse’ than Eucalyptus OR native plants. I just don’t think it should be called an Old Growth Forest. I moved from California to Vermont last year and there are many forests in Vermont that are well over 100 years old (and very valuable to humans and wildlife) that still aren’t old growth forests. It sounds like just semantics but it isn’t. There is a lot you can’t see in old growth forests. The many mycorrhizal fungi, soil microbes, tiny insects, lichens, etc, that come with an old growth forest may take hundreds of years to return after it is cut down. In the case of this eucalyptus, they CAN’T get there, because they are in Australia. Again this is not an intact Australian forest, it is one species. It will take many thousands of years for fungi, liichens, and soil microbes to evolve to be symbiotic with Eucalyptus in California. Harvest of fog by trees (including Eucalyptus) is indeed important and valuable, and removing all the trees at once would decrease the amount of water available. That is a totally valid point. As for wind resistance, I have seen Eucs be torn to shreds by wind and I don’t consider them to be a particularly wind resistant tree – nor are Redwoods as you said. If the hillside faces south or west, it probably used to have mostly oaks anyway. Remember that usually in this area only north-facing slopes and drainages have redwoods in them anyway. I also recall that water that seeps through eucalyptus leaf litter can concentrate toxins (again may also be true with redwood) and it may not be as valuable to other species. I don’t mean to pick apart definitions because I know that is frustrating and not always productive… however, I think scientific words with set definitions can be deceptive if not used by their set definitions. As stated earlier the trees almost certainly rely on fog for much of their moisture. I have trouble calling any single-aged planted grove a ‘forest’ even to be honest, though I guess that is even more an issue of semantics. Humans just can’t create forests the way time and nature do, though we certainly can affect them positively or negatively. That website about fire you linked seems very biased. Chaparral is indeed very flammable and I have been far, far too close to chaparral fires. However, I have also seen 200 foot flames off of eucalyptus trees. Most plants that will grow in California, native or not, will burn in hot winds. The least flammable tree I know of is Coast Live Oak but with 75 MPH hot winds those will of course burn too. As for the grasses – most native grasses are perennial grasses that are much lower growing than invasive grasses and stay green much longer. They can carry fire but at a much lower intensity than most vegetation types, It is hard to even find evidence of most native wildflowers by the time fire season comes. If you send me a picture of the grasses in question I can probably identify them. Non’native grasses DO come in to poorly tended gardens, but the idea that eucalyptus is somehow better from a fire standpoint is silly. Eucalyptus, chaparral, native pines, non-native pines, invasive grasses – all very flammable. native bunchgrasses and oaks – less so, but like i said anything will burn. If you are actually interested in this topic google Jon Keeley. There is a lot of evidence that chaparral used to burn a lot less than it does now – and invasive plants are a lot of teh reason why. July 31, 2010 at 5:44 pm Actually, we have nothing at all against California native plants. They’re wonderful to have, and some of them are very beautiful. What we do object to is an established century-old forest, adapted to its situation, being damaged to “restore” native plants. The term “nativist” is used here to mean the group who are working to change the forest as it is into something more like a garden of native plants for no other reason than that the eucalyptus are non-native. As I pointed out elsewhere, the eucalyptus here is not invasive, because there’s no where for it to go. It is surrounded by roads and homes. This hill (Mount Sutro) was not oak trees (the records are available and the history of the forest is documented) or redwoods. The eucalyptus is growing there, and it’s windy. They clearly are less affected by the wind. If you would like to understand where the hill is (it’s a whole hill, not a hillside), take a look at the map. It covers 80 acres, so I guess it’s somewhere between a “grove” and a “forest” – it feels” like a forest. It is very dense (averaging 740 trees per acre, with a lush understory). There is clearly a functional ecosystem in place, including lichens and mosses. There probably are mycorrhizae as well, but so far no one has studied them. Some species have clearly adapted to the current conditions. “Trying to survive” I think understates the situation; if the forest is 125 years old, what’s under it has indeed survived, even thrived. (The understory is very lush.) I know the “accepted wisdom” is that because eucs were imported only about 150 years ago, any ecosystem under them must be impoverished. I don’t think that can be demonstrated, except by specifying “impoverished” as what you get in a eucalyptus ecosystem. It looks to have as many species or more than a redwood ecosystem. In any case, there is no plan to reafforest this into a native woodland. The plan is to open it up, space the trees 30 feet apart, try to reintroduce native plants into a much drier, sunnier environment, and use herbicides to prevent the felled trees and undergrowth from returning. July 31, 2010 at 6:06 pm If you want to see Sutro Forest on Google maps, here’s a link. (If it doesn’t work, search for 1 Christopher Drive, San Francisco on Google maps.) You can also look at the topography. It’s the forested area above “Forest Knolls.” Charlie says: July 31, 2010 at 6:27 pm Hmm, well as someone who is not part of your group… (Note from webmaster: Charlie, thanks for staying to talk. The rest of this comment has been moved to its own post, Native Plants, Chaparral: Conversation with ‘Charlie’.) Charlie says: July 31, 2010 at 6:32 pm Please note that ‘nativism’ is also a somewhat racist political term: I think it is really unfair to compare conservationists who want to protect intact ecosystems with a racist group. Please find another term to describe the people you don’t agree with! August 1, 2010 at 1:58 am As we said somewhere else: Nativist is a word – like many in the English language – with multiple meanings. Linguists use it to describe supporters of the position that language acquisition is an inborn aptitude. Politicians use it to describe people who oppose immigration. Over here, we use it to refer to those who support Native Plants and ecosystems at the expense of naturalized ones, and we’ve been quite clear in our use of the term and don’t confuse it with other uses. (We also support protection of intact ecosystems.) We find it less clunky than “Native Plant Advocates” or “Native Plant Supporters.” But it is* a philosophy, an ideology. We respect that, but dislike the consequence: The tearing down of an established eco-system to promote that “restoration.” July 31, 2010 at 8:12 pm I am an Australian, living in Tasmania where there are real old-growth eucalypt forests. As a trained ecologist, I would not call this forest ‘old-growth’, nor would I describe it as a ‘cloud forest’. As someone familiar with invasion ecology theory and practise, I regard the eucalypts in the Sutro as not part of the ecosystem of the landscape. Having said that, I fully support your endeavour to protect the Sutro; it has cultural history; it is a great example of colonisation by a non-native species and would be an ideal teaching lab for conservation biology (I really strongly suggest you push this education value – there are probably few places nearby that offer such an opportunity! You could build a strong scientific argument for it’s retention.) It seems that an attempt is being considered for ‘restoration ecology’, removing the eucs (local Aussie slang, pronounced ‘ewks’), and trying to bring back what once was… I support your campaign to protect the Sutro, the eucs may be invasive and non-native; but that is no reason to remove this little isolated patch. First and foremost is the scientific value this forest has for a variety of ecological disciplines, from conservation biology to forest ecology. Second is the important cultural history and the direct link to the cities beginnings and development. The third is the beauty and wildness that is offered to visitors, a chance for the urban to experience forest. I wish you luck and best wishes and success in protecting the Sutro Forest! PS I agree with the people advancing the argument about not linking protecting this forest and climate change – not relevant and insignificant in this issue. August 1, 2010 at 2:12 am Jon, thanks for commenting. I envy you your experience of old-growth euc forests in Tasmania. What I’ve seen from photographs look wonderful. And thanks also for your good wishes! We recognize that Sutro Forest is 125 years old, and the result of afforestation, not a primeval forest that moved in of its own accord. We also recognize that most people associate cloud forests with Brazil/ South America. Having said that, this forest is functionally both. It’s very wet all through the year because it harvests water from the “marine layer” – the coastal fog which moves inland at low altitudes here. And it has many of the characteristics of an old-growth forest, including the tall trees, and the layered structure of the understory adapted to the site-specific conditions. Finally, on carbon sequestration: We agree this one forest wouldn’t make any significant global difference, just like a thousand more cars wouldn’t make a difference. But decisions are taken at a small-scale level; and this forest has a huge amount of biomass per acre. The Nature Conservancy estimates sequestration at 1 forest-acre being equivalent to 30 cars; we’d guess this forest would probably come in higher. November 24, 2010 at 8:04 pm Really it is the most beautiful place in San Francisco.. According to me this is the heaven of the earth.. Thanks.. Indoor plants care says: December 10, 2010 at 10:53 pm Beautiful place and pictures.. Thanks for sharing with us.. January 11, 2011 at 10:29 am These trees are are non-native. cut them all down and plant redwoods. January 11, 2011 at 12:42 pm Hi Chemmastr, we’ve had a similar discussion upthread with “John” … you might want to take a look. February 3, 2011 at 7:33 pm If we’re lucky, then the native plants will take hold and they’ll be able to cut down the rest of the trees too. Too many wonderful and rare species are barely hanging on in the San Fran Peninsula to waste land on eucalyptus, ivy, blackberries, and rats. February 4, 2011 at 11:44 am Thanks for commenting. I see (and respect) your strong preference for native plants. What we love here is the whole amazing 125-year-old ecosystem, the dense cloud forest in an urban area and the wildlife — birds, insects, reptiles, mammals — that live there. (Ironically, in a comparison of oak-bay forest and eucalyptus forest near Berkeley, the biodiversity was equal in the two areas except that the eucalyptus forest had fewer rodents…) Gov Pavlicek says: April 14, 2011 at 1:44 am The problem of this lies within the remark of the Australian ecologist: “As a trained ecologist, I would not call this forest ‘old-growth’, nor would I describe it as a ‘cloud forest’. As someone familiar with invasion ecology theory and practise, I regard the eucalypts in the Sutro as not part of the ecosystem of the landscape.” This is the basis of all clearcutting of so called nonnative trees. Ecology, conservation biology, restoration ecology and invasion ecology are all different from most if not all scientific fields in the way that they have become an ideology themselves rather than used as support for (nativist) nature organisations only. Of course many ecologists actively support, or better, work within Nature conservation groups. Just pick up 5 books on invasion ecology that are readily used on Universities and you understand how this will not change any time soon: they are full of value-laden words, constantly negative about newcomers in local natural reserves or even gardens. These books are also filled with assumptions rather than facts. I have experience with climate change research, and you can imagine that climatologists have their own strong morals (at times) about the rising temperatures. Simply think of a polar bear drowning because he can’t find the next ice-shelf. It evokes a strong, emotional response. However, in the scientific literature you will not find remarks that the current warming is somehow unnatural. It is anthropogenic (caused by humans). And no peer-reviewed research that is about the rate of warming etc also tells us what we should think about it and what we should do. That is up to the society, not the personal preference of a climatologist who can never prove that his personal preference is somehow more valid than anyone else because he has studied climatology. In ecology, the story is quite different. Apart from constant negative terminology about newcomers (invaders, pests, plagues, unnatural, deviant, prolific, overcrowding) and many more that cannot be proven in a unbiased, sound scientific way, they also tell us what we should do. The word “eradication” seems on the tip of the tongue constantly and is used constantly in many books for scholars. In this way, students themselves get the same vision on newcomers in nature. They are indoctrinated and it is difficult not to talk to them (I have done so) without judgmental wording on their side. In my view, it is highly unscientific and much more ideologic. The basis seems to be fear of change and they experience a personal loss when something becomes extinct. It is their goal to go back in time instead of moving along and going with the flow. The words of the Australian ecologist do not prove that the Eucalyptus is not a part of the ecosystem. It clearly is as it is growing there and indeed facilitating life of both old- and newcomers. It doesn’t fit his view of what an ecosystem should be. And that is: not influenced by man (I think). Or not heavily influenced by man. The name for these ecosystems you find mostly is that what conservation biologists seem to hate the most: novel ecosystems. Because with this new name comes credibility. If you read the scientific literature you’ll find they have big problems accepting these systems and it is really causing them to choke when it turns out that these new assemblages are more biodiverse than their “native” counterparts. They constantly say that plants outcompete others. The question is: if this has never lead to any extinction (and on continents they never did), please tell us the scale. I rarely find the scale on which something is “outcompeted.” I rarely find clear numbers of the drop in percentage of cover of some native plant compared to some invasive. I rarely see any model that can predict on what will. What I see most is assumptions. Like “if this continues at this rate, the species will be extinct within x years”. So the key is: will it continue that way and why? No answer there. It is just another term to evoke fear. The fear is of course that it finally will become extinct. But in plants, it never happened once… I think most ecologists et al. should get rid of their strong moralistic and single-sided views and develop a more rational open mind to what happens to species in the world. So new ecologists can have their own views and new insights rahter than the same all over again. Also they should change their terminology. So no more invaders, but neophytes (if it is a plant), pests: cannot be defined as it is personal. One calls a Eucalyptus a pest, the other calls it a beautiful and desirable tree, unnatural- anthropogenic. It is caused by humans but not therefore “unnatural”. And that is what you can prove: you can prove humans did something, of course. You cannot prove this is right or wrong in anyway. Biodiversity: applies to all species. So not only counting native species. It would be as counting only true Native Americans as the people of the US and then saying that the population of the US is dwindling and the culture is impoverished, omitting the fact that there are almost 300 million Americans with a very diverse cultural life albeit not Native American. And that is how I like to finish my long essay (sorry): do not fall into the trap of their wording, their ideologic views they call science, their extremely conservative view of the countryside. I’d say: be consistent and rephrase there words. Unnatural=anthropogenic etc. Their view in general is rather similar to extreme conservative views in culture and the result is the same: killing things, eradicate things and trying to install a black-white thought-pattern in general towards newcomers. That is the mainstream in ecology. The people themselves BTW are not bad and I can get along very well actually. For instance: when it comes to humans they are not xenophobic at all and really hate the comparison. But the comparison is valid and Mount Sutro is not the only part of the world where this becomes clear. And like politicians they use soft words to cover up extreme things. In The Netherlands, there are loads of examples of that. Charlie says: April 14, 2011 at 4:55 am [Edited to avoid flame-wars] You mention global warming and think that ecologists, unlike climate scientists, have some racism-based bias and are secretly conservatives. In fact the story is very similar to that of climate change and with a few words changed, these sorts of comments look like something right off of a global warming denialist’s computer. As with climate change, the science is very clear. CO2 warms the climate. Smoking causes lung cancer. Coal mining pollutes watersheds. INVASIVE (not necessarily non-native) species are very, very clearly linked with ecosystem service loss and decreased biodiversity during initial invasion. This is not true for Sutro anymore because it is a very old introduced forest and the ecosystem it replaced is already lost forever. I believe it was a mistake to plant the Eucs but the damage is already long done. Sutro is very different from most other invaded ecosystems. There are a few conflicting studies but you can’t build a compelling argument that invasive plants don’t reduce biodiversity and alter ecosystems without heavily cherrypicking data. If you have anecdotal evidence, by all means share that. Science isn’t the answer to anything. My anectotal evidence in pretty much every case strongly supports the science. [Webmaster: Actually, there are studies showing that biodiversity can increase with the introduction of exotic species… and there’s another showing that a eucalyptus forest and an oak forest in Berkeley California had the same number of species. “Invasive” plants are not invasive in all contexts. If you view ecosystems as static, then it may make sense to try to prevent the flora in a particular area from changing. If you view them as dynamic, then today’s invader may be tomorrow’s hanging-on-by-its-fingernails (or equivalent part) while something else takes over.] Of course scientists are biased – they usually care about what they study. Those linking tobacco with cancer may have an anti-cigarette ‘bias’ because people they love are at risk of getting a horrible disease. Climate scientists are biased because they don’t want climate change to starve or drown people. Conservation biologists care about functioning ecosystems and are biased towards their protection. It is impossible to be completely unbiased but I would argue it is also silly. There are plenty of valid arguments to be made against restoration of Sutro to native habitat, and most of them have already been gone over here. Sutro is a very established and complex forest, and even if it has replaced a unique ecosystem that is now mostly gone, it does have inherent value. It is a cultural resource used by people who live in the area. It does offer habitat value, filter rainfall, collect fog and reduce erosion. It may be impossible to recreate an ecosystem that has already been destroyed. Urban areas do not necessarily have anything ‘native’ to them except pigeons. The Eucs can’t spread to and destroy other habitat. Some feel that scrubland is not as appropriate or aesthetically desirable as euc forest. Some rightfully are concerned that some forms of conservation exclude humans as part of an ecosystem. Some people believe evolution and formation of ecosystems happens much faster than we think, a view I partially also agree with. Yes there are issues with monsanto and herbicide, and it is understandable to be opposed to using these tools. In invasion biology, like in medicine, we are faced with ‘cures’ that also have negative side effects, and we have to balance the negatives with the positive. Charlie says: April 17, 2011 at 6:31 pm [Comment from Webmaster: Actually, there are studies showing that biodiversity can increase with the introduction of exotic species… and there’s another showing that a eucalyptus forest and an oak forest in Berkeley California had the same number of species. “Invasive” plants are not invasive in all contexts. If you view ecosystems as static, then it may make sense to try to prevent the flora in a particular area from changing. If you view them as dynamic, then today’s invader may be tomorrow’s hanging-on-by-its-fingernails (or equivalent part) while something else takes over.] Again, diversity may increase with some ‘exotic’ species but does it ever increase with ‘invasive’ species? I doubt it. [Webmaster: How is “invasive” defined? Even if you define it tautologically as a plant that expands into areas where it’s not planted so as to reduce diversity, all sorts of broader possibilities exist. A species could invade, and reduce plant diversity but if it provides a good habitat, increase fauna diversity. It could reduce plant diversity temporarily, but then die back and make space for other plant species, possibly more than existed in the first place. Really the issue of natives seems not so much the species-count of diversity, but the whole idea or “restoring” one of the earlier ecosystems.] Sutro and the other euc forests are indeed complex and diverse right now, but we won’t ever know what they replaced because it was destroyed when the trees are planted. So, perhaps the trees shouldn’t be cut down, but there’s no need to deny that they replaced something else. [Webmaster: Of course this ecosystem did replace another one. I expect that’s true of every ecosystem, except a few in very extreme stable climates. There’s disease, there’s predation on plants, there’s natural succession, and in a disturbed land of fire and earthquakes and storms, there are dynamic changes to the ecosystem.] Also I wonder what was in the understory of the oak forest in Berkeley. Blackberry? Charlie says: April 18, 2011 at 7:03 am [slightly edited] Ok, I admit a bit of confusion in this exchange… I am getting mixed up with the inserted ‘webmaster’ comments because I can’t tell which ones I am quoting and which ones are new… To me the issue is not change in ecosystems, which is of course a constant, but loss of biodiversity by one ‘viral’ species that quickly outcompetes everything else because its natural controls are not present. This is not limited to species introductions, it also happens when a predator or other control is removed from an ecosystem. Either way, one species is thrown vastly out of equilibrium and takes off. Again I don’t like the human-ecosystem comparisons but in some ways it is a bit like a tumor… one component acting in its ‘short term best interest’ and not acting like an ecosystem component. As with chemotherapy, invasive species control is only treating the symptom, and it would be better to figure out why invasions are happening in the first place, but sometimes we can’t. That’s all for now. I find that I get into long debates online when I am putting off working on my paper… but I need to get some work done. Gov Pavlicek says: April 17, 2011 at 12:55 pm Thanks for the thorough reply. You know I was astonished by the ecologists I know. I’d say they are not secretly conservative on this issue, they don’t seem to know it or acknowledge it. Now I don’t want to play word games, but the term “conservation ecology” should at least be a clue. In all other aspects, like me, they are progressive and do not seem to have these traits when it comes to people and most of the time not culture. Otoh, I have read some comparisons between the homogenisation of nature and culture in a sense that the latter is also “bad”. McDonalds in Nepal would be awful. Like in nature, the locals seem to enjoy it. In The Netherlands the Uni of Wageningen did research on which woodland forests were liked the most in NL. These were all visitors of several forests. Out of 150 different pictures two clearly emerged as top favourites: one had beech in it, the other oak and both had a Douglas fir clearly visible. They concluded that people do not reject and indeed like these trees. Another research by the same University asked the same visitors what they thought of exotic trees like Sitka spruce and Doug fir and other trees (native). Again these trees were highly valued. The idea of eradicating them because they somehow did not belong here was rejected. Even after an explanation of why they were removed in some woods, this idea again was rejected. People felt these trees had every right to be there. In short: 65% of the people favour these trees, 20% was neutral and 15% was in favour. Not unlike McDonalds in Nepal or Mount Sutro forest in San Francisco. Should we get rid of things because 15% of a population thinks that is good? I am not the only one finding the the resemblance between ecological and cultural xenophobia striking. Researchers like Dov Sax, James Brown, Steve Gaines and Mark King note the same thing. Kate Rawles, a British philosopher, notes the same xenophobic and illogical thinking within [some] large British conservation groups. It is also quite obvious that someone can (and sometimes does) say the same thing about immigrants; and in both cases they base themselves on the exceptions and use examples to support their views. It just shows that (extreme) conservatism is not simply a rightwing thing. I have also found that the remark that it is xenophobic is rejected with anger by ecologists. But we can easily compare the two and come to that conclusion. First: what is conservatism? It comes from conservare which means “to preserve”. In general we can say that most ecologist see it as a good thing to preserve global biodiversity, to preserve as many species as possible and reject the thought of extinctions and it is clear they want to preserve all kinds of habitats. Moreover, habitats that have changed over the last centuries are “restored” to how they supposedly looked. In what sense is this not conservative? How is that different from people who long for the good old days in culture? Racist..I never used that word. Xenophobic. Never used it either, but indeed I find it xenophobic or at least [tending] to it. Simply because there are a lot of organisations, lead by ecologists who strongly are: – against globalisation of nature – against introduction of species by man (all other factors seem to be fine) – where possible, the are strongly in favour of eradication of plants and species whenever they feel [it suitable]. – They, like you, feel that new trees are not members of a certain ecosystem and fail to acknowledge the fact that these species form a new kind of ecosystem. That is the “xeno” part of it. Something that has entered at some randomly used point in time will always be a stranger. Everything before that time is no problem in general. There is no place for this stranger. He will always be a stranger. Sometimes they tolerate the stranger, but they wil rarely accept him. The phobia (fear) comes from the many assumptions, demonisations and exaggerations we find in scientific and other literature by those ecologists. It is also clear in the value-laden wording [often considered okay]: Many words that tell us they see them as not belonging somewhere and causing harm simply by being there. Alien, pests, plagues, prolific etc to name a few. Or the assumption that a new plant outcrowds another plant and will lead to extinctions. That competition is a major factor for extinctions. While research has shown this has never happened on a continent (Sax and Gaines, 2008, PNAS). Earlier research by others have noted the same. Other research by the University of Wageningen has shown that 1 of 1000 immigrant species become invasive. 999 do not. I see no difference in talking about Muslims as evil, threatening people when less than 1% has the potential of becoming a terrorist. BTW: how the newcomer enters the new habitat does not matter. So whether it is spread by itself or by man has no influence on the outcome. Now the comparison between climatologists and ecologists is ill-chosen, I feel. You’ll find no peer-reviewed research over the last ten or fifteen years challenging the theory that a rise in CO2 causes a rise in global temperatures. The same is true for the cigarette comparison. In ecology, this is not the case. Like global warming denialists, it [is] ecologists who revert to examples, assumptions and who actively seek media attention to tell us how evil immigrant species are. They are vocal like climate change denialists while not giving us any proof for an “invasional meltdown”. Climatologists in general are not nearly as vocal, even though their science is unchallanged. They also are quite clear where the uncertanties are and how uncertain these factors are and what their total influence is on global warming (for instance: cloudcover). Conservation biology is not a science if it tells others what they seem to think of right and wrong. It is an ideology. It remains a science if it tells how you can restore somethings. Like some architects can tell you how to restore monumental buildings. The biologists however on many occasions tell us why we should restore all sorts of habitats. In the end, it is for themselves and their personal and not scientific views. But this scientific field is more than just conservation ecology. You can research all sorts of developments and changes without attributing any value to any change. In doing so, you also prevent others [from becoming] opiniated before they do research on their own, or becoming indoctrinated with some views on these changes. I think scientists should do everything not to be biased. If you become biased, the chance of your research being coloured by your personal preferences rather than scientific facts becomes quite large. A final point is that ecology deals with life. And if we talk about life and death, certainly on a massive scale as is proposed by ecologists just like that in their work, we talk about ethics. And ethics are not defined by some gropup of scientists with some view on how the Earth should look like. This is done by a society as a whole and this is where ecology sometimes clashes with layman, animal right groups and others. Which is why the Grey Squirrel was not eradicated in Lombardia. When we talk about our landscape this concerns all people who live in it. Who venture in it (or not). This is clear in Mount Sutro, but I can give you loads of examples from Europe as well. The best thing for ecology to do is not tell those what they should think, they are perfectly capable to decide for themselves. What ecology should do is just to give us sound science, science facts about these changes and let society decide. Charlie says: April 17, 2011 at 6:29 pm Gov, I guess I don’t understand your point here. Are you saying you support globalization of ecosystems? I don’t understand why anyone would support converting every ecosystem with similar conditions across the world, into the same thing. That’s what happens if you mix up all the plants… the opportunistic ones take over, because their predators aren’t there also, and you lose a lot of diversity. I understand there is a division between invasive and exotic. I try to be very clear: I am not talking about ‘exotic’ plants but about invasive plants. Only 1 in 1000 introduced plants (or whatever) are invasive… this is true. How does this justify not doing anything about the [0.1%] that cause a problem? The thing is, you seem to equate ecosystems of plants with human culture. I reject this as completely unvalid. It is unfair to compare invasive plants with Muslims, or otherwise draw connections between human societies and botany. All humans are the same species, and biologically we are even all the same race. We diverged less than 100,000 years ago and since we have long lifetimes, we haven’t diverged enough to form seperate species. Also, human societies do not act like plants. It is unfair to compare invasive plant ecology with xenophobia or racism. If you ask 100 people if they like a tree, of course 60 will say they like it. If they understood that having this one species of tree means a loss of 40 other species [of plants], maybe they wouldn’t feel the same way. I don’t see how it is relevant anyway. Yes, conservation has conservative characteristics and it is a bit odd that in the US it is perceived as a liberal cause. This has more to do with struggles over wilderness designation and regulation of access in the American West than anything. When I objected to being called a conservative, I should have been more specific. I do not support or want anything to do with the Republican Party in the United States. Again, climatologists DO have emotional and personal responses to their findings. I don’t see the difference between them and ecologists. Both are dealing with complex systems that are difficult to define, but both have come to very overwhelming conclusions. The connection between INVASIVE species and biodiversity loss is really, really strongly established. I can’t find the list (many pages) of references on CAL-IPC that show this connection. I don’t know why you keep prodding the discussion towards ‘hatred of non-natives’ which is a straw man discussion you are creating… I am talking about INVASIVE organisms, most of which are introduced by humans. [Webmaster: The CAL-IPC is not exactly unbiased in this matter; the fear of invasives is exactly why they exist. But perhaps you could link to one or two species relevant to Sutro Forest, like blackberry or black acacia?] This is a personal issue for me because I have watched too many ecosystems in California be basically ‘crashed’ (like a computer freezing, or an economic collapse of sorts) from diverse, self sustaining ecosystems, to monocultures of 1 or 2 plants. I realize that in 10,000 years the ecosystems will organize into a much more complex form again, but me and anyone I know will be long, long dead before then. [Webmaster: I think you underestimate nature, myself. Within a year, insects, birds and animals will find new niches within that habitat, and start to change it. Other plants will enter and compete. I don’t think it’s going to take 10,000 years to get there. There’s change on a human scale, and change on a scale that’s too small, too fast, too large, too slow. But creating stasis in an inherently dynamic system takes work.] Essentially the ecosystems I love are being destroyed, and when I try to protect them I am compared to racists and xenophobes and the Tea Party. Why not recognize they [native plant advocates] are trying to protect places they love? Gov Pavlicek says: April 18, 2011 at 5:12 pm Okey Charlie, thanks again. I do understand that you feel a loss of what you love in nature and I wish, for you, things were different. I have stated on many other fora about this subject that the feeling of losing something is one of the things that seems to influence people. I understand it. Of course our discussion does not have to be scientific solely although I feel that many of the things being said by nature-adepts come from the current ecological mainstream as can be seen in many organisations turning nativist. I’ll try to separate them. You say: “I guess I don’t understand your point here. Are you saying you support globalization of ecosystems? I don’t understand why anyone would support converting every ecosystem with similar conditions across the world, into the same thing. That’s what happens if you mix up all the plants… the opportunistic ones take over, because their predators aren’t there also, and you lose a lot of diversity.” I have no problem with it. Mankind to me is just a relative new dispersal factor, like the wind, landbridges etc. Regionally, biodiversity sharply rises, with the loss of almost no species. We are talking about thousands of new species at the expense of nearly zero…. So the homogenisation of biota. That is aesthetic. Are New York, Bangkok and Paris boring or the same because of cultural homogenisation? Because opportunists like McDonalds, Starbucks but also pizzerias etc can be found everywhere? I have never heard anyone who visits them complain. They remain unique, though they have changed and share more similarities than before. For the locals, are they losing something with the addition of Starbucks and Mac? Could be. But most like them, otherwise they would not be there. I bring up this example because ecologists themselves bring it up regularly as to show how “bad” this is. They call it the “McDonaldisation” of nature. And as I said: this of course is presented as something we shouldn’t like, otherwise they wouldn’t bring it up. To who do they think they are talking? Not to the majority of people I am sure. Now in nature there are no plants or animals that can establish themselves in any climate, unlike McDonalds. So this won’t happen, but some can be seen in more places. But like cities, these places will remain unique. Marine ecosystems are much more alike because dispersal is easier. Are these systems less interesting?? I don’t think so either. Do you see the difference between the Russian and the Canadian Taiga? Or Tundra? The spruce trees are different but look much alike. Many animals are shared already; like the brown bear, the wolverine, the beaver, the wolf, the fox, the seal etc etc. Only a connoisseur would see the difference. Is any one complaining? Siberia is still very different from Canada, despite the similarities. Anyway: this is not a scientific argument. It is preference. Who is going to notice the similarities? The lucky few. Others now have to travel 10,000 km instead of 100 to see a Sitka spruce forest….So for local people, [preserving native ecosystems means that] they lose biodiversity instead of winning anything. You say: “I understand there is a division between invasive and exotic. I try to be very clear: I am not talking about ‘exotic’ plants but about invasive plants. Only 1 in 1000 introduced plants (or whatever) are invasive… this is true. How does this justify not doing anything about the [0.1%] that cause a problem?” Because ‘invasion’ does not equal ‘problem.’ It equals ‘change.’ To you they are a problem, to me they are not, in general. [Charlie:] “The thing is, you seem to equate ecosystems of plants with human culture. I reject this as completely unvalid. It is unfair to compare invasive plants with Muslims, or otherwise draw connections between human societies and botany. All humans are the same species, and biologically we are even all the same race. We diverged less than 100,000 years ago and since we have long lifetimes, we haven’t diverged enough to form separate species. Also, human societies do not act like plants. It is unfair to compare invasive plant ecology with xenophobia or racism.” I have tried to explain that the way we think about these newcomers is similar. It is not based on science, it is based on our prejudice, fears etc. You fail to see the comparison, may be I am not clear also. Let me cite Dov Sax in a discussion with ecologists (and he himself does peer-reviewed research on invasions and extinction, and is not disputed by his collegues). I could not say it better myself: “So the impacts of exotic species on native biodiversity and ecosystem processes vary widely in kind and magnitude. Whether these are considered to be positive or negative, good or bad is a subjective value judgement rather than an objective scientific finding. “Scientists are no more uniquely qualified to make such ethical decisions than lay people. Scientists are uniquely qualified to collect the facts and interpret their consequences. It is entirely proper for private citizens, including scientists, to be advocates for positions that promote some combination of self-interest and societal welfare. These positions may be based in part on scientific information, such as the documented extent and likely consequences of global warming or a biological invasion. In their professional roles, however, scientists have the obligation to collect, analyse and communicate such information accurately and objectively. When scientists go further and try to impose their own ethical and moral imperatives on society as a whole, they embark on a slippery slope. They risk compromising the principles of unbiased, objective inquiry that are the essence of the scientific method – and the primary reason why society should support and pay attention to scientists. “Don’t get us wrong. As private citizens we authors are enthusiastic supporters of actions and policies to reduce the ongoing loss of global biodiversity and homogenization of the earth’s biota. We also stand by our comment, however, that many scientists, managers, policy makers and lay people have a deep-seated prejudice against exotic species that comes close to xenophobia. This is apparent in the adjectives used to describe non-native species and their impacts – invasive, alien, plague, foreign, aggressive, catastrophic, insidious, destructive, decimating, devastating, damaging,threatening, assaulting and flooding – to mention just a few. But worse than such words are the unsubstantiated, unscientific tales, too often promulgated by scientists themselves, that biological invasions are somehow unnatural and that as a general rule invading species dominate ecosystems and cause economic losses, wholesale ecological changes and extinctions of native species. Sometimes they do, but the impacts vary enormously with the species of invader and the environmental setting. “Moreover, whether these impacts are perceived as positive or negative, good or bad, varies with the moral beliefs of societies and individuals. When scientists claim that their professional credentials uniquely qualify them to make such moral judgements, they exceed their special, time-honoured roles as unbiased collectors, interpreters and communicators of scientific information.” Sax is not the only one. By myself, I came to almost the same conclusions. You said: “If you ask 100 people if they like a tree, of course 60 will say they like it. If they understood that having this one species of tree means a loss of 40 other species [of plants], maybe they wouldn’t feel the same way. I don’t see how it is relevant anyway.” Read again: they were told why [the trees] were cut down. This was rejected by 65%. Only 15% agreed. BTW exactly the same percentage of people support nativist politicians BTW… You said: “I do not support or want anything to do with the Republican Party in the United States.” Well, I can understand that! [Charlie:] “Again, climatologists DO have emotional and personal responses to their findings. I don’t see the difference between them and ecologists. Both are dealing with complex systems that are difficult to define, but both have come to very overwhelming conclusions. The connection between INVASIVE species and biodiversity loss is really, really strongly established. I can’t find the list (many pages) of references on CAL-IPC that show this connection.” Climatologists do so in private and not in papers nor in books for scholars. It ain’t so and I know so. I have done research myself on this matter…I know climatologists and I know those who had to testify for our government. They have not said the development is bad or good. It’s a scientific fact that the Earth warms. What politicans should think about it was up to them. Climatologists in general behave like Dov Sax thinks ecologists should behave, and I agree. Charlie says: April 19, 2011 at 6:18 am [Note from the Webmaster: Charlie notes he doesn’t wish to be referred to as a ‘nativist’ because it usually references people with anti-immigration views.] Have you ever been to California? I don’t mean this in a negative way at all, but unless you have spent a lot of time in California you aren’t going to understand how the ecosystems work. Europe has been occupied by agriculturalist humans for a really long time, and it is true that diversity there is a bit lower. It may very well be that introduced plants fill lost niches there and add diversity without any real loss. That just isn’t true in California. We are in the process of watching everything unravel… well, the end stages of that. You say invasions rarely cause extinction.. well, I say extinction is not everything. Much of interior California was once covered in a bunchgrass and wildflower prairie. This is all gone. Granted much of this is due to factory farming but even in unfarmed areas, the bunchgrasses are quite rare now as are their wildflower cohort. In their place are just a few species: ripgut brome, yellow star thistle, wild oats, black mustard… There are millions of acres covered predominatly by those species and the bunchgrasses are now confined to a few places that the invasive plants can’t tolerate the soil – mostly clay or serpentine soils. They aren’t extinct but they are no longer a meaningful part of the landscape. They weren’t replaced by an equally diverse multicultural tapestry of prairie grasses and forbs selected from around the world. They were replaced by a handful of agricultural weeds. See, when invaders are introduced, we don’t introduce their whole ecosystem. If we plunked an intact California ecosystem and an intact South African ecosystem of a similar climate together, next to each other, on a space colony or something, you’d probably get some really neat mixes, the kind you are describing. Maybe that is even what you are getting in Europe and I could buy something similar happening in Sutro on a small scale. But, on the grasslands, what you have is the ruderal plants from several ecosystems completely crowding out the normal ecosystem process. So you see what I mean about extinction not being everything? Having a bunchgrass clinging to life on a rock is not the same as a million acres of bunchgrass prairie. A few more examples: American chestnut was once the dominant tree in much of eastern North America. This huge, beautiful tree provided food for humans and wildlife, was a centerpiece of the ecosystem, and also had very nice wood. You are probably guessing they were all cut down but they weren’t. The chestnut blight, introduced from Europe, top-killed every chestnut with VERY few exceptions. The chestnut still exists as a coppiced shrub in a few places, so it isn’t extinct. But, the chestnut forest is gone. American elm was decimated by Dutch Elm Disease in much the same way as the chestnut. Woolly adelgids, an insect, are currently killing off most of the Eastern Hemlocks in the same area, and the emerald ash borer may do in most of the ash trees. [Webmaster: And for another example, Sudden Oak Death is killing California’s oak trees. But how is this an argument for preventing those plants that can survive from doing so? These blights are almost impossible to stop, except by quarantines; we can’t chop them down or garden them out. So if the oak goes, and we fell the eucalyptus, we have no forests?] Sound like a diverse globalized ecosystem to you? To me it sounds like a collapsing ecosystem – that is exactly what it is. Similarly, Joshua trees and sajuaro cactus will probably be banished to a few rocky outcroppings in the next 50 years because two grasses – buffelgrass and cheatgrass – are completely dismantling the desert ecosystems of the American Southwest by changing fire regimes. The idea of blended ecosystems might sound nice when you write it down (though to me it sounds horrible because we lose the uniqueness of place!) but nonwithstanding that, it won’t work. There is no way to transport an entire ecosystem, with all of the insects, bacteria, fungi, etc, etc, to a new continent. You will only transfer a few plants.. some become invasive, most die off. So, it seems like you are pushing for McDonalds and star thistle on every hill. I’m hoping we can retain some of the rich ecosystem diversity on the planet instead. As for blurring of ecosystems and land managers, maybe sometimes that is true but all too often the opposite is true, they don’t talk, and poor management decisions are made. Again maybe in Europe it is different… but here in the US, it just isn’t a problem. Steve says: April 18, 2011 at 1:58 pm What would be the benefit of cutting the Eucs down? A bald mountain with some native shrubbery replanted? I can think of nothing worse for Mount Sutro then to experience the cutting down of the grand eucalyptus trees. It would be a travesty. An ecosystem is in place now and it should not be disturbed because some people think it should revert back to a native state. After all, what isn’t native in San Francisco? The peninsula has been transformed totally from its original state. Cutting down the eucs on Sutro would be a trivial drop in the bucket as far as bringing the city back to a more native form. We might as well then tear up Golden Gate Park in order to bring back the sand dunes. After that demolish Inner and Out Sunset/Richmond. Then when we have the sand dunes back, we can move east and demolish everything in our path in order to bring back the native species. In other words, Mount Sutro is beautiful as it is, and serving a wonderful purpose. To disturb it now to appease a few is folly. Gov Pavlicek says: April 19, 2011 at 10:09 am That does not seem to matter. In The Netherlands, forests of spruce which harbour over 400 red list species (most of all fungi, lichens and birds) are chopped down to make way for….heath. Heath cannot exist on its own, so it is constantly invaded by birch, pine and spruce trees. So you need to constantly keep it in check (and I guess then [the response would be]: look how much invasive species cost to control!). [To] what purpose?? Or how about sand dunes? These are just as good and natural as are sand dunes where once a rainforest grew in the Amazon or Africa. In The NL we have 800-1000 mm of rain per year. [Our] climate is a more continental variety of the Pacific North West in the US. Not a place for impoverished sand dunes. Or heath. As is clear if it’s let go: it would become a forest in a matter of decades. Now Scots pine is native, Norway spruce is not considered native even though this is highly debatable. And indeed these forests as mentioned are full of rare species. They are as species-rich as other native forests, but have different species in them. So the best preserved spruce forest over here is considered a goldmine for mycologists who begged the Staats Bosbeheer (State forest service, which is all into getting rid of nonnatives), to save this forest (1000 ha on a scale of 10,000s). Okay, they said they would only thin it….End result: there are still some trees left. But not a forest. They destroyed it completely. The moist atmosphere is gone, because too much sun now penetrates the floor. This is not just an example. This is consistently done. The Dutch Mycological Society commented that this is one of many examples that show the blind hatred these Services and organisations have for non-native species. Another one: Sitka spruce forests. Instead of fungi (although some now grow there since 2008 after becoming extinct in the NL), they are extremely rich in fern species. Compared to any native forest, the number of ferns and the number of species are literally off the scale –100 times more rich in places. Also it is full of lichens. Long story short: it didn’t matter. Even 400400 metres of Sitka spruce had to leave to make way for….well…I don’t know what they wanted but I am positive they did not want it to become one big chunk of blackberry, which it is now….And some Sitka spruce seedlings in it. The ferns are gone. Thank you very much. This also goes on despite uproar by the locals, who are proud of their forests. Not all policy makers are like that, but over here the extremists always seem to have the upper hand…. February 5, 2013 at 8:30 pm Excellent post. Makes a lot of sense. Gov Pavlicek says: April 21, 2011 at 2:51 pm [Well, this is really] about Mount Sutro and its value and, in a broader sense, about more of these kinds of habitats (let’s call them novel ecosystems) that are threatened because some people have an ideology. They use some scientific facts with personal preferences to come to sometimes some dogmatic (religious) views. Charlie, you mention some facts (diseases spread and kill many trees — which is true), but add your personal preferences and views on what is a functioning ecosystem and what isn’t. Like, the Chestnut IS beautiful. Or that some species have been extirpated and are not a meaningful part of the landscape. Or that the ecosystem is collapsing. Chestnut blight….no one likes it. But what does it prove? [Native organisms can also be invasive.] We know that the native Mountain Pine Beetle currently wreaks havoc from Colorado to British Columbia and Alberta. The current outbreak of mountain pine beetles is ten times larger than previous outbreaks. Huge swaths of central British Columbia and parts of Alberta have been hit badly, with over 40 million acres (160,000 km2) of BC’s forests affected. And that is just British Columbia. Some experts have predicted that if the problem is not eradicated, many of Colorado’s mature lodgepole pine forests will be killed within three to five years. Regeneration of decimated forests has begun as the US Forest Service hires loggers to remove the dead trees…. In Europe we have native badgers carrying Bovine TB, causing losses to farmers because cows are infected. We have Birch and Pine constantly invading heath and fields, and thereby limiting the number of red list species that cannot survive in forests…Etc etc… You extrapolate to say that some species will almost become extinct in the next 50-100 years. First of all: extinction like you mention isn’t everything. You are right: it simply happens as long as there is life on this Earth. So the occasional extinction here and there, for whatever reason, is not that much of a deal. Most of all if you consider the current extinction rate because of us in a more direct sense (habitat loss for agriculture — which you mention as a side note). But how sure are you that the current trend will continue? Can’t local species adapt? Can ecologists predict which species will become invasive and which won’t? No. Have they been able to predict the outcome of an ongoing invasion? Rarely. Many times, they have the same anwer if some asks if some species have become extinct: “Not yet.” As if it is inevitable….An example is the Argentinian ant that started to dominate all other ant species in Texas somewhere in the 1980s. It had the upper hand. 15 years later, you had to look for it, according to researchers. The ant is there, but behaves like every other ant…. You note the differences. Any chance of things getting back to how they were? At what cost? Who is going to pay that? Is it for the public good or is it to please the few? In The Netherlands, they have started campaigns to convince people their views are the right ones because currently people, as I have mentioned, do not support it. How come ecologists (among others) do this? Is that something for a scientist to do? Seems again more like a religion. Finally: in many cases the restoration of landscapes will become dependent on money. If the invaders are present, but kept at bay, they won’t be kept at bay once there is no money. At least in NL this is very much the case because with much rain and snow, you [naturally] get a forest in a rather cool climate. It could be broad-leaved, it could be coniferous or a mix. [Thus, keeping areas as open heaths requires human intervention.] I think that if this is the case, it is yet another reason to simply accept the reality. Charlie says: April 23, 2011 at 9:31 am Hi Gov, Thanks for the thoughtful response. I feel like we are in some ways on the same page. But, one of my most important points is one of the ones I seem to be having the most trouble communicating. I have been trying to say the whole time that I strongly believe the native vs non native dichotomy is not what we should be looking at…. but that you are going too far the other way and saying that invasive species should not be managed/dealt with either, because you feel most people want to get rid of them because they are often non-native… There are DEFINITELY native species that are invasive (though Chestnut blight is introduced to North America). Native species most frequently become invasive when something changes in the landscape that throws off the previous balance. When this happens, a native invasive acts the same was as a non-native invasive. I think we should manage/control ANY invasive species if we find that it is feasible. That was my whole point the whole time… I am not (to my knowledge) a xenophobe and am not opposed to ‘non-native’ organisms (I plant plenty in my yard though I avoid invasive ones or those inappropriate to a site) and my entire point was that I think we need to look at species (and people, if you want to continue that analogy) based on what they do, not where they are from. The unusual assemblage of plants on Mt Sutro have obviously formed a complex ecosystem, despite the fact that they are from all over the world. I DO think it is really neat, and people should be spending more time studying ecosystems like this. How can an equilibrium form in just a century? Are the fungi, bacteria, etc, implemented and connected as strongly as a native ecosystem that has been similar for 100,000 years? [Webmaster: Interrupting the conversation to say, maybe yes, maybe no. But if it were removed, the replacement ecology would not even be a century old. It would be brand new, and while it might mimic an older ecosystem, it wouldn’t be* a 100 thousand year old ecosystem. It would be a representation of one, maintained that way with ongoing effort.] If so, what makes Sutro different from some of the other Euc groves I have seen with little diversity in the understory, or worse, an arundo or tamarisk stand with essentially NO diversity. There’s a lot we don’t understand here, and it’s really worth a closer look. I initially came to this site because I was concerned that the blackberry, etc, in the understory might infect other areas with more natural ecosystems, and cause ecosystem collapse. I think I do agree though that because it is in the center of a city, and because there is already blackberry all around the greater area, this may not be justification for removing the blackberry. The native bark beetle problem is often blamed on climate change and I think that is a factor but it seems that the main reason is due to alteration of fire regimes. The trees are too dense, and in some cases too old, so they are more vulnerable to drought and beetle attack. So, they are all dying at once. In this case it is probably too late to solve this problem. This brings up the point that many invasive organisms are that way due to larger scale management issues that need to be addressed. All land on Earth is being managed by humans (no-action is a management choice at this point) and most places have been managed by humans for at least 15,000 years. In Europe this history is much older. But, while we figure out the best way to manage the land, to allow the more complex ecosystems to persist, a variety of invasive species are causing extinctions all over California and other areas. We may ultimately realize that if we use a more appropriate management regime the invasives will go away or ‘behave properly’ as an ecosystem component. But, it could take many decades to figure this out and if we do nothing about the symptom, by the time we figure out what to do about overall management of an ecosystem, most of the components will be extinct or reduced to such a small population size and genetic diversity that they are essentially lost together. What I propose is that we learn the systems, but we also deal with the symptoms before we lose too much to recover. It’s much like holistic medicine… eating well, exercise, mental/spiritual health, etc, etc, are essential to not getting sick, but if you have a potentially fatal disease caused by poor overall practices, it’s better for the patient to take a medicine with somewhat harmful side effects than to die. After we save the patient we can figure out what they can do to avoid getting sick again. In any event, I apologize for any overdramatic or inflammatory contents that I may have made on this website. I also apologize that you have run across so-called ecologists who were racists, bigots, or xenophobes. I also, however, assure you that while we all have our own biases and shortcomings and irrational fears, mine are not the basis of the ecological management regimes I am advocating. [Webmaster: Speaking for myself, I find your viewpoints interesting even in cases where we disagree. Thanks both to you and to Gov for stopping by here.] Gov Pavlicek says: April 24, 2011 at 3:36 am We are on the same page when it comes to our personal preferences and so are the people here. You like what you see (or saw ), like those people over here who love the forest for their reasons. On to invasiveness. If I read what you say, I get the feeling you base your discussion on a lot of theory on imigrant species, neophytes in this case. In short, these are the facts: – The most biodiverse indigenous systems in general carry the most neophytes, which totally goes against the theory that niches are occupied. This does not seem to be the case at all. – Nonnative ecosystems all over the world (US, UK, NL, SPain+Portugal, South Africa, Hawaii and Puerto Rico to name a few) are as biodiverse and in some case MORE biodiverse than the local native ecosystems. – 50% of all species around us are not locally-evolved, but invasions – Large invasions in the past have never led to mass extinctions Apparently this is also true for Euc forests in California, not just the one on Mount Sutro. Exactly the same story is told in Spain and Portugal about Euc forests [i.e., that invasive eucalyptus is supplanting native species], and again it is not true. Especially in the Atlantic NW of Iberia, these forests are very lush. The limiting factor there seems to be not the species, but the rain or lack of it. So how come we hear these stories over and over again? Well if you repeat something long enough, it becomes the accepted reality. How this develops in ecology is studied at the University of Leiden. Two nonnative birdspecies were (and are) perceived to be very invasive, aggresive and prolific; and a threat to local bird diversity. This is accepted by ecologists in the Netherlands as fact. But study revealed that there were no studies done (so they did one), and that in the various scientific works the same subjective material (from observations, not checked with any statistics) was used. At first, it was displayed correctly; but from the fifth scientific paper onwards, exactly the same observation was now cited as a scientific fact and used as such. [Webmaster: I think we have an analogy for this in the “beak-gumming” myth — the belief that birds’ nostrils get blocked when they forage in eucalyptus.] In reality, the nonnative species did not affect avian societies at all — or even supported it! Now I have had some discussions with ecologist on this, but they fail to acknowledge it. In one case a researcher who again found the same conclusions (i.e., the introduced species of birds had no negative effects at all) was approached aggressively. I was in this discussion and it was clear some ecologists could not deal with this information at all. The same is true for research on forests in Puerto Rico. Nonnative trees supported a more diverse ecosystem than the native one. This peer-reviewed research did not get through the review system at first. Not because it was erroneous, but because of the conclusion. The peers, of course, were ecologists who said it was “difficult to make lemonade out of these lemons.” I think the problem is that people who are interested in nature venture into it, see things and are told some things about them. Like in NL where little kids are brought with parents to rip out [“weeds”?] first because they do not belong here. They study things; some become ecologists/ biologists and read these value-laden, indoctrinating wording in their books. Then they go back and tell these things to the new generation. Etc etc…It is so firm in their minds that, on numerous occasions (which is my unsubstantiated view, but supported by some ecologists themselves) they cannot deal with another reality. And in the end, we see people like those over here, who have to fight for what they like [nonnative species] against a dogma that it is something that should be disliked… Some points to restorations and our future: – restorations just do not turn a nonnative based forest into a native one. – What is “native” in 560 ppm world? As I said: the climate change moves zones northward at 7 km/year. Virtually no tree can keep up with that pace, which leads to the following problem: we want the world to be very biodiverse AND we do not want to introduce any species anywhere (many ecologists think that way). These might very well not get together. So habitats will change and many species will be unable to cope with their new climate. If you do not use translocation because of one dogma you won’t reach the other ideal…Many species will become extinct because of a dogmatic view on things. I do not think man is a steward of nature. So our human view, for instance that invasives should be kept at bay, are only valid if it directly hurts us (economically). Well, personally I do not mind that much about economy, but it will go that way. If something directly hurts the economy people are willing to act. If not, they just have less interest. Charlie says: April 25, 2011 at 11:44 am Gov, You said “On to invasiveness. If I read what you say, I get the feeling you base your discussion on a lot of theory on imigrant species, neophytes in this case. ” No, that is not what i am saying. I am saying that INVASIVE species cause damage to ecosystems, regardless to where they come from or why they are invasive. I do NOT dislike species because of where they are from, or advocate removal of species due to xenophobia. I ONLY advocate the management and removal of INVASIVE species. “- The most biodiverse indigenous systems in general carry the most neophytes, which totally goes against the theory that niches are occupied. This does not seem to be the case at all. – Nonnative ecosystems all over the world (US, UK, NL, SPain+Portugal, South Africa, Hawaii and Puerto Rico to name a few) are as biodiverse and in some case MORE biodiverse than the local native ecosystems. – 50% of all species around us are not locally-evolved, but invasions – Large invasions in the past have never led to mass extinctions” Can you provide cites? Some of these go directly against what I have observed! By a ‘nonnative ecosystem’ is – do you mean an ecosystem dominated by one plant? Or do you mean an ecosystem that contains at least one non-native plants? (that includes almost every ecosystem!) Are you sure that non-native ecosystems (whatever they are) facilitate more diversity? What if more diverse ecosystems are more likely to be invaded? Correlation does not imply causation. There is a difference between a species expanding in range, and an invasive species. Lastly, you say that no species invasion has ‘ever’ lead to an extinction, which you have not backed up with any science. It seems patently false but even if it can’t be disproven, there is no way you can prove anything like that. Major extinction events occurred when vast numbers of new species were introduced, in South America by the connection of South America with North America; and Australia by human intervention. North America itself had mass extinctions when the land bridge connected it with Asia, though it may be due to humans. Finally, even if a species is not completely extinct, if an important species becomes rare, it still is a great loss to the ecosystem in general. “Apparently this is also true for Euc forests in California, not just the one on Mount Sutro.” Have you ever been to a Euc forest in California? Have you ever BEEN to California? I freely admit that I’ve never been to mainland Europe and don’t know much about the ecology there. It seems like you are taking what you know about the ecology of Europe and applying it to California which may be why it isn’t accurate. You bring up some valid points about problems with the current scientific/peer review system. I don’t disagree with those points at all. The thing is though that my personal observations strongly back up what the scientists here are saying about invasive plants, in most cases. All science has the potential for bias but what you are saying is that science you disagree with is biased but science you agree with is not. “In one case a researcher who again found the same conclusions (i.e., the introduced species of birds had no negative effects at all) was approached aggressively.” Obviously this is unprofessional and totally uncalled for and that ecologist should not have acted that way! But, you seem to be assuming that every ecologist will act the same way. Please give me the benefit of the doubt rather than assuming I am a xenophobic racist in the guise of a biologist who secretly wants to commit ethnic cleansing on plants. “I think the problem is that people who are interested in nature venture into it, see things and are told some things about them. Like in NL where little kids are brought with parents to rip out [“weeds”?] first because they do not belong here. They study things; some become ecologists/ biologists and read these value-laden, indoctrinating wording in their books. Then they go back and tell these things to the new generation. Etc etc…It is so firm in their minds that, on numerous occasions (which is my unsubstantiated view, but supported by some ecologists themselves) they cannot deal with another reality. And in the end, we see people like those over here, who have to fight for what they like [nonnative species] against a dogma that it is something that should be disliked…” This describes a basic human problem, but it isn’t limited to people who want to remove invasive species. I’ve heard some pretty pro-invasive- species dogma also. “- What is “native” in 560 ppm world? As I said: the climate change moves zones northward at 7 km/year. Virtually no tree can keep up with that pace, which leads to the following problem: we want the world to be very biodiverse AND we do not want to introduce any species anywhere (many ecologists think that way). These might very well not get together.” This is a valid point… species are moving and maybe we do need to move species along. But, you said you were opposed to restoration earlier. Are you only in favor of introducing non-native species? This just doesn’t make sense at all. [Webmaster: I read that to mean that plants that do well in a particular area should be allowed to continue in it, rather than being battled. Not that they should be introduced. ] Also, while temperatures globally are going to warm, there is a LOT of variation in precipitation and temperature effects as well as a variety of positive and negative feedback loops we don’t understand yet. I fully agree that we need to stop burning fossil fuels, and that our doing so will harm us as well as natural ecosystems. But, I don’t think it is yet time to move plants and animals around to the extent you seem to be proposing. “I do not think man is a steward of nature.” I don’t think we act that way right now . But many different cultures have done different things in the past… and we need to do something differently in the future. Hopefully we choose correctly! Gov Pavlicek says: April 29, 2011 at 5:05 pm Thanks again for the thorough response. It is much appreciated! My question: what is “damage”? Give me a description that only is confined to invasive species, and why this IS damage, (and a scientific truth rather than a personal view). You said: Can you provide cites? Some of these go directly against what I have observed! Of course! In these papers or articles about papers you’ll find many, many of the assumptions and sometimes dismay of ecologists reading the new research. They cannot cope with the thought that nonnative ecosystems are functioning very well, from an ecological point of view. 1) First, very on topic. Research from 2002 on species diversity in Euc forests in California. It says species richness is comparable at least with native forests [Webmaster: The provided link did not work, but the one substituted should be okay. This is Dov Sax’s research in Berkeley, presumably.] These links are essentially the same. They describe findings in Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Somewhere in the middle of this, you’ll find that [non-native] Sitka spruce forests in Scotland, as it matures, provides more and more habitat for native wildlife…Also read that only 1-2% of SEMI natural woodland has been preserved…So what is the problem here (again)? Not the neophytes. 4) From Reason.com, an article making the case that introduced species increase net biodiversity, even when they lead to some local extinctions. This is a compilation of short interviews with Dov Sax and Mark King. Not that spectacular but again it notes that nonnative Pine forests in Patagonia provide valuable habitat for native birdspecies There are others, but this is enough for now. Charles said: “By a ‘nonnative ecosystem’ is – do you mean an ecosystem dominated by one plant? Or do you mean an ecosystem that contains at least one non-native plants? (that includes almost every ecosystem!) Are you sure that non-native ecosystems (whatever they are) facilitate more diversity?” Let’s call them novel ecosystems, as there are no ecosystems that solely consist of neophytes either. Indeed these are in general more species rich. There is ample evidence of that readily found on the internet. Charlie said: “What if more diverse ecosystems are more likely to be invaded? Lastly, you say that no species invasion has ‘ever’ lead to an extinction, which you have not backed up with any science.” I don’t believe I said that. I have stated that New Zealand lost 4 species of plants out of 2,069 and got 2,065 naturalised species in return, thus doubling the biodiversity. It was meant in this discussion so let me clarify: no plants have outcompeted others to extinction on any continent. [Extinctions caused by invasive species are] still very rare, as can be seen in New Zealand on Island like habitats (which includes large inland lakes). Most extinctions by invasives are caused by predators or pathogens in those habitats. They still are exceptional, and pale in comparison to the current overall extinction rate. As we were constantly talking about plants in either the US or Europe, that’s what I referred to. Charlie: “It seems patently false but even if it can’t be disproven, there is no way you can prove anything like that. Major extinction events occurred when vast numbers of new species were introduced, in South America by the connection of South America with North America; and Australia by human intervention.” [Surely, the onus of proof is on the other side?] The assumption is that competition leads to extinctions and that this is a big cause of global extinctions. The ones that assert that need to prove it. Not vice versa. The extinctions that HAVE happened have been researched, and competition in general does not lead to extinctions. Not on continents, anyway. According to the research I know of, by James Brown, the fossil record does not support large mass extinctions through land-bridges either. Humans are exceptions on the rule of course, we know that. But scientists are excluding humans from the equation when talking about invasive species…. We have caused many extinctions. But this is about nonnative species. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/science/09inva.html?pagewanted=2 It notes that there is a net increase in biodiversity after historical invasions, not a decrease. It is not there in the historical record. Whether extirpation constitutes a gross loss depends. If the indigenous Lyme disease causing bacteria (Borrelia I believe) is wiped out by one that does not cause any disease, how is this a loss? Or the malaria in the third world? Less extreme: if I do not like the local weed, how is this a loss for me? I don’t like it and it is gone: to me we have gained a nicer ecosystems without the troublesome weed…You seem to imply that every native species is of value to the ecosystem. I can mention a few that add virtually nothing over here. Like English Holly or the Yew. If a newcomer provides more services to the ecosystem but is also the most abundant, does this constitute a valuable addition or is it still an invasive weed? Who can determine that? It is all based on what we see as value or not. It is again subjective. Gov: “Apparently this is also true for Euc forests in California, not just the one on Mount Sutro.” Charlie: “Have you ever been to a Euc forest in California? Have you ever BEEN to California? It seems like you are taking what you know about the ecology of Europe and applying it to California which may be why it isn’t accurate.” We have been over this one. I read papers on the topic. I need not be there. Charlie: “You bring up some valid points about problems with the current scientific/peer review system. I don’t disagree with those points at all. The thing is though that my personal observations strongly back up what the scientists here are saying about invasive plants, in most cases. All science has the potential for bias but what you are saying is that science you disagree with is biased but science you agree with is not.” No, what I am saying is that there are no scientific works that have examined all the extinctions, but one. And that one was done by Dov Sax. It is clear and contradicts what ecologists have said (and still say over and over again). Meanwhile, [that study] is undisputed while it itself disputes the many assumptions about invasive species and extinctions. Apart from that, I have read those invasion ecology books. They themselves, without reference to the Sax paper/s, say invasive plants haven’t caused any extinctions, nor are they expected to (for instance in germany)… I have also read biased, value-laden words so many times — that is clearly not the way to get a student doing impartial research on neophytes and other immigrant species. It is quite obvious one leads to another… I do not want to get into a personal argument, so let’s not go there. Let’s stick to the points we raise instead. On climate change and translocation of species: there are many feedback effects, but there is no doubt that in many temperate zones on continents the 7 km/ year drift northwards of the isotherms is already real. No reason to think it will slow. The implication will be that a number of species (trees) cannot keep up. We can see that from the recolonisation of trees after the ice age. They travel at about 1/10 of that speed at most. I am not against nonnative species at all, so I am not against translocation. However: if you consider introductions harmful, and yet consider global biodiversity extremely important — you will have a problem with climate change. [Because the trees that “belong” will no longer survive, and yet you cannot introduce species that will survive.] September 4, 2012 at 10:14 am There are so few trees in this city, why would anyone want to take away the few remaining trees we have? This is simple….protect Sutro’s trees. September 4, 2012 at 10:21 am Jeannie, thanks for your comment. That’s what we feel, too. Mt Sutro Cloud Forest is a very special treasure in itself. If you’re interested in saving trees across the city, please do look at the website of the San Francisco Forest Alliance at http://www.sfforest.net where they’re trying to protect the thousands of trees planned to be cut down in parks all across San Francisco. Charlie says: September 4, 2012 at 3:10 pm There are so few cacti growing here in Vermont, why would you want to chop down the few that were planted by some confused person last week? The cold will kill them anyway just rabble rousing… on a more serious note I hope El Nino brings Sutro and the rest of CA some good rain this winter. September 4, 2012 at 4:54 pm Hi Charlie! Are you chopping down cacti in Vermont? Thanks for the rain wishes. Mt Sutro Cloud Forest doesn’t need it – it’s wet in there, it’s a century-old Cloud Forest and we get lots of summer fog. But inland California certainly does. February 5, 2013 at 8:05 pm Well said. What the ##&% are these guys thinking? I got blocked from anymore posts on Sutro Stewards. Was just blown off – the guy said I was “misinformed” but didn’t bother to explain his side of it. So what’s a concerned person to think if treated like this when they are concerned enough to post questions? It’s like he’s saying something like, “Because I’m the dad – that’s why” to a little kid that he doesn’t want to take the time to bother with. Charlie says: September 4, 2012 at 5:12 pm I was just talking about fog drip earlier today… it sure does produce a lot of water! December 10, 2012 at 3:47 pm In general I would support getting rid of the Eucalyptus and replacing it with native scrubbiness and redwood and/or oak groves, but I do not trust the long term expansionist goals of the University. As a resident of 50+ years, I know what will happen. For that reason, I am opposed to removal. [Webmaster: Though we don’t agree on the eucalyptus, we recognize that there are indeed trust issues with UCSF. Neighbors don’t believe UCSF will adhere to its commitments, even those in writing, except under pressure. One example is the chain-link-fenced nursery, described HERE.] January 7, 2013 at 2:25 pm There was recently an entry about bats in Glen Canyon and how they are protected here – http://sfforest.net/2013/01/07/bats-about-glen-canyon-park/ Sutro forest absolutely has bats inhabiting on top of all the raptors, songbirds, owls and other residents in the ecosystem. Can you use this fact to fight the deforestation UCSF has planned? Also is there any recent news? They don’t seem to care at all how it will impact neighbors or the animals relying on the established environment dolan eargle says: February 5, 2013 at 3:05 pm Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 2:26 PM I am a retired member of the Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry (1972-96). For many years I lived quite near the Parnassus Campus, walking to work and returning through Mt. Sutro forest. In fact, I cleared one path over a formerly overgrown route. I have ever since enjoyed the feeling of the forest–its relatively unspoiled wildness, the summer drippings of condensed fog, the hooting of owls, the chirping of birds. Then there was a day when someone decided to remove a few eucalyptus trees, so that a pine tree might be more easily seen. Within 2 weeks, a great storm arose –the no-longer-supported pine tree was blown over, causing its removal. So here went 4 or 5 trees for no good reason. Lately, a thoughtful group has improved the existing path of the “Topo Trail” (my name given it because it is nearly level) down to an entrance on the adjoining street. This was a worthy cause, improving experiences of the ancient forest for all comers. As always, the summer fog is condensed from the eucalypt leaves, dripping as much as 8 inches of moisture onto the earth surface every summer. This occurs throughout the forest, allowing it to survive. Thinning the forest could be very dangerous. Now comes a terrific shock: For reasons totally unclear, there is this huge push to “thin” the forest. There has been in San Francisco a group of fanatically-inclined persons who are convinced that any “non-native” tree or shrub or bush should be removed from this city. They have dogmatically adopted a “non-native” cant that must be stopped. They do not realize that this city looked like the Marin Headlands before anything was ever planted here. Yes, Adolph Sutro wanted some wood for his silver mines, planted eucalyptus, then gave up the effort for his own good reasons. Eucalyptus thrives very well in this city and along the coast. I am familiar with other forests like ours–primarily on the Portuguese coast where they are revered, not destroyed. Our forest is NOT flammable, but some would object, having witnessed the flames of some of some dry eucalypts above Berkeley some years ago. Our situation is not at all the same, but the persons convinced by a few fanatics are about to cause significant damage to our campus and our city. Already they have decimated the historic and stately eucs in Glen Canyon Park for no other reason than to move a tennis court! Please do not be swayed by the ugly opinions of uneducated persons. Turn them away. Have them leave our forests alone! I hesitate to add, in a suspicious note–someone is out to try to make a lot of money by persuading the uninformed and those who do not appreciate the spots of wilderness within our city. I attended an earlier concoction of this plan about 12 years ago presented in Millberry Union. A Berkeley bunch came to our campus with a multi-million-dollar plan to try to convince us to do pretty much the same as this new assault. Their scheme was rejected after the folly and outrageous cost of it was seen. Dolan H. Eargle, Jr., PhD Million Trees says: February 6, 2013 at 6:29 pm Mr. Eargle, That is an eloquent and informative letter that you have written in support of our beautiful Sutro forest and I thank you for it. One small quibble, the stupid plan that was presented to the public 12 years ago is the same plan that is now inching closer to implementation. And the same native plant cult is behind it. Fortunately for the forest and its fans, bureaucracies move very slowly. I didn’t attend that public meeting 12 years ago, but it is famous amongst those who aren’t a part of the native plant cult. Critics of the plan were many and noisy, yet UCSF chose to ignore you. It will forever be a mystery how a major scientific institution has managed to get themselves entangled with this cult. Thanks again for your spirited defense of the forest. Charlie says: February 7, 2013 at 5:16 am While most of you would probably still consider me part of the native plant cult, I’ve brought you a fun challenge this time instead of debate. You think your eucalyptus forest is really diverse? Why not document it via citizen science on iNaturalist? http://www.inaturalist.org/ Set up a project and then anyone with a smartphone or a digital camera can join in and help each other ID stuff. Maybe we can find some native plant nerds to go document a coast live oak forest too, see which is more diverse! All of the Euc forests in California I have been in are pretty dead in the understory and bland diversitywise, but it sounds like your forest is different, and if it is truly a novel natural community emerged from plants from all over the world it is worth documenting. Data cuts through dogma, either way. Webmaster: Hi Charlie! Glad you’re still reading, and agree: Data cuts through dogma. Not sure anyone will take up that challenge, and if they gut Sutro Forest it’ll be moot anyway. (Come see it before that happens!) Already there’s a lot of tearing out of understory. In the mean time there’s the research by Dov Sax ( http://milliontrees.me/2011/02/04/biodiversity-another-myth-busted-2/ ) showing oak woodland and euc forest to have similar levels of biodiversity. February 5, 2013 at 7:44 pm I finally heard from one of the Sutro Stewards on the Facebook site after inquiring several times as to what was going on. I then tried to post on his personal page but it apparently went to an “other” folder. Apparently he doesn’t want to communicate with me about this. This right here suggests to me they are hiding something and do not think the public deserves to know what’s going on. And do not think that I deserve to know after I have expressed my concerns several times. The person said I was misinformed but he did not bother to tell me what IS going on. This is exactly what one other dude did when I wrote on his blog (not the Stewards) about my concerns regarding Glen Canyon’s use of poisons and overdone tree-fellings. So naturally I don’t trust him anymore either. Why can’t they be more upfront with those of us who are concerned about certain things? If it were me, I would put out a rebuttal to the public and tell MY side of things to try to get it straightened out, if indeed people are being so misinformed. Webmaster: The Sutro Stewards support the tree-felling project. If they were indeed to write about their side of the issue, we would be happy to publish it here. We are willing to publish and discuss opposing opinions. February 5, 2013 at 8:06 pm BTW everytime I post, I check the two boxes so I can be informed of others’ comments. But this doesn’t work. I do not get any notices. February 6, 2013 at 2:40 am Hi Tony, Sorry about that! We’ll try to figure out what’s going on. February 5, 2013 at 9:49 pm They also got me removed from the Sutro Stewards group for my inquiries re this topic that got no answer, just a “you’re wrong” kind of short comment but no explanation of their own. I imagine they will also now remove all my blogs and pix I posted to the sites. Say, how long does it take for the “your comment is awaiting moderation” message to disappear? Also, if I try to log in with FB, this does not work. I get an error message. Webmaster: The Sutro Stewards are major supporters of the project, and are in fact mentioned in the DEIR. Perhaps they did not want comments questioning the project. As for comments: We do try to clear comments within 24 hours, but sometimes we run out of time. Apologies. We’ll check into the “logging in with Facebook”, too. Million Trees says: February 6, 2013 at 6:35 pm Tony, Thanks so much for trying to engage the Sutro Stewards in a dialogue about their plans for the forest. I have tried to discuss the issues with native plant advocates for over 15 years, so I am very familiar with their refusal to consider any opinions that do not conform to their vision for a native landscape of grassland and dune scrub. Please don’t take it personally. They ignore all dissenting views regardless of the source. They also refuse to read any of the science that refutes their assumptions about the superiority of native plants or the harm they believe is done by non-native plants. They live in the dark. Thank you for your support of our urban forest. Sadie McFarlane says: February 6, 2013 at 7:23 am I have to say, I’m kind of on the side of replacement with native species (eucalyptus are profoundly non-native, and a fire hazard) – but can we afford it, and how long will it take to establish a new forest? I believe the project to do this sort of thing is moving ahead in Glen Canyon – perhaps this project should simply be put on hold until we can assess the results of that. The Golden Gate Recreational Area is quite gung-ho about replacing non-native with native plantings, and not without good reason. As long as there are no plans for anything but a forest on Mt. Sutro, this might not be the horrible idea it’s being made out as. Webmaster: Thanks for your comment! The eucalyptus are certainly non-native (as are most trees in San Francisco, since the place was essentially treeless two hundred years ago). But this forest is not a fire-hazard; it’s in the fog belt, and one of the wettest places in the city – until it’s opened out, which dries it out. In any case, eucalyptus in California is much less of a fire hazard than the native plants that replace them. https://sutroforest.com/eucalyptus-myths/native-plants-are-more-fire-prone-than-eucalyptus/ February 6, 2013 at 2:02 pm It is strange to hear that another tree falling project has befallen SF. The native and non-native argument is just such a laughable false front. There are plenty of non-native people roaming around and I propose to have them all round up and send them back to where they come from. Let re-populate SF with Native Americans who are more sustainable and have less carbon impact then those other people. Yes, if we can do that then we will revert all the history we have in this city. The re-planting sounds as crazy as my joke. Yes, I was kidding. You get the idea. As a member of USCF’s staff, I am ashamed of what is planned for the trees. The campus will not look the same and the environmental impact will be huge. I think the lawyers will have to explore CEQA. The California Environmental Quality Act is the cornerstone of California’s environmental protection policies. A public agency must determine whether a proposed project would have a significant environmental impact. If so, the project becomes the subject of an environmental impact report, on which the public can comment. Those comments must be addressed, and the report must include ways to mitigate impacts on the environment. So is UCSF will pay for the report and increase student tuition again??? and UC have to pay for every challenging law sue raised by anyone who will be effected by this project. Neighbors can challenge the environmental impact to their homes. I think this tree cutting project is a very bad idea and wasteful use of UCSF funds. Webmaster: UCSF has undertaken the Environmental Impact Review under CEQA. Public institutions are allowed to self-certify – they don’t have to call an outside party. (The information and a link to the Draft Environmental Impact Report is HERE ) It’s open for public comments until March 19th. Million Trees says: February 6, 2013 at 6:41 pm Marilyn, Thanks so much for your support of the Sutro forest. There are many mysteries associated with this pointless project, but you identify perhaps the biggest mystery. Where are they getting the money to do this? How can they justify spending money on this project at a time when they have increased tuition to the point that they are impoverishing students and burdening them with crippling debt? It is extremely irreponsible. I am UCB alumnus and UCSF retired staff, so I share your pain that this proud institution is engaging in such a pointless, wasteful project. I’m embarrassed for them. Dorothy says: February 14, 2013 at 11:21 pm In the EIR, I did not see concrete reasons for why UCSF is doing this. Only showing the impact of your intended activities is not enough. Show us WHY you are doing it, back-up with solid, scientific evidence. If you cannot show why this forest is bad for us (not in general terms like fire hazard, native grass and bushes are more fire prone, I come from LA, where native plants burn all the time!), you cannot take down our forest. M Scott says: February 15, 2013 at 10:04 am For those of you that don’t think blue gum eucalyptus is flammable or a fire hazard I’m sure our neighbors in Aromas, CA would disagree. This was just two weeks ago… (Link to Video) As a neighbor I have actually followed this process for several years and recall a member of the SFFD attending one of the first community meetings and clearly stating that if a fire were to take place on Mt. Sutro the SFFD would not be equipped to handle it. I’m sure the webmaster would say that there is no fire danger on Mt. Sutro, but there are dry days there and it doesn’t take much to get a flame moving under the right conditions. Earthquakes are pretty rare out here as well, but does that mean we don’t prepare for them? [Webmaster: Scott, thanks for your comment, and for taking an interest in the forest. Aromas CA, which is South of Watsonville and inland, has a much dryer climate than San Francisco, and the 2-acre Aromas fire was a backyard “controlled burn” that became uncontrolled. Here in the Fog Belt, the fog and the Cloud Forest conditions reduce the fire hazard to Calfire’s lowest rating, “Moderate.” We kept a Fog Log in 2009, a dry year, and found 7 dry days. (That post is HERE.) In fact, fire was only considered as an issue from 2008, when there was an application to FEMA for funds to fell trees. FEMA noted that the UCSF application’s assessment of fire hazard was based on an “INACCURATE INTERPRETATION” of a fire-map, and included the rebuttal by a CalFire Fire Scientist. (That’s HERE.) Our fear is that the planned changes will raise the fire hazard by drying out the forest and encouraging the growth of summer-dry vegetation, recreating the conditions that existed in the era when the forest was being logged. We’ve addressed this issue HERE . We certainly agree with being prepared, but this is not the way to do it. There are far more effective measures possible, especially since we know there is water availability at the summit of the mountain.] February 17, 2013 at 9:32 pm I think before “they” remove the non-native trees and plants, “they” should remove all the non-native people. This action I believe would eventually lead to the whole bay area being more native in people as well as a more beautiful land. February 19, 2013 at 9:48 pm I live a stone’s throw from Sutro. It was one of the main reasons I chose to live and raise my daughter in this part of the City. What a treasure: at the doorstep of urbanity with a forest in your “backyard”? Come on! Want views? Tank Hill – a short walk away. Want “pure native habitats”? Plan a trip to a national park. I’m all for sequoias and native plants, but part of the beauty of Sutro is that it’s a beautiful accident dropped right in our urban laps. So tinker here, tinker there, and let it be. Then thank your personal god we’re not arguing about housing or lab space here. I am not a scientist, and frankly, the whole native vs non-native debate is a non-starter for me – very little of who and what we live among is truly, purely “native”. How many of us reading these posts are truly native to this land? Very, very, very few. We’re all “eucalyptus” transplants for the most part. I’m raising a daughter (4 years old) in this City and every time she enters Sutro her eyes widen with wonder and her finger points straight up to the tree tops. Pardon the shameless sentimentality, but that’s good enough for me. Let’s set aside any purist ideology on this one and just appreciate what we have here. It’s not perfect and needs reasonable management (safety) just like any living space – but what exists now is pretty damn good. And if it ain’t broke, don’t over-fix it. Massive clearing just doesn’t pass the sniff test. Reasonable management does. I don’t look forward to telling my daughter, “When you were a kid there used to be a wonderful forest here. We decided to clear it and plant native species here on principle in 2013. I know we don’t come up here much anymore, but we were really trying to do the right thing at the time.” Keep the trails clear, trim the hedges, and let it be…..see you all at the hearing. February 19, 2013 at 9:56 pm We lived on Warren Drive at the base of Mt. Sutro when I was a kid. I remember playing in the forest with all my friends. We invented “Wolfman Rock” where you had to make a wish before climbing up to the top, the “Hot and Cold Caves” where if you went to the left the caves were super hot, and if you went right, they were super cold. We found an old rug once and pulled on the yarns. They came out in such long pieces that we made spider webs in the trees and tried to coax our dog in to see if he would get stuck (he didn’t). We were 8 years old. Those and more great memories are still with me today half a century later. (that sounds old, doesn’t it?) Forests are more than a debate over this or that species of trees- they are a treasure- the sum of more than their parts. This one in particular gave me an appreciation of nature growing up right in the middle of a city- an appreciation that has lasted a lifetime. A forest is different than a managed, planned park. A forest at its best is wild and free and a place to let your imagination soar. How many kids have had this experience on Mt. Sutro? A lot I’d guess. A lot of quality of life there. It’s one of the places that makes San Francisco such a special place to live. It takes generations to grow a forest like this but they can be ruined quickly by those with limited appreciation of such things. There are precious few wild urban forests anymore, let’s protect them so that future kids (of all ages) can have great wild places to play. June cubacubb says: February 23, 2013 at 5:57 pm Please save MT. SUTRO. Its there for a reason leave it alone. February 23, 2013 at 8:02 pm From today’s Chronicle; This fellow seems to know what he is talking about: http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/Dear-UCSF-Sutro-Forest-is-off-limits-4301650.php February 24, 2013 at 8:15 pm I live at the foot of mt sutro and often hike up there via the stair case on the west slope. I love forests and i love the eucalyptus. Thank goodness UCSF is just thinning the forest, not trying to remove it. I also like views, so I support this plan. We can, in fact, have both a thick old euc forest AND views from a thinned out top! I hope the city one day will cut down the trees on the summit of buena vista too and restore what once must have actually been a buena vista. . . [Webmaster: We think UCSF is being disingenuous. Removing 90% of trees isn’t “thinning.” However, depending on where on the West slope you are, it may be that you’re below the 15 acres that will be left alone even in the next Phase of this Plan.] February 25, 2013 at 11:28 am February 25, 2013 at 12:53 pm I’m going to the meeting tonight. I live in Fairfax and can take up to 3 passengers. Leaving Fairfax at 6pm and returning after meeting. You can reach me at [email protected] ~ Marc February 26, 2013 at 12:24 am Thanks for being at the meeting, Marc. We hope UCSF got the sense of how much people love the wildness of this forest. Peter says: February 26, 2013 at 2:31 pm I can’t believe that San Francisco is going to let UCSF kill 30,000 trees in a time when most cities are trying to combat climate change by planting more trees! If UCSF is going to be in the business of restoring things to the way they were 125 years ago, then maybe they should dig up their Mission Bay campus and let fish swim there again. Sutro forest may not be native, but neither are 99 percent of us. Nothing about San Francisco is native. It’s a city! If Mt. Sutro is deforested, it will become another bald vista point for people to trample, break beer bottles on, and smoke pot while staring at all the unnatural things below them. Just visit Twin Peaks, Turtle Hill, Tank Hill, Bernal Hill and you will see exactly how bald hills are treated. People don’t respect native grass or butterflies, they trample them, have picnics on them, rumble tour busses to the top of them, break bottles, make shortcuts and paths everywhere. Mt. Sutro is beautiful and wild and tranquil and it should be celebrated for that. February 26, 2013 at 3:28 pm It’s fine if you want to preserve Sutro forest because of its aesthetic beauty or its recreation opportunities, but can the argument about climate change please be dropped? It really isn’t scientifically founded upon to claim Sutro forest has any effect on carbon sequestration in any scale significant enough to influence climate change. [Webmaster: Thanks for coming by to comment, Brendan! Of course we do love the beauty of the forest, but we also see it as providing important eco-system services, including carbon sequestration. (Also such things as being a windbreak, slowing water runoff, stabilizing the hillside, absorbing sound, and having a calming effect.) You’re right that nothing on a small scale will influence climate change. But cumulatively, it can make a difference, and tree preservation and planting is probably one of the most important ways to do it. San Francisco is actually planting fruit trees with carbon-sequestering money… and those trees will store only a fraction of the carbon these Sutro Forest trees already keep out of the air. We believe that every tree counts.] Trees like eucalyptus sequester very little carbon, and, in fact, the best way to maintain carbon sequestration would be to cut the trees down and turn them into furniture, which would mitigate decomposition. Living trees store carbon like a bucket with a hole in the bottom stores water. [Webmaster: Actually, living trees store millions of tons of carbon. Here is a Nature Conservancy video on the subject. And – eucalyptus is one of the best trees in the world for sequestering carbon. It grows fast and large, lives for hundreds of years, and has dense wood. Carbon sequestered is proportional to the dry weight of the tree. From a group that is trying to plant trees to stop climate change, “Which trees stack carbon faster than any other trees on Earth? That answer is simple: First is the eucalyptus, second is the giant sequoia…”] Young trees sequester, when adjusted for size, a far greater amount of carbon than old ones, so having a diversity of age and size within the forest would be incredibly beneficial. [Webmaster: Young trees sequester carbon at a greater rate, but older trees sequester larger absolute amounts, because it’s a smaller percentage of a bigger number. Also, Sutro Forest does have a wide variety of sizes and ages, from trees that are under 5 inches in diameter to ones that are 3 feet or more.] Also, early-seral habitats (which some of Mt. Sutro would become) are by far more diverse (with regards to flora and fauna) than a mature forest. [Webmaster: That sounds like an argument for continually disrupting habitats. The plan is to rip out most of the understory and put down a layer of mulch. It sounds like destruction of habitat to us, removing the vegetation that existing fauna – already pretty diverse – depend on. If you consider the whole area, this is the only dense forest remaining. Preserving it would increase biodiversity.] If you want to mitigate climate change by planting trees, you’ll have to head to the tropics and plant quite a few trees down there, as the long growing season allows for maximum carbon sequestration. Also, eucalyptus trees are allelopathic, which means they create an environment in their immediate area that isn’t particularly conducive to growth of understory shrubs and plants. [Webmaster: Have you been in the forest? If it were not for the Sutro Stewards ripping out the understory, it would be really dense, with an understory about 6-8 feet high. That’s how it was when we first started this website in 2009. Look at our header photo. The understory was blackberry, the herbaceous layer was grasses and small plants both native and non-native, and the subcanopy was acaccia, a nitrogen-fixing tree. There’s an ecosystem that’s being destroyed.] This also means that direct neighbors of Sutro forest (meaning your backyard backs up against the forest) have trouble keeping gardens as the soil is very acidic. The simple fix is to have raised flower beds, but come on, San Francisco isn’t about protecting things that don’t allow others to flourish. I’m sorry for the tangent there, but if you want to save Sutro forest, stop talking about climate change and carbon sequestration. It really discounts the arguments made by those that oppose UCSF’s plan. [Webmaster: We do sympathize with the frustration of the gardeners, but have seen some exquisite gardens. Soil amendment may be the answer. As for carbon sequestration, we understand this forest does it exceptionally well, and hope to publish an article about it soon. We’re refining the calculations with input from a professional ecologist who works in this field.] Joshua says: February 26, 2013 at 7:27 pm People need to take action before its too late! Isn’t the city allowed to seize private property (under Eminent Domain) if the land is being misused? SF leaders need to push an emergency hold on this project and look and the possiblity of taking this fragile ecosystem away from UCSF as they are clearly not fit to take care of it. Time is of the essence to block this insane idea. Its like demolishing the Golden gate Bridge! I pray this doesn’t happen. March 2, 2013 at 2:40 pm If the present growth is a hazard then they should be replaced with native TREES. No more building on Mt. Sutro! [Webmaster: The problem is that few native trees will grow in the foggy and windy conditions of Mount Sutro. Only 83% of the trees are eucalyptus – there are others, like acacia, prunus, Monterey pines and cypress, oaks, redwood, and even a casuarina. But only the oak and redwood are native, and neither species likes wind. The oaks are in the Native Garden on the summit, where, ironically, they are doing reasonably well because they are protected by the eucalyptus trees acting as a windbreak. The redwood in some sheltered areas (including the Aldea campus) are doing well; where it’s windy – like down near Farnsworth – not so much. Anyway, the plan is to take down thousands of trees and mulch them, not to plant trees. As to building: UCSF has said it is retaining this as Open Space, as committed by UC Regents in 1976.] Kelsey says: March 4, 2013 at 12:29 pm Leave the trees alone. March 4, 2013 at 4:07 pm The land belongs to UCSF. They should be able to manage it as they see fit. As for the nasty, dank, dark, poison oak, ivy, and blackberry vine choked eucalyptus overgrowth that passes for a “forest” on Mt. Sutro, take a chain saw to it. It’s not worth saving. The hills were bare and beautiful with just some oak scrub in the canyons like the Marin Headlands. That’s how it should be again. [Webmaster: Hi Patrick, thanks for your comment. UCSF is a public institution, and responsible to the public. Anyway, property rights are not abolute. In a city, everyone takes other people into consideration; if you want to expand or change your house, you need approval and must inform your neighbors. The city will consider neighbors’ opinions before granting a permit. If you want to cut down a tree on your own property, if its within ten feet of a road, you need permission. UCSF set up the Open Space Reserve because of the demands of neighbors; until the 1970s, there was an experimental animal facility where the Native Garden is now. As for the forest – perhaps when you look at the mountain, you see Fimrite’s Forest. We have no objection to bare hills, but we cannot agree with destroying existing ecosystems and habitats to achieve them.] March 5, 2013 at 6:29 pm UCSF is doing the right thing. Those Eucalyptus trees never should have been planted; they are an “exotic”, from Australia, chosen by an earlier, less enlightened generation, because they grow fast. The leaves they drop are toxic to native plants that get squeezed out. Their wood is oily and creates a fire hazard. They create an environment that is not suitable for native birds or other species. By replacing them with natives, UCSF will give us a forest that will be much healthier, more beautiful, and safe for humans and the wonderful creatures we love. [Dan, thanks for stopping by to comment. We’ll try to respond to the points you make. The vast majority of trees and plants in San Francisco are “exotic” and many come from Australia or South Africa. San Francisco used to be a place of wind and sand and chapparal – and silicosis. Eucalyptus grows well here, but native trees like redwoods don’t like wind and can only grow where they are protected. And there are a lot of myths about eucalyptus. Native plants can grow in a eucalyptus forest, if they are forest plants. If it’s planted with species that need full sun, like many chaparral species, they will not survive. Opening up the forest raises the fire hazard by making what is essentially a cloud forest much drier and windier. Over 40 species of (native) birds already use the forest as habitat; again, it’s not whether eucalyptus is native or not, but whether they are birds of the forest (like woodpeckers and kinglets), or meadow birds like larks. There’s another myth that eucalyptus trees kill birds; it’s widespread and widely believed – but it’s a myth. CSF doesn’t – according to its DEIR – plan to replace them with native trees; it plans to mulch the trees and spread them on the ground. We think the forest is already healthy, beautiful, and safe. Though many people agree with us – we know not everyone sees it this way. Our fear is that the Plan will make it less healthy, less beautiful, and less safe for everyone. P.S. That’s a great single sentence in your website.] Alex lee says: March 9, 2013 at 2:20 am John says: March 9, 2013 at 8:17 pm Had a beautiful hike in Mount Sutro Forest today and saw a bushtit, a bunch of ravens, an Allen’s Hummingbird, a couple of feral cats warming up in the sun, and lots of animal trails. What a precious thing to have in the middle of a metropolitan city! UCSF’s arguments for doing this are dis-ingenuous, which suggests to me that they have developmental plans for this area. [Webmaster: UCSF has said they will keep the area as an Open Space Reserve.] March 14, 2013 at 3:35 pm March 16, 2013 at 2:26 am I just wish your group could provide some science to back up their beliefs. I have been unable to gather any solid scientific findings the base the movement upon. I think it would be great to remove non-native trees (eucalyptus), and allow the forest to naturally propagate. It would also increase diversity tremendously, since early-seral ecosystems are by far the the most divers. Also, if SF were to not exist, a fire would have come through and destroyed Sutro forest. A managed thinning operation would be tremendously beneficial to the ecosystem. Also, the beautiful thing about forests is that when trees are remove, via natural or human causes, they grow back. Webmaster: Hi Brendan, thanks for stopping by. I’m not sure what you mean about providing science, though – we try to provide links everywhere. Since the forest is largely eucalyptus, if you removed it, you would have no forest and it would not propagate naturally. (Early San Francisco had mostly grass and bushes, not trees.) Would you provide the solid science backing your thought that a managed thinning operation (presumably the one UCSF plans, removing 90% of the trees and understory on the “thinned” acreage, leaving it as mulch on the ground, with the use of pesticides for 5 years to prevent regrowth) would be beneficial? Why is the temporary biodiversity of an early-seral forest (even assuming an early-seral forest would occur with pesticides and mulch) a higher value than retaining a functioning cloud-forest eco-system that’s adapted to the environment over 120 years? As for fire: This is functionally a cloud forest, and damp year-round except where it’s been opened up. The fires that happened here were in the early days when the forest was barely a forest, or when it had actually been thinned by logging. These fire-hazard conditions are what this “thinning” would replicate. March 18, 2013 at 4:19 pm A complex issue: leaving aside the subjective issue of whether or not you like eucs, it’s a decision between preserving a rare urban forest vs. the good native species restoration movement. But in our current era of global warming, I lean in favor of keeping thousands of mature trees on Mt. Sutro doing all they do for so many people and critters: producing oxygen, scrubbing the air, sequestering carbon, providing animal habitat. The other option, clear cutting to recreate a largely native plants habitat would create another of several relatively barren, mostly tree-free hills in San Francisco. Few advocate restoring man-made Golden Gate Park to its original state: sand dunes and seaside vegetation because so many love and enjoy its current fanciful incarnation. So why cut down an entire forest to adhere to a principle? One more reason for leaving Sutro a Forest is the increasingly rare and unusual entity in American: an urban forest our people, our children can PLAY in. Experiencing the joy of wild (or sort of wild) nature is of value beyond words. Only those who grew up with this pleasure will find meaning in these words. March 18, 2013 at 9:14 pm Well said Jack! Hopefully this clear thinking will not be lost on UCSF and the Sutro Stewards group. March 30, 2013 at 12:43 pm Leave it alone! This is clearly just a power grab for those who would run the project. John Cate says: April 15, 2013 at 8:46 am As the deadline for tree removal nears, has anyone brought up the subject of legal action? It would be expensive, but I, for one, would be happy to contribute according to my means to a defense fund. A preliminary injunction to stop the cutting would at least give some breathing space. Saving this forest is critical, and once the cutting begins, even on a test plot, it will be almost impossible to stop. April 22, 2013 at 11:28 pm Stop this right now. Let the forest live. [Webmaster: Slightly edited to delete expletives – sorry!] Jon says: June 5, 2013 at 7:49 pm I’m definitely in favor of replacing the Australian eucalyptus with native plants. If you really care about saving trees, there are thousands of times more trees in actual native habitats being cut down every day. Native species suffer due to that clear-cutting, as opposed to benefiting here. That’s a worthwhile fight. We don’t discriminate between native and non-native. We support those who are trying to save Redwood trees in California and we Stand with Miranda, an activist who is opposing clear-cutting of eucalyptus in Tasmania, and with those who are trying to save eucalyptus forests in California. We recognize some people are willing to destroy an existing ecosystem and treasured resource because they favor native plants. We recognize it, but we don’t agree.] Jon says: June 8, 2013 at 5:39 pm You may also recognize that if native plants and wildlife aren’t protected, then in many cases the massive alteration of habitat by humans will cause native species to die out while the same non-native species spread all over. We’ll end up with a world where Norway rats, black rats, raccoons, English house sparrows, pigeons, ivy, Himalayan blackberry, and eucalyptus trees are all over, but the native wildlife and natural diversity that used to fill the globe is reduced. Not only will that cause the sad loss and reduction of so many native species, but it will make us globally that much more susceptible to catastrophic disease events, both among wild animals and in animal-human transmitted vectors. [Webmaster: Jon, welcome back! We know this is the fear, but really, it doesn’t happen. We suggest “Rambunctious Garden” by Emma Marris as counter to such concerns. In any case, there’s no way to protect all of nature everywhere. And we don’t think sacrificing a treasured forest like this is going to achieve anything positive.] San Francisco used to have a lot of beautiful endemic butterflies that populated its hills. How are those doing? I doubt that any could be found on Mount Sutro as it currently stands. [Webmaster: We think we discussed this back in August 2010… San Francisco still has many different species of butterflies, a few of which are found on Mount Sutro. In any case, we value the beautiful forest we have here now. Twin Peaks, near Mount Sutro, is where SFRPD is trying to reintroduce the Mission Blue butterfly.] June 11, 2013 at 12:01 am There must be a way to stop this? What is our progress so far? [Webmaster: UCSF is in the process of reviewing and responding to the comments, which it will need to do before publishing the final Environmental Impact Report. We have over 3,000 signatures opposing tree removal on Mount Sutro. We hope UCSF and the UC Board of Regents is listening. Meanwhile, please write to the decision-makers: https://sutroforest.com/what-you-can-do/ ] August 17, 2013 at 7:16 pm sad about the forest. Why “thin” out. A green space, kind of wish we could thin out housing developments and strip malls instead. September 13, 2013 at 8:47 pm What! Why destroy a little piece of the past frozen in time? It’s beauty that takes my mind back to the curious thought of “what was the world like before the greedy, selfish man?” November 20, 2013 at 6:16 am A species’ forest is a forest of, by and for all the native species of plants, animals, fungi and soil microbes that occupy or have occupied that place. It is the species’ forest. We serve the species’ forest. To do this we separate the natural landscape from the cultural landscape. A species’ forest is the healthiest forest and is best for the Earth and the climate. All forests can be returned to this state of equilibrium. Easy if you try. Species List Forest, Conway, MA (US) [Webmaster: We find this terminology a little confusing: “all the native species of plants, animals, fungi and soil microbes that occupy or have occupied that place.” Nativists in San Francisco usually use the term “native species” to refer to pre-1769 species. If we include all species that occupy or have occupied the place, then of course we agree. It’s a wild, naturalized cosmopolitan forest, and we would like that state to be preserved.] May 30, 2015 at 3:41 pm They’re TREES! Leave them alone! There is no logic to this cutting or thinning proposal, unless it serves some unknown as yet to the public monetary gain to UCSF. I’m a long time homeowner in San Francisco and I am against tampering with the cloud forest. Tom Roop says: November 20, 2015 at 12:11 pm Mike says: August 18, 2017 at 6:58 pm Thanks for attempting to save sutro forest. I live in Ingleside terraces and can see the forest from my home (front door). I would hate to see just a bare hill with “native” grasses. If it needs thinning then go for it. If there are dead trees that need to be removed remove them but I am against taking out 6000 trees if that’s the correct number but I say leave em alone. Thanks [SaveSutro: Thanks, Mike. We’re trying. While we support removing hazardous trees, we are concerned that “thinning” will weaken the forest by increasing wind speeds, drying out the forest, depleting the soil. https://sutroforest.com/2017/02/23/how-many-trees-in-sutro-forest-and-what-will-be-left/ ] December 17, 2017 at 1:20 am I find the your website really useful, esp in context of my work on urban forests in India. I am following it for updates. As an outreach experiment we had produced our first Podcast on buffer areas of urban forests..here https://muteforce.wordpress.com/2017/12/14/stories-of-buffer-areas/ may be of interest to you. July 5, 2019 at 1:06 pm Is anyone trying to stop it? July 5, 2019 at 3:37 pm It’s been a ten-year battle, involving a lot of time and energy June 3, 2021 at 1:40 pm I grew up right below the tower in the Sutro Forest. When walking there recently, I saw all the trees being cut down. I haven’t followed this situation, but am outraged and saddened. Is it too late to do something? If not, what can I do (besides sign the petitions and contact UCSF etc.)?	190,232
Over August, Parliament went into recess, and that means I can devote more time in Tamworth and our villages. And this August has been a busy month for many people, despite all the Coronavirus challenges! Only 8 miles from Tamworth on the 15th August, the Royal British Legion celebrated VJ day, the official end to the Second World War in the East, at the National Arboretum Memorial. To host such a momentous 75th anniversary is an honour, in memory to those that sacrificed so much over 6,000 miles from home. Our own Royal British Legion held a solemn service outside St Editha’s and I want to pay tribute to them for all the work they do to help and support the veterans of yesterday – and those of today. With socially distanced visits more common, I visited the Shannons Mill Retirement flats in the centre of Tamworth. The team there have done a fantastic job in keeping residents safe but also maintaining that independent living. It is due a refurbishment soon and I met the Midland Heart team to ensure that it reflects the needs and preferences of those that live there. The residents themselves do a fantastic job in maintaining their “secret garden” in the centre of the complex. It really is very peaceful and attractive and a testament to all the green fingers living there! For the whole of August, I have run my Summer of Small Business, highlighting a different business everyday across Tamworth and our villages. We have seen care homes, PPE factories, eateries, shops and even a chocolate factory featured! The positivity and admiration from the community towards our small and independent businesses is well deserved, and by buying from them or using their services it helps to keep more local jobs in Tamworth. One business I was really pleased to visit was Summit Systems in Wilnecote who are making really innovative PPE equipment for any organisation or business working to stay safe from Coronavirus. They have got some great ideas and it was a pleasure to visit them again. A big boost for us here has been the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme, where from Monday to Wednesday during August food and non-alcoholic drinks have been half price (up to £10pp), on top of a VAT cut too. We are serious about getting our economy moving safely again and supporting people as they return to work and leisure. I hope everyone who can do so will try to help out our economy and local businesses by eating out in Tamworth or in one of our local villages. The effect of A-Level and GCSE results has, I know, been felt across Tamworth. Thank you to everyone who wrote to me and I am glad that my colleagues listened to words of parents, pupils and teachers and awarded predicted grades where applicable. It was clear that the algorithm devised by Ofqual (the body the regulates grades and exams) did not win the trust of pupils, schools or universities so rightly we decided to overrule it and allow teachers’ assessments to be used to grade pupils. I think Tamworth is emerging from the ongoing pandemic with gusto and vibrancy. Liberating the Sir Robert Peel statue from his box feels symbolic of this month. August has seen new changes in the way we live, from Government to local initiatives bringing our community back together. We still have a long way to go and there may be some bumps ahead. We must stay on the alert, think of others at all times and stay safe. But we must also get on with our lives and be positive about our future. As always, I am here as your MP to help with any problems you may face, especially in these challenging times, so do not hesitate to contact me. You may also be interested in Keeping Tamworth Strong through Covid19 The outbreak of Covid19 affected just about every resident in Tamworth and the villages, I have been doing what I can to keep Tamworth on track, retain jobs, support those who have lost work, boost access to testing and care, helping schools reopen and ensure that everybody has a roof over their Tourism is currently worth £127 billion to Britain’s economy and as Britain’s seventh largest export industry, inbound tourism’s economic contribution is currently valued at £26.2 billion. We are lucky to have so much on our doorstep that I want to continue to promote. Supporting Great Schools In Tamworth My colleagues in the Department for Education are committed to ensuring that everyone can have the best start in life, and go as far as their talents and hard work can take them. Everybody needs a place to live and this Government is committed to trying to fix the housing market. For many, property prices have become unattainable and it is important to keep building new, quality homes to meet this need. It was great to see the town come together for Tamworth's Christmas lights. Stalls organised by Tamworth Lions, helping to fundraise for charities across our area. Entertainment from Rock School, D-Day Juniors, Bryan Brindley and the one and only Tamworth Pantomime company. Show only Local News Christopher Pincher Member of Parliament for Tamworth In Parliament Promoted by Chris Pincher on behalf of Christopher Pincher, both at 93 Lichfield Street, Tamworth, B79 7QF.	5,389
Original red telephone box extensively refurbished to a high standard and finished in their original red and black livery Each telephone box takes up to 11 weeks to be refurbished Secure one now! Carefully packed, ready to be delivered or shipped abroad. A few Ideas Log Shop History of the famous red phone box. The General Post introduced the famous red phone box on the streets of Britain. At its peak, the GPO network totalled 92,000 public call boxes. Today, owned by British Telecom, the network comprises 46,000 phone boxes, of which 8,000 are red phone boxes . The police service saw with 1000 installed examples how the phone booth its contribution to fighting crime could make. In 1963 the Mackenzie Trench Police Box first appeared as the TARDIS in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who. Britain's pioneering motor organisations, rival Royal Automobile Club and Automobile Association, recognised the value of the phone to its customers. A total of 1,300 sentinels enabled patrols to keep in contact , and their members to call for help. Although advanced technology means these kiosks and boxes are largely redundant , many examples still survive, but the rest get Refurbished and sold to private customers worldwide.	1,267
You are looking for a bankruptcy attorney in Glastonbury, Connecticut and probably want to find the best attorney for the most reasonable price. When filing bankruptcy in Glastonbury, there here are 5 attributes that we look for in bankruptcy attorneys, which are 1) Rate 2) Reviews 3) Relevance 4) Reliability, and 5) Referral. We also care about bankruptcy attorneys who offer free consultations and payment plans. See the table below for bankruptcy lawyers servicing Glastonbury. If you'd like to understand the all-in bankruptcy cost in Glastonbury, we built a free qualification and cost calculator below to estimate fees. Update the zip code if you’d like to refresh the list. Please note that the phone information below will first route to Ascend, and we will check our system for available attorneys who are available for a free phone consultation before transferring you to the attorney. If you'd like to speak directly to a specific attorney below, you should be able to find that information directly on the attorney's website. Rating Click to Call Let's Get You Connected Fill out your information for the local attorney. Please note that the attorney selected may not be the one which contacts you. Glastonbury has a estimated population of 34564. What we found is that folks in bigger cities such as Bridgeport or New Haven like to often have bankruptcy lawyers who are close by. In smaller towns with a population under 20,000, some individuals actually like to hire bankruptcy lawyers far away because of potential angst about other individuals finding out about the bankruptcy hiring. This is why we built the zip code updater, so you can update the zip code to where you’d like to hire a bankruptcy attorney, which potentially might not be in Glastonbury. Do I Qualify For And What is All-In Cost of Bankruptcy in Glastonbury? A Chapter 7 bankruptcy (which is the lowest cost bankruptcy) has qualification requirement, based on the bankruptcy means test. There is also a filing fee, but that fee can be waived in certain situations. Take our free Glastonbury bankruptcy qualification and cost calculator that is based on the official US bankruptcy forms to estimate: 1) Whether you Qualify 2) Whether your filing fee may be waived. 3) The all-in cost of bankruptcy. 4) Comparison of costs, and pros and cons of other options in Glastonbury. How is the Bankruptcy Attorney Rate/Fee Determined in Glastonbury? The bankruptcy attorney fee in Glastonbury is often based on a number of factors. Here are some of the factors: Type of bankruptcy case The complexity of bankruptcy case Amount of bankruptcy lawyer interaction Bankruptcy attorney expertise We had mentioned earlier the population of Glastonbury is 34564. As such, larger cities may have higher attorney fees and smaller towns may have lower attorney fees. For example, Stamford may have a lower bankruptcy lawyer fee than Bridgeport. For example, Glastonbury has a median household income of 120837. So, the income and general cost of living in Glastonbury may dictate the attorney fees. Secondly, the complexity of the case may dictate the cost of the bankruptcy. This is often the case with Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Do you own a home? Are you married? In Glastonbury, approximately 59.4% are married. If you are married and filing with your spouse, you may have additional complexity to the case, potentially in a higher attorney cost. Secondly, are you a home owner? Approximately 79.8% of individuals in Glastonbury own a home. With positive equity, you often check Connecticut bankruptcy exemptions to determine whether you can keep the home. So, if your case in Glastonbury is more complex, your attorney fee may be higher. Okay, let’s dive into how the type of case may result in higher or lower bankruptcy lawyer fees in Glastonbury. Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Chapter 7 bankruptcy is the most common bankruptcy in the United States. Of the 3,336 bankruptcies filed in Connecticut, my guess is the majority of those are Chapter 7 bankruptcies. The Chapter 7 bankruptcy is often more simple. You can get a discharge (forgiveness) of debt in as little as 120 days. There’s often only one meeting and potentially less paperwork. Many people become nervous that they will lose belongings if filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy, but bankruptcy exemptions in Glastonbury can help protect those assets. As such the cost is often less. In Connecticut, the estimated Chapter 7 bankruptcy attorney fee is $1150 - $1650. You can use our free Glastonbury Chapter 7 qualification and cost calculator to estimate qualification and cost. Chapter 13 bankruptcy is a payment plan bankruptcy, designed for those making regular income to pay back a part of their debts. The Chapter 13 bankruptcy is often 3 or 5 years, resulting in monthly payments in coordination with the Chapter 13 Trustee in Connecticut. As such, the Chapter 13 bankruptcy is quite a bit more complex, so the estimated Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorney fee range in Connecticut is $3,000. The fee may be the same across Glastonbury because of what’s called a no-look fee, which is a set rate for the reasonable fee for the service provided. The Chapter 13 bankruptcy fee is often included in the Chapter 13 plan. Before you file Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you may also want to consider Chapter 13 trustee fees, which is an estimated 7.30%%. You can use our free Connecticut Chapter 13 Glastonbury Chapter 13 payment plan calculator to estimate your complete Chapter 13 plan payment, which includes the estimated bankruptcy attorney fees, the trustee fees, and the disposable income calculation. Free bankruptcy consultations are designed to help you know whether bankruptcy is the best option for you. Because you are in financial hardship, many bankruptcy attorneys offer this service to alleviate the burden of another financial expense. You can ask questions related to bankruptcy, and you can also get an estimate of what the bankruptcy lawyer fee will be in Glastonbury. You can also get multiple opinions via free bankruptcy consultations if you didn’t jive with the attorney or you would like to discuss both types and qualification with another attorney. Do Most Bankruptcy Attorneys Offer Payment Plans in Glastonbury? Yes, many bankruptcy lawyers take a payment plan, and I would estimate that would be no different in Glastonbury. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy is already a payment plan bankruptcy, so many Chapter 13 bankruptcy lawyers will take a payment upfront and then include the rest in the plan. In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, many lawyers will take payment plans, but the total attorney fee often has to be paid before filing. If an bankruptcy lawyer in Glastonbury will only take all of the money upfront for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy and not provide payment plans, you may be able to find one that does take payment plans. Just to confirm, you may always want to check which type of bankruptcy you are filing. Some bankruptcy lawyers may offer payments plans or $0 Chapter 13 options, but those may be much more expensive in the long run than doing a payment plan upfront on a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. How Do I Determine If The Bankruptcy Lawyer in Glastonbury is Reliable? One of the most important attributes we look for in a bankruptcy lawyer in Glastonbury is whether they are reliable. The reason for this is that there are certain deadlines that have to take place, and you need someone who will meet those deadlines. Some of the ways that you can determine this is potentially through rating and reviews because that gives you insight into other clients’ experiences. There are biased review sources out there, so our favorite review sites are Google ratings and reviews and Yelp ratings and reviews. We like to sort from the lowest review descending so that you can really get a sense of whether this individual is reliable. See the image before of Ascend Bankruptcy Help’s Google reviews (source), with the lowest rating descending. Filing bankruptcy in Glastonbury is a big decision, so it’s important to have a reputable bankruptcy lawyer if you decide to hire one. The purpose of this article was to show you top bankruptcy attorneys in Glastonbury while providing some insights on how to find a reputable bankruptcy lawyer. For example, you may consider looking at the rate, the reviews and ratings, the reliability, the relevancy, and any referrals to decide whether to hire a bankruptcy attorney. You can also contact us at any time for specific questions about bankruptcy attorneys in Glastonbury or take our free bankruptcy cost and qualification calculator below.	8,851
I have to admit I've been finding it difficult to keep up with this project. Since Fox's arrival I've struggled to find time just to do basic things like getting out of the house or washing my hair. I've managed to still take at least one photo every day but I've started to neglect the blog. I've also found the quality of my work is suffering and on a few occasions I've become frustrated and seriously considered throwing in the towel. But for now I will persevere and see if things get better once I've adjusted (as much as possible) to life with two children and settled into a new routine. Other Apps Comments Unknown 19 April 2013 at 19:01 I just am amazed how you have kept up and retained your own unique vision through having a baby. I was so amazed that I actually told my husband I was amazed!! You are amazing. Keep going, your work is astounding lovely and individual and I love your posts. And if a day gets dropped here or there for the sake of your sanity just look to the bigger picture :-) ReplyDelete Replies dear olive 19 April 2013 at 19:37 Lady, cut yourself some slack! You've just had a baby! Your photos are stunning, some of my favourites. Don't ever think about giving up again. Kellie xx ReplyDelete Replies ::The Beetle Shack:: 19 April 2013 at 19:47 I'm with Kellie. Leaving the house is over rated as is clean hair, don;t even get me started on smooth legs. xxx ReplyDelete Replies Jess 19 April 2013 at 21:56 We're all so impressed with you out here. You'll find your rhythm, it just takes time. I was so dazed after my babies, I often forgot what day it was! ReplyDelete Replies The Stork and The Beanstalk 20 April 2013 at 04:54 Oh yes, the zombie days. I remember them well. You'll find your flow. I don't notice any lacking in terms of quality. It's probably the tired eyes you're looking through. Take a break, if you need to, but you're in deep dog shit if you don't come back quickly, ya hear? ReplyDelete Replies Anonymous 20 April 2013 at 14:55 Hang in there! A bad photo of yours would be a wonderful photo for anyone else. Don't loose sight of what an amazing little piece of history you are creating here for your family to look back on, we won't judge you during the newborn zombie haze. ReplyDelete Replies Unknown 21 April 2013 at 07:47 i agree with the comment above, your pictures make me catch my breath with their beauty, you project is wonderful...i linked to you as my favourite this week in the 52 project as well xxxxxx ReplyDelete Replies Mammasaurus 21 April 2013 at 08:42 Congratulations firstly - last time I visited you were heavily pregnant. Beautiful photo as always, and well on on keeping going! ReplyDelete Replies jasmine 21 April 2013 at 08:52 So sweet. Don't feel bad if you can't keep up. Babies are all consuming!! :) ReplyDelete Replies jo 21 April 2013 at 10:06 i agree with jess, we are all so amazed by your beautiful photos. keep going as best you can, it will be so worth it in the end. x ReplyDelete Replies Angels have Red Hair 21 April 2013 at 10:36 ReplyDelete Replies Maxabella 21 April 2013 at 11:16 Just write and shoot when you can. Babies have a way of making themselves the only thing worth doing in the world! Go gently. x ReplyDelete Replies Preeti Dubey 21 April 2013 at 16:54 Absolutely fantastic capture. Please keep clicking and adding to this wonderful treasure. ReplyDelete Replies Unknown 21 April 2013 at 17:05 This photo has perfectly captured a big sisters love. How beautiful. Your photo is in my top five this week. ReplyDelete Replies little love 21 April 2013 at 17:33 Youre doing so well! It takes a while to adjust but you'll get there! That's a beautiful photo of your little ones x ReplyDelete Replies Erica 21 April 2013 at 21:58 noooooo keep going you bring me so much inspiration. FWIW, I did a project 365 (far less well executed than yours, I must say) and there were days when I really had to force myself to pick up the camera. sometimes it was a snap with my iPhone. I think that's the nature of the project. you can't feel inspired every day. and, my goodness, I could barely blog with one child who was six months old, let alone two little ones! keep going, you're doing great things with your kids and your photography. I'd miss your posts if they weren't here. ReplyDelete Replies Hi,Stopping by from Jodi's project. Just couldn't take my eyes off your lamb and fox photos! So looking forward to following your blog and reading more...please don't ever stop blogging, you are amazing as I find it difficult with one toddler to keep up with normal posts etc...can't even think what it would be like with two! But as everyone else said, whatever you are able to document adds to the precious memories :) I added your capture to my last week's favourites, as they are truly amazing and beautiful pictures! ReplyDelete Replies Anonymous 23 April 2013 at 06:31 GORGEOUS!!!!! Please keep going, I'm always looking for your shots. If you want to see other sleepy shots I have one of my son this week. ReplyDelete Replies Anonymous 24 April 2013 at 00:59 Again, my heart just melted.. You have such a great eye.. Those gorgeous kids sure help too ;) ReplyDelete Replies Dear Lola 24 April 2013 at 12:45 I'm with the ladies, photos are stunning and so inspirational, please don't give up! This pregnant mama (expecting our 2nd) loves dropping by - thanks for sharing xx ReplyDelete Replies Amber {we stood together} 27 April 2013 at 20:03 I am SO impressed with how you are keeping up this blog. I did a 365 last year with two children and it was HARD (and neither of them was a newborn). Just keep clicking, drop the blog aspect for a while if it takes the pressure off and get back to the online side of it when you can. Trust me, you will not regret pushing through this difficult phase when you get to the end of it. I have a book full of my 365 photos and it fills me with so much pride when I flick through it. Some of those photos are VERY dodgy but then there are some moments of pure bliss that I am so happy I took the time to capture.	6,360
Almost 90% of our patients share the same feeling & questions. You need answers, you need clarity and you need assurance that life will be better & you will receive relief and permanent cure to your problem. Get an appointment In Curability Consultation with Dr. Ravi He will help you get the clarity about your problems and find out if there is hope for you. He believes in curing the person in disease rather than the disease in person. This curability consultation is a very interactive session where he listens to you & understands your pains and then give you his expert consultation about your curability. Get an appointment Is Dr. Ravi your Best chance? Don't just listen to us! Let our patients' around the world share their stories about the care they received with us. After struggling hard to cure my year’s long “seborrheic dermatitis”.One day I found Dr.Ravi on youtube and as a ray of hope I have decided to see him at his Lucknow center.I traveled all alone from Dhaka via Kolkata to Lucknow, but due to my late train, I could not reach the clinic.Dr.Ravi was kind enough to see me at "cumsum” restaurant of Railway station as my returning train was scheduled. He had taken my history and plucked two hairs for treatment. I was very skeptical initially of this mode of treatment but as a last resort, I had crossed my fingers. His confidence was well placed and my condition got better day by day, even my year's long stammering problem has been cured. I am so inspired by his technique that being an engineer by profession I have taken admission in Diploma course for Homeopathy at Dhaka to learn and spread this great healing art. Syed Jafar I feel like, it is something which no other medicine can give. It is a very personalized experience. It is to extent that you feel the changes inside you & you are the only person who can tell the change is happening. Over a period you will realize these were the symptoms which were there. Because of this treatment symptoms have gone and you are living a better life. Quality of life definitely improves. This is one way I have taken Homoeopathy. I suggested this medicine transmission through hair to many people, few of them were not able to come, some of them said that they would like to try it for sure. It is about believing or not believing. Actually, the way it is done, people think that it is not possible. I'm a kind who had been benefited by it so I'm propellent of it. Rajeshwari Tiwari After cure of my Mausi for dreaded CSF Rhinorrhea, I have consulted Dr. Ravi for my mother’s various health issues including a brain tumor, kidney stone, and gallstone. Once she developed fever and in an emergency we rushed to nearby Shekhar Hospital and then to Sahara Hospital, somehow she developed Hospital Acquired Infection leading to the constant fever which was resistant to antibiotics. Then I called Dr.Ravi as an alternative hope, he changed her hair from his clinic and she recovered very fast. She is now also free from the kidney stone. Her protein leakage has also been cured by Dr.Ravi. She is still under his treatment and doing fine Karun Tiwari S/O Rajeshwari Tiwari I came to the clinic for Urticaria treatment. Earlier used to have eruption very often. I have consumed more than 1500 Citizen tablets for it and many more. But never got any permanent solution. Since treatment started here my condition started to get better day by day. For more than 1 year I have not got any eruption. Thank Dr. Ravi. Devendra Kumar Mishra In Vitiligo of my daughter, it worked like a magic. It has been cured very soon without any side-effects. I'm happy with the treatment. Mother of Shivangi Suman ( Gorakhpur) I took treatment for PCOD, migraine & thyroid. Now after treatment. I'm blessed with a kid. Now I don't have Any complaints regarding Thyroid. My migraine is also good. Although I can't sleep properly nowadays despite that don't have migraine pain. Only had it one time but with not such intensity. Thank you, Dr. Ravi. Shikha Srivastava This Medicine transmission is like a mobile network... wifi. Everything is good in this system. I wandered a lot for chyluria treatment since last 1 year. Doctors in PGI told that it will never be cured. In KGMC doctors said to inject silver - nitrate. But one of the doctors there advised not to do anything like this. He said to me to avoid fats for the whole of my life. Since I'm taking treatment here I have started taking proper diet. Still avoid poori, parathas but often consumes Non- veg and alcohol, even that doesn't increase my complaints. Chile doesn't appear even after dancing or any kind of exertion. All I need is to take rest as feel little lethargic. RituRaj ( Ambedkarnagar) Doctor, You are a very good doctor and a nice human being as well because you hear your patients and understand their sufferings. I had very much ups and downs during 6 months of initial treatment. I was fed up of taking treatments earlier at various doctors. But ultimately got relief. I came to know earlier that the oral medicine (placebo) was not working. The thing affecting me is medicine transmission so I was not taking those oral pills for long. One of my relatives also taking treatment from here and getting good relief. Rohit Rai Vansh Mishra When I have visited this clinic first time, I was expecting some medicine or ointment for my son’s stubborn trouble. After showing my kid to Dr. Ravi I have seen information written at his clinic of the method of “hair transmission”, but as the last hope, I have tried. I have been to many dermatologists from Lucknow to Balrampur but they offered no permanent results. One of dermatologist suggested me for CAUTERISATION and before that expecting to sign a clinical agreement as if any damage to the eye will happen he will not be responsible. I was scared and left him. Fortunately, I met Dr.Ravi and I have “ no words” to explain my joy of curing my son with such a harmless and gentle way. My wife’s acidity problem has also been cured. Thanks Hi, I am Amir Mohammad from Saudi Arabia. Basically, I am from India from Jharkhand state. Since long I was suffering from digestive trouble including diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain. I had a frequent cramp in the abdomen. One day I have found Dr.Ravi from youtube and contacted him over the phone. He assured me for good result and advised me to send hair. I have started his treatment and now I have no headache and gastric complaints. In fact, I have gained weight as a good effect of treatment. I am almost cured. My treatment for my skin complaint is still on and I am very positive. I was unable to do my business, I used to have attacks of pain and vertigo so severe that I used to get admitted to Hospital very often. There must be an accompanying person to assist me in my travel. Now I am driving a motorcycle from Barabanki to Lucknow and carrying my crate of cold drink. When people saw my recovery they now say definitely it works. My gastric symptoms of IBS has also been cured by Sir. Ratnesh Kumar ( Barabanki ) Over the past three years, I have found Dr. Ravi’s support has helped me greatly in meeting health and life challenges. His profound intuition and extensive practical experience are applied with crystal clarity and deep compassion. Dr. Ravi’s skills as a Classical Homeopath to deeply listen and the ability to articulate what the patient is feeling and experiencing makes him an exceptional Homeopath. You are in good hands with Dr. Ravi. The difference to ‘me’, my ‘wife’ and my ‘father in law’ have been phenomenal after starting his homeopathic treatment through hair transmission. It’s absolutely fantastic. I can’t believe the difference in my health since I’ve been coming to Dr. Ravi. It’s just incredible to me. I don’t have to think about my health anymore. Madhuri Singh I was suffering from severe spondylitis, even I was not been able to move my hand. I had undergone 6 months of allopathic treatment with no response. Then I have taken treatment from Dr.Ravi and has been fully cured under his treatment, My wife has also been cured by His able hand for her Fungal nail, hence I recommend this young dynamic homeopath. Dr.J.S. Chauhan Dr. Ravi’s method of treatment is the most effective and unique. My health issues got resolved in a very short span of time. Most people think that homeopathic treatment is slow. But after taking treatment from Dr. Ravi, I think no other treatment in this world can match the speed. His treatment is like taking an insurance policy, the difference is that your health is recovered quickly and without using any harmful allopathic medicines. I thank Dr. Ravi and wish him good luck in helping people with his unique treatment. Poonam Singh A migraine had made my life like hell, I was suffering since 3-4 years, I was been under treatment by neuro physician but no effect, I was relieved within the first month and remain free from a headache since then. Thanks a lot, sir for your help. Nirlesh Kumar Tripathi I”m fine now. When I tell people that I’m taking medicine with this method, people are surprised. They tell me just be safe as You may get complaints in future …. But I’m quite sure about the treatment as I’m getting relief & believe that I’m going to be cured here. My experience at Dr. Ravi clinic is that you have not to take any medicine orally, my complaint gets better within the half hour if I call the doctor, what a fantastic method, medicine transmission through hair. No need to get scheduled drug doses every time, it's Hassle-free, I highly recommend this Dr. Thanks Nirlesh Kumar Tripathi I'm very happy I got total relief My allergy and Bronchitis (Sinus Bronchitis infections ) and Skin deceases have cured now under the Good treatment by Dr. Ravi Singh I've been taking treatment since 1 Year I never gave up to give a try with many Doctors but Dr. Ravi is the One and Unique He takes care of everything about the patient , I'm writing is less than what He did for me so far , It was the great experience with such a Wonderful Doctor , He's not curing the decease only even also giving a new Life to the Patient who hadn't hope to be cured, Even though I have bad experience with Other Doctors , They criticize to patient by giving a lot of descriptions to follow and avoid and Bla Bla Bla things I've gotta bored with all those prescriptions , then I tried on Google to find a Good doctor after a few searches I found Dr. Ravi's Clinic Website , I had a small conversation via online chat on the Website then I personally visit to Clinic He picked my all query about decease Just started transmission of Drugs . I found some changes inside then I felt wow it's working really I was shocked for a while but that worked for me ....... Now patiently I've cured All credit goes to Dear Dr. Ravi Becoz He deserves it , He's the best Doctor in My Experience Awesome ..... Thank You SO Muchhhh, Dr. Ravi Singh Ji. I salute You're doing such a wonderful job for people to save their lives & hope .. I was suffering from a migraine for more than 6 months, Dr. Amar Singh of Balrampur has referred me to Dr. Ravi clinic. I had the daily migraine attack typically for 20 minutes and disappeared suddenly, allopathic medicines have no effect, even one allopathic physician has said that I m hysterical. I have left my studies due to pain With the treatment of Dr. Ravi my duration and intensity of a headache has decreased day by day and now I am free from a headache. I am doing my regular studies, thanks to Dr. Ravi sir for saving my future. With God grace, I have been cured by Ravi Ji treatment. His miraculous way of treatment by hair drug transmission has amazed me many times. Whenever I have got pain I have called over phone Raviji has changed my medicine from his center and I got relief on the same or next day. With gratitude, I am praying for Dr. Raviji God bless him with all name and fame Raviji ko..once again heartiest gratitude...With Infinite duaaas.. from Muni Ji Sufi.New Delhi I suffered from a migraine last 13 years and depression last 4 years and for 4 months I have taken treatment with Dr. Ravi Singh and recently my aunt was suffered from spondylitis and she recovers without any medicine,It was really an amazing experience of taking the treatment, the way of treatment was kind of very different from other Homeopathic Doctors, and initially I was not very much convinced with this kind of treatment. But the time my treatment started, it was just a magic for me. I was amazed to see the quick recovery from my illness :) Thank you, Dr. Ravi. I would recommend all of you to at least consult once with Dr. Ravi and show your trust in his way of treatment, I am sure you will get the positive results very soon. Best Doctor in the world of Homeopathy, I would like to recommend all the IBS patients to at least consult Dr. Ravi once in life. I have been cured of my disease 99 %, I have lost hope for my life as every good Gastrologist has disappointed me, I have wasted more than 50 K for the test including colonoscopy, endoscopy etc. I am a big fan of his hair transmission technique. Now I have gained my weight from 61.3 to 80.1 Kg. Thanks This is the beginning of the doctor patient relationship and it starts with listening to their pains and having an honest communication about their curability. Check out this video to get an idea about how our patients feel right after their first consulting session.	14,281
CYBAVO — Setting multiple approvers to avoid fund loss in cryptocurrency wallets \| by CYBAVO Inc. \| CYBAVO \| Medium Open in app Write Published in Feb 11, 2019 · CYBAVO — Setting multiple approvers to avoid fund loss in cryptocurrency wallets QuadrigaCX, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in Canada, made the headlines recently for a very unfortunate reason. The exchange CEO, Gerald Cotten, passed away leaving no access to the exchange’s cold wallets. The cold wallets stored $190 million in different cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin Gold, Litecoin and Ethereum, both from the exchange and from its users. All these funds are lost since there is no way to retrieve the private keys. The exchange CEO was solely in control of the entire funds storage. Despite that storing the funds in a cold wallet is a common practice amongst cryptocurrency exchanges — because of the secure nature of this type of storage-, it is highly inadvisable to limit the access to such resources to a single person. The reason is that situations such as the above mentioned can happen, regardless how unlikely they might seem. This single point of failure situation could have been avoided by establishing a multi-signature policy on different cold wallets, requiring M-of-N signatures to access to the funds. The problem of multi-signature wallets is that they usually do not match with the actual business structure. A multi-signature wallet assumes that every signing part has the same authority level. In many companies this is usually not the case. An accountant has not the same approval authority level as the CFO of the company. For this same reason a multi-signature wallet is susceptible to malicious behavior, where some of the signing parts could agree to bypass a legitimate operator. In addition, multi-signature wallets also present a fragmented user experience, requiring different devices and applications. Different operators may use different signing devices, and may need to synchronize using instant messages). This is not only introducing management overhead for each operation, unacceptable for regular transactions, but it also may introduce security weak points. How CYBAVO VAULT solves this problem CYBAVO VAULT implements a multi-level, threshold approval chain which supports M-of-N approvals to sign a transaction. For instance, an exchange CEO could define an approval chain with multiple levels. A first approval level could be established for low amount transactions. These would be for regular operations and would not require the attention of higher-level management. A second approval level could be configured to be required only for transactions above certain amount. For instance, we could establish a second level of approval, only required for transactions above 500 bitcoin, where 2-of-3 signatures would be required for the approval. Finally, a third level of approval could be established for large amount transactions, requiring the signature of either the CFO or the CEO (1-of-2 configuration). A transaction like that would need to be approved sequentially from the first to the third level, in order to be successfully executed. All this approval chain would be executed within CYBAVO VAULT infrastructure. Each stakeholder could easily approve their transaction in a secure way from a mobile phone with CYBAVO Authenticator App, after receiving an “action-required” notification. A properly defined approval policy with a full-stack protected solution like CYBAVO, can help avoiding the risk of a single point of failure in an approval process, reducing the risk of losing the access to the funds. Use CYBAVO VAULT to securely store your crypto assets, manage multi-currency wallets, define different roles and permissions, set up transaction policies for each wallet and user, including transaction limits, address whitelist and approval chain. You can also schedule and automate transactions, and have access to a comprehensive log. Operate your crypto assets as if you would own a corporate bank. Everything from an easy-to-use interface and secured by our cutting-edge protection technology. Learn more about how CYBAVO VAULT can help protecting and managing your company’s crypto assets on our website.	4,393

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