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Excerpt: Storm Chaser Reed Timmer's 'Into the Storm'
The mesocyclone, which is the rotating and rising air inside the cloud, is so powerful that it forces part, if not all, of the cloud to also turn. There's more to the spectacle, too. Miles in the sky, the warm and moist air that fed the growth of the cumulonimbus cloud has finally cooled, causing an upper layer of ice crystals to spread in all directions like a pancake. Now that same guy who was washing his car might look up and see a massive, glistening, flying-saucer-shaped, rotating cloud. If I were him, and this storm were real, I wouldn't be turning my back on the sky anymore.
The rogue cloud structure is now known as a supercell thunderstorm. Pregnant with moisture, wind, and both the warm air coming in and the cooling air spewing out its top and trickling down, the storm roars forth. Thunder. Lightning. Torrential rain. Cold cloud droplets turn into hail and get swept back into the updraft, only to attract more moisture and freeze again, cycling through until the hailstones grow as big as baseballs. Then they finally fall from the sky, kill livestock, smash windshields, and put holes in the roofs of buildings.
I imagine something else dropping from the storm's belly: a wall cloud. It's a signature, block-shaped mass of condensation produced close to the heart of the storm's twisting and ascending updraft. A wall cloud might be only hundreds of feet off the ground, and it can spin like a top.
Here the tornado science gets fuzzy. For reasons that aren't fully known, the wall cloud sprouts a thinner funnel that features an intensified rotation. Responding to pressure and temperature changes, the funnel lowers to the ground even as it sucks air upward. The spinning cloud might get longer and thinner, or it might not. Tornadoes can look like elephant trunks, stovepipes, drill bits, or wedges. They can be straight or crooked. They can range anywhere from three hundred feet to over two miles wide and can spin for a couple of minutes or an hour. They can glisten white in the sun or appear black in the shadows, although they can also turn shades of red, yellow, brown, and pink, depending on the color of the dirt and man-made materials they pull off the ground.
The F5 of my dreams doesn't do colossal damage to people and their property. I've seen all manner of such destruction: rain gutters peeled off by sixty-five-mile-per-hour F0s, large trees snapped in half by hun-dred-and-twenty-mile-per-hour F2s, and neighborhoods reduced to sticks and stones by a three-hundred-mile-per-hour F5. I've encountered semi trucks that have been lifted onto their noses and houses that ex-ploded under the force of the storm.
The F5 I imagine—a bright white stovepipe—spins in the open fields. I get close enough to hear its un-mistakable jet-engine whoosh. I smell the earth as the tornado slashes through shrubbery and trees like some giant-size lawn mower generating the unmistakable aroma of fresh-cut grass. I watch as the lone, imperfect cylinder unpredictably moves one way and then skips another.
When there's no more warm, moist air in the pipeline and the F5 has strangled itself by sucking in its own cold air, the once huge tornado turns into an ever-thinning, twisting rope before disappearing into the ether. |
SUMO versus Ubiquitin: A Fight for Huntington’s Disease?
Ubiquitin may be everywhere, but when it comes to polyglutamine diseases like Huntington’s (HD), SUMO-1 (small ubiquitin-like modifier 1) may have just as much clout, report Lawrence Marsh and colleagues from University of California, Irvine, in today’s Science. The paper raises questions about the toxicity of soluble proteins, small oligomers vs. aggregates, and about repression of gene expression by an offending protein species—all motifs that are under intense study in other neurodegenerative diseases, as well.
Both ubiquitin and SUMO are used by cells to modify proteins post-translationally. Through independent mechanisms, both molecules can be covalently attached to the side chains of lysine amino acids. Ubiquitination, which targets proteins for proteasome-mediated degradation, has been shown to attenuate the toxic effects of polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin, the mutated protein that causes HD. Sumoylation, on the other hand, has been shown to protect some proteins from degradation. It has also been found in neural tissue of Huntington’s patients (see Ue |
Lethal Shade of Green
By: Walter Williams The Washington Times | Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Environmentalists, with the help of politicians and other government officials, have an agenda that has cost thousands of American lives.
In the wake of Hurricane Betsy, which struck New Orleans in 1965, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed building flood gates on Lake Pontchartrain, like those in the Netherlands that protect cities from North Sea storms. In 1977, the gates were about to be built, but the Environmental Defense Fund and Save Our Wetlands sought a court injunction to block the project.
According to John Berlau's recent book, "Eco-Freaks: Environmentalism is Hazardous to Your Health," U.S. Attorney Gerald Gallinghouse told the court not building the gates could kill thousands of New Orleanians. Judge Charles Schwartz issued the injunction despite the evidence refuting claims of environmental damage.
We're told DDT is harmful to humans and animals. Mr. Berlau, a research fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, says, "Not a single study linking DDT exposure to human toxicity has ever been replicated." In one long-term study, volunteers ate 32 ounces of DDT for a year and a half, and 16 years later, they suffered no increased risk of adverse health effects.
Despite evidence that, properly used, DDT is neither harmful to humans nor animals, environmental extremists fight for a continued ban. This has led to millions of illnesses and deaths from malaria, especially in Africa. After World War II, DDT saved millions upon millions of lives in India, Southeast Asia and South America. In some cases, malaria deaths fell to near zero. With bans on DDT, malaria deaths and illnesses have skyrocketed.
Environmental extremists see DDT in a different light. Alexander King, co- founder of the Club of Rome, said: "In Guyana, within almost two years, it had almost eliminated malaria, but at the same time, the birthrate had doubled. So my chief quarrel with DDT in hindsight is that it greatly added to the population problem."
Jeff Hoffman, environmental attorney, wrote on grist.org, "Malaria was actually a natural population control, and DDT has caused a massive population explosion in some places where it has eradicated malaria. More fundamentally, why should humans get priority over other forms of life? ... I don't see any respect for mosquitos in these posts." Mr. Berlau's book cites many other examples of contempt for human life by environmentalists and how they've made politicians their useful idiots.
In 2001, thousands of Americans perished in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. In the early 1970s, when the complex was built, the asbestos scare had just begun. The builders planned to use AsbestoSpray, a flame retardant that adhered to steel. The New York Port of Authority caved in to the environmentalists' asbestos scare and denied its use. An inferior substitute was used as fireproofing.
After the attack, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) confirmed other experts' concerns about asbestos substitutes: "Even with the airplane impact and jet-fuel-ignited multifloor fires, which were not normal building fires, the building would likely not have collapsed had it not been for the fireproofing."
Through restrictions on asbestos use, our naval vessels are more vulnerable to our enemies, a disaster waiting in the wings. The Columbia spaceship disaster was due to the Environmental Protection Agency's demand that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration not use freon in its thermal insulating foam.
Congress mandates auto fuel mileage standards — Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, standards — resulting in lighter, less crashworthy cars. In 2002, the National Academy of Sciences calculated CAFE standards caused 2,000 additional traffic deaths each year. In 1999, a USA Today analysis of government and Insurance Institute data found that since the 1970s CAFE standards went into effect, 46,000 people died in crashes they would have likely survived had they been riding in heavier cars.
None of this is news to politicians. It's just that environmental extremists have the ears of politicians, and potential victims don't. |
King's Men (2500-2000 BC)
One of the stones of the King's Men, a stone circle dating from about 2500-2000 BC. It is almost perfectly round and has a diameter of 104 ft (33 m). Originally, there may have been as many as 105 stones, but today there are 77 stones. Over a third of the stones were put back in place during the site's restoration in 1882. The stones are of heavily-weathered local oolotic limestone. Rollright Stones, Oxfordshire, England. |
God vs. Satan, where did the battle begin?
by Heather Moon 10/28/2012 / Bible Studies
Traditional dualism refers to the state of two parts. In ethical practices, this is typically seen as the battle between good and evil. In religious sectors we note dualism from the viewpoint of Satan vs. God. When considered in these forms, dualism almost seems to refer to God and Satan as two equal parts, of equal strength and position, in the spirit realm. However, it is important to note that this is a biblically incorrect assumption. It is noted in the Bible that Satan is in fact inferior to God since he was created by God to be a heavenly angel, but chose of his own free will to try and overtake God's position of power in the universe and thus was cast out of heaven, into hell. In Isaiah 14:12-20, we see Satan filled with sinful pride, arrogance and self-importance which leads to his belief that he not only does not need God, but that he can achieve equal or greater position than God. There also tends to be a common misconception indicating the human belief that God created evil, but again, this is not so. Evil is not really a created thing, at all. 1John 1:5 shows that there is no darkness in God at all, thus rather the evil we conceive of is the human response of choosing not to follow God's plan. Even anointed angels were equipped with the option to exercise their free will in decision making and when some chose to sin they were cast down from their position on high to revel in the darkness which they had chosen for themselves. The darkness that existed in the beginning as dictated in Genesis 1, before God created the world.
Satan, being the great manipulator and the father of lies, spares no expense at trying to twist the truth of God's love and light in his attempts to become greater and more powerful than his own creator. The lies and manipulation of Satan are intended to pull God's people away from him and engage them in the same sin nature that Satan himself chose, that got him cast down from heaven. If Satan can pit God's people against him then he is one step closer to reaching his ultimate goal of taking God's position. So, those who perceive Satan from the view point of death and destruction need to understand that this is not truly his ultimate goal, but it is a tool he is not afraid to use in crafting his kingdom to be greater than God's.
Because Satan was originally God's creation, he is limited in his power and ability where God is not. Satan is not omnipotent nor does he retain omnipotence, even though he is omnipresent in the world since the fall of man. This is to say that although the work of Satan is present in all of the world at all times, he does not retain God's limitless power nor is he all knowing in the way that God is. In the book of Job we see Satan as the son of God, subservient to God in nature, as a member of the divine council. God is also the ultimate sustainer of all of his creation, even in his desperate sinful nature; God still sustains Satan's existence because of his original sonship and God's merciful nature towards his people.
Although people tend to blame Satan for their own sin nature, this is merely a poorly executed blame game because just as Satan had the free will to choose to do as God directed and planned or to go off on his own direction, the same options apply to all mankind. No person is ever "made" to do sinful acts. Quite to the contrary, human beings were in fact "created" to reflect the character of God, but nothing forces us to do so. If God cannot force us to do right 100% of the time then Satan can no more force us to do evil to one another. It is always a choice, and action or reaction, thought or intention we each make as we either follow the biblical theme of love God has modeled for us or as we follow our own arrogant self-focused desires as Satan demonstrates in our world. The choice is always yours to make and even when the wrong ways are chosen God still promises to sustain and forgive his children. |
Political Economy Analysis of the Teesta River BasinWater governance throughout South Asia has long been dominated by technical perspectives from civil engineering, economics, and international law. Across the region, state actors, scientists, and technocrats have monopolized policy formulation and implementation providing limited space for the expression of legitimate civil society voices and stakeholder interests. In this largely state driven discourse, broader social and ecological perspectives have been underrepresented. Bringing the discourse on water use, sharing, and management closer to affected communities and stakeholders can help to reduce environmental degradation.
In May 2012, with support from the Skoll Global Threats Fund, The Asia Foundation in partnership with civil society organizations in India and Bangladesh began a political economy analysis of the Teesta River Basin. To try and unpack the interests around water governance in the Teesta Basin, the analysis sought to identify and map key actors and stakeholders in the basin, their incentives, relative stakes, and their ability to influence water governance decisions in the basin. |
A Just God?
Why is it that there appears to be a strong correlation between being a 'values' voter who claims that faith in God gives him or her a deep sense of concern over moral issues, and an overwhelming lack of concern over torture, rendition, arbitrary imprisonment, and injustice?
Is it not the case that this God they are supposed to be worshipping is a just God? Why would worshippers of a just God be so eager to throw out virtually all of the basic principles of justice?
Perhaps the point of this post may count as one of those things that I do not read about often because it is too obvious to mention.
I am talking about the apparent connection between 'faith' and being willing to embrace torture, abuse, and injustice.
President Bush's political base tends to be built on a group of people who identify themselves as faith-based voters for whom 'moral issues' are the most important items on their political agenda. The one thing that they rant and rave about more than any other is the 'decline in morality' that they find in contemporary culture.
These are the same people who embrace and, at some point, even cheer the rise in torture, rendition, physical and mental abuse of people - almost all of whom are later determined to be completely innocent of any wrongdoing and released, arbitrary arrest, and indefinite imprisonment without a trial.
This strikes me as an odd combination.
Now, I have seen no official studies that looked into this connection. I am simply reporting what seems to be the case based on my own observations - and all rational people know how unreliable that form of evidence may be. An actual study of this phenomena may reveal that the faith-based 'values' voters that make up Bush's political base are, in fact, the most vocal opponents of these moral crimes.
Yet, I would be surprised if this is the case.
This is not to say that there are no faith-based 'values' voters who are opposed to torture and the other injustices that I mentioned above. It's only the fact that those faith-based 'values' voters do not make up Bush's political base. These are the faith-based 'values' voters who tend to be strongly opposed to President Bush, in part because Bush has so little respect for the principles of justice.
Furthermore, I am not discounting the possibility of non-faith-based 'values' voters who may might support Bush.
I am not talking about a law-like relationship.
I am only talking about a tendency here - a statistically significant correlation between being a faith-based 'values' Republican and embracing torture, rendition, abuse, and other forms of injustice.
I think that this relationship should not remain one of those things that is too obvious to talk about. I think that it is something that should be brought out in the open.
I would like to see it explicitly mention how the faith-based 'values' voters in this election are people who apparently 'value' torture, rendition, abuse, and injustice. I think that making this a part of the public discussion (however much it is possible to do so) will cause some faith-based 'values' voters to think, "Maybe I should not be a defender of torture, rendition, abuse, and injustice? Maybe, instead, I should be defending justice?"
Of course, this way of thinking will run into the thought - "Those people are terrorists! They do not deserve 'justice'!"
This response will come from people who have forgotten that 'justice' means making sure that somebody is a terrorist before we subject them to all sorts of harsh treatment.
We have a system where over 90% of the people who are arrested, taken from their families, imprisoned without charges or a trial, tortured, abused, and held for months or years, are eventually released without a trial - without any charges being leveled against them.
Tomorrow morning, while you are on your way to work, imagine that somebody throws you in a van, hauls you off to a secret prison then tortures you while they ask you questions like, "Tell me what you know about those who hate the United States." While you are being tortured, you realize that the only way to ease the torture is to start telling your captors what they want to hear. You make up stories, and they let you get some sleep. Those stories name your neighbors. Maybe you start with co-workers and relatives you do not like very much. However, they ask for details. You find it easier to give details when you talk about their friends. But, all you really want is to get some sleep.
After a couple of months, you are dumped on a street corner. You suddenly show up at home and you tell the story to your family - those parts that you are not too ashamed to tell. Of course, when you tell your family and friends what happened, you do not mention the stories that you tell your captors.
You are a bit reluctant to tell them those stories. One of the things that you quickly learn is that the people you named in those stories have 'disappeared'. They are now on the list of suspected terrorists because the Americans have gotten information from somewhere that they, too, are involved in anti-American activities.
Then, think about what reaction will be the next time you hear some faith-based 'values' voter say, "These people are terrorists! They do not deserve justice!"
I have noticeed that for many people of "faith" morality is almost always about sexual represion and not about how you treat other people
More on Happiness and Desire Fulfillment
The Republican Terror Campaign
Atheist Strategy and the Wal-Mart Petition
Who is Bush Spying On, Really?
Newsweek on Atheists
Happiness vs. Desire Fulfillment
MoveOn.org: Liars |
Gamble's (Leon Light) Artillery
Drawings from the Olustee
Post Card Set.
Finegan's artillery reserve consisted of the small, seventy-seven man battery of the Leon Light Artillery. The Leon Light Artillery, commanded by Captain Robert H. Gamble, was also known as Gamble's Battery and as the Florida Light Artillery. It numbered severty-seven enlisted men in addition to several officers at Olustee. The officers included: C.E Dyke as second lieutenant and E.W. Gamble as third lieutenant.
At the Battle of Olustee, the whole battery, supported by the 64th Georgia, was sent to the front in advance of Finegan's command to bring on the fight as the armies approached each other. Lieutenant E.W. Gamble's, equally with Lieutenant Dyke's section, had hot work during the time the advanced force bore the brunt of the opening battle while the main force came up. Lieutenant Dyke's horse was shot, but bore Dyke through the fight and did not die until several days after.
The battery consisting originally of six guns had been divided many months previous to the Battle of Olustee. 1st Lieutenant Villepigue was promoted and placed in command of the new battery, and Sergeants P. Houston (Captain Houston) and James May were elected first and second lieutenants respectively. By this division Lieutenant Dyke became 1st lieutenant and Lieutenant E.W. Gamble 2nd lieutenant of Captain R.H. Gamble's battery.
During the battle the battery lost two men killed and five wounded. In addition, two horses were killed and seven wounded. "These accidents among the horses," Gamble wrote in his post-battle report, "threw several teams into confusion, during which two limbers were badly (damaged)." The stampeding horses and gun caissons injured two additional men from the battery.
Owing to continued ill health, Captain Gamble was forced to resign immediately after the battle. In fact, arrangements for his doing so were all but completed prior to the battle. However, Captain Gamble would not leave his post, with a battle in sight, as he was not yet formally relieved. A month after the battle, the battery now known as Dyke's Battery, was ordered to Andersonville where it was stipped of its horses for the use of General Johnson's army.
Earthworks were erected about Andersonville prison which were armed and manned by Dyke's Battery which remained under Dyke's command until the end of the war. The battery was included in the surrender on 10 May 1865.
Captain Gamble's Official Report of the Battle |
Pete Shaw
2 Seeing the Flood Story Through an Ancient Israelite Lens
Pete Shaw highlights the story of Noah to explore how the story would have been understood in ancient times and from there he goes on to explore how we might consider it today.
In this paper, Venema explores several examples in biology where random mutation and natural selection have indeed led to substantial increases in biological information. The question of how new specified information arises in DNA, far from being an “enigma”, is one of great interest to biologists. October 29, 2012
Many evangelicals believe that Young Earth Creationism is the only authentic, biblical way for Christians to understand origins, and that until the advent of Darwin's theory of evolution, it was the only view held by Christians. However, in this excerpt from Saving Darwin, Karl Giberson explains that Young Earth Creationism's origins are surprisingly recent. 12 resources found |
Septal Defects
Septal defects are problems with the structure of the heart. They are present at birth. Septal defects are located on the inside of the heart. They are on a wall that separates the chambers of the heart. There are two upper chambers of the heart called atrium. Two lower chambers of the heart are called ventricles.
In a healthy heart, the blood flows from the body to the right atrium. The blood then goes into the right ventricle. The ventricle pumps this blood to the lungs to pick up fresh oxygen. The blood then returns to the left side of the heart. It enters the left atrium first, then down to the left ventricle. The ventricle pushes the blood out to the rest of the body.
Septal defects allow the blood to move between the left and right chambers. The blood most often moves from the left side of the heart into the right side. This means that blood that has just returned from the lungs may end up being sent right back to the lungs. As a result, both the heart and lungs have to work harder than they need to work.
There are three main types of septal defects:
Atrial septal defect (ASD)—a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers (atrium) of the heart
Ventricular septal defect (VSD)—a hole in the wall between the two lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart
Atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD)—a combination of ASD, VSD, and problems with opening between chambers called valves
The stress of pushing extra blood to the lungs may lead to heart failure. The following information applies to all three of these defects except where noted.
Ventricular Septal Defect
In most cases the cause is not known.
Factors that may increase the risk of septal defects include:
Family history of congenital heart defects
Exposure to a viral infection, drugs, or alcohol during pregnancy
Certain medications, such as those used to treat
Many people with ASD or VSD do not have symptoms. Large defects and AVSD may cause:
Getting tired easily
A septal defect may be found during a regular exam. The doctor may hear a
The heart may be tested. This can be done with: .
Images may be taken of your bodily structures. This can be done with a
Treatment may depend on the type and size of defect. There may be some treatment steps for any complications. Treatment options may include:
ASD treatment options include:
About 40% of all ASDs will close on their own during the first year of life. This is more likely to occur with small defects.
An ASD that still exists at age 2 is unlikely to ever close on its own. If it is not closed in childhood, it may cause problems in adulthood.
Surgery may be recommended in children with ASDs past age 2 years.
Some ASDs can be closed without surgery. A device is placed in the hole with
This is a process that send the device to the heart through a large blood vessel.
VSD treatment options include:
Many VSDs will close on their own during the first year of life. This is more likely to occur with small defects.
Small VSDs that do not close rarely cause problems.
Medium and large VSDs may cause problems. They may need supportive treatment in the first few months of life.
Surgery may be needed in children with defects that cause symptoms or do not close after 1 year.
Most infants with AVSD will have symptoms and require treatment. AVSD treatment options include:
Medication, which can help the heart beat strongly, keep the heart rate regular, or decrease the amount of fluid in the blood flow
Limiting physical activity
Surgery to close the defect
Septal defects linked to congestive heart failure—infants with signs of congestive heart failure may need to take medication
The type of surgery used most often for septal defects is open-heart surgery. The hole is closed with stitches or a patch. In AVSD, the abnormal valves are also repaired.
Living With Septal Defects
Certain septal defects may increase the risk of infections in the heart. You may need to take antibiotics before certain medical and dental procedures to decrease the risk of this infection. Check with your doctor to see if you need to do this. If you do need to take antibiotics, ask your doctor to explain when they may be needed.
Follow these prevention guidelines:
Talk to your doctor before considering pregnancy.
Avoid alcohol and drugs during pregnancy.
Talk to your doctor about ways to reduce your risk of having a child with
. One type of AVSD is associated with the syndrome. |
Today In Williamsburg Virginia
The 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin WallDid you know that Ripley's Believe It or Not! Owns the largest collection of the Berlin Wall in the world?
Monday, November 9th, 2009 will mark the 20th anniversary of the day the Berlin Wall came down. Built with barbed wire and concrete in August of 1961 by the Communist East, The Berlin Wall, stretching for about 30 miles, was a Cold War symbol which separated East and West Berlin, preventing people from leaving East Germany. According to the “August 13 Association” which specializes in the history of the Berlin Wall, at least 938 people – 255 in Berlin alone – died, shot by East German border guards, attempting to flee to West Berlin or West Germany. It stood for 28 years as a division between the Soviets and the Allies. The wall was torn down after Communism collapsed in 1989. During the summer of 1989, tens of thousands of East Germans fled the communist regime. The photos below show the initial building of the Wall in 1961, the fall of the Wall in 1989 and how the sections of the Wall look today. The last group of photos shows comparisons of how Berlin looked with the Wall and how the city looks now that the Wall is gone. With the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall approaching museums around the world will have historic sections of the wall on display, including the Vatican, John F. Kennedy Library, the United Nations headquarters and 13 Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museums.
Yes - Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ripley's owns what is likely the largest collection of Berlin Wall sections in the world - 16 10-by-10 foot sections of the wall, most of which are on display at its museums around the world. So how did a company famous for oddities acquire 160 feet of the Berlin Wall?
"Like most of the country, we were watching the events unfold on TV," said Edward Meyer, VP of Exhibits for Ripley's Believe It or Not! "A couple of people in our company had the idea that something significant was about to unfold and we should get over there as fast as possible."
Meyer was part of a small Ripley's team that was soon on the ground in Berlin. Meyer said "It was one of the most emotional things I have ever experienced. To walk in and out of holes in the wall and experience something that had been impossible for nearly 30 years was truly amazing."
As people around him stuffed chunks of the wall into suitcases, Meyer started scouting for the most interesting sections he could find and prepared to make offers to buy them.
"It was a bit of a free-for-all, because no one really owned the wall," he said. "We received assistance from an American diplomat who shall remain nameless, and we dealt directly with the German military."
Ripley's was soon the proud owner of 160 feet of Berlin Wall - 16 sections that each weighed about 2 tons.
"Buying it was easy. Getting it home was the hard part," laughed Meyer. The sections were taken down and put on a barge and floated up the river to Hamburg and eventually placed on a shipping vessel and sent to the U.S. Meyer won't reveal the purchase price, but says "it cost us about 50 times more to ship the collection to the U.S. than it did to buy it."
Today most of the sections are popular exhibits at Ripley museums around the world. Two of the sections not currently on display will eventually head back overseas to go on display at proposed Ripley museums in Bahrain and Korea.
"We were there for one of the most historic events of the 20th century," said Meyer. "And our collection still serves as a living history lesson today." |
American Craftsmanship: A Q&A With A Modern Day Patriot
Posted on Friday, November 11, 2011 by craneandco One of Crane & Co.’s engraving machines, where workers personalize each piece of stationery. Some of the machines are more than 100 years old.
As a 200-year-old paper company that still calls the same New England town home after all these years, there are two things we here at Crane & Co. put at the top of our ‘important’ list: Writing (without it, we wouldn’t exist) and Americana (since 1801, remember?).
So we were quite excited to hear that a Seattle lawyer with a penchant for all things American was writing a book on businesses born and raised right here in the U.S.A., including little old us. It’s called Simply American: Putting Our Extended American Family Back to Work, and while a date hasn’t been set yet for publication, we decided to chat with the author, John Briggs, about everything from brooms and sneakers to the American Dream.
What inspired you to write this book?
Chronic unemployment in this country. We’ve had this alleged recovery, but we’re not getting people back to work. I started thinking about unemployment, and what struck me is we could create a lot of jobs in manufacturing. A simple errand started my thinking in this direction.
My wife told me we needed to get a new broom. The cheapest broom for sale was a Chinese broom, but next to it was a Libman broom. It was a dollar more, but I noticed it was made in Arcola, Illinois. I tend to be a cheap guy, but I realized the difference in price between the Chinese broom and the broom made by Libman was less than half the price of a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Even for me, this difference in price became irrelevant.
What’s the main focus of your book?
We Americans need to consider making our default shopping choice an American product. A report by ABC News said that if every American spent $66 more on American products each year, we’d create 200,000 manufacturing jobs in this country. And considering that Americans spend $8 trillion each year on consumer goods, we could create a lot of jobs in consumer goods manufacturing in this country if we bought more American made goods.
Crane & Co. stationery is hand-bordered (with lots of love, of course) by skilled craftsmen and women.
What can people expect from this book?
The book will discuss the decline in manufacturing employment in this country over the last 30 years, will offer principles to help people understand the benefits of buying American made consumer goods and feature a host of outstanding manufacturing firms such as Crane & Co., Karen Kane, Hart Schaffner Marx, Wigwam Socks, Allen Edmonds Shoes and Fiesta ware.
How did you come up with the subtitle for your book, Putting Our Extended American Family Back to Work?
ince I began thinking about writing the book, I have been talking to all sorts of people about why they buy the products they do. Often I would be on the bus and see someone wearing a pair of shoes from overseas, so I would talk to them, and ask them, if buying American – even if it cost a little more – meant keeping a family member employed, would you buy that product? They always said ‘yes.’ At our best times, such as after 9/11, we Americans realize that we are all members of an extended family, the American family. The goal of my book is to have us all realize that fact on a daily basis, and to keep that fact in mind when we make our purchases of clothes, shoes, appliances and cars.
Why publish this book now?
The time is right for it. For most of our history, if people were willing to work hard, be it in a factory or an office, they were able to enjoy a middle class lifestyle, to enjoy the American dream. That’s far less available today, and I think that is in large part due to the dramatic decline in the availability of manufacturing jobs over the last thirty years. We need to reinvigorate our manufacturing employment in this country, and you and I can do that by making our default shopping choice American.
What was your first job?
I was a lifeguard when I was 15 or 16 years old. My father was a physician and we were well off, but he made it clear to me that he expected me to work to earn my own spending money. No free lunches.
Describe ‘Americana’ in one sentence.
A pride in the people of this country and the products produced by those people. |
12 Days of Learning | Day 4: Holiday Music
Holiday music is steeped in tradition and is a fundamental part of people’s holiday spirit. The cheerful holiday tunes you hear at this time of the year are unlike any other because they exude love, hope, and joy. You can’t help but smile and sing along any time you hear songs such as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” or “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” on the radio.
Children love listening to holiday music, so make sure you play some in the car and at home. You could even give your kids a radio for their bedroom, so they can fall asleep listening to it at night. It’s important for you to incorporate holiday music in your family’s holiday plans because holiday music is extremely engaging and provides many educational opportunities for children. Teaching children holiday songs, for example, is a great way to introduce new words and help children improve their memorization skills. Encouraging children to play holiday songs with musical instruments can also increase their creativity and help them develop a love for music. If children are younger, give them sleigh bells and jingle bells to ring and hold in their hands.
You can also research the history of holiday music and share any interesting facts you find with your children. TLC’s Christmas Song Trivia is a great place to start. The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) also lists some interesting facts about holiday songs:
“White Christmas” is the most recorded holiday song. It has over 500 versions in a variety of languages.
“Sleigh Ride” was originally written as an instrumental piece. The Boston Pops Orchestra first performed it at Boston’s Symphony Hall in 1948, and it did not receive lyrics until Mitchell Parish added them in 1949.
“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” and “Winter Wonderland” were both written in 1934 and are two of the oldest popular holiday songs still being regularly played on the radio.
The ASCAP also releases a list of the top ten most-played holiday songs each holiday season. The top ten most-played songs in 2012 included the following:
“Sleigh Ride” – Performed by Leroy Anderson
“Winter Wonderland” – Performed by Eurythmics
“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” – Performed by Harry Connick Jr.
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – Performed by the Carpenters
“Santa Claus is Coming to Town” – Performed by Bruce Springsteen
“Do You Hear What I Hear?” – Performed by Whitney Houston
“The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) – Performed by Nat King Cole
“Jingle Bell Rock” – Performed by Bobby Helms
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” – Performed by Brenda Lee
“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” – Performed by Bing Crosby
Which holiday songs do you think will be most popular this year? Share your thoughts and your family’s favorite holiday songs on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Check back tomorrow for Day 5 of our 12 Days of Learning! |
CFR experts give their take on the cutting-edge issues emerging in Asia today.
Impressions of Japan, 2011
by Sheila A. Smith December 22, 2011 A Japan Self-Defense Forces officer smiles as he holds a four-month-old baby girl who was rescued along with her family members from their home in Ishimaki City, Miyagi Prefecture in northern Japan, after an earthquake and tsunami struck the area. (Yomiuri Yomiuri / Courtesy of Reuters)
2011, of course, will be forever remembered as the year of Japan’s “triple disasters.” Only time will tell what this devastating experience will mean for the Japanese people and their society. For so many Americans, March 11 and its aftermath reminded us of why we so admire the accomplishments of Japan, and the civility and humanity of so many Japanese. From Kandahar to Canberra, from Seoul and Beijing, Japan’s friends around the globe responded—in part because of the tremendous scope of the tragedy, but also out of a sense of gratitude for Japan’s own effort to assist and befriend those beyond their own shores.
The impact of the disasters is too broad to discuss here. But as a long time Japan watcher, several aspects of the disaster and its aftermath stood out. The first, and most widely recognized, is the depth of gratitude expressed by the Japanese people for their military, the Self Defense Forces (SDF). As Japan’s “first responder,” the SDF performed search and rescue operations, opened and sustained supply routes, and filled in the manpower for the local governments that lost staff as well as infrastructure and communications. In June, when I visited Ishinomaki, the SDF were just beginning to hand back governance tasks to an inundated municipal staff.
Second, the disasters brought back into focus Japan’s Imperial family as the symbol of national unity. The Emperor spoke out in the early days as the nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi unfolded to remind Japanese to remain calm and to have hope. He and the Empress also traveled back and forth to the devastated regions of Tohoku, visiting evacuation shelters and reassuring those who lost not only their homes but their family members as well.
A third impression I had was how effectively Japan’s civil society coped with the trauma. Corporations and households alike jumped in to conserve energy at much higher rates than anticipated. The nascent disaster relief community was buoyed by an incredible wave of support, so much so that the NGO community found their capacities sorely tested. Volunteers streamed into the devastated areas, rolled up their sleeves, cleared debris, and dug out the remnants of homes from the tsunami’s mud. Anonymous donors left schoolbags, much needed personal goods, and in many instances, large envelopes full of cash for the hundreds of thousands of Tohoku residents stranded in evacuation centers. Nothing spoke louder to me of the national mood than the day that Japan’s women’s soccer team, Nadeshiko Japan, brought the World Cup home. It seemed that Nadeshiko’s victory released the country from the shock of the disasters, allowing a new sense of determination and pride to emerge.
Several other trends in Japan this year were brought into sharp relief by the nation’s challenges. Japan’s process of political transformation remains a work in progress, and the search for a new form of governance and for new political leaders continues to keep all of us Japan watchers busy. We have a new prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda—the third from the new ruling Democratic Party of Japan. Legislators continue to wrestle with a parliament that seems designed more for the old single party system than for the new politics of alternating power. The “twisted Diet” may be with us for some time, but in 2011 it revealed a structural weakness that demands more attention from Japan’s politicians. An effort by the Liberal Democratic Party to vote then prime minister Naoto Kan out of office in June failed miserably, but it called attention to the fact that an opposition party could raid the ruling party in an effort to undermine the government.
Local politicians took center stage this year, however. From the governors of Tohoku responsible for Japan’s quake response to the local mayors in the devastated towns and cities along the coastline, local leaders were the heroes on the front line of disaster relief efforts in Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima prefectures. Okinawa’s intrepid governor, Hirokazu Nakaima, continued his efforts to articulate his constituents’ sentiments in the never ending saga of disconnect between Tokyo and Okinawa. As the year ended, a dramatic electoral victory in Osaka’s double election transformed a governor into a mayor. Once elected, Toru Hashimoto immediately took his cause of reimagining Osaka on the road, and visited politician after politician in Tokyo to alert them that local leaders served their constituents rather than the national decision-makers.
Finally, 2011 has put the economy back on top of Japan’s priority list. The cost of rebuilding in the wake of the earthquake will be far greater than anyone initially imagined, especially if we include the cost of reorienting Japan’s energy policy away from its 30% reliance on nuclear power. The yen soared in value, a defining if uncomfortable reality for those in government and in business. The decision to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership topped the list of “to dos” on the diplomatic agenda, and the drive to open the Japanese economy, symbolized by Prime Minister Noda’s gamble on trade talks with Washington and its partners, brings back some divisive tensions within both of Japan’s political parties.
For all of the political and economic challenges that remain, I suspect that most Japanese will be grateful to see the end of 2011. 2012 will be a brighter year. |
Nagel and Flew: The Ripple Effects of Two Atheists who Abandoned Darwin
by Mike Keas
It is remarkable that an atheist philosopher as prominent as Thomas Nagel announced in September 2012 in his book Mind and Cosmos that “the materialist neo-Darwinian conception of nature is almost certainly false.” While not an intelligent design (ID) advocate, Nagel argues that ID theorists “do not deserve the scorn with which they are commonly met.” He even grants the respectability of Michael Behe’s and Stephen Meyer’s “empirical arguments … against the likelihood that the origin of life and its evolutionary history can be fully explained by physics and chemistry.” The “problems that these iconoclasts pose for the orthodox scientific consensus should be taken seriously,” he concludes on page 10 his book.
When famous atheist philosopher Antony Flew defected from Darwinism in 2003, he went much further than Nagel has recently. Flew became a theist (of the deistic variety). This is espcially remarkable because Flew had been the most notable intellectual atheist in the English-speaking world until Richard Dawkins took up this role. In January 2004 Flew informed the prominent Christian philosopher-historian Gary Habermas that he had become a theist. While he still could not accept special revelation (the Bible, for Christians), he accepted the notion of an enormously intelligent cause of the cosmos and life. In Flew’s words, he simply “had to go where the evidence leads.” He cited the work of the intelligent design community as being instrumental in his change of mind.
What is the ripple effect of high profile intellectuals like Nagel and Flew deserting Darwinian naturalism? William Dembski writes about how it helps "create conceptual space for intelligent design." Dembski observes:
Thomas Nagel, with his just published Mind & Cosmos, has now become another such defector from Darwinian naturalism. Appearing from Oxford University Press and subtitled Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature is Almost Certainly False, this slender volume (it's only 130 pages) represents the most disconcerting defection (disconcerting to Darwinists) from Darwinian naturalism to date. We're still not talking the Berlin Wall coming down, but it's not hard to see it as a realistic possibility, off in the distance, after reading this book.
Because intelligent design is still a minority position that is widely marginalized by the media and mainstream science, it's easy for defenders of intelligent design to wax apocalyptic. Indeed, it's a very natural impulse to want to throw off the shackles of an oppressive and powerful majority, especially when one views their authority as unwarranted and unjust. So I have to keep my own impulses in check when I make comments about the Berlin Wall coming down.... But Thomas Nagel is a very major intellectual on the American scene and his no-holds-barred deconstruction of Darwinian naturalism is just the sort of critique, coupled with others to be sure, that will, if anything, unravel Darwin's legacy.
Nagel is a philosopher at New York University. Now in his 70s, he has been a towering figure in the field, and his essays were mandatory reading, certainly when I was a graduate student in philosophy in the early 1990s. His wildly popular essay "What Is It Like to Be a Bat?" takes on reductionist accounts of mind, and his books Mortal Questions (Cambridge, 1979) and The View from Nowhere (Oxford, 1986) seemed to be in many of my fellow graduate students' backpacks.
... Now Nagel in Mind & Cosmos ... is measured and calm, but he is no less adamant that the bullying by Darwinists needs to stop. Perhaps with Richard Dawkins in mind, who has remarked that dissenters from Darwin are either ignorant, stupid, wicked, insane, or brainwashed, Nagel writes,
I realize that such doubts [about Darwinian naturalism] will strike many people as outrageous, but that is because almost everyone in our secular culture has been browbeaten into regarding the reductive research program as sacrosanct, on the ground that anything else would not be science.
Nagel has nailed it here. The threat of being branded unscientific in the name of a patently ill-supported Darwinian evolutionary story is the thing that most keeps Darwinism alive (certainly not the evidence for it). We saw a similar phenomenon in the old communist Eastern bloc. Lots of people doubted Marxism-Leninism. But to express such doubt would get one branded as a reactionary. And so people kept silent.
When I was working on my Ph.D. dissertation on a Fulbright scholarship in East Germany (before the Berlin Wall came down), I got to meet privately with communist party members who quietly dissented from some components of communism. Having organized one major research conference for ID about six years ago, I am well aware of the growing number of talented graduate students in the natural sciences who are careful to fly under the radar as they do research that challenges specific components of neo-Darwinism (they have to keep quiet about their global doubts concerning Darwinism in order to avoid marginalization). Such students are fired up with more courage to challenge authoritarian Darwinism each time another major atheist like Nagel or Flew becomes a heretic relative to Darwinism. That is one of the ripple effects of defections from Darwinism. Read more of Dembski's November 2012 analysis of Nagel's important new book to learn about other ripple effects. |
Mystery of the disappearing bees: Solved!
bees | environment | food supply | pesticides If it were a novel, people would criticize the plot for being too far-fetched – thriving colonies disappear overnight without leaving a trace, the bodies of the victims are never found. Only in this case, it’s not fiction: It’s what’s happening to fully a third of commercial beehives, over a million colonies every year. Seemingly healthy communities fly off never to return. The queen bee and mother of the hive is abandoned to starve and die.
Thousands of scientific sleuths have been on this case for the last 15 years trying to determine why our honey bees are disappearing in such alarming numbers. “This is the biggest general threat to our food supply,” according to Kevin Hackett, the national program leader for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s bee and pollination program.
Until recently, the evidence was inconclusive on the cause of the mysterious “colony collapse disorder” (CCD) that threatens the future of beekeeping worldwide. But three new studies point an accusing finger at a culprit that many have suspected all along, a class of pesticides known as neonicotinoids.
In the U.S. alone, these pesticides, produced primarily by the German chemical giant Bayer and known as “neonics” for short, coat a massive 142 million acres of corn, wheat, soy and cotton seeds. They are also a common ingredient in home gardening products.
Research published last month in the prestigious journal Science shows that neonics are absorbed by the plants’ vascular system and contaminate the pollen and nectar that bees encounter on their rounds. They are a nerve poison that disorient their insect victims and appear to damage the homing ability of bees, which may help to account for their mysterious failure to make it back to the hive. |
Mary Walton to speak about... » Rutgers Conference Commemorates Community Organizing in the Modern Civil Rights Movement
The determined grassroots efforts of individuals who drove the struggle for Civil Rights during the 1960s will be explored at the 2014 Marion Thompson Wright Lecture Series, Tending the Light: Community Organizing and the Modern Civil Rights Movement, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, at the Paul Robeson Campus Center, 350 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., on Rutgers University’s Newark Campus, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
(Photo by Danny LyonMississippi, 1963: Martha Prescod, Mike Miller, and Robert Parris Moses doing voter registration work in the countryside. Moses is one of the MTW speakers in February.)
The Series’ 34th installment will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Mississippi Freedom Summer and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by illuminating the history of community organizing in the black freedom struggle, the immense amount of work such struggle entails, and the heroic individuals who take it on. The daylong conference features four distinguished speakers: Bob Moses, civil rights movement veteran and president and founder of The Algebra Project; Diane Nash, civil rights movement veteran; Charles Payne, the Frank P. Hixon Distinguished Service Professor, University of Chicago; and Barbara Ransby, Professor of History and African-American Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago. MTW speakers will reflect on the history of community organizing, from the perspective of their personal experience and of their scholarship on the topic, as well as the legacy and lessons of such grassroots work for contemporary politics.
Marion Thompson Wright, the person behind the lecture series, was the first professionally trained female historian in the U.S.
Immediately following the MTW conference, the audience is invited to attend a free reception at the Newark Museum, 49 Washington St., which also features live musical entertainment by The Bradford Hayes Trio. Both the MTW conference and museum reception are free and open to the public.
The lecture series was co-founded in 1981 by Dr. Clement Price, Board of Governors Distinguished Service Professor of History at Rutgers University, and the late Giles R. Wright, New Jersey Historical Commission. Over the past 33 years, the conference has drawn thousands of people to the Rutgers-Newark campus and has attracted some of the nation’s foremost scholars and humanists who are experts in the field of African and African American history and culture. It has become one of the nation’s leading scholarly programs specifically devoted to enhancing the historical literacy of an intercultural community.
The annual conference was named for East Orange native Dr. Marion Thompson Wright, a pioneer in African American historiography and race relations in New Jersey, who was the first professionally trained woman historian in the United States.
The Marion Thompson Wright Lecture Series is sponsored by the Rutgers Institute on Ethnicity, Culture, and the Modern Experience; the Federated Department of History, Rutgers-Newark and the New Jersey Institute of Technology; and the New Jersey Historical Commission/Department of State. The 2014 conference receives additional support from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, the Rutgers Committee to Advance Our Common Purposes, and the Prudential Foundation. |
(M ARCIANUS, Markiânos ) Roman Emperor at Constantinople, b. in Thrace about 390; d. January, 457. He became a soldier; during his early life he was poor, and it is said that he arrived at Constantinople with only two hundred pieces of gold, which he had borrowed. He served in the army under Ardaburius the Alan and his son Aspar; he distinguished himself in the wars against the Persians and Huns. Aspar was a kind of king-maker, and general- in-chief for the East ( magister militum per orientem ), also for a time the most powerful man at Constantinople. But since he was a foreigner and an Arian he could not be emperor himself. Instead he placed a succession of his favourites on the throne. On of these was Marcian. At Constantinople Marcian became a senator and was a well-known and popular person. He was a widower; his daughter by the first marriage, Euphemia, afterwards married Anthemius, Emperor in the West (467-472). He was about sixty years old when Theodosius II died (450). Theodosius II (408-450) had succeeded his father, Arcadius (395-408), as a young child. During the greater part of his reign his elder sister Pulcheria managed the Government. Already during the reign of Theodosius Pulcheria was "Augusta". With her two sisters, Arcadia and Marina, she made a public vow of celibacy. When her brother died all difficulty about the succession was ended by the unanimous choice of her (who had long really guided the State) as empress. Thus began the reign of Pulcheria. Wishing to strengthen her position (it was the first case of a woman succeeding to the Roman throne) she at once made a nominal marriage with Marcian. He seems to have been the best |
Chamber Celloquy details
full booklet
Celloquy Ani Aznavoorian, cello
Lera Auerbach, piano CDR 90000 137
Lera Auerbach’s 24 Preludes for violoncello and piano (1999) receives its world-premiere recording on Celloquy in a performance by Ani Aznavoorian, an award-winning American cellist of international stature, and Auerbach, a Russian-born virtuoso pianist and one of the most widely-performed composers of the new generation.
Auerbach is the youngest composer on the roster of Hamburg’s prestigious international music publishing company Hans Sikorski, home to Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and Schnittke. “Her music is lyrical, passionate, and often seems to straddle the past and present,” observed the host of a recent Canadian Broadcasting Corporation program devoted to Auerbach’s multi-faceted career.
The Chicago Reader called the 24 Preludes “an enthralling work of great invention and power.” The San Francisco Chronicle said, “Each of these short pieces . . . is a lyric poem in music, creating a mood, a melodic notion, or a completely imagined microcosm. . . . The range of Auerbach’s inspiration is phenomenal.”
Aznavoorian and Auerbach have played the 24 Preludes numerous times, notably on stage at the Hamburg State Opera House during Hamburg Ballet performances of Auerbach’s Préludes CV, which incorporates the cello Preludes. The two musicians are longtime friends and collaborators who met as undergraduates at New York’s Juilliard School. POEMS BY LERA AUERBACH
I am choreographing my own discontent.
The days pile up in dried and frugal vanity,
busying maneuvers of ever-moving hands,
swinging pendulum from suicide to sacrifice,
from ecstasy to gratitude within all shades of gray.
The fugue winds tighter;
I still remember its theme, but its countersubject leave me gasping for air.
The counterpoint is poisonous in any larger quantities,
and I don't have an antidote to this infectious music.
My fever is running higher.
The hot fingertips touch the untouchable body of the fugue —
it can't be captured fully in the nets of notes and measures,
it runs away wildly, through the untamable laughter
of gods and daemons, whoever is guarding the gates of sound,
the wailing chimeras of heaven and hell.
I look into the black flame.
Soon it will consume my days, it already freezes my heart, and takes all I still call 'my own,'
turning it into dry harvest which burns — oh, so brightly —
until it's no longer, until it's only ashes, until it returns to dust,
becomes that silent note after the end, but just before the applause
while the conductor's hands are still holding the wings of a musical phrase
and the audience holds its breath as not to disturb the magic;
except no one is waiting for me at the other end, there is no applause nor greeting, no bravi,
but only that moment of infinite loneliness when sound dies.
It is always there, waiting.
As I wake, as I jog in the morning or I re-read my favorite poem —
the one which struck me as true in adolescence —
the Abyss is always just a step away.
If you stare at anything with burning intensity —
you can see the edge of its bottomless mouth.
Keep looking at it through your tears and sweat,
without turning your gaze even once — soon you will notice nothing else.
The Abyss will tempt you to lean even closer.
Others may think you must have gone blind,
but you know — now you see ever clearer.
You start distinguishing black on black, you start seeing the distant valleys.
Once you manage to really focus,
so that the outside noisy light can't disturb your full concentration —
then finally you see deep within the Abyss — another Sun,
and stars of another Universe, calling to you with their flickering dance.
Now you may take this final step, one step that still keeps you away.
As you stand on the edge, leaning ever closer to the great expanse — the empty wow of nothing-ness —
you see how the Abyss, with its wrinkled topography of a world alien to comprehension,
rearranges its valleys and mountains — to form your own face.
An artist with major achievements in the realms of music, literature, and visual art, Lera Auerbach has published over 90 compositions in the genres of opera, ballet, symphonic music, and chamber music. In addition to poetry and prose in Russian, she's contributed to the Best American Poetry blog and writes her own stage libretti. Her 24 Preludes for cello and piano is the basis of Preludes CV, a full-length ballet by the Preludes' dedicatee, John Neumeier, honoring the 40th anniversary of the Hamburg Ballet. Another ballet, The Little Mermaid, has been performed internationally and will be staged by Neumeier in 2013–2014 for Beijing, Hamburg, and Moscow. Auerbach’s a-cappella opera, The Blind, will be performed in Moscow and New York.
The 24 Preludes, written in 1999, continue a long line of musical tradition, from the Well-Tempered Clavier of Bach through the preludes of Chopin and Debussy to similar cycles by Shostakovich. Ms. Auerbach writes: “Re-establishing the value and expressive possibilities of all major and minor tonalities is as valid at the beginning of the 21st century as it was during Bach's time, especially if we consider the aesthetics of Western music and its travels in this regard — or disregard — to tonality during the last century. The 24 Preludes follow the circle of fifths, thus covering the entire tonal spectrum.” Musicians start the circle of fifths with the key of C major and its relative minor, A minor, and proceed through the "sharp" keys — G major and E minor, one sharp, D major and B minor, two sharps, etc. — then turn back through the "flat" keys, like G-flat major/E-flat minor, A-flat major/F minor, until we reach F major/D minor and the circle is complete.
About the Preludes, Ms. Auerbach continues:
In writing this work I wished to create a continuum that would allow these short pieces to be united as one single composition. The challenge was not only to write a meaningful and complete prelude that may be only a minute long, but also for this short piece to be an organic part of a larger composition with its own form. Looking at something familiar yet from an unexpected perspective is one of the peculiar characteristics of these pieces — they are often not what they appear to be at first glance. The context and order of preludes is important for their understanding.
Combining lyricism with fierce tonal clashes, the Preludes demand extreme virtuosity from both cellist and pianist. Heard throughout the cycle are the extremes of range: both instruments move from very low to very high registers. There's an abundance of sonic special effects: for the pianist, tone clusters or thick, cluster-like chords, plus highly complex run passages. The cellist is constantly changing from arco (bowed) playing to pizzicato (plucked) motives and often playing harmonics: faint, echoing tones produced by a finger only partially depressing the string. There are an abundance of glissando passages (sliding through a quick succession of notes) for the cello and frequent directions to play "sul ponticello," on the bridge, the small piece of wood that separates the bottom of the strings from the resonating body of the instrument. Drawing the bow close to the bridge creates a dry, harsh sound that dramatically contrasts with the smooth tone we're accustomed to hearing from this instrument.
Each prelude is cast in a traditional key. Many sound quite tonal, while others are tangles of dissonance. They repay repeated hearing as a cycle, especially to hear Auerbach's fascination with themes constructed on intervals of a minor second (e.g., C to C-sharp) and a seventh (e.g. C to the B-flat or B above). Many of the preludes end quietly, echoing the line from Lera’s poem, Fugue: "the moment of infinite loneliness when sound dies."
The tempo markings are the best guide to the individual character of the preludes: No. 3 in G major, marked Andante misterioso, ends with haunting microtonal quarter-tone trills in the cello part, and the following No. 4 in E minor, marked Allegro obsessivo, is a perpetual-motion machine. No. 5 in D major begins and ends melodically but turns violent in the middle. No. 8 in F-sharp minor is a soulful, bluesy lament. No. 9 in E major is mostly a cello solo, until low piano octaves appear out of nowhere leading to a fff cluster chord that connects to the next prelude. The tempo marking for No. 10 in C-sharp minor contains the word Sognando (dreaming) it's an ethereal combination of staccato piano notes with pizzicato cello that creates a very distant sound.
With Prelude No. 12 in G-sharp minor we reach a turning point: the following preludes will take us back through the circle of fifths on the "flat" side. An Adagio, No. 12 starts with an achingly beautiful cello theme, but when it's repeated it's played "with a disturbing sound," the string player seems to be mocking her own song, punctuated by increasingly disquieting undertones from the chromatic piano part.
Prelude No. 13 in G-flat major is for cello alone. The piano starts off No.14 in E-flat minor with the dynamic marking “mp un poco grottesco;” this Allegretto scherzando (joking) turns out to be a sardonic variation on the overture to Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Although No. 16 in B-flat minor is labeled Tempo di Valse, it's a grotesque little rondo unlike anything from the Viennese waltz kings. With its insistent rhythms, No. 17 in A-flat major seems to lie somewhere between Bartók and the rock band Queen (of Bohemian Rhapsody fame), with the cello sometimes doing an electric guitar impression. Prelude No. 18 in F minor is a more pleasant dance, a pretty, neo-baroque piano tune picked up by the cello. The surging piano runs and loud dynamics of No. 19 in E-flat major explain its Allegro Appassionato indication; No. 20 in C minor likewise lives up to its label, Giocoso (Joking). For No. 21 in B-flat major, titled Dialogo, we have the cello in conversation with itself: the “dialogue” is between the higher and lower registers of the instrument. No. 23 in F major marked Adagio sognando (draming), has the cello playing with a mute, which makes the harmonics even more ethereal than before, and gives them a unique sound. No. 24 in D minor provides a bravura conclusion, Vivo (Lively) with chords and runs constantly building in intensity to a dissonant conclusion marked Grave gandioso e tragico.
Dedicated to cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han, Auerbach's Sonata for violoncello and piano dates from 2002. Auerbach writes,
In this sonata, the piano and violoncello are equal partners. In the dramatic sense, each often plays contrasting roles and expresses different characters. At times, this co-existence is a dialogue, at times a struggle, at times an attempt to resolve inner questions. The piano starts alone with a dark and inescapable statement, full of inner tension. The cello follows — more human, desperate and questioning. The first calling statement of the cello becomes a leitmotif throughout the sonata. The introduction leads to a strange waltz in 5/4 time — as if from the depth of the past, shadows have emerged. The second theme is both dreamy and passionate, and leads to fugal development with its dry twists.
In this first movement, the rather neutral tempo marking of Allegro Moderato belies the emotional intensity of the music. After the short but emphatic opening piano statement and its brief cello reply, a longer piano solo leads us to the main motive, presented by cello alone, followed by that odd waltz, in which both instruments participate. Tempos and meters constantly change. Lyrical cello passages are suddenly interrupted with playing sul ponticello. There's a cadenza-like passage for cello alone before both instruments eventually play glissandos up to their top registers to bring about a stratospheric conclusion: marked ppp (soft-soft-soft).
Click the Cedille Player at the upper left to hear excerpts from the tracks highlighted in red below. These have been carefully chosen as representative of the recording program.
Lera Auerbach24 Preludes for violoncello and piano (50:00)
1. Andante (3:02)
2. Allegro (0:47)
3. Andante misterioso (1:59)
4. Allegro ossessivo (0:43)
5. Moderato (1:48)
6. Andante tragico (2:17)
7. Vivo ma non troppo e agitato (1:13)
8. Grave (1:52)
9. Vivace (0:58)
10. Adagio sognando (1:37)
11. Allegro (0:51)
12. Adagio (4:59)
13. Andantino grazioso (2:08)
14. Allegretto scherzando (1:18)
15. Allegro con brio (1:00)
16. Tempo di valzer (3:18)
17. Allegro ritmico (2:44)
18. Andantino (1:27)
19. Allegro appassionato (1:07)
20. Giocoso (1:14)
21. Dialogo (2:49)
22. Andante nostalgico (3:29)
24. Vivo (4:29)
Sonata for violoncello and piano (21:51)
25. I. (Allegro moderato) (7:01)
26. II. Lament (Adagio) (5:52)
27. III. (Allegro assai) (3:00)
28. IV. Con estrema intensit� (5:54)
29. Postlude for violoncello and piano (3:08)
TT (75:12) |
F. Vincent Vernuccio [1] February 04, 2012 Originally published in Townhall [2] Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois soon may need to construct a wall—not to keep people out but to keep business in. While such a drastic move is unlikely, they will need to do something because they are at a severe regional economic disadvantage now that Indiana has passed a right to work law.
Wise policy decisions by Governor Mitch Daniels and the Indiana Legislature have given that Hoosier state the highest recovery in gross domestic product [3] in the Great Lakes region. Now with the passage of right to work, 333,000 [4] Hoosier workers represented by unions (12.4 percent of the Indiana workforce) will have right to say no to union bosses and still keep their job.
Indiana is poised to surge ahead of its forced unionism neighbors. With a similarly skilled workforce, geography, and manufacturing background, Indiana can offer businesses from around the world the same benefits as other states in the region without the drawbacks of having workers forced into a union against their will.
According to Heritage Foundation analyst James Sherk [5], “Right-to-work states are much more attractive for businesses investment. Unionized firms earn lower profits, invest less, and create fewer jobs than comparable nonunion firms.” Sherk adds that studies “of neighboring counties on state borders with and without right-to-work laws …. manufacturing jobs in counties in right-to-work states is one-third higher than in adjacent counties in non–right-to-work states. Right-to-work laws attract jobs.”
As Rob DeRocker, an economic development consultant told The Christian Science Monitor [6], some companies consider right to work essential because, “[T]he lack of a right-to-work law suggests that the mentality at the government level is that it’s not a business-friendly state”.
Overall statics back up Sherk’s and DeRocker’s assessments. Arthur B. Laffer and Stephen Moore noted in The Wall Street Journal [7] last year that, “Over the past decade (2000-09) the right-to-work states grew faster in nearly every respect than their union-shop counterparts: 54.6% versus 41.1% in gross state product, 53.3% versus 40.6% in personal income, 11.9% versus 6.1% in population, and 4.1% versus -0.6% in payrolls.”
Indiana learned the hard way about how union monopolies can kill jobs. In 2010, United Auto Workers (UAW) members refused a generous deal [8] and forced an Indianapolis metal stamping plant to close. The union rejected an offer by a buyer for the General Motors plant (which was in liquidation due to the company’s bankruptcy.) The buyer agreed to keep the plant open if the union agreed to industry average wages, with a $35,000 bonus for taking a pay cut, or a transfer to another GM plant keeping their higher than average salary.
The union refused and 650 local jobs were eliminated, along with potentially thousands more. The closure cost the state and local county $1.8 million in property taxes and $40 million in payroll taxes from the plant. Adding insult to injury, the union members who voted to close the plant became eligible [9] for the taxpayer-funded federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Program in 2011.
This could be why Volkswagen wouldn’t return Governor Daniels’s calls when the state didn’t have a right to work law. Daniels says this helped make him realize his state needed to change. As he told Forbes [10], “[W]e’re clearly the fastest growing automotive state, and we couldn’t even get [Volkswagen] to talk to us.”
Besides being better for business, right to work is also better for workers. Workers in right to work states have more disposable income than those in forced unionism states, according to the National Institute for Labor Relation Research’s analysis of government data [11]. They are also less likely to lose their health insurance. During the last decade, the percentage of workers with health insurance fell by almost three times the amount in forced unionism states compared to right to work states.
It is not just economics; public opinion overwhelmingly supports right to work. A January Rasmussen poll [12] showed only 15 percent of likely U.S. voters believe that workers should be forced by law to pay union dues if their company is unionized. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed disagreed.
So what are the other Great Lakes states to do? They can either try to appease Big Labor by pretending that the status quo is working. Or they can follow the example of Governor Daniels and the courageous Hoosier legislators who helped make right to work possible—House Speaker Brian Bosma, Senate President David Long, and bill sponsors Rep. Jerry Torr and Sen. Carlin Yoder. If political leaders in these forced unionism states do nothing they will continue to see their populations and economies lose to states with more freedom and opportunity, such as Indiana. |
Perfect Non-linear S-boxes
(1991) by K Nyberg
Venue:Advances in Cryptography, Eurocrypt ’91 Proceedings, SpringerVerland
Randomness Requirements for Security
by Donald E. Eastlake, Jeffrey I. Schiller, Steve Crocker
"... This document is intended to become a Best Current Practice. Comments should be sent to the authors. Distribution is unlimited. This document is an Internet-Draft and is in full conformance with all provisions of Section 10 of RFC 2026. Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineeri ..."
This document is intended to become a Best Current Practice. Comments should be sent to the authors. Distribution is unlimited. This document is an Internet-Draft and is in full conformance with all provisions of Section 10 of RFC 2026. Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), its areas, and its working groups. Note that other groups may also distribute working documents as Internet-Drafts. Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference material or to cite them other than as "work in progress. " The list of current Internet-Drafts can be accessed at The list of Internet-Draft Shadow Directories can be accessed at
Links Between Differential and Linear Cryptanalysis
by Florent Chabaud, Florent Chabaud, Florent Chabaud, Serge Vaudenay, Serge Vaudenay, Serge Vaudenay, Groupe Recherche, Groupe Recherche, En Complexit'e Cryptographie, En Complexit'e Cryptographie
"... Linear cryptanalysis, introduced last year by Matsui, will most certainly open-up the way to new attack methods which may be made more efficient when compared or combined with differential cryptanalysis. This report exhibits new relations between linear and differential cryptanalysis and presents ne ..."
Linear cryptanalysis, introduced last year by Matsui, will most certainly open-up the way to new attack methods which may be made more efficient when compared or combined with differential cryptanalysis. This report exhibits new relations between linear and differential cryptanalysis and presents new classes of functions which are optimally resistant to these attacks. In particular, we prove that linear-resistant functions, which generally present Bent properties, are differential-resistant as well and thus, present Perfect Nonlinear properties. 1 On leave from D'el'egation G'en'erale de l'Armement Links between differential and linear cryptanalysis 1 --- I Introduction Matsui has introduced last year a new cryptanalysis method for DES-like cryptosystems [Mat94]. The idea of the method is to approximate the non-linear S-boxes with linear forms. Beside, the performances of linear cryptanalysis seems next to differential cryptanalysis ones, though a little better. These similitudes s...
Twofish: A 128-Bit Block Cipher
by Bruce Schneier, John Kelsey, Doug Whiting, David Wagner, Chris Hall, Niels Ferguson
- in First Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Conference
"... Twofish is a 128-bit block cipher that accepts a variable-length key up to 256 bits. The cipher is a 16-round Feistel network with a bijective F function made up of four key-dependent 8-by-8-bit S-boxes, a fixed 4-by-4 maximum distance separable matrix over GF(2 8 ), a pseudo-Hadamard transform, bit ..."
Twofish is a 128-bit block cipher that accepts a variable-length key up to 256 bits. The cipher is a 16-round Feistel network with a bijective F function made up of four key-dependent 8-by-8-bit S-boxes, a fixed 4-by-4 maximum distance separable matrix over GF(2 8 ), a pseudo-Hadamard transform, bitwise rotations, and a carefully designed key schedule. A fully optimized implementation of Twofish encrypts on a Pentium Pro at 17.8 clock cycles per byte, and an 8-bit smart card implementation encrypts at 1660 clock cycles per byte. Twofish can be implemented in hardware in 14000 gates. The design of both the round function and the key schedule permits a wide variety of tradeoffs between speed, software size, key setup time, gate count, and memory. We have extensively cryptanalyzed Twofish; our best attack breaks 5 rounds with 2 22.5 chosen plaintexts and 2 51 effort.
by Bruce Schneier, John Kelsey
- Fast Software Encryption, 3rd International Workshop Proceedings
"... We examine a generalization of the concept of Feistel networks, which we call Unbalanced Feistel Networks (UFNs). Like conventional Feistel networks, UFNs consist of a series of rounds in which one part of the block operates on the rest of the block. However, in a UFN the two parts need not be of eq ..."
We examine a generalization of the concept of Feistel networks, which we call Unbalanced Feistel Networks (UFNs). Like conventional Feistel networks, UFNs consist of a series of rounds in which one part of the block operates on the rest of the block. However, in a UFN the two parts need not be of equal size. Removing this limitation on Feistel networks has interesting implications for designing ciphers secure against linear and differential attacks. We describe UFNs and a terminology for discussing their properties, present and analyze some UFN constructions, and make some initial observations about their security. It is notable that almost all the proposed ciphers that are based on Feistel networks follow the same design construction: half the bits operate on the other half. There is no inherent reason that this should be so; as we will demonstrate, it is possible to design Feistel networks across a much wider, richer design space. In this paper, we examine the nature of the...
GAC - the Criterion for Global Avalanche Characteristics of Cryptographic Functions
by Xian-mo Zhang, Yuliang Zheng
- Journal of Universal Computer Science
"... Abstract: We show that some widely accepted criteria for cryptographic functions, including the strict avalanche criterion (SAC) and the propagation criterion, have various limitations in capturing properties of vital importance to cryptographic algorithms, and propose a new criterion called GAC tom ..."
Abstract: We show that some widely accepted criteria for cryptographic functions, including the strict avalanche criterion (SAC) and the propagation criterion, have various limitations in capturing properties of vital importance to cryptographic algorithms, and propose a new criterion called GAC tomeasure the global avalanche characteristics of cryptographic functions. We also introduce two indicators related to the new criterion, one forecasts the sum-of-squares while the other the absolute avalanche characteristics of a function. Lower and upper bounds on the two indicators are derived, and two methods are presented to construct cryptographic functions that achieve nearly optimal global avalanche characteristics. Category: E.3 1 Why the GAC In 1985, Webster and Tavares introduced the concept of the strict avalanche criterion (SAC) when searching for principles for designing DES-like data encryption algorithms [Web85, WT86]. A function is said to satisfy the SACif complementing asingle bit results inthe output ofthe function being complemented
Substitution-Permutation Networks Resistant to Differential and Linear Cryptanalysis
by Howard M. Heys, Stafford E. Tavares
"... In this paper we examine a class of product ciphers referred to as substitution-permutation networks. We investigate the resistance of these cryptographic networks to two important attacks: differential cryptanalysis and linear cryptanalysis. In particular, we develop upper bounds on the differenti ..."
In this paper we examine a class of product ciphers referred to as substitution-permutation networks. We investigate the resistance of these cryptographic networks to two important attacks: differential cryptanalysis and linear cryptanalysis. In particular, we develop upper bounds on the differential characteristic probability and on the probability of a linear approximation as a function of the number of rounds of substitutions. Further, it is shown that using large S-boxes with good diffusion characteristics and replacing the permutation between rounds by an appropriate linear transformation is effective in improving the cipher security in relation to these two attacks. Nonlinearity and Propagation Characteristics of Balanced Boolean Functions
by Jennifer Seberry, Xian-mo Zhang, Yuliang Zheng
"... Three important criteria for cryptographically strong Boolean functions are balance, nonlinearity and the propagation criterion. The main contribution of this paper is to reveal a number of interesting properties of balance and nonlinearity, and to study systematic methods for constructing Boolean f ..."
Three important criteria for cryptographically strong Boolean functions are balance, nonlinearity and the propagation criterion. The main contribution of this paper is to reveal a number of interesting properties of balance and nonlinearity, and to study systematic methods for constructing Boolean functions that satisfy some or all of the three criteria. We show that concatenating, splitting, modifying and multiplying (in the sense of Kronecker) sequences can yield balanced Boolean functions with a very high nonlinearity. In particular, we show that balanced Boolean functions obtained by modifying and multiplying sequences achieve a nonlinearity higher than that attainable by any previously known construction method. We also present methods for constructing balanced Boolean functions that are highly nonlinear and satisfy the strict avalanche criterion (SAC). Furthermore we present methods for constructing highly nonlinear balanced Boolean functions satisfying the propagation criterion with respect to all but one or three vectors. A technique is developed to transform the vectors where the propagation criterion is not satisfied in such a way that the functions constructed satisfy the propagation criterion of high degree while preserving the balance and nonlinearity of the functions. The algebraic degrees of functions constructed are also discussed.
Designing S-Boxes For Ciphers Resistant To Differential Cryptanalysis
by Carlisle M. Adams, Stafford E. Tavares
- PROCEEDINGS OF THE 3RD SYMPOSIUM ON STATE AND PROGRESS OF RESEARCH IN CRYPTOGRAPHY
"... This paper examines recent work in the area of bent-function-based substitution boxes in order to refine the relationship between s-box construction and immunity to the differential cryptanalysis attack described by Biham and Shamir. It is concluded that mxn s-boxes, m
This paper examines recent work in the area of bent-function-based substitution boxes in order to refine the relationship between s-box construction and immunity to the differential cryptanalysis attack described by Biham and Shamir. It is concluded that mxn s-boxes, m<n, which are partially bent-function-based are the most appropriate choice for private-key cryptosystems constructed as substitution-permutation networks (SPNs). Since s-boxes of this dimension and with this property have received little attention in the open literature, this paper provides a description of their construction and shows how they can be incorporated in a design procedure for a family of SPN cryptosystems with desirable cryptographic properties.
The Cipher SHARK
by Vincent Rijmen, Joan Daemen, Bart Preneel, Antoon Bosselaers , Erik De Win
- FAST SOFTWARE ENCRYPTION, THIRD INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP
"... We present the new block cipher SHARK. This cipher combines highly non-linear substitution boxes and maximum distance separable error correcting codes (MDS-codes) to guarantee a good diffusion. The cipher is resistant against differential and linear cryptanalysis after a small number of rounds ..."
We present the new block cipher SHARK. This cipher combines highly non-linear substitution boxes and maximum distance separable error correcting codes (MDS-codes) to guarantee a good diffusion. The cipher is resistant against differential and linear cryptanalysis after a small number of rounds. The structure of SHARK is such that a fast software implementation is possible, both for the encryption and the decryption. Our C-implementation of SHARK runs more than four times faster than SAFER and IDEA on a 64-bit architecture. Constructing symmetric ciphers using the CAST design procedure
by Carlisle M. Adams
- DESIGNS, CODES, AND CRYPTOGRAPHY
"... This paper describes the CAST design procedure for constructing a family of DES-like Substitution-Permutation Network (SPN) cryptosystems which appear to have good resistance to differential cryptanalysis, linear cryptanalysis, and related-key cryptanalysis, along with a number of other desirable ..."
This paper describes the CAST design procedure for constructing a family of DES-like Substitution-Permutation Network (SPN) cryptosystems which appear to have good resistance to differential cryptanalysis, linear cryptanalysis, and related-key cryptanalysis, along with a number of other desirable cryptographic properties. Details of the design choices in the procedure are given, including those regarding the component substitution boxes (s-boxes), the overall framework, the key schedule, and the round function. An example CAST cipher, an output of this design procedure, is presented as an aid to understanding the concepts and to encourage detailed analysis by the cryptologic community. |
(1994) by M Jones
Venue:In ACM Conference on Partial Evaluation and SemanticsBased Program Manipulation
Compiling polymorphism using intensional type analysis
by Robert Harper, Greg Morrisett
- In Symposium on Principles of Programming Languages
"... The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as ..."
The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as
TIL: A Type-Directed Optimizing Compiler for ML
by David Tarditi , Greg Morrisett, Perry Cheng, Chris Stone, Robert Harper, Peter Lee
- IN ACM SIGPLAN CONFERENCE ON PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
"... We describe a new compiler for Standard ML called TIL, that is based on four technologies: intensional polymorphism, tag-free garbage collection, conventional functional language optimization, and loop optimization. We use intensional polymorphism and tag-free garbage collection to provide specializ ..."
We describe a new compiler for Standard ML called TIL, that is based on four technologies: intensional polymorphism, tag-free garbage collection, conventional functional language optimization, and loop optimization. We use intensional polymorphism and tag-free garbage collection to provide specialized representations, even though SML is a polymorphic language. We use conventional functional language optimization to reduce the cost of intensional polymorphism, and loop optimization to generate good code for recursive functions. We present an example of TIL compiling an SML function to machine code, and compare the performance of TIL code against that of a widely used compiler, Standard ML of New Jersey. Compiling with Types
by Greg Morrisett , 1995
"... Compilers for monomorphic languages, such as C and Pascal, take advantage of types to determine data representations, alignment, calling conventions, and register selection. However, these languages lack important features including polymorphism, abstract datatypes, and garbage collection. In contr ..."
Compilers for monomorphic languages, such as C and Pascal, take advantage of types to determine data representations, alignment, calling conventions, and register selection. However, these languages lack important features including polymorphism, abstract datatypes, and garbage collection. In contrast, modern programming languages such as Standard ML (SML), provide all of these features, but existing implementations fail to take full advantage of types. The result is that performance of SML code is quite bad when compared to C. In this thesis, I provide a general framework, called type-directed compilation, that allows compiler writers to take advantage of types at all stages in compilation. In the framework, types are used not only to determine efficient representations and calling conventions, but also to prove the correctness of the compiler. A key property of typedirected compilation is that all but the lowest levels of the compiler use typed intermediate languages. An advantage of this approach is that it provides a means for automatically checking the integrity of the resulting code. An important
Once Upon a Type
by David Turner, Philip Wadler, Christian Mossin
- In Functional Programming Languages and Computer Architecture
"... A number of useful optimisations are enabled if we can determine when a value is accessed at most once. We extend the Hindley-Milner type system with uses, yielding a typeinference based program analysis which determines when values are accessed at most once. Our analysis can handle higher-order fun ..."
A number of useful optimisations are enabled if we can determine when a value is accessed at most once. We extend the Hindley-Milner type system with uses, yielding a typeinference based program analysis which determines when values are accessed at most once. Our analysis can handle higher-order functions and data structures, and admits principal types for terms. Unlike previous analyses, we prove our analysis sound with respect to call-by-need reduction. Call-by-name reduction does not provide an accurate model of how often a value is used during lazy evaluation, since it duplicates work which would actually be shared in a real implementation. Our type system can easily be modified to analyse usage in a call-by-value language. 1 Introduction This paper describes a method for determining when a value is used at most once. Our method is based on a simple modification of the Hindley-Milner type system. Each type is labelled to indicate whether the corresponding value is used at most onc...
Tag-free Garbage Collection Using Explicit Type Parameters
by Andrew Tolmach
- In Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Lisp and Functional Programming
"... We have constructed a practical tag-free garbage collector based on explicit type parameterization of polymorphic functions, for a dialect of ML. The collector relies on type information derived from an explicitly-typed 2nd-order representation of the program, generated by the compiler as a byproduc ..."
We have constructed a practical tag-free garbage collector based on explicit type parameterization of polymorphic functions, for a dialect of ML. The collector relies on type information derived from an explicitly-typed 2nd-order representation of the program, generated by the compiler as a byproduct of ordinary Hindley-Milner type inference. Runtime type manipulations are performed lazily to minimize execution overhead. We present details of our implementation approach, and preliminary performance measurements suggesting that the overhead of passing type information explicitly can be made acceptably small. 1 Introduction Parametric polymorphic functions, as found in languages such as ML and Haskell, are traditionally compiled into code that executes uniformly regardless of the types of its arguments. This approach requires adopting a uniform data representation for all types. Typically, one pretends that every value fits in a single machine word; values that do not fit must be pointe...
From ML to Ada: Strongly-typed Language Interoperability via Source Translation
"... We describe a system that supports source-level integration of ML-like functional language code with ANSI C or Ada83 code. The system works by translating the functional code into type-correct, "vanilla" C or Ada; it offers simple, efficient, type-safe inter-operation between new functional code com ..."
We describe a system that supports source-level integration of ML-like functional language code with ANSI C or Ada83 code. The system works by translating the functional code into type-correct, "vanilla" C or Ada; it offers simple, efficient, type-safe inter-operation between new functional code components and "legacy" third-generationlanguage components. Our translator represents a novel synthesis of techniques including user-parameterized specification of primitive types and operators; removal of polymorphism by code specialization; removal of higher-order functions using closure datatypes and interpretation; and aggressive optimization of the resulting first-order code, which can be viewed as encoding the result of a closure analysis. Programs remain fully typed at every stage of the translation process, using only simple, standard type systems. Target code runs at speeds comparable to the output of current optimizing ML compilers, even though handicapped by a conservative garbage collector.
The implementation of the Gofer functional programming system
by Mark P. Jones
"... The Gofer system is a functional programming environment for a small, Haskell-like language. Supporting a wide range of different machines, including home computers, the system is widely used, both for teaching and research. This report describes the main ideas and techniques used in the implementat ..."
The Gofer system is a functional programming environment for a small, Haskell-like language. Supporting a wide range of different machines, including home computers, the system is widely used, both for teaching and research. This report describes the main ideas and techniques used in the implementation of Gofer. This information will be particularly useful for work using Gofer as a platform to explore the use of new language features or primitives. It should also be of interest to those curious to see how the general techniques of functional programming language compilation are adapted to a simple, but practical, implementation.
Dictionary-free Overloading by Partial Evaluation
"... One of the most novel features in the functional programming language Haskell is the system of type classes used to support a combination of overloading and polymorphism. Current implementations of type class overloading are based on the use of dictionary values, passed as extra parameters to overlo ..."
One of the most novel features in the functional programming language Haskell is the system of type classes used to support a combination of overloading and polymorphism. Current implementations of type class overloading are based on the use of dictionary values, passed as extra parameters to overloaded functions. Unfortunately, this can have a significant effect on run-time performance, for example, by reducing the effectiveness of important program analyses and optimizations. This paper describes how a simple partial evaluator can be used to avoid the need for dictionary values at run-time by generating specialized versions of overloaded functions. This eliminates the run-time costs of overloading. Furthermore, and somewhat surprisingly given the presence of multiple versions of some functions, for all of the examples that we have tried so far, specialization actually leads to a reduction in the size of compiled programs. The effectiveness of type-based unboxing
by Xavier Leroy, Inria Rocquencourt
- Boston College, Computer Science Department
"... Abstract We compare the efficiency of type-based unboxing strategies with that of simpler, untyped unboxing optimizations, building on our practical experience with the Gallium and Objective Caml compilers. We find the untyped optimizations to perform as well on the best case and significantly bette ..."
Abstract We compare the efficiency of type-based unboxing strategies with that of simpler, untyped unboxing optimizations, building on our practical experience with the Gallium and Objective Caml compilers. We find the untyped optimizations to perform as well on the best case and significantly better in the worst case. 1 Introduction In Pascal or C, the actual types of all data are always known at compile-time, allowing the compilers to base data representation decisions on this typing information, thus supporting efficient memory layout of data structures as well as efficient calling conventions for functions. This is no longer true for languages featuring polymorphism and type abstraction, such as ML: there, the static, compile-time type information does not always determine the actual, run-time type of a data (e.g. when the static type contains type variables or abstract type identifiers).
Unboxed Values and Polymorphic Typing Revisited
by Peter J. Thiemann
- In The Seventh International Conference on Functional Programming Languages and Computer Architecture
"... Polymorphic languages require that values passed to polymorphic functions all have a representation of the same size. Any value whose natural representation does not fit this size must be boxed, i.e. represented by a pointer to a heap-allocated record. Major performance gains can be achieved by hand ..."
Polymorphic languages require that values passed to polymorphic functions all have a representation of the same size. Any value whose natural representation does not fit this size must be boxed, i.e. represented by a pointer to a heap-allocated record. Major performance gains can be achieved by handling values in their natural, unboxed representation whenever possible. We show that not only monomorphic functions, but also many polymorphic functions can handle unboxed values if the function calling convention of the underlying implementation satisfies a mild assumption. A representation type system is deøned which describes boxing requirements. A type reconstruction algorithm is given which translates an untyped program into an explicitly typed program where all changes of representation are made explicit. Furthermore, we define an abstract machine which employs the required calling convention and is an adequate operational model for the representation type system. |
First-Order Logic
(1968) by R Smullyan
Stable models and an alternative logic programming paradigm
by Victor W. Marek
- In The Logic Programming Paradigm: a 25-Year Perspective
"... In this paper we reexamine the place and role of stable model semantics in logic programming and contrast it with a least Herbrand model approach to Horn programs. We demonstrate that inherent features of stable model semantics naturally lead to a logic programming system that offers an interesting ..."
In this paper we reexamine the place and role of stable model semantics in logic programming and contrast it with a least Herbrand model approach to Horn programs. We demonstrate that inherent features of stable model semantics naturally lead to a logic programming system that offers an interesting alternative to more traditional logic programming styles of Horn logic programming, stratified logic programming and logic programming with well-founded semantics. The proposed approach is based on the interpretation of program clauses as constraints. In this setting programs do not describe a single intended model, but a family of stable models. These stable models encode solutions to the constraint satisfaction problem described by the program. Our approach imposes restrictions on the syntax of logic programs. In particular, function symbols are eliminated from the language. We argue that the resulting logic programming system is well-attuned to problems in the class NP, has a well-defined domain of applications, and an emerging methodology of programming. We point out that what makes the whole approach viable is recent progress in implementations of algorithms to compute stable models of propositional logic programs. 1
A Really Temporal Logic
by Rajeev Alur, Thomas A. Henzinger
"... . We introduce a temporal logic for the specification of real-time systems. Our logic, TPTL, employs a novel quantifier construct for referencing time: the freeze quantifier binds a variable to the time of the local temporal context. TPTL is both a natural language for specification and a suitable f ..."
. We introduce a temporal logic for the specification of real-time systems. Our logic, TPTL, employs a novel quantifier construct for referencing time: the freeze quantifier binds a variable to the time of the local temporal context. TPTL is both a natural language for specification and a suitable formalism for verification. We present a tableau-based decision procedure and a model checking algorithm for TPTL. Several generalizations of TPTL are shown to be highly undecidable. 1 Introduction Linear temporal logic is a widely accepted language for specifying properties of reactive systems and their behavior over time [Pnu77, OL82, MP92]. The tableau-based satisfiability algorithm for its propositional version, PTL, forms the basis for the automatic verification and synthesis of finite-state systems [LP84, MW84]. PTL is interpreted over models that abstract away from the actual times at which events occur, retaining only temporal ordering information about the states of a system. The a...
Many-Valued Modal Logics
by Melvin C. Fitting
- Fundamenta Informaticae
"... . Two families of many-valued modal logics are investigated. Semantically, one family is characterized using Kripke models that allow formulas to take values in a finite many-valued logic, at each possible world. The second family generalizes this to allow the accessibility relation between worlds a ..."
. Two families of many-valued modal logics are investigated. Semantically, one family is characterized using Kripke models that allow formulas to take values in a finite many-valued logic, at each possible world. The second family generalizes this to allow the accessibility relation between worlds also to be many-valued. Gentzen sequent calculi are given for both versions, and soundness and completeness are established. 1 Introduction The logics that have appeared in artificial intelligence form a rich and varied collection. While classical (and maybe intuitionistic) logic su#ces for the formal development of mathematics, artificial intelligence has found uses for modal, temporal, relevant, and many-valued logics, among others. Indeed, I take it as a basic principle that an application should find (or create) an appropriate logic, if it needs one, rather than reshape the application to fit some narrow class of `established' logics. In this paper I want to enlarge the variety of logics...
Automated Consistency Checking of Requirements Specifications
by Constance L. Heitmeyer, Ralph D. Jeffords, Bruce G. Labaw
"... This paper describes a formal analysis technique, called consistency checking, for automatic detection of errors, such as type errors, nondeterminism, missing cases, and circular definitions, in requirements specifications. The technique is designed to analyze requirements specifications expressed i ..."
This paper describes a formal analysis technique, called consistency checking, for automatic detection of errors, such as type errors, nondeterminism, missing cases, and circular definitions, in requirements specifications. The technique is designed to analyze requirements specifications expressed in the SCR (Software Cost Reduction) tabular notation. As background, the SCR approach to specifying requirements is reviewed. To provide a formal semantics for the SCR notation and a foundation for consistency checking, a formal requirements model is introduced; the model represents a software system as a finite state automaton, which produces externally visible outputs in response to changes in monitored environmental quantities. Results are presented of two experiments which evaluated the utility and sealability of our technique for consistency checking in a real-world avionics application. The role of consistency checking during the requirements phase of software development is discussed.
Decision Procedures and Expressiveness in the Temporal Logic of Branching Time by E. Allen Emerson , Joseph Y. Halpern
"... We consider the computation tree logic (CTL) proposed in (Set. Comput. Programming 2 ..."
We consider the computation tree logic (CTL) proposed in (Set. Comput. Programming 2
P.: Agent-oriented software engineering: The state of the art
by Michael Wooldridge, Paolo Ciancarini
- In: Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Agent-Oriented Software Engineering
"... Abstract. Software engineers continually strive to develop tools and techniques to manage the complexity that is inherent in software systems. In this article, we argue that intelligent agents and multi-agent systems are just such tools. We begin by reviewing what is meant by the term “agent”, and c ..."
The Complexity Of Propositional Proofs
by Alasdair Urquhart
- Bulletin of Symbolic Logic
"... This paper of Tseitin is a landmark as the first to give non-trivial lower bounds for propositional proofs; although it pre-dates the first papers on ..."
This paper of Tseitin is a landmark as the first to give non-trivial lower bounds for propositional proofs; although it pre-dates the first papers on
Representing Discourse in Context
by Jan van Eijck, Hans Kamp
"... Contents 1. Introduction : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 3 2. The Problem of Anaphoric Linking in Context : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 4 3. Basic Ideas of Discourse R ..."
Contents 1. Introduction : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 3 2. The Problem of Anaphoric Linking in Context : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 4 3. Basic Ideas of Discourse Representation : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 5 4. Discourse Representation Structures : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 14 5. The Static and Dynamic Meaning of Representation Structures : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 17 6. Sequential Composition of Representation Structures : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 21 7. Strategies for Merging Representation Structures : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 27 8. Disjoint Mer
Internalizing Labelled Deduction
by Patrick Blackburn
"... This paper shows how to internalize the Kripke satisfaction denition using the basic hybrid language, and explores the proof theoretic consequences of doing so. As we shall see, the basic hybrid language enables us to transfer classic Gabbay-style labelled deduction methods from the metalanguage to ..."
This paper shows how to internalize the Kripke satisfaction denition using the basic hybrid language, and explores the proof theoretic consequences of doing so. As we shall see, the basic hybrid language enables us to transfer classic Gabbay-style labelled deduction methods from the metalanguage to the object language, and to handle labelling discipline logically. This internalized approach to labelled deduction links neatly with the Gabbay-style rules now widely used in modal Hilbert-systems, enables completeness results for a wide range of rst-order denable frame classes to be obtained automatically, and extends to many richer languages. The paper discusses related work by Jerry Seligman and Miroslava Tzakova and concludes with some reections on the status of labelling in modal logic. 1 Introduction Modern modal logic revolves around the Kripke satisfaction relation: M;w ': This says that the model M satises (or forces, or supports) the modal formula ' at the state w in M....
Lazy Satisfiability Modulo Theories
by Roberto Sebastiani
"... Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) is the problem of deciding the satisfiability of a first-order formula with respect to some decidable first-order theory T (SMT (T)). These problems are typically not handled adequately by standard automated theorem provers. SMT is being recognized as increasingl ..."
Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) is the problem of deciding the satisfiability of a first-order formula with respect to some decidable first-order theory T (SMT (T)). These problems are typically not handled adequately by standard automated theorem provers. SMT is being recognized as increasingly important due to its applications in many domains in different communities, in particular in formal verification. An amount of papers with novel and very efficient techniques for SMT has been published in the last years, and some very efficient SMT tools are now available. Typical SMT (T) problems require testing the satisfiability of formulas which are Boolean combinations of atomic propositions and atomic expressions in T, so that heavy Boolean reasoning must be efficiently combined with expressive theory-specific reasoning. The dominating approach to SMT (T), called lazy approach, is based on the integration of a SAT solver and of a decision procedure able to handle sets of atomic constraints in T (T-solver), handling respectively the Boolean and the theory-specific components of reasoning. Unfortunately, neither the problem of building an efficient SMT solver, nor even that of acquiring a comprehensive background knowledge in lazy SMT, is of simple solution. In this paper we present an extensive survey of SMT, with particular focus on the lazy approach. We survey, classify and analyze from a theory-independent perspective the most effective techniques and optimizations which are of interest for lazy SMT and which have been proposed in various communities; we discuss their relative benefits and drawbacks; we provide some guidelines about their choice and usage; we also analyze the features for SAT solvers and T-solvers which make them more suitable for an integration. The ultimate goals of this paper are to become a source of a common background knowledge and terminology for students and researchers in different areas, to provide a reference guide for developers of SMT tools, and to stimulate the cross-fertilization of techniques and ideas among different communities. |
A lower bound on the number of unit distances between the vertices of a convex polygon
(1991) by H Edelsbrunner, P Hajnal
Venue:Journal of Combinatorial Theory, Series A
Arrangements and Their Applications
by Pankaj K. Agarwal, Micha Sharir
- Handbook of Computational Geometry
"... The arrangement of a finite collection of geometric objects is the decomposition of the space into connected cells induced by them. We survey combinatorial and algorithmic properties of arrangements of arcs in the plane and of surface patches in higher dimensions. We present many applications of arr ..."
The arrangement of a finite collection of geometric objects is the decomposition of the space into connected cells induced by them. We survey combinatorial and algorithmic properties of arrangements of arcs in the plane and of surface patches in higher dimensions. We present many applications of arrangements to problems in motion planning, visualization, range searching, molecular modeling, and geometric optimization. Some results involving planar arrangements of arcs have been presented in a companion chapter in this book, and are extended in this chapter to higher dimensions. Work by P.A. was supported by Army Research Office MURI grant DAAH04-96-1-0013, by a Sloan fellowship, by an NYI award, and by a grant from the U.S.-Israeli Binational Science Foundation. Work by M.S. was supported by NSF Grants CCR-91-22103 and CCR-93-11127, by a Max-Planck Research Award, and by grants from the U.S.-Israeli Binational Science Foundation, the Israel Science Fund administered by the Israeli Ac...
Geometric Graph Theory
by János Pach
"... A geometric path is a graph drawn in the plane such that its vertices are points in general position and its edges... This paper surveys some Turán-type and Ramsey-type extremal problems for geometric graphs, and discusses their generalizations and applications. ..."
A geometric path is a graph drawn in the plane such that its vertices are points in general position and its edges... This paper surveys some Turán-type and Ramsey-type extremal problems for geometric graphs, and discusses their generalizations and applications.
TRACES OF FINITE SETS: EXTREMAL PROBLEMS AND GEOMETRIC APPLICATIONS
by Zoltán Füredi, János Pach
"... Given a hypergraph H and a subset S of its vertices, the trace of H on S is defined as H|S = {E ∩ S: E ∈ H}. The Vapnik–Chervonenkis dimension (VC-dimension) of H is the size of the largest subset S for which H|S has 2 |S| edges. Hypergraphs of small VC-dimension play a central role in many areas o ..."
Given a hypergraph H and a subset S of its vertices, the trace of H on S is defined as H|S = {E ∩ S: E ∈ H}. The Vapnik–Chervonenkis dimension (VC-dimension) of H is the size of the largest subset S for which H|S has 2 |S| edges. Hypergraphs of small VC-dimension play a central role in many areas of statistics, discrete and computational geometry, and learning theory. We survey some of the most important results related to this concept with special emphasis on (a) hypergraph theoretic methods and (b) geometric applications. Geometric Representations of Graphs
by László Lovász, Katalin Vesztergombi
- IN PAUL ERDÖS, PROC. CONF
"... The study of geometrically defined graphs, and of the reverse question, the construction of geometric representations of graphs, leads to unexpected connections between geometry and graph theory. We survey the surprisingly large variety of graph properties related to geometric representations, c ..."
The study of geometrically defined graphs, and of the reverse question, the construction of geometric representations of graphs, leads to unexpected connections between geometry and graph theory. We survey the surprisingly large variety of graph properties related to geometric representations, construction methods for geometric representations, and their applications in proofs and algorithms. The maximum number of times the same distance can occur among the vertices of a convex n-gon is O(n log n)
by Peter Braß, János Pach, Fu Berlin
"... We present a short proof of Füredi's theorem [F] stated in the title. ..."
We present a short proof of Füredi's theorem [F] stated in the title.
Contents Eigenvalues of graphs
by László Lovász
THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF EMPTY CONGRUENT TRIANGLES DETERMINED BY A POINT SET
by Adrian Dumitrescu, János Pach, Géza Tóth
"... Let ¡ be a set of ¢ points in the plane and consider a family of (nondegenerate) pairwise congruent triangles whose vertices belong to ¡. While the number of such triangles can grow superlinearly in ¢ — as it happens in lattice sections of the integer grid — it has been conjectured by Brass that th ..."
Let ¡ be a set of ¢ points in the plane and consider a family of (nondegenerate) pairwise congruent triangles whose vertices belong to ¡. While the number of such triangles can grow superlinearly in ¢ — as it happens in lattice sections of the integer grid — it has been conjectured by Brass that the number of pairwise congruent empty triangles is only at most linear. We disprove this conjecture by constructing point sets with£¥¤¦¢¨§�©���¢� � empty congruent triangles.
Extremal hypergraphs and combinatorial geometry by Zoltán Füredi
How many unit equilateral triangles can be generated by n points in convex position?
by Janos Pach, Rom Pinchasi
- Amer. Math. Monthly
"... What is the maximum number of times that the unit distance can occur among the distances between n points in the plane? This more than fty-year-old question of Paul Erdös, published in this MONTHLY [5], opened a whole new area of research in combinatorial geometry [10]. ..."
How Many Unit Equilateral Triangles Can Be Induced by n Points in Convex Position?
by János Pach, Rom Pinchasi
"... Any set of n points in strictly convex position in the plane has at most b c triples that induce equilateral triangles of side length one. This bound cannot be improved. The case of general triangles is also discussed. ..."
Any set of n points in strictly convex position in the plane has at most b c triples that induce equilateral triangles of side length one. This bound cannot be improved. The case of general triangles is also discussed. |
Corrections Department #8: Marion Dougherty, or: Math Is Hard! December 9, 2011
Yesterday’s New York Times has an obituary for Marion Dougherty, an influential casting director who spent nearly two decades working in television before transitioning into feature films (including many important ones, such as Midnight Cowboy and The Sting).
It seems to be par for the course that television is a minefield even the most experienced obit writers can’t get right. Actually, the Times has already issued a correction with regard to Dougherty’s movie credits – initially the writer, Dennis Hevesi, added two films that she didn’t cast, Bonnie and Clyde and The Graduate, to her resume. But I’m guessing we won’t see a correction addressing the two pretty obvious errors I spotted with regard to Dougherty’s television work.
The first suggests that Route 66 and Naked City, the two shows that really put Dougherty on the map as a discoverer of important talent, ran from 1954 to 1968. If only. The correct dates are 1960 to 1964. (Dougherty didn’t work on the earlier 1958 season of Naked City, which was cast less imaginatively by a West Coast has-been named Jess Kimmel). Although Dougherty had cast Warren Beatty on Kraft as early as 1957, it was on Naked City and Route 66 that she routinely gave early exposure to young Off-Broadway actors who would become some of the superstars of the seventies: Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight, Cicely Tyson, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Alan Alda, Bruce Dern, Ed Asner.
The second error is an internal contradiction: Hevesi writes that Dougherty was the casting director for Kraft Television Theater beginning in 1950 (I believe this is accurate, although it could be off by a year in either direction) but later claims that she was a casting assistant for six years. Since Kraft was Dougherty’s first job in the entertainment industry, and the series went on the air in 1947, that’s impossible. As far as I can determine, Dougherty started on Kraft in 1948 or (more likely) 1949, and became its chief casting director within two years or less. In any case, she was a woman well under the age of thirty when she started in that job – a noteworthy accomplishment, although there were other women with similar track records. (Alixe Gordin, who was born a year before Dougherty, became the casting director for Studio One around the same time Dougherty ascended at Kraft; Ethel Winant was a casting executive who achieved considerable prominence at CBS a few years later.)
Dougherty enjoyed a certain amount of public attention during this time – the Sunday Mirror Magazine ran a 1955 profile that called her “the nation’s top casting director” and credited her for sending Jack Lemmon, Rod Steiger, and Anne Francis to Hollywood – and her influence at Kraft cannot be underestimated. A blueprint of the offices of J. Walter Thompson, which packaged the anthology, places Dougherty in an office next to those of the two directors, Maury Holland (who was also the producer) and Fielder Cook; the three of them are the only Kraft staffers named on the plans. That Dougherty never received a screen credit on Kraft (her first, as far as I can determine, came immediately afterward, as the “talent coordinator” for the short-lived 1958 incarnation of Ellery Queen) was a noteworthy injustice, and probably one attributable to blatant sexism.
(At first Dougherty’s name was also absent from the credits of Route 66 and Naked City, although the executive producer, Herbert B. Leonard, eventually compensated for that omission by awarding her the humungous single-card credit shown above.)
Reading the Times article, one might get the impression that Dougherty was closeted. Actually the casting director, who kept her personal life very private, married during her Kraft years and later became the companion of director George Roy Hill (most of whose films she cast) after both their marriages ended.
In the interest of full disclosure, earlier this year I worked on a documentary, Casting By, which features Marion Dougherty prominently and identifies her as perhaps the first independent casting director, at least in the sense that that profession exists today. The Times does a good job of explaining her significance, but there is a lot to Dougherty’s story that remains untold. Sometime soon, I’ll write more about her.
Additionally they were married for a long time. You fail to point out she is Crystal Award winner for Casting, and should have gotten an Oscar,, the academy was petitioned by many actors and directors to creat a Oscar catagory for casting
because Marion Dougherty certainly should have received one for the huge wonderful body of work she did. |
Species on the brink
Check here for our latest news related to species extinction.
Mangrove forests in worldwide decline
More than one in six mangrove species worldwide are in danger of extinction due to coastal development and other factors, including climate change, logging and agriculture, according to the first-ever global assessment on the conservation status of mangroves for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. … 09 Apr 2010 | International news release
Scientists call for biodiversity barometer
For the first time scientists have put a figure on how much it would cost to learn about the conservation status of millions of species, some of which have yet to be identified. The price tag is US$60 million, according to a team of scientists, including those from IUCN and Conservation International, who presented their case in this week’s Science magazine in an article called “The Barometer of Life.” … | Spanish
Sturgeon more critically endangered than any other group of species
Eighty five percent of sturgeon, one of the oldest families of fishes in existence, valued around the world for their precious roe, are at risk of extinction, making them the most threatened group of animals on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. The latest update of the Red List assessed the status of 18 species of sturgeon from all over Europe and Asia and found that all were threatened. … 18 Mar 2010 | International news release
Habitat loss blamed for more species decline
Habitat loss is having a serious impact on Europe’s butterflies, beetles and dragonflies. The release of the European Red List, commissioned by the European Commission, shows that nine percent of butterflies, 11 percent of saproxylic beetles (beetles that depend on decaying wood) and 14 percent of dragonflies are threatened with extinction within Europe. Some species are so threatened that they are at risk of global extinction and are now included in the latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. … | French
16 Mar 2010 | International news release
Bringing bison back to North America
The next 10 to 20 years could be extremely significant for restoring wild populations of American bison to their original roaming grounds. But for this to happen, more land must be made available for herds to roam free, government policies must be updated and the public must change its attitude towards bison. … 02 Mar 2010 | International news release
World's most endangered primates revealed
Mankind’s closest living relatives – the world’s apes, monkeys, lemurs and other primates – are on the brink of extinction and in need of urgent conservation measures according to Primates in Peril: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates, 2008–2010. … | Spanish
Beating back biofuel crop invasions
The risk of biofuel crops becoming invasive and outcompeting native species is increasing as more advanced crops are planted. This can be managed to reduce the impact on local livelihoods and the environment, according to a report by IUCN. … 18 Feb 2010 | News story |
Why Do We Need to Play? (My #rechat Reflection)
Posted by John T. Spencer ⋅ December 29, 2012 ⋅ 5 Comments
The kids are in the backyard blowing bubbles. The canister reads Miracle Bubbles and it seems, at first, like hyperbole. Joel pulls out the wand and creates a floating orb. Brenna jumps up and pops the first one in delight. Micah pulls out a wand (a fitting word for the magic that happens) and asks if blowing it slower will make the bubbles bigger or smaller.
This leads to a test of small and large bubbles and eventually an impromptu game happens to see how many bubbles they can pop without having to re-dip the wand. Next, they argue about what would happen if they changed the size and shape of the wand. We might just need to bend wires or paperclips to test out this theory later.
Miracle Bubbles.
Okay, it still sounds a bit like hyperbole. But I’m struck by the amount of learning that goes on in a short period of time – and that, the act of of play, feels, somehow magical. The same is true of the sidewalk chalk games and the imaginative painting and the story-telling they engaged in earlier this morning.
They’re learning through play.
I’m not sure how to define play. I’m not sure when engagement and learning become play. I think imagination, creativity, interactivity have something to do with it. But I’m not sure that my kids would even think to make the distinction in the first place. Play and learning are nearly synonymous. There is a playfulness to reading a National Geographic magazine and a seriousness to blowing bubbles.
I try to defend the concept of play by pointing out the functional aspects of play: increasing creativity, driving innovation, flexible thinking, paradoxical thinking, problem-solving, role-playing, social learning, authentic contexts, questioning (and inquiry in particular). I want to prove that play and career-readiness might go hand-in-hand, but I’m not so sure.
But as I watch them blowing bubbles in the backyard, I am struck by the fact that it’s not about being functional. Joel, Micah and Brenna would scoff at words like “driving innovation.” They’re playing, because that’s part of what it means to be human. It’s how we learn. It’s how interact. It is a human need and a human pleasure at the same time.
So, it has me thinking about the classroom. I find it sad that students have less permission to play as they grow into more naturally independent stages of development. Play is almost non-existent in middle school. Some see it as a waste of time. Others can’t reconcile it with rigid curriculum maps. Still, others want to incorporate more play, but the testing culture gets in the way.
Initially, I find myself trying to prove the functionality of play. I want to prove that it “works.” But the truth is, I want students to play, because it is vital to how students learn. It may or may not come in handy in a job someday. But that’s not the point. We need to play, because we are human and that’s a part of how humans learn. |
The Crisis of Religious Liberty in Europe
Let me begin by expressing my thanks to the Helsinki Commission, and especially to Chairman Smith, for holding this briefing. My own involvement in the issue of religious freedom, which has extended over some 15 years, was triggered in no small part by the life and work of Chris Smith, whose commitment to the persecuted has extended over many decades. Mr. Smith, thank you for your life of service to our nation, and to all those – Christian and otherwise – who wish to live their lives in service to God.
Before I give my views on the status of Christians in Europe, I want to acknowledge the terrible state of Christian minorities outside the West. Three quarters of the world's 2.2 billion Christians live in non-Western countries. Millions of these people, along with other believers, are subject to violent persecution and death, either because of their religious beliefs or those of their tormentors. When we speak -- as we must -- of the growing travail of religious liberty in Europe and the United States, we must never forget those Christians and non-Christians whose very lives and well being are under constant threat because of their faith. Having said this, I want to make it clear that I believe we are witnessing a worldwide crisis of religious liberty - one that increasingly includes Europe and even the United States. While Christians and other believers in the West are not subject to violent persecution, we have growing reason for concern -- not only for the well being of religious freedom, but for the health of democracy. I will return to this theme shortly but let me first place Europe's problem into its global context.
Evidence of a Global Crisis in Religious Liberty The Pew Research Center has in recent years conducted three massive studies that measure government restrictions on religion and social hostilities toward religion in every country of the world. What these studies have discovered is staggering: 75 percent of the world's population lives in countries where religious freedom is either highly restricted or very highly restricted. Those affected are Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, and others. Most are minorities, but some are reformers within majority communities who cannot speak out without being attacked under anti-blasphemy and anti-defamation laws and practices. These people live in about 73 countries of the world. Most are Muslim-majority countries, and many of them are in the broader Middle East. Others are communist countries, such as China and North Korea, or large non-Muslim nations such as India and Russia. It is an unfortunate sign of the times that Europe has now entered this mix. The list of 73 countries includes France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Of all the religious groups that are subject to harassment and persecution, Christians fare the worst. They are harassed in some 139 nations of the world. Muslims are the second most vulnerable, suffering harassment in 121 countries.
Perhaps the most alarming result of the Pew studies, however, is that the twin problems of restrictions on religion and religious persecution are getting worse, not better. Virtually all the indicators have shown a deterioration in every region of the world. Both the data and the trends constitute, in my view, a global crisis. The Travail of Religious Liberty in Europe
Let's turn now to the question of the fate of Christians in Europe. Recall that Europe is the continent where the intellectual origins of religious liberty lie. In our Religious Freedom Project at Georgetown's Berkley Center, we are conducting a program on Christianity and Freedom to take a fresh look at the contributions of Christians and Christian ideas to the spread of freedom, both historically and in the contemporary world. Among other things, our research is confirming that the wellsprings of religious freedom are to be found in the first centuries of Christianity, and that the concept grew to maturity in what later became European civilization, including the American colonies and the United States.
It is all the more alarming, then, to discover how the roots of religious freedom have atrophied in the Europe of the 21st century. One of the Pew studies reported that of all the regions of the world, social hostilities toward religion are rising most rapidly, not in the Middle East, Africa, or Asia, but in Europe. Here are a few indicators of that trend. As of 2010, the United Kingdom was ranked 17th in the world in social hostilities toward religion. That's out of approximately 200 countries worldwide. Germany was ranked 23rd and France 25th. Between 2007 and 2010 there were significant increases in social hostilities in all three countries. By 2010 each of these major Western European nations graded worse in the category of social hostilities than the likes of Burma, Iran, and Sudan. The three also showed significant increases in the levels of government restrictions on religion. Between 2007 and 2010 government restrictions in the UK increased by 63%, in France by 20%, and in Germany by 23%. It is symptomatic of this problem that there are currently four cases of British citizens before the European Court of Human Rights, each alleging that the state has simply ignored their fundamental rights of conscience. Both the British courts and the current British government have taken the position that they will define what constitutes orthodox Christianity -- not the individuals concerned or the churches themselves. This, I would submit, is a position that endangers not only religious freedom but democracy itself. By way of comparison, as of 2010 the United States was ranked 49th in the world, ahead of Syria, Laos, and the Congo, in social hostilities toward religion This phenomenon is, or ought to be, shocking to all of us. Like the three European countries, US scores show significant worsening between 2007 and 2010 in both social hostilities and government restrictions.
What's Going On, and So What?
How do we explain these findings? Why should we be alarmed? The Pew reports suggest that we are witnessing a significant downgrading of religious liberty in the West at precisely the same moment that religious persecution is spiking elsewhere in the world. Allowing for the fundamental differences in the symptoms -- violent persecution outside the West and growing discrimination inside the West -- are there any similarities? I would argue that there are. To put the matter succinctly, the belief that religious freedom is necessary for human flourishing and the success of democracy is either being rejected or it is being lost. Outside the West, a commitment to religious liberty has never taken hold. This deficit helps account for the failures of Arab and other struggling democracies to take root. There is ample evidence in history and contemporary scholarship that democracy in highly religious societies cannot consolidate without religious freedom in full. That evidence also suggests that religious freedom is important for the defeat of religion-based terrorism. The critical role of religious freedom in the consolidation of democracy and the defeat of terrorism are two reasons why the U.S. policy of advancing international religious freedom is so important to American national interests.
But the Pew reports also suggest that Western nations, including Europe and the United States, are themselves abandoning the belief that religious liberty is necessary to the flourishing of individuals and the success of democracy. This helps to explain why we have proven so ineffective in advancing international religious freedom.
There are many reasons for the decline of religious freedom in Europe and the West. I will cite four. First is the decline of religion itself and the emergence of what Pope Benedict XVI has called the "dictatorship of relativism," i.e., the belief that there are no objective truths, and that all rights claims have equal validity. This helps explain why in Europe, and increasingly in the United States, religion is considered a personal preference with no more claim to state protection than any other preference.
The second reason is the triumph in Europe of the French model of religious liberty, in which the freedom to practice religion is confined to the private sphere. Third is the belief that religion is essentially emotive and irrational, and therefore inappropriate as a means of influencing public policy. Fourth is the contraction of faith-based organizations in civil society. Private religious hospitals, colleges, and charitable organizations have either been historically weak, as in France, or are losing their religious motivations and identities, as in the United Kingdom.
I would note that each of these four trends, while less advanced than in Europe, is present in the United States as well.
Why does all of this matter? Because religion is more than a mere personal preference, and more than a private matter unrelated to the health of democracy. Religion is the enterprise of discovering whether there is a more-than-human reality to which or to whom I owe my existence, whether there a transcendent reality that accounts for my being, to which or to whom I should attune my behavior, and who determines my fate in an afterlife. These are powerful questions that every human being naturally seeks to answer. In the 21st century, the data show, the vast majority of the world's peoples believes they have found at least some of the answers to those questions.
Religious freedom is the right to pursue the answers to the religious questions. It is the right to join with others of like mind and spirit in worship and in civil society associations. It is the right to influence the laws and policies of the nation with religion-based arguments on the same basis as non-religious persons and non-religious arguments. It is the right not to be coerced by the state to act against one's religious conscience. To deny religious freedom in any of these senses is to mount an attack on human dignity, and to undermine civil and political society. In short, to insist that a person or a religious community must live as the state mandates -- without the right to live privately and publicly in accord with religious truth as one has apprehended that truth -- constitutes a firm step in the direction of tyranny. Unfortunately, that is the trend we are witnessing in Europe today. |
A question I get often when discussing goodbre.ws and, more recently, recommendable, is why I chose to implement a system based on Likes and Dislikes rather than the more standard five-star rating scale. Usually, I’m short and succinct: I think that star rating systems suck. Sometimes, I do go into a bit more detail: I think that star rating systems really suck. However, I’m starting to think that people may be asking this question and expecting some sort of “actual answer”, so today I would like to go into just why I think that the five-star rating scale is terrible, and why I decided to use the binary system of likes and dislikes.
The ★★★★★ scale
The star rating scale is arguably the most classic of all, so it’s not surprising that a lot of websites use it. Big e-commerce sites like Amazon and eBay utilize the five-star scale, and Netflix also uses a five-star scale to power its review system and recommendations. There are, of course, variations. IMDB uses a ten-star scale, which may as well be a 5-star scale that allows half stars (such as reviews on BeerAdvocate). There are a lot of ways to handle the star-scale, but what I’d like to get at is that they all suck.
Ambiguity and uncertainty of the scale
One of my big gripes about the five-star scale is ambiguity behind the ratings that you are allowed to give. What exactly distinguishes between three stars and four stars? What is enough to push your rating up to that next star? What is enough to pull it down? Because of a lack of clarity, star ratings can end up being very subjective. It is easy to end up with two people who give an item the same three-star rating but actually feel differently about it. Some websites attempt to handle this reasonably. Netflix, for instance, used to present some explanatory text for each star when hovering over them during a rating:
★ (Hated it)
★★ (Didn’t like it)
★★★ (Liked it)
★★★★ (Really liked it)
★★★★★ (Loved it)
At the time of writing this post, Netflix no longer displays this text when submitting a rating. Instead, posting a rating to Netflix now closely resembles the act of doing so on Amazon: you are simply presented with five clickable stars and left alone with your fears and preconceptions. This is how it often is when submitting a star rating.
However, even the explanatory text itself can end up coming off as subjective. What does it mean to “really” like a movie? Why are the intervals between the options unequal (i.e. no “Really disliked it” option)? The explanatory text can help if done correctly, but it can also simply add to the subjectivity of submitted ratings.
Unreliability of ratings
Because a star rating scale iteslf is so ambiguous and uncertain, so too are the ratings submitted to it. Many users will not use this scale as intended even with intent given in the form of explanatory text. Many users will use the scale as intended, but that usage is always based on their subjective ability to understand the way the scale should be used.
Despite this, recommendation systems will accept these ratings as statistically accurate communications. Websites with huge samples of users and ratings may not seem to be negatively affected by the unreliable nature of these ratings. It is likely that that this unreliability becomes normalized as the data sample grows. Smaller websites and recommendation systems experiencing the cold start, however, will suffer due to the subjective nature of its small rating sample.
Binary voting is already happening
Despite being a scale with five possible ratings, people tend to vote in a binary fashion anyway. Back in 2009, YouTube published some interesting data concerning the ratings that videos had been receiving. As it turns out, a huge majority of videos would receive mostly five-star ratings. I think that YouTube’s takeaway from this data was spot on:
Seems like when it comes to ratings it’s pretty much all or nothing. Great
videos prompt action; anything less prompts indifference.
The second highest rating was, of course, one star. This is a great example of binary voting in the works. A lot of people give mostly five-star ratings for things they like. If they don’t like that thing, they either give it one star or simply bounce and skip rating it entirely. I’ve also spoken to friends and acquaintances who admit to giving almost exclusively four-star ratings to things they like, and three-star ratings to things that are “just ok”.
YouTube toyed with the idea of switching their rating system to a “favorites” system to “declare your love for a video”, but ultimately settled on the thumbs up or down options we know and love today. There was some level of outcry from YouTube users expressing dismay at the change in rating scale, but there’s been no evidence to support this group as anything more than a loud minority.
Binary rating scales are another popular system. As mentioned earlier, YouTube now operates on a thumbs up or down rating scale. Other websites that utilize a similar scale include reddit (upvotes and downvotes) and digg (digging or burying). Some social networking sites take this even a step further and remove the negative rating option entirely (e.g. Facebook only has likes and Google+ has only has the +1 button). I’d like to focus on the classic Like/Dislike pair. What makes this system better than a five-star system?
Less ambiguous
The binary rating scale removes a large amount of ambiguity present in the star rating systems. Five (or more) subjective rating options are aggregated down into two options based on words that are easily understandable by native speakers of the language. It is much easier for a person to declare, “Hey, I like this thing” than it is to determine, “Well, I like this thing… But do I ‘three stars’ like it, or do I ‘four stars’ like it?”
Less subjective
A large amount of subjectivity is also removed. Ratings given that are based directly on feelings are much more likely to match than ratings given based on numbers. This can simplify a lot of situations in which two people may have similar feelings about something but rated it different:
Me: “I liked this thing and rated it four stars.”
Friend: “I liked this thing and rated it five stars.”
Me: “I liked this thing and rated it three stars.”
Friend: “I didn’t like this thing, so I only gave it three stars.”
Our feelings about something are clearly not conveyed well by star ratings, and they don’t match. As I posited earlier, this can normalize given a large set of data, but this does not change that we have no way of knowing whether or not the underlying ratings are truly indicative of agreement. Given a binary scale, however, agreement is much more clear: “We both liked this thing” or “we both disliked this thing.”
People are already doing this!
Third, as stated earlier, people are pretty much already rating in this way. Why fight it?
No middle ground
Of course, the Like/Dislike system is not without its own flaws. Most notably, unless implemented, there isn’t an explicit neutral ground in a binary rating system aside from abstaining from a vote. It’s an all-or-nothing situation in which you either like something or you don’t. This may or may not be an issue for you as the implementor. Personally, when I’m ready to rate an item, I can always manage to categorize it into a like or dislike even if its very close. However, if I were to truly feel 100% neutral about something, I would likely ignore that thing and move on rather than rate it. If I have no feelings either way, why would I want it affecting my recommendations?
Embrace the binary rating system. It’s much less ambiguous and subjective than its stellar cousin, and it’s much easier for the user to deal with in general. Feelings themselves are more easily comparable than numbers indirectly based on feelings and can lead to more accurate recommendations. |
20 Years On...Challenger, Space and the Law
The media--from the National Geographic Channel to talk radio--will be commemorating today’s sad anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger disaster that led to the deaths of seven astronauts, including teacher Christa McAuliffe. But did you know that all three NASA spaceflight accidents, claiming 17 lives over the last 40 years, took place between January 27 (the Apollo 1 fire in 1967) and February 1 (the loss of the shuttle Columbia in 2003)? This fact, along with Challenger videos, training and liftoff photos, voice recorder transcripts, Congressional hearings, scientific investigation reports, and court decisions from related lawsuits are all available online from web sites dedicated to the history and law of space exploration. NASA’s History Division page on the ill-fated Challenger mission is a great place to start, with links to most of the key information. Spacelawstation.com, “the planet’s space law portal,” provides Challenger-related and other space law cases, a space lawyer directory, and links to space law resources worldwide.Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat |
Reasonable Doubt About "Adaption Theory"
That just goes to show the the gospels writers created a Jesus that reflected their intellectual limitations. If someone like Archimedes set out to write a gospel based on his extremely high mathematical & scientific intelligence, it might show Jesus discovering and inventing things like a genius character from a science fiction story.
Since the OT is a history of the Jews and the NT expounds on the guidelines for salvation and describes the beginnings of the 1st century church, what relevance would it have been for God to have mentioned the Ice Age or Jesus the Fibonacci series in Nature?
Regarding Jesus and salvation, Christians arguing amongst themselves isn't indicitive of Jesus's lack of clarity, it's a symptom of man's inability to deal with the hard facts.Baloney. The assertion that the doctrines of Jesus and salvation are crystal clear and utterly consistent throughtout the NT is just naive. In one text, Jesus calls himself "I AM," in another, he says, "Why do you call me good? There is only one who is good, God." In one text, Jesus says that those who keep his commandments will enter eternal life, in another, he says that all we need is to believe in him. One text says, "...baptism saves you." Another says that if we "believe that God raised him from the dead" we will be saved. One says that we're justified by faith without works, another says, "You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith only."Regardless of whether these texts can be harmonized (a separate question), we can't justly state that God handed us a completely unambiguous roadmap in the Bible. And I'm so weary of people blaming man's stubborn, corrupt heart for the widespread lack of agreement among Bible readers. (The person making the charge usually is the one who has the correct interpretations, of course.)
... because Jesus didn't mention the Aztecs or dinosaurs doesn't mean he wasn't divine - it means these topics had no relevance ...That's true, but here's the problem: The Bible's version of natural history rules out the age of dinosaurs. Don't you see that as a problem for inerrancy?
Firstly, where does Jesus call himself “I am”? John 8:58--(Jesus speaking)Before Abraham was, I am. (Most generally used translations read in this way.)
Jason,You may think these issues are all cut and dried. But they're not so simple. During my many years of Bible study, I changed my mind on doctrinal issues a lot -- even when I was certain my old interpretation was dead-on accurate. Scholars who know the original languages and the ancient historic context disagree with one another regularly. To suggest that it's always a matter of a proud, unyielding heart on someone's part is not only uncharitable, it's nutty. I'll prove it: Crack open the book of Zechariah and tell me its straitforward, easily accessible meaning.
Now that it's been established were "I am" is found, how exactly does this contradict the phrase “Why do you call me good..." in Luke 18:29?Steve, the issues I mentioned are cut and dry. The Bible is silent about purgatory, heaven-going, and infant baptism. I don’t see how these issues can appear to you as being muddled or ambiguous. How can a Christian support, defend and preach a doctrine when it isn’t found in the very book he considers inspired by God?Zechariah is straightforward once an understanding of the symbols and analogies has been established. Reading the Bible logically, from front to back, starting at the beginning and finishing at the end, allows one to do this. The Bible can speak for itself. God and Jesus are separate beings, there are no fallen angels, Lucifer isn’t Satan, people don’t go to heaven when they die. Putting aside every religious bias and influence out there, the messages, lessons and doctrines in the Bible are crystal clear.
hi Lowendaction,I have to rush through this, sorry.I'd like to give you some food for thought about 'god is love', all good, all powerful, all knowing, everywhere, etcLove never gives up. - if there is a god, he gave up on some of us. He knows what it would take to convince us, it should be a small matter to a god.Love cares more for others than for self. - then what is the point of praise? didn't he domonstrate his jealousy?Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. - then why does he care about our souls?Love doesn't strut, - then what was all that posturing in the old testament?Doesn't have a swelled head, - then what is the point of praise? and all that talk about 'no other gods'?Doesn't force itself on others, - didn't he pick the jews and then isn't the old testament the chronicle of him pounding them into submission?Isn't always "me first," - then whats the point of praise, and there are no other gods and all that stuff?Doesn't fly off the handle, - God never flew off the handle? for example, Lots wife? The guy that grabbed the Arc of the covenant to protect it? yada, yada, yada...Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, - then why do we have to worry about going to hell or not?Doesn't revel when others grovel, - then what is the point of praise and worshipTakes pleasure in the flowering of truth, - then why does the theory of accomodation exist, and why are there such egregious geographical errors and scientific errors such as noted in my article?Puts up with anything, - then why do we go to hell?Trusts God always, - I love things but don't trust godAlways looks for the best, - then second best never has a chance?Never looks back, - then why do we go to hell and why do we keep worrying about jesus?But keeps going to the end. - if there is a god, he gave up on some of us. He knows what it would take to convince us, it should be a small matter to a god.I am trek fan as well. If there is a god he must necessarily be more like Q than the biblical god because the biblical has the same problems that infinity has. Paradoxes. He cancels himself out. He is so good and loves so much that we can't understand it so needless suffering looks like evil and sending 70% of the population of the world to hell doesn't look like love.
Hi Jason,if news of the Ice Age wasn't relevant to establishing the history of the Jews or the establishment of the 1st century church, then naturally it wouldn't be included. It's the same reason why God doesn't mention how North America was colonized or who built the first wheel. They're irrelevant to mankind's salvation and Jewish history.are you sure you want to say that there is nothing in the bible that is not irrelevant to mans salvation and jewish history?but you've done what dillie-o did and jumped to the extreme without considering the topic. I think as God on Earth, and the new messiah I think it was incumbent on him to explain some of the jewish customs about hygiene, introducing germ theory. That would have been relevant and NEW information. I for one would be thinking "surely he was god because the gospels are the first place that germ theory is recorded and only god could have known that at that time". and I think christianity would easily be top dog among religions.
Hmm I dont have a whole lot to say for this as none of it seems terribly polemical. Firstly I would like to ask why John doesnt allow anonymous comments, just because its annoying to sign in every time. As for why God didnt make his existence blatantly obvious (I think we can all agree that if the bible gave us some real hard science, such as explaining the mechanisms of evolution or the way the universe formed than that would be pretty convinving). I think id be troubled by this if I viewed the bible as inerrant or what not. Now the question is, of course, related to the hiddenness of God question. I dont think I need to go through alot of arguments but I think that perhaps God does not want his existence to be so obvious that if people wish to dwell, happily, in the materal world without any thoughts about anything else they can do so. Now of course in such a world a small percentage will, at least somewhat try to find God and fail. If God is merciful, which I again believe, than that will be forgiven. But yes my answer to the question is that God, at least to an extent, wishes his creation to force itself to humbly pull itself ever so slightly from the primordial ooze in which we were spawned, look to the sky and simply say "hello?"
But yes Lee, I dont think anyone will argue with you on this point. Of course one answer to the question is God is hidden because God doesnt exist. However once we come to that stage of the game we have to enter the field of natural theology, philosophy and historiography which takes us far further than this post.
I may be pushing it too far, but let's say jesus did reveal the concept of zero way back then. Are you SURE you wouldn't also be asking for germ theory and other items today? How much is enough for you?You're right, they weren't that dumb back then. Heck, I think most things are still footnotes to Plato and Aristotle 8^DWhat did jesus use for his credibility? Prophecy, intense knowledge of the scriptures, and miracles. I think that these held a lot more credo in the day. When challenged by the Pharisees and Sadducees,jesus showed immense logic and insight in his responses.Is this enough credibility to believe the rest of what jesus has to say?
The Bible being silent on certain issues is only a problem if you can show where the Bible should have necessarily addressed those topics. Of course, no skeptic has ever shown this. The best they can do is argue through innuendo. In other words, it's a dumb argument.
Perhaps Jesus was more concerned with how we lived our lives, ethically speaking, than with more scientific knowledge, per se.After all, increased scientific knowledge has put us in a position where a world filled with nuclear weapons is taken as a given.When you think about it, civilization could be laid waste in half an hour or so, in a scenario chillingly similar to the Book of Revelation.Complain about it all you want, but why have atheistic scientists (Richard Dawkins assures us most scientists are atheists) provided nuclear weapons to any government that will pay?Fundies may talk about the end of the world, but science has made it possible.Even Einstein remarked to the effect that our scientific knowledge had already far exceeded our moral knowledge.
lee,for a rush-job, you still answered quite a bit, so I will try and retort Hemmingway style (not in content but in leangth!!):Love never gives up. - if there is a god, he gave up on some of us. He knows what it would take to convince us, it should be a small matter to a god.I would argue free will here. We give up, not Him.Love cares more for others than for self. - then what is the point of praise? didn't he domonstrate his jealousy?I'll answer this one for all the praise related ones. I think our definitions of praise might differ in context here. Considering that God IS love as well as all the other omni's, it is really not praising another person as you and I might one another. I think of it, as recognizing and appreciating what and who He is. Plus, since God is perfect (results pending;) He is not burdoned with such pesty things as ego and pride. Only we are blessed with such handicaps.Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. - then why does he care about our souls?Great point! Though I believe the "wanting" is in reference to the posession of something. It's my understanding that God wishes for our love and attention through relation, but I'm pretty sure He does not seek ownership of us as such.Love doesn't strut, - then what was all that posturing in the old testament?Not 100% sure what you're refering to. I do know, that the OT relationship was quite different than the A.D. one, in that He chose to make His presence allot more "visibly" known. I like to think of this in more paternal terms than Him "showing off".and all that talk about 'no other gods'?Is this any different than saying "I do" in marriage? I'm not sure that exclusivity is synonymous with pride.Doesn't force itself on others, - didn't he pick the jews and then isn't the old testament the chronicle of him pounding them into submission?Also, IMO, more of a paternal approach. He says, "Here are the ground rules. And now here come the consequences of you breaking them." I personally am a big fan of a God of decisive consequences. I think our modern version of the "all loving, all good, fuzzy-wuzzy grace-filled" God is not entirely accurate. Though I do believe in His grace, and am obviously quite thankful for it, there is no mention of grace making Him "weaker" or "softer" regarding His character and nature.Doesn't fly off the handle, - God never flew off the handle? for example, Lots wife? The guy that grabbed the Arc of the covenant to protect it? yada, yada, yada...Clear set of rules. Concrete consequences. I don't see any emotions involved here.Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, - then why do we have to worry about going to hell or not?We don't go to hell because we are sinners (EVERYONE is a sinner...even Christians!). We go because we choose not to accept God through Christ. God is also quite clear about the fact that He does NOT keep score of ANY of our sins. They have already ALL been forgiven (and that includes not only future sins, but for ALL mankind...not just Christians!). Asking for the forgiveness of sins, is a really bad description of what is essentially, recognizing and accepting a fact. Though that might sound simple, it's really pretty deep when you consider all the implications therein.Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, - then why does the theory of accomodation exist, and why are there such egregious geographical errors and scientific errors such as noted in my article?IMO, truth is referring to the character and nature of God. Specifially, flowering is an image of the journey towards discovering who God is.Puts up with anything, - then why do we go to hell?Not related. I think this falls in the 'patience and understanding with regards to inter-personal relationships' category.Trusts God always, - I love things but don't trust godGod = love.Always looks for the best, - then second best never has a chance?That's borderline silly...It doesn't say "Only accepts the best", it is an admiral trait to always strive for the best. I think it's more of an attitude/perception thing: Glass half full.Never looks back, - then why do we go to hell and why do we keep worrying about jesus?Of course, this list represents the "perfect" qualities of love, which I am arguing are in fact one and the same with God's. So it is not a question of how this reflects on us, but merely a guide or goal for us to measure oursleves by. So hell? I'm not sure how one goes to hell by looking back? As far as "worrying" about Jesus. I guess you could say that we are "looking back" at history when reading about Him, but the scriptures also describe themseleves as being living, so one could argue that they are really right now. I think the only people that "worry" about Christ, are those that wish to discredit Him. Most Christians are actaully looking forward to His return.But keeps going to the end. - if there is a god, he gave up on some of us. He knows what it would take to convince us, it should be a small matter to a god.This again implies ownership. The whole idea of freedom discounts that. Everyone enters this life on a level playing field (from a Godly perspective), the choices we make from then on, is entirely ours. What would be more meaningful to you? A woman that fell in love with you, entirely of her own accord, based soley on who you are? Or the one you've slipped a little Spanish Fly in her drink (presuming there was a formula that would cause a person to fall in love, despite themselves)? Just because you can, does that really make it worth it? It's often the journey, the unknown, that makes the having so much sweeter.I think this is where that whole "personality type of the skeptic" thing might have some merit. I would argue that for the former, the need for instant facts over ultimate payoff can be overpowering.Q as God...now there's a scary thought!!! I think I'd rather go for the unknown given those options.thanks lee.
What would be more meaningful to you? A woman that fell in love with you, entirely of her own accord, based soley on who you are? Or the one you've slipped a little Spanish Fly in her drink (presuming there was a formula that would cause a person to fall in love, despite themselves)? Just because you can, does that really make it worth it?Sure it does. If the woman is in danger of being tormented for all eternity unless she falls in love with me, then I think slipping her that Spanish Fly is the moral option. Don't you?
Lee,"are you sure you want to say that there is nothing in the bible that is not irrelevant to mans salvation and jewish history?"Er, no, that's not what I'm saying at all. Would you not agree that Quantum Mechnics has nothing to do with anything from a Biblical point of view? "I think as God on Earth, and the new messiah I think it was incumbent on him to explain some of the jewish customs about hygiene, introducing germ theory."lol Why? If people don't believe in God because He failed to mention germ theory 2000 years ago, their problems are more deeply rooted then a missed science lesson. :)
Hi Goldstein, Perhaps Jesus was more concerned with how we lived our lives, ethically speaking, than with more scientific knowledge, per se.I'll buy that. After all, increased scientific knowledge has put us in a position where a world filled with nuclear weapons is taken as a given.When you think about it, civilization could be laid waste in half an hour or so, in a scenario chillingly similar to the Book of Revelation.Complain about it all you want, but why have atheistic scientists (Richard Dawkins assures us most scientists are atheists) provided nuclear weapons to any government that will pay?That was very well constructed appeal to fear with a slippery slope and a nice unsubstantiated claim twist! I give it a ten.The world has enough nuclear weapons to destroy itself, I'm told, but it also has enough medical technology and sanitation to increase our average life spans appreciably. When you think about it, civilization could be laid waste in a half hour or so IF NOTHING STOPS IT. And what atheists have give whom nuclear weapons? Fundies may talk about the end of the world, but science has made it possible.Even Einstein remarked to the effect that our scientific knowledge had already far exceeded our moral knowledge.I'd say the Fundys are incredibly obsessed by the end of the world and should lighten up and use that energy for some greater good. And I'll also give you a ten for that fallacious appeal to authority, because I don't really think you believe that Einstein was an authority on morals or knowledge or human capacity for moral knowledge.
Hi lowendaction That's borderline silly...It doesn't say "Only accepts the best", it is an admiral trait to always strive for the best. I think it's more of an attitude/perception thing: Glass half full.That made me smile. borderline silly? come on, admit it, you secretly think it was fully silly don't you? You are so polite! ;-)anyway, thank you for your restraint! and for the idea to do a "Reasonable doubt about God is Love" article. This again implies ownership. The whole idea of freedom discounts that. Everyone enters this life on a level playing field (from a Godly perspective), the choices we make from then on, is entirely ours.nice qualifier, godly perspective. How do you know what the Godly perspective is? you have presumed a lot. Go to an impoverished person in some poor country and tell them they entered this life on the same level playing field as you. You're lucky if they don't spit in your face. What would be more meaningful to you? A woman that fell in love with you, entirely of her own accord, based soley on who you are? Or the one you've slipped a little Spanish Fly in her drink (presuming there was a formula that would cause a person to fall in love, despite themselves)? Just because you can, does that really make it worth it? It's often the journey, the unknown, that makes the having so much sweeter.The spanish fly is too much, just a little attention, tenderness, you know, that stuff that sustains relationships. I think this is where that whole "personality type of the skeptic" thing might have some merit. I would argue that for the former, the need for instant facts over ultimate payoff can be overpowering.well, two can play at that game mister! That was borderline silly! ;-)I think this is where that whole "personality type of the christian" thing might have some merit. I would argue that for the former, the lack of need for instant facts over ultimate payoff can be overpowering. I'm thinking cognitive bias again.Thanks lowendaction.
Hi Jason, lee: "are you sure you want to say that there is nothing in the bible that is not irrelevant to mans salvation and jewish history?"Jason: Er, no, that's not what I'm saying at all. Would you not agree that Quantum Mechnics has nothing to do with anything from a Biblical point of view?Jasons loading up the shirt and pants with straw..... Lee: "I think as God on Earth, and the new messiah I think it was incumbent on him to explain some of the jewish customs about hygiene, introducing germ theory." Jason: lol Why? If people don't believe in God because He failed to mention germ theory 2000 years ago, their problems are more deeply rooted then a missed science lesson. :)AND HE STANDS IT UP! THE CROWD GOES WILD, what a classic and efficient construction of a straw man we have seen here today ladies and gentlemen, it doesn't get any better than that!you have missed the point. the point is not that god should have provided the answer to quantum anything, but what was included in the bible should have appeared to have come from a god and not a compilation of Folklore. God should have at least been able to get the history, geography and science that is in the bible correct if he couldn't manage to give us any new information. I think that is a reasonable expectation from a god don't you? |
In the mechanical engineering field, associate's degree programs are offered in the topic of mechanical engineering technology. This program can prepare to you assist engineers or transfer to a bachelor's degree program. Read on to learn more about programs and job options.
Mechanical Engineering degrees
What Kinds of Associate's Degree Programs Are Available in Mechanical Engineering?
If you're interested in an associate's degree in mechanical engineering technology, you can earn various degree titles, including an Associate of Science, an Associate of Applied Science or an Associate of Engineering. Specializations are also available in nanotechnology. Online options, however, are not typically offered due to the need for supervised laboratory work with mechanical tools.
What Will I Learn?
An associate's degree program in mechanical engineering technology can train you in mechanical engineering concepts, as well as industry-current engineering equipment and software. Many programs also incorporate general education requirements. Areas of study could include mechanical production processes, engineering materials, manufacturing planning, mechanical design or electricity. You might also take classes in:
Computer-aided design (CAD)
Graphics for engineering
AC networking
DC networking
Static equilibrium
What Do I Need To Apply?
The minimum requirement to be considered for an associate's degree program in mechanical engineering technology is a high school diploma or GED. You may also need to submit standardized test scores and letters of recommendation. Before beginning the program, you might want to take classes like statistics, physics and calculus to prepare yourself for the mechanical engineering coursework.
What Can I Do After I Graduate?
If you hold an associate's degree in mechanical engineering technology, some of your classes might be applied toward a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. You may also be prepared to study alternative but related fields, including computer hardware engineering, physics, electrical engineering or computer science.
Another option may be to enter the workforce. With your associate's degree, you might assist mechanical engineers in the private, nonprofit or government sectors. For example, you might be qualified for jobs such as:
CAD operator
Engineering lab assistant
Biotechnology laboratory technician
Electron microscope technician
Engineering & Technology Management
What are the Different Fields of Mechanical Engineering?
What is Mechanical Engineering? |
An Oral History with Umoja Kwanguvu
Born William Jones, and the first of nine children, Mr. Umoja Kwanguvu started his life in 1925, in Birmingham, Alabama. He was reared in Birmingham, and was graduated from Miles College there with a major in English. In 1944, during World War II, he was drafted into the U. S. Army. During his tenure in the Army, he was a cargo checker on U. S. ships in England and the Philippines. In 1945, he was honorably discharged. Returning to Birmingham, Mr. Kwanguvu attended business college for a year. Because of strict racial segregation and discrimination, he could not find work commensurate with his abilities. Moreover, he could not adjust to or accept his " place" as a second- class citizen in the oppressive South. In 1947, he reenlisted in the military-- this time in the Air Force. He was graduated from military dental technician school and served as a dental technician in Germany. Demoted for actively protesting and defying segregation which still existed in the military at that time, he was honorably discharged in 1952. He returned to Birmingham where he was arrested in 1953 for drinking from a water fountain labeled " white." In 1953, he entered Miles College where he evoked the ire of the president of that all- black institution by conducting protest activities against the prevailing Jim Crow attitudes and laws. He taught French and English in Georgia for two years where he provoked his students to begin to question a long- accepted attitude of racial " untouchability." Parents of his students counseled him to leave town before entrenched white racists could do him harm. So, he returned to Birmingham where he taught high school English and French for approximately three years. On Mother's Day, 1961, after witnessing the horror of freedom riders being beaten at the bus station in downtown Birmingham, Mr. Kwanguvu decided to relocate to New York City where he taught school. For about three years he taught at an elementary school in Bellmore, Long Island, New York. In April of 1964, he was arrested with James Farmer, the founder of CORE ( Congress for Racial Equality); the two of them were picketing the New York World's Fair because of inadequate and demeaning employment of non- white people. That same summer, the long, hot summer of 1964, he was arrested in Hattiesburg, Mississippi for attempting to desegregate the public library. His subsequent arrest in 1968 in New York City occurred when he witnessed and protested the abuse of a man by police in the subways. Mr. Kwanguvu taught English in one of President Lyndon B. Johnson's anti- poverty programs, JOIN ( Job Opportunities in Neighborhoods) in New York City from 1967 through 1972. At LaGuardia Community |
Creator zwerling, matthew, 1944- (3)
20 50 100 200 Thumbnail Title Description Date Collection Oral history with Mr. Ken Fairly Oral history.; Interview conducted on July 7, 1993 with Ken Fairly, a Mississippi law enforcement officer and journalist. Fairly was born on February 18, 1928 in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. Now retired, he had two careers: one as a journalist and... Oral History The Civil Rights Documentation Project: The Grenada Movement A collection of eight interviews with participants in the Mississippi civil rights movement. The people interviewed discuss how they came to participate in the civil rights movement, their various activities, including voter registration, Freedom... Oral History Oral history with Harry C. Tartt Oral history.; Reverend Harry C. Tartt was born on October 16, 1908, in Biloxi, Mississippi. Reverend Tartt attended New Orleans University (now Dillard University) in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1934, Reverend Tartt began teaching school at... 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Robinson Brown Condor Association Oral History Project, Part 3 A collection of interviews with African-Americans of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, circa twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, who knew Colonel John Robinson, an African-American pilot who was tapped by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Sellassie in the... Oral History The John C. Robinson Brown Condor Association Oral History Project, Part 4 A collection of interviews with African-Americans of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, circa twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, who knew Colonel John Robinson, an African-American pilot who was tapped by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Sellassie in the... Oral History Oral history with Mr. Wilson Evans II Oral history.; Interview conducted on 06-11-1981 with Mr. Wilson Evans II (born 1924). Evans began his long career as a union leader in Gulfport in 1950, later becoming president of the union. This interview covers topics as diverse as his service... Oral History Oral history with Mr. Thomas Knight, Sr. Oral history.; Two interviews conducted on February 7 and 21, 1992 with Mr. Thomas Knight Sr. at the University of Southern Mississippi. Knight was born on July 9, 1920 near Hattiesburg, Mississippi. In 1941, he began working at the Reliance... Oral History Oral history with Reverend Clay F. Lee, minister of the Methodist church Oral history.; Two interviews conducted on July 8 and 23, 1980 with the Reverend Clay F. Lee at his study in Jackson, Mississippi. Lee was born on March 3, 1930 in Laurel, Mississippi. After graduating with his undergraduate degree from Millsaps... Oral History Oral history with Ms. Ruby Magee Oral history.; Four interviews conducted on June 11, September 26, October 10, and November 21, 1985 with Ms. Ruby Magee in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Magee was born on August 12, 1940 in Tylertown, Mississippi. In 1962, she received a BA in... Oral History Oral history with Mr. Richard A. Murchison Oral history.; Discusses Murchison's time spent in the United States Army. Particularly focuses on his participation in the Vietnamese Conflict. During that time, Murchison served both as an adviser and in an actual unit. He received a number of... Oral History Oral history with Mr. Mayo D. Wilson Oral history.; Mr. Mayo D. Wilson, a native of Cary, Mississippi, is a graduate of Tougaloo College and a veteran of the Korean War. Following a two-year service in the Army, Mr. Wilson returned to Mississippi where he taught math and science at... Oral History Oral history with Ms. Zoya Zeman Oral history.; Interview conducted on April 18, 1996 with Zoya Zeman (born 1943). Ms. Zeman was a civil rights activist who worked on the Mississippi Summer Project in Clarksdale, where she worked at the community center, organizing classes and... Oral History Oral history with Mr. William Joel Blass Oral history.; Interview conducted on March 26, 1977 with William Joel Blass (born 1917). As a lawyer in 1952, he successfully prosecuted the Boyce Holleman case by proving that voter fraud had kept Holleman from winning. Beginning in 1953, he... Oral History Oral history with Rev. Sammie Rash Oral history.; Reverend Sammie Rash was born in Sunflower County, Mississippi, on July 31, 1942. His parents were sharecroppers, and in 1949 they moved the family to the McGann plantation in Bolivar County, where Reverend Rash grew up. In 1963... Oral History Oral history with the Honorable Frank Barber Oral history.; The Honorable Frank D. Barber was born on April 2, 1929, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Barber attended the University of Mississippi for a year before volunteering for the U.S. Army which involved National Guard work in the U.S. and... Oral History Oral history with Reverend Sammie Rash Oral history.; Interview conducted on March 30, 1977 with the Reverend Sammie Rash (born 1942). Reverend Rash, the son of sharecroppers, has been very active in both civil rights activities and Mississippi politics, in addition to being a minister... Oral History Oral history with Honorable O.H. Barnett Oral history.; An interview conducted on October 24, 1975 with the Honorable O.H. Barnett (born 1902). Mr. Barnett was elected Circuit Court Judge in 1958 and served until 1975. He presided during the civil rights movement in the 1960s, during the... Oral History 1 |
Date Created (Newest) Date Created (Oldest) Date Added (Newest) Date Added (Oldest) UGEC Viewpoints, No. 2, September 2009
Creator: Urbanization and Global Environmental Change Project
Description: Urbanization is a global phenomenon that has transformed and continues to alter landscapes and the ways in which societies function and develop. For this issue of UGEC Viewpoints, the editors collected case-studies presented at the Open Meeting that span across regions and themes: from Australia and the United States, as well as the less developed nations in Africa, megacities of Asia such as Dhaka, Bangladesh and Delhi, India, vulnerable coastal areas of the Yucatan Peninsula, and the largest rainforest in the world, the Brazilian Amazon. Currently, more than half of the world's population lives in cities; the United Nations projects that by 2030 the world will advance to the 60% urbanization threshold. Rapid urbanization effects will not only be present within the immediate locations (cities and their metropolitan areas), but will be experienced regionally and globally. The UGEC project seeks to better understand these implications and the complex dynamic systems of urban areas that affect and are affected by global environmental change (e.g., climate change, natural disasters, loss of biodiversity, freshwater ecosystem decline, desertification, and land degradation). Several commonalities are readily identifiable in the authors' research, some of which include an attention to the roles of the governance structures within ...
Renewable Energy: Sustainable Development in Africa
Date: unknown Creator: World Future Council
Description: Fact sheet on World Future Council's activities in Africa with the goal of promoting the use of renewable energy technologies that promote economic development and quality of life through basic needs and access to education and health care.
Labour and the Environment: A Natural Synergy
Creator: Smith, John
Description: This report presents examples of tools and practices that promote workers' health and safety as well as environmental protection, public health, and corporate responsibility. Issues include climate change, hazardous materials,
Africa Adaptation Programme: An insight into AAP and Country project Profiles
Creator: The Africa Adaptation Programme (AAP)
Description: The Africa Adaptation Programme (AAP) has been designed to support the long-term efforts of targeted countries to further develop their capability to successfully identify, design and implement holistic adaptation and disaster risk reduction programmes that are aligned with national development priorities. This report provides insight into the Africa Adaptation Programme (AAP) and its related country project profiles. The AAP has shifted into implementation, with Namibia and Tunisia as the first countries to complete national inception workshops. Eighteen out of the total twenty programme countries will complete national inception processes and start full-fledged implementation in the coming months.
GEO Year Book 2007: An Overview of Our Changing Environment
Creator: United Nations Environment Programme
Description: This publication is an overview of major global environmental issues and policy decisions during the course of 2007.
Africa: Atlas of Our Changing Environment |
The theme of the pastorale and the Russian Silver Age
THE THEME OF THE PASTORALE AND THE RUSSIAN SILVER AGE by Jamilya Nazyrova _______________________________________________________________________ A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (SLAVIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES) August 2010 Copyright 2010 Jamilya Nazyrova Object Description Title The theme of the pastorale and the Russian Silver Age Author Nazyrova, Jamilya Author email nazyrova@usc.edu; nazyrova@gmail.com Degree Doctor of Philosophy Document type Dissertation Degree program Slavic Languages & Literatures School College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Date defended/completed 2010-05-13 Date submitted 2010 Restricted until Unrestricted Date published 2010-08-17 Advisor (committee chair) Bowlt, John E. Advisor (committee member) Habinek, ThomasSeifrid, Thomas Abstract This dissertation discusses the intuitions of the ancient forms of mimesis connected to the revival of the pastoral theme in the art and literature of the Russian Silver age. The context of this study is Walter Benjamin's ideas about the non-semiotic nature of ancient mimesis and about the possibility of non-semiotic languages. In particular, as Benjamin suggests, in contrast to the semiotic sign, the mimetic sign involves material objects - the human body and the objects of nature - as signifiers. Using Benjamin's notion of the mimetic this study analyzes key episodes in the history of pastoral leading up to Silver Age Russia. Specifically, it examines the mimetic aspects of the representation of pastoral theme in the Silver age artistic and literary legacy and compare them to the Greek and Roman classical pastoral: Virgil's "Bucolics" Longus's "Daphnis and Chloe " and Pompeian wall painting; and in the fin de siecle images of the pastoral nature and pastoral music and song in the modernist art and literature.; The first half of the dissertation examines the origin of the pastoral tradition in the Greek and Roman classics. The first chapter focuses on the settings of the classical idyll, namely its idealized landscape locus amoenus. It discusses the urban and rural aesthetics of the pastoral space in Greek and Roman classics and examines the relationship between the individual and nature that underlie the genre. The second chapter proposes an interpretation of the relationship of people and animals in the pastoral as a reminiscence of the traumatic experience of ritual sacrifice. This chapter's argument is that the main pastoral theme of reconciliation of species and the unity of people and animals in the Golden age myth is a response to the experiences of ritual killing, the archaic rituals that preceded the appearance of the pastoral.; The second half of the dissertation deals with the revival of the pastoral as a genre and as a mindset in Russian and Western modernity. The subject of the third chapter represents an overview of the history of the pastoral theme in late eighteenth to nineteenth century Russia and compares it with European pastoral tradition. It shows that the national image of pastoral space is based on the image of the aristocratic park, a space especially intended for socially prescribed bodily (and aesthetic) practices such as strolling and sight seeing. As a result of this specifically Russian development, the national adaptation of the pastoral theme became associated with estate life rather than with wild nature. The fourth chapter discusses various aspects of the pastoral’s revival in the turn of the century Russia and compares it with the theme of the pastorale in the Western fin de siecle. It analyzes the modernist development of the pastoral theme in the light of what may be called the integrative symbolism of the pastoral, or, in other words, the genre's ability to convey the symbols of integration through a harmonious relationship with the environment. This chapter demonstrates that while western Style Moderne pastoral expresses the controlling authority over nature, Russian pastorals establish harmony and equality between the subject and the setting of the pastoral. This chapter also contains a survey of the philosophic background of the Russian Silver Age stemming from the western romanticist aesthetics, in the works of Schiller and Ruskin; and an analysis of complicated relationships between the pastoral mind-set and the ideologies of the Russian symbolism including the so called life-creationism (zhinetvorchestvo). Keyword art moderne; Daphnis and Chloe; |
Draft Comprehensive
Conservation Plan and
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
2 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999
and Environmental Assessment
Ft. Niobrara/Valentine NWR Complex
HC14, Box 67
Valentine, NE 69201
Land Acquisition and Refuge Planning
P.O. Box 25486, DFC
Summary ............................................................................................................................ 5
Purpose of and Need for Action .................................................................................... 9
Purpose of and Need for Comprehensive Conservation Plan ................................ 9
Planning Process, Planning Time Frame, and Future Revisions....................... 9
Step-Down Management Plans .................................................................................. 10
National Wildlife Refuge System Mission and Goals ............................................ 10
Valentine National Wildlife Refuge History ............................................................ 13
Valentine National Wildlife Refuge Purpose and Vision ...................................... 17
Refuge Goals and Objectives....................................................................................... 18
Interrelationships of Goals and Objectives.............................................................. 18
Habitat Management .................................................................................................... 18
Wildlife ............................................................................................................................. 20
Threatened and Endangered Species ........................................................................ 22
Interpretation and Recreation .................................................................................... 23
Ecosystem (Partner) ..................................................................................................... 23
Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action .......................................................... 24
Current Management (No Action) Alternative ....................................................... 24
Historical Alternative ................................................................................................... 30
Intensive Wildlife Management Alternative ........................................................... 32
Modified Historical (Preferred) Alternative ........................................................... 34
Yellowthroat Wildlife Management Area ................................................................. 37
Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area ..................................................................... 37
Implementing the Plan (Preferred Alternative) .................................................... 37
Affected Environment .................................................................................................. 43
Geographic/Ecosystem Setting ................................................................................... 43
Climate ............................................................................................................................. 43
Air Quality ....................................................................................................................... 43
Soils .................................................................................................................................. 43
Water Resources and Associated Wetlands .............................................................. 44
Vegetation ........................................................................................................................ 44
Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................ 52
Economic Environment ................................................................................................ 52
Special Designations ..................................................................................................... 52
Environmental Consequences .................................................................................... 53
Alternative A. Current Management (No Action) .................................................. 53
Alternative B. Historical.............................................................................................. 54
Alternative C. Intensive Wildlife Management ...................................................... 56
Alternative D. Modified Historic (Preferred Alternative).................................... 57
List of Preparers ............................................................................................................ 58
Consultation and Coordination with Others .......................................................... 59
and management for endangered species would take
place. Exotic plants and weeds would be controlled
using grazing, fire, beneficial insects, and herbicides.
Public use would continue with hunting, fishing on the
same number of lakes, and wildlife observation allowed.
Cooperation and partnerships in place would continue.
Present monitoring of wildlife and habitat would take
The Historical Alternative would manage Refuge
grasslands and wildlife to replicate conditions that
existed before settlement. A herd of 500 bison would be
introduced to the Refuge. Permittee cattle would be
removed over time. Prescribed fire would be
increasingly used to replicate naturally occurring fire
frequency. Water control structures would be removed
and lakes returned to natural levels. Endangered
species would be monitored and studied to determine
effects of historic management. Exotic plants would be
controlled using increased prescribed fire along with
beneficial insects and herbicides. Prairie dog towns
would be established. Current hunting programs would
continue and a bison hunt initiated. The number of lakes
open to fishing would increase, but water levels would
not be managed for sport fish. A concession would be
sought to access the bison herd and increased
interpretation of historical ecology emphasized. Current
cooperation and partnerships would continue and
additional partnerships in bison management sought
out. Monitoring of the bison herd as well as fire effects
and wildlife trends would increase.
The 71,000-acre Valentine National Wildlife Refuge is
located in the Sandhills of north central Nebraska. The
native grass prairie and wetlands found here support a
diversity of wildlife. Little has changed from historic
times. The Refuge was established by Congress in 1935
“as a breeding ground for migratory birds and other
wildlife.” The Refuge is home to 270 species of birds, 59
species of mammals, and 22 species of reptiles and
amphibians. Several threatened and endangered plants,
birds, and one insect are found here. The 180-acre Holt
Creek and 480-acre Yellowthroat Wildlife Management
Wildlife Management Areas in Keya Paha and Brown
Counties are also included in this Plan.
Comprehensive conservation planning is being done for
the Refuge and Wildlife Management Areas to guide
management for the next 10- to 15-year period. When
completed, the Plan will provide clear goals and objectives,
implementation strategies, and recommended staffing and
funding for the areas. The Plan will also meet the
planning requirement in the National Wildlife Refuge
Improvement Act of 1997.
This Draft Comprehensive Management Plan (CCP)
considered four alternatives for management of Valentine
National Wildlife Refuge. Alternatives considered were
Current Management Alternative, Historical Alternative,
Intensive Wildlife Management Alternative, and
Modified Historical Alternative (Preferred Alternative).
Several of the alternatives for manage-ment
of Valentine National Wildlife
Refuge call for the return of bison to
Refuge grasslands; Native grasses
growing on Refuge meadows provide
excellent nesting habitat for ducks,
prairie chickens, and birds which pre-fer
tall dense cover; The endangered
plant, blowout penstemon, grows in the
sandy dunes where wind erosion cre-ates
areas of open sand;Money from
the sale of Duck Stamps was used to
purchase most of the lands that now
make up Valentine National Wildlife
Refuge; in April prairie chicken males
display on traditional breeding
grounds throughout the Refuge.
The Intensive Wildlife Management Alternative would
actively manage habitats and Refuge programs to
increase outputs in certain areas. Grazing with
permittee cattle and Texas longhorns from Ft.
Niobrara NWR, rest, and increased use of fire would
be used to actively manage grasslands. Water control
structures would remain in place and active water level
management, including drawdowns, used. Increased
monitoring, management, and research on endangered
and threatened species would occur. Prairie dog towns
would be established. Weeds and exotic plants would
be controlled using increased prescribed fire along
with grazing, beneficial insects, and herbicides.
Current Refuge hunting programs would continue with
limits on numbers of hunters instituted if crowding
develops. The number of Refuge lakes open to sport
fishing will be reduced but management of those open
increased for sport fish. Interpretation and
environmental education will be increased and the
Refuge headquarters moved to a location along
Highway 83. Current cooperation and partnerships
will continue and additional ones sought. Land trades
and acquisition from willing sellers will be pursued.
Monitoring of wildlife and habitats would increase.
The Modified Historical Alternative was selected as
the preferred alternative. This alternative was selected
based on an analysis of the environmental consequences
and the desire to return the historical forces of bison
grazing and fire to grassland management. To start,
the southwest portion of the Refuge will be fenced for
bison and a herd placed there. Prescribed fire will be
increased in this area and interior fences incrementally
removed. This area will be monitored over a five-year
period to document changes in grasslands and wildlife.
After evaluation, the decision will be made to extend
this type of management over the entire Refuge or to
return to using permittee cattle as the primary
grassland management tool. Refuge lakes presently
open to fishing will remain open with water control
structures, water level, and other management used to
benefit sport fish. Old drainage ditches will be plugged.
Endangered species use will be monitored and applied
research conducted to determine methods to increase
use. Blowout penstemon will be transplanted in
additional sites and trees protected for bald eagle
roosts. An attempt will be made to establish prairie
dog towns. Weeds and exotic plants will be controlled
using a combination of prescribed fire, beneficial
insects, and herbicides. Current hunting and fishing
opportunities will continue. Increased emphasis would
be placed on environmental education and interpretation
and the Refuge headquarters site moved to a location
near Highway 83. Current cooperation and partnerships
would continue. Outside funding would be sought to
implement parts of the Plan. A partnering effort in
bison management may be sought. Land trades and
acquisition with willing sellers will be pursued to
straighten Refuge boundaries. Trading Holt Creek
Wildlife Management Area for portions of Rat, Beaver,
and Willow Lakes will be pursued with Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission. Monitoring of grasslands
and wildlife will increase with emphasis on evaluation
of the use of bison and fire to manage grasslands.
Purpose of and Need for Action
Purpose of and Need for Comprehensive
Conservation Plan
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recognized the
need for strategic planning for the field stations of its
National Wildlife Refuge System (System). The
System now has more than 513 refuges totaling more
than 93 million acres. In September 1996, Executive
Order 12996 was enacted which gave the System
guidance on issues of compatibility and public uses of
its land. Congress passed the National Wildlife Refuge
System Improvement Act (Act) in October 1997. This
“organic act,” for the first time in the System’s history,
required that Comprehensive Conservation Plans
(CCP) be prepared for all refuges within 15 years.
The Service was an active participant in this historic
legislation and supported the planning requirement.
The planning effort will help each station, and thus the
entire System, to meet the changing needs of wildlife
species and the public. The planning effort provides the
opportunity to meet with our neighbors, our customers,
and other agencies to ensure that plans are relevant
and truly address natural resource issues and public
interests. It is our goal to have the System be an active
and vital part of the United States’ conservation
efforts. This Draft CCP/ Environmental Assessment
(EA) discusses the planning process, Valentine Na-tional
Wildlife Refuge’s (NWR) characteristics, and
the direction management will take in the next 15
years. It is provided to give the reader a clear
understanding of the purposes of the Refuge, the
alternatives considered, and the preferred alternative.
Planning Process, Planning Time Frame, and
Future Revisions
Nebraska, along Highway 83 (see Figure 1). The
Refuge is administered as part of the Fort Niobrara-
Valentine NWR Complex with the main office located
five miles east of the city of Valentine. The Hackberry
Headquarters on Valentine NWR is located along State
Spur 16B.
Comprehensive conservation planning efforts for
Valentine NWR began in January 1997 with a meeting
of regional management and planning staff and field
station employees at Fort Niobrara NWR. At that
meeting a core planning team was designated with the
major responsibilities of gathering information and
writing the plan. A review team was set up to provide
guidance and direction to the core planning team. A
working group was also organized to provide interchange
of information between Service personnel, outside
agencies, and interested stakeholders of the Refuge.
On March 20, 1997, an open house scoping session was
held in the Cherry County Hall meeting room, Valentine,
Nebraska. The open house provided participants an
opportunity to learn about the Refuge’s purposes,
mission, and goals, and issues currently facing
management. People attending were provided the
chance to speak with Service representatives and to
share their comments.
A two-day tour was held with the working group and
Service management and planning staffs in April 1997.
The tour gave participants an opportunity to view
fenced animal management and prominent wildlife
species of the Refuge, discuss management aspects of
the Refuge, and give planning staff ideas for consider-ation
in the planning process.
During the planning process, the review and working
groups have had access to information on objectives
and alternatives being considered. Written comments
have been exchanged and verbal conversations have
been held. This Draft CCP/EA is the first opportunity
that these groups and the public have had to review
the entire planning effort and the Plan. A 60-day
comment period is provided.
The CCP will guide management on the Refuge for the
next 15 years. Plans are ultimately signed by the
Regional Director, Region 6, thus providing Regional
direction to the station project leader. A copy of the
Plan will be provided to all those interested. The
project leader of the station will review the Plan every
five years to decide if it needs revision.
10 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999
Step-Down Management Plans
The Service has traditionally used a Refuge Manual to
guide field station management actions.The policy
direction given through the Manual has provided for a
variety of plans used to prepare annual work
schedules, budgets, land management actions
including prescribed fire, grazing, haying, sale of
excess animals, monitoring, public use, safety, and
other aspects of public land management. The CCP is
intended as a broad umbrella plan that provides
general concepts, specific wildlife and habitat
objectives, endangered species, public use, and
partnership objectives. Depending on the Refuge
needs, these may be very detailed or quite broad. The
purpose of step-down management plans is to provide
greater detail to managers to implement specific
actions authorized by the CCP.
Under this Plan, the Valentine NWR will revise its
current wildlife and habitat monitoring plan. An
overall Habitat Management Plan will be prepared to
guide all aspects of habitat management to include but
not limited to the following: annual grazing by large
animal herds, the use of prescribed fire, prairie dog
reintroduction, and rest and undisturbed cover
required by migratory waterfowl and native birds. A
cultural resource protection and interpretation plan will
be prepared. The Service will also prepare a site plan
for relocation of the headquarters along Highway 83 and
other associated facilities.
National Wildlife Refuge System Mission
The Mission of the System is, “To administer a national
network of lands and waters for the conservation,
management, and where appropriate, restoration of
the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats
within the United States for the benefit of present and
future generations of Americans.” Goals of the System
are aimed at fulfilling this mission. Some major goals
are to provide for specific classes of wildlife species for
which the Federal government is ultimately responsible.
These “trust resources” are threatened and endan-gered
species, migratory birds, and anadromous fish.
Most refuges provide breeding, migration, or wintering
habitat for these species. Nearly all refuges also
supply habitat for big game species and resident or
nonmigratory wildlife as well.
Individual refuges provide specific requirements for
the preservation of trust resources. For example,
waterfowl breeding refuges in South and North Dakota
provide important wetland and grassland habitats to
support populations of waterfowl as required by the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the North American
Waterfowl Management Plan. Valentine NWR also
supports breeding populations as well as providing
migration habitat during spring and fall periods.
Sabine NWR, and other refuges in Louisiana and
Texas provide wintering habitat for these populations.
The network of lands is critical to these birds’ survivals;
any deficiency in one location will affect the species
and the entire networks ability to maintain adequate
Other refuges may provide habitat for endangered
plants or animals that exist in unique habitats found
only in very few locations. Refuges in these situations
ensure that populations are protected and habitat is
suitable for their use. Refuges, by providing a broad
network of lands throughout the United States, help to
prevent species from being listed by providing secure
habitat for their use and opportunities for recovery.
Under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement
Act of 1997, six wildlife-dependent recreational uses
are recognized as priority public uses of refuge lands.
These are wildlife observation and photography,
environmental education and interpretation, fishing
and hunting. These and other uses are allowed on
refuges after finding that they are compatible with the
purpose of the refuge. Uses are allowed through a
special regulation process, individual special use
permits, and sometimes through normal state fishing
and hunting regulations.
to the lakes following the drought of the 1930’s.
The Refuge was opened for the following hunting
seasons: deer in 1964, pheasant and grouse in 1965,
waterfowl in 1977, dove in 1983, and coyotes in 1986.
From 1935 through 1972, Valentine NWR was managed
by an on-site refuge manager in charge of only
Valentine NWR. In 1973, the Refuge was joined with
Fort Niobrara NWR to form a Complex with one
manager in charge.
Wetland Management History
Thirty-seven major wetland areas exist on Valentine
NWR comprised of approximately 13,000 acres of
semipermanent and permanent wetlands which
historically have operated as a closed system except
for periods of high precipitation. Historic data
regarding surface and groundwater elevations are
available for Valentine NWR; however, the most
consistent data records available are since 1985.
Since establishment of Valentine NWR, various attempts
have been made to manage the water elevations of six
lakes by water control structures. However, water
elevations are dependent upon precipitation. Since 1981,
above average annual precipitation has complicated
attempts of managing lake elevations beyond diminishing
the adverse effects of the extremely high wetland levels
experienced since the mid-1980’s. (See Table 1)
Approximately 40 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
wells have been established on and adjacent to Valentine
NWR in which groundwater elevations have been
monitored by Refuge staff since the 1950’s. This
information is part of the monitoring program carried
out by USGS Water Resources Division. Groundwater
elevations are presently 4-7 feet above the elevations
recorded during the period 1950 to 1985.
Gordon Creek Diversion
In the 1930’s, the CCC’s constructed a diversion on
Gordon Creek to divert water through Valentine
NWR. Considerable resources were allocated to the
construction of the diversion dam and ditch to Hackberry
Lake. However, the project was “piecemealed” beyond
Hackberry Lake through the remainder of Valentine
NWR (Dewey, Clear, and Willow Lakes) and north
through Trout and Big Alkali Lakes via Slagel Creek
and east through Ballard Marsh and Red Deer Lake
via East Plum Creek.
In 1952, a District Count Decree (Young, Harse and
Harms vs State of Nebraska) successfully challenged
the construction of a larger water control structure on
Willow Lake by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission;
set a maximum elevation that water could be held in
Willow Lake; and the defendants were “permanently
restrained and enjoined from causing or permitting
any interference ... and from by any act or in any
manner causing or contributing to causing the water
in the natural water course below and to the north of
the outlet of Willow Lake to flow in any different
manner or at any different time or season of the year
than in the manner and at times and seasons in
which they are wont to flow.” In1997, the Willow Lake
water control structure washed out and Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission has elected not to
replace the structure and to allow water levels in Willow
Lake to fluctuate naturally.
The water right for the Gordon Creek Diversion was
acquired by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission,
but the water right was relinquished in the early 1980’s
because it was not of benefit to the management of
Valentine NWR. This diversion was the original source
of carp infestation for Valentine NWR. Wetland
management subsequent to the construction of the
diversion has focused on controlling carp populations
and the adverse effects of carp on habitat and food
resources of waterfowl and sport fish. Over the years,
water control structures were constructed and
reconstructed in an attempt to prevent the movement
of carp. However, by the 1940’s, carp had spread
throughout the wetlands in the northwest area of
Valentine NWR as well as the downstream wetlands
under the management of NG&PC and private
landowners. Various attempts to control carp with
chemical treatment were carried out in the 1950’s and
1960’s to control carp populations on Valentine NWR.
The most effective control technique was initiated in
1975 and, during the period 1975-82, seven lakes were
mechanically pumped and chemically treated with
rotenone to reduce the carp populations. To date, only
two of the renovated lakes have remained carp-free.
However, in the remaining five lakes, carp populations
have remained at moderate levels with the imple-mentation
of biological control. Biological control
was accomplished by modifying northern pike size
limits to enhance the populations of larger northern
pike and subsequently reduce carp recruitment.
Grassland Management History
Livestock grazing has occurred on Valentine NWR
since establishment. However, the level of grazing
dramatically increased during the early 1950’s, and by
the early 1960’s, annual grazing use exceeded 50,000
animal unit months (AUM). Virtually the entire
Refuge grassland acreage was grazed or hayed. The
two Natural Research Areas, totaling 1,381 acres, were
not grazed. This level of grazing had a negative impact
on wildlife and vegetation on the Refuge.
In 1971, a grassland management study team was
formed to look into the situation and recommend
appropriate corrective actions. The major management
recommendations of the team were:
1. Zone all meadows based on their value for
nesting waterfowl.
2. Stop annual mowing of meadows.
3. Improve native plant vigor and composition by
prescribed burning, mowing and grazing with
alternating periods of rest.
4. Maintain nesting cover by providing 40- to 100-
acre undisturbed blocks for three to eight years.
5. Hold units in reserve through normal attrition of
permittees to allow for flexible and intensive
manipulation.
6. Initiate restoration of native vegetation on priority
meadows beginning in 1972.
7. Develop small food plots (i.e., “weed patches”) to
promote greater diversity and abundance of
wildlife species.
8. Stop season-long grazing and promote restoration
and maintenance of range condition by use of rest,
fall-deferment, deferred-rotation and rest-rotation
9. Establish wilderness area - remove grazing
facilities and possibly employ summer grazing.
10. Initiate adequate monitoring techniques to
evaluate qualitative and quantitative changes in
vegetation and response by wildlife.
Recommendations of the team have generally been
implemented except that the wilderness proposal has
not received Congressional approval; mowing has been
reduced by approximately 85 percent; and maintaining
cover in undisturbed condition, for periods of three to
eight years, has annually involved less than 20 percent
of the total grassland acreage of Valentine NWR.
In 1986, rotational grazing was phased out and
short-duration grazing initiated. Use allowed by
permittees was retained but as permittees dropped out
of the program, they were not replaced. Between 1986
and 1997, permittees went from 13 to 9 and use from
approximately 9,000 to 6,000 AUMs.
Wildlife Management History
Wildlife populations have been affected by both the
management of wetland and grassland resources on
Valentine NWR. Grazing practices increased as a
result of increased demand for beef during World War
II and remained in excess of 50,000 AUMs until the
mid-1960’s. Indigenous wildlife species with specific
habitat requirements (which are not achieved under
the widespread grazing/mowing regimes of that time)
did not fare very well. By the mid-1950’s, considerable
criticism was leveled against the management of
Valentine NWR both from within and outside the
Service. In the early 1970’s, a grassland management
team was formed to develop recommendations regarding
the management of Refuge grasslands. Wildlife
populations, for which monitoring data are available,
have responded positively to the spirit and intent of
these recommendations; specifically, the enhancement
of native Sandhill Prairie through the termination of
widespread, season-long grazing, annual mowing
practices, and the implementation of planned grassland
management treatments (See Table 2). These provide
optimum acreage of vegetative composition, structure,
and undisturbed nesting cover for wildlife.
The annual acreage of undisturbed cover for upland
nesting birds increased from less than 5 percent in
1969 to greater than 50 percent by 1985 (See Table 3).
The increase in undisturbed nesting cover acreage has
resulted in greater productivity and population levels
particularly for upland nesting waterfowl. Specifically,
a significant improvement has occurred in the hatching
chronology of blue-winged teal and mallards with the
increased acreage of undisturbed cover. The earlier
hatching peaks since 1978 have ultimately resulted in
greater recruitment rates (See Table 4) and subsequently
greater breeding populations and composition of
dabbling ducks. In particular, mallard breeding pairs
have increased dramatically with the increased acre-age
of cover that received rest treatment for two or
more growing seasons, and this increase occurred
during a period of extremely low continental duck
breeding populations.
Fall Rotational
S.Duration
The greater prairie chicken is an “indicator species” of
the health and vigor of native grasslands and is a
reflection of the management of native grasslands. In
the 1930’s, 21 refuges existed with breeding populations
of greater prairie chickens and, by 1963, the only
remaining breeding populations existed on Ft.
Niobrara-Valentine NWRs. Since the 1980’s, a
considerable effort has been put forth within the Ft.
Niobrara-Valentine NWR Complex to increase the
health, vigor, and residual cover amounts of native
grasslands for upland nesting birds by controlling the
timing of grazing and rest treatments. Statistical
analysis indicates that a significant inverse relationship
exists between the level of AUM utilization and the
breeding population of prairie chickens on Valentine
NWR (See Table 5). Additionally, Hughes and
McDaniel (unpublished 1998) developed linear regression
models for Valentine NWR to determine relationships
between cover treatment and the number of male
prairie chickens surveyed during the period 1969-1996.
The best fit model indicated an inverse significant
relationship between the percentage of disturbed cover
throughout the year prior to the breeding population
survey period; indicating the importance of undisturbed
cover for prairie chickens throughout the year for
nesting, brood rearing, and winter survival.
Other wildlife have undoubtedly benefitted from the
enhancement of Sandhill Prairie; however, specific
surveys have not been carried out to document
changes in the numerous species present on Valentine
NWR.
Valentine National Wildlife Refuge Purpose
and Vision
Refuge Purpose
The Valentine NWR was established by Executive
Order No. 7142, August 14, 1935, “. . . reserved and set
apart . . . as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory
birds and other wildlife.”
Refuge Vision Statement
Preserve, restore, and enhance the ecological integrity
of Nebraska Sandhill uplands and associated wetlands
as habitat for migratory birds and other indigenous
wildlife for the benefit of present and future generations.
Refuge Goals and Objectives
The Refuge planning team spent considerable time
defining habitat and other objectives to further
describe management actions needed to meet Refuge
goals. They are presented here to provide a logical
step-down from the broad purpose and vision statements
to concrete management decisions. They are also
useful in this document as a comparison with the
following section on Alternatives. Ideally, each
alternative should meet all these objectives, in practice
some meet them more fully than others. The preferred
alternative described in this CCP represents a course
of action felt to meet them best.
Interrelationships of Goals and Objectives
The subsequent presentation of Refuge goals and
objectives are presented separately for ease of
understanding and reference. They are however, not
independent of each other. The goals and objectives,
and the resources and activities discussed are completely
interrelated in spatial, ecological, and management
considerations.
The habitat goals and objectives are the primary
criteria that refuge managers will use to guide their
efforts and evaluate progress toward accomplishing
this CCP. Goals and objectives for wildlife, endangered
and threatened species, interpretation and recreation,
and ecosystem provide additional information for
managers to refine specific actions and to help in
evaluating success of habitat management and use of
the Refuge by the public. In order for refuge managers
to achieve the purpose and vision of the Refuge fully,
these objectives need to be understood holistically and
applied in combination, each being a critical part of the
Refuge vision.
Habitat Management
Goal: Preserve, restore, and enhance the ecological
diversity of indigenous flora of the physiographic region
described as Sandhill Prairie within the Northern Great
Grassland Habitat [Composition] Objective:
Preserve, restore, and enhance the diverse native floral
communities so that greater than 75 percent is
composed of climax species (good to excellent range
condition). The following are the indicator species and
composition of the desired floral community by range
site (USDA Range Handbook and Potential Natural
Vegetation of Nebraska - Kaul and Rolfsmeier, 1993)
P Wetland Range: Eighty percent grasses (bluejoint
and northern reedgrass, inland saltgrass, prairie
cordgrass and foxtail barley); 15 percent grasslike plants
(sedges and rushes); 5 percent forbs (saw-toothed
sunflower, marsh hedge-nettle, Indian hemp dogbane,
swamp milkweed, arrowhead and smartweeds).
P Sub-irrigated Range: Seventy-five to 85 percent
grasses (switchgrass, big bluestem, Indian grass,
Scribner’s panicum, prairie cord grass, inland saltgrass
and purple lovegrass); 5-10 percent grasslike plants
(sedges and rushes); 5-10 percent forbs (American
licorice, blue verbena, purple prairie clover, stiff
sunflower, nodding lady’s-tresses, western ironweed,
milkweeds, goldenrods, closed and downy gentians,
blue lobelia, and the threatened western prairie
fringed orchid); 5 percent shrubs (leadplant, willow,
poison ivy, western snowberry, Arkansas and Wood’s
wild rose).
P Sand Range: Eighty to 95 percent grasses
(switchgrass, sand bluestem, little bluestem, big
bluestem, Indian grass, prairie sandreed, needle-and-thread,
porcupine grass, sand love grass, Canada
wildrye, Scribner’s panicum, western wheatgrass,
prairie June grass); less than 5 percent grasslike
plants (sedges); 10 percent forbs (blue verbena, bush
morning glory, cudweed sagewort, blazing star,
penstemons (shell-leaf, narrow beardtongue), western
ragweed, bracket spiderwort, Rocky Mountain bee
plant, evening primrose, prairie coneflower, silky and
purple prairie clovers, gilia, ten-petal mentzelia,
sunflowers, goldenrods, vetches, scurfpeas, yucca and
pricklypear cactus); less than 5 percent shrubs
(Arkansas and wild rose, leadplant, green sage, poison
ivy, sand cherry, wild plum, chokecherry and western
snowberry).
P Choppy Sands Range: Eighty-five percent grasses
(prairie sandreed, little bluestem, sand bluestem,
blowout grass, needle-and-thread, prairie June grass,
sand dropseed, sand love grass, spiny muhly, switchgrass,
and blue grama); less than 5 percent grasslike plants
(thread-leaf sedge); less than 10 percent forbs (bush
morning glory, painted milkvetch, bracted spiderwort,
western ragweed, cudweed sagewort, sunflowers,
scurfpeas, yucca, pricklypear cactus and the endangered
blowout penstemon); less than 5 percent shrubs
(Arkansas and wild rose, green sage, poison ivy, sand
cherry, wild plum, chokecherry and western snowberry).
Grassland Cover [Structure] Objective:
Annually provide diverse vegetation composition and
structure with greater than 50 percent (30,930 acres)
of the total grassland (61,861 acres) remaining in
undisturbed cover (i.e., vegetative cover that has not
been disturbed by grazing, mowing or fire during the
preceding growing season through July 10 of the
current year) to meet nesting, brooding, feeding and
protective cover requirements of various grassland
dependent wildlife species. The following combinations
of cover treatment and vegetative structure are recom-mended
for meadow and hill acreages:
Cover Treatment Acreage (%) VOR Ave. (Range) *
Meadow (13,106 Ac.)
Disturbed cover ~5,200 (~40%) ~ 3.0" (1-10")
1 Year Rest ~2,600 (~20%) ~10.0" (2-20")
2 Years+ Rest ~5,200 (~40%) ~12.0" (4-24")
Hills (48,755 Ac.)
Disturbed cover ~21,900 (~45%) <3.0" (1-10")
1 Year Rest ~12,200 (~25%) =>6.0" (1-16")
2 Years+ Rest ~14,600 (~30%) =>6.0" (1-18")
* - Visual Obstruction Readings averages are residual
cover readings taken in the Fall(before the upcoming
nesting season).
Wetland Habitat Objectives:
P Groundwater Resources: Maintain a database on
Refuge groundwater resources to ensure long-term
protection of Refuge groundwater quantity and
P Surface Water Resources: Maintain a database on
Refuge surface water resources by documenting
wetland elevations for long-term protection of Refuge
water supplies.
P Maximize production of invertebrate (protein) and
plant (carbohydrate) resources on 11,181 wetland acres
to provide an appropriate food base for indigenous
wildlife (migratory birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians,
fish) and enhance production on 2,650 acres of lakes for
sport fishing.
P Maximize food production for migratory birds by
providing an unexploited food base on the following
acreage of wetlands that are not designated for sport
fishing:
Wetland Class Acreage
Temporary 735
Seasonal 1,094
Semipermanent 4,636
Lakes 4,716
Total Acreage 11,181
P Enhance food production by periodic drawdowns/
renovations on the following Lakes designated for
sport fishing:
Wetland Acreage
Clear 532
Dewey 494
Duck and Rice 118
Hackberry 528
Pelican 617
Watts 173
West Long 76
Willow (Refuge) 112
P Maintain Dewey Marsh Fen and identify and
maintain other fen sites which have unique vegetation
and hydrology.
Indigenous Trees, Brush, and Planted Tree Habitat
Enhance the Sandhill Prairie landscape by reducing
invading cedar trees while still maintaining a representa-tive
interspersion of indigenous woody vegetation per
the following specific objectives.
Site specific indigenous woody vegetation recom-mended
targets:
P Maintain indigenous woody vegetation of the north
facing slopes next to the south shorelines of Clear,
Dewey, Hackberry, Pelican, Whitewater, Dad’s and
South Marsh Lakes.
P Maintain indigenous willow tree and brush on the
northwest-west ends of Dewey, Hackberry and Pelican
Lakes and around Duck Lake.
P Maintain indigenous trees in and adjacent to the
Headquarters and Sub-headquarters areas.
Recommended maximum target level of composition
by habitat unit:
P Willow occurrence and invasion on meadows and
around lakes (less than 10 percent).
P Cedar occurrence and invasion on meadows (less
than 5 percent) and in the Sandhills (less than 5
percent).
P Reduce cottonwood invasion in the northern King
Flat area.
P Maintain the two relic stands of quaking aspen at
the west end of Watts Lake Habitat Unit (H.U. 1A)
and the north side of Dewey Marsh (H.U. 3B)
Exotic Plant Species Objective:
Prevent additional exotic plant species from becoming
established and reduce the occurrence, frequency
and stand density of existing exotic species to less
than 5 percent of composition within five years.
Russian olive Black and honey locust
Siberian elm Mulberry
Smooth brome Quack grass
Reed canary grass Leafy spurge
Canada thistle Kentucky bluegrass
Goal: Preserve, restore and enhance the ecological
diversity and abundance of migratory birds and other
indigenous wildlife with emphasis on waterfowl, prairie
grouse, and other grassland dependent birds.
Discussion: The following wildlife objectives are based
upon unpublished Refuge data, and represent average
population levels that can normally be expected to occur
given the above habitat objectives. Periodic severe
weather events, continental changes in migratory bird
populations, and other factors can, and do, cause
fluctuations in Refuge populations.
Migratory Waterfowl Objectives:
P Achieve an average annual breeding pair density of
equal to or greater than 4,000 dabbling and 700 diving
ducks with a brood/pair ratio expressed as a percent of
equal to or greater than 20 percent over a five year
period (unpublished Refuge data 1978-91). A brood/
pair ratio is the percent of pairs that produce a brood
to flight stage.
P Maintain an annual breeding population of
approximately 100 Canada goose pairs.
P Provide approximately 11,000 acres of wetland for
spring and fall migrating waterfowl.
P Trumpeter swans: Cooperate with Lacreek NWR by
reporting all trumpeter swan production and winter
activity observed on and adjacent to Valentine NWR.
Generally one and periodically two breeding pairs of
swans are present on Valentine NWR.
Other Migratory Bird Objectives:
P Maintain and increase breeding populations of
indigenous, neotropical migrants that are water-based
including American bittern, white-faced ibis, black
tern, marbled godwit, northern harrier and other
shorebirds and wading birds that inhabit the Refuge.
Establish average densities of appropriate species and
an overall species richness/diversity index to document
baseline levels and to determine subsequent population
land-based species of management concern such as
upland sandpiper, long-billed curlew, short-eared owl,
barn owl, grasshopper sparrow, dickcissel, eastern
phoebe, eastern kingbird, loggerhead shrike, and
eastern meadowlark (Bogan, 1995). Establish average
densities of selected species and an overall species
richness/diversity index to document baseline levels
and to determine subsequent population trends.
colonial nesting species (western and eared grebes,
Forster’s and black terns, cormorants and black-crowned
night herons).
P Evaluate reintroduction of breeding populations of
sandhill cranes to the Nebraska Sandhills and specifi-cally
Valentine NWR.
Prairie Grouse (Prairie Chicken and Sharp-tailed
Grouse) Objectives:
P Maintain a five-year average density of equal to or
greater than one prairie grouse lek per 1.6 sq. mi.
(28 total leks including 15 prairie chicken and 13
sharp-tailed grouse) within the area designated as the
State Survey Block. The Survey is a portion of the
Refuge surveyed each year as one part of a statewide
survey of prairie chicken and sharp-tailed grouse.
P Maintain annually a minimum of 35 prairie chicken
leks (2.8 sq. mi. / lek) throughout Valentine NWR.
P Annually achieve a minimum target sample of 350
prairie grouse wings from the Volunteer Prairie
Grouse Hunter Harvest Survey. Achieve a harvest
ratio of equal to or greater than 2.5 juveniles per adult.
The harvest ratio measures current year nesting
success and health of the population by comparing the
number of young in the fall population to the number
of adults. Ratios greater than or equal to 2.5 indicate a
healthy population.
Other Indigenous Wildlife Species Objective:
P Ensure the diversity and abundance of indigenous
mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates
remain intact. Establish average densities of key
indicator species to document baseline levels and to
determine subsequent population trends.
Introduced/Exotic Species Objective:
P Prevent the establishment of additional introduced
species and refrain from carrying out management
activities specifically to encourage population expansion
of existing introductions (pheasants).
P Reduce carp population densities in Refuge lakes.
Sport Fishery Objective:
P Maintain sustainable and harvestable populations of
sport fish in the nine designated sport fishing lakes.
Goal: Contribute to the preservation and restoration
of endangered and threatened flora and fauna that
occur or have historically occurred around Valentine
Threatened and Endangered Plant Objectives:
P Maintain approximately 72 acres of blowouts, with
potential for the endangered blowout penstemon, on
the Refuge. In a minimum of five blowouts, establish
and maintain populations of 100 penstemon plants per
blowout. Currently the Refuge has an estimated 72 acres
of blowouts in at least a dozen locations. Three
habitat units exist with very small natural populations of
penstemon and three additional habitat units with nine
blowouts that have had plants transplanted into them.
The blowout penstemon recovery plan has an objective of
maintaining ten population groups with 300 plants in each
group. The Refuge, if successful in increasing its
populations to the objective, would satisfy approximately
16 percent of the endangered penstemon recovery
P Maintain and manage a meadow habitat with
potential for western prairie-fringed orchids (2,000
acres) insuring an average annual population of 300
individuals in at least four locations. Currently the
Refuge has an estimated population of approximately
300 plants in five known locations. Western prairie-fringed
orchids have been observed on private land at
four other sites adjacent to the Refuge. The Refuge
currently manages meadows with orchids so that
plants can flower and set seed.
Threatened and Endangered Wildlife Species
P Monitor and document migration use by whooping
cranes, piping plover, least terns, and peregrine
falcons. Record habitats used, areas used, and
durations of stay. Keep use areas free from human
disturbance while individuals are present. Use by
these species is so seldom that no habitat management
objective or population objectives can be stated.
Monitoring, documenting use, and keeping them
undisturbed may at some time provide insights into
ways to help these populations.
P Monitor and document use by American burying
beetles.
P Maintain large hackberry, cottonwood, and willow
trees around Refuge lakes as roost sites for migrating
and wintering bald eagles. Monitor and document
eagles use of habitat, roost trees, and eagle mortality.
Monitoring will help in describing key locations and
trees, and in documenting eagle mortality, a problem
in past years. Some of these wintering locations could
become nesting areas as eagle populations expand.
Species of Management Concern Objective:
P Maintain self sustaining populations of Blanding’s
and yellow mud turtles. Develop and implement
strategies to reduce mortality from vehicles.
Interpretation and Recreation
Goal: Provide the public with quality opportunities to
learn about and enjoy Sandhill Prairie, fish, wildlife,
and history of the Refuge in a largely natural setting
and in a manner compatible with the purposes for
which the Refuge was established.
Interpretation, Wildlife Observation and Photography,
and Environmental Education Objective:
P Provide visitors with quality interpretation,
environmental education, wildlife observation and
photography opportunities.
Fishing Objective:
P Provide year-round fishing opportunities for warm
water fish in designated lakes in a largely natural
setting. Watts Lake has handicap accessibility.
Hunting Objective:
P Provide quality hunting opportunities for waterfowl,
deer, prairie grouse, pheasants, dove, and coyote on
portions of the Refuge. Limited controlled hunting
opportunities for elk will be available if elk are
reintroduced to the Refuge.
Cultural Resource Objective:
P Conduct a cultural resource inventory and provide
protection for and interpretation of Refuge historical
and prehistoric resources.
Ecosystem (Partner)
Goal: Promote partnerships to preserve, restore, and
enhance a diverse, healthy, and a productive ecosystem
of which the Fort Niobrara and Valentine NWR’s are
Ecosystem Objectives/Strategies for the Fort
Niobrara/Valentine NWR Complex:
P Support the National Scenic River and Niobrara
River Council to meet desired future conditions of the
Niobrara Scenic River.
P Support the Sandhills Management Plan through
Partners for Wildlife Program for the enhancement of
wetlands, riparian, and surrounding grassland habitats
on private lands.
P Support uses of refuges as research areas for all
legitimate natural resource subjects. In consultation
with the Division of Endangered Species, conduct
applied management research relating to management
of endangered plant populations.
P Conduct baseline monitoring for contaminants on
the Valentine NWR, Fort Niobrara NWR and the
Niobrara River to identify changes in contaminant
concentrations relative to baseline concentrations
already established.
P Develop an effective outreach program that results
in two wildlife habitat/public use projects completed
annually with non-governmental organizations.
P Develop greater inter-agency cooperation resulting
in completion of at least two cooperative projects with
state and local agencies annually that materially
benefit area wildlife resources.
P Use the CCP document to help in marketing Refuge
needs. Through grant writing and networking with
other entities, accumulate outside revenue and other
sources to help in meeting Refuge objectives.
Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action
Six alternatives were considered to guide the manage-ment
of Valentine NWR in the future.
Four alternatives for the management of Valentine
NWR were considered in detail and are described here
and summarized in Appendix A. The alternatives
considered were Current Management (No Action),
Historical, Intensive Wildlife Management, and
Modified Historical (Preferred).
Two alternatives, a maximization of economic uses and
placing the Refuge in custodial status, were briefly
considered but discarded because they are inconsistent
with the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement
Act of 1997, purpose of Refuge and mission of the
Refuge System.
The following is a discussion of how the remaining four
alternatives assist in fulfilling Valentine NWR’s goals
and objectives as described previously.
Current Management (No Action) Alternative
Grassland Management
Cattle grazing, rest, and prescribed fire are used to
manage grasslands on the Refuge. The 61,861 acres of
grassland on the Refuge are divided into 327 habitat
units by barbed wire and electric fences. Of this
acreage, 48,755 is in hills and 13,106 in meadows. Plans
are made each year to either graze, rest, or prescribe
burn grasslands on the Refuge.
In 1997, 34,789 acres (56 percent) of Refuge grasslands
were rested. Rested grasslands are those that are not
grazed by cattle or burned by prescribed fire. Refuge
studies have documented that rested grasslands are
preferred nesting cover for waterfowl and grouse.
Grassland management is designed to maximize
undisturbed cover. Undisturbed cover is grassland that is
not grazed, burned by either wild or prescribed fire, or
effected by hail for the preceding year’s growing season
and the current year’s nesting season. In 1997, 56 percent
of the Refuge grasslands were in undisturbed cover
through June 30.
In 1997, a total of 388 acres (less than 1 percent) of
grassland in seven habitat units were burned using
prescribed fire. Prescribed fire is used to invigorate
native grasses, reduce cedar trees in grasslands, and
control invader grasses such as brome and Kentucky
bluegrass. Prescribed fires are planned and conducted
by a fire crew from the Fort Niobrara/Valentine NWR
Complex. Wildfires on the Refuge are aggressively
suppressed by the same fire crew and local fire
departments under cooperative agreements.
Nine permittees held annual permits to graze approxi-mately
6,600 animal use months (AUMs) over the
period April 1, 1997 through March 30, 1998. The
permittees have held permits for many years and all
own land either adjacent to or near the Refuge. Refuge
staff plans a grazing program for each permittee to
maintain and improve the condition of Refuge grassland
for wildlife. Grazing permittees are charged at market
rate for use. Improvements and repairs to wells,
fences, tanks, and other facilities needed for the
program are paid for by the permittees, and the cost
deducted from their final bill. In 1997, $26,759 was
spent on improvements and deducted from final
billings. Deductions are also made from billings for
frequent moves of cattle and grazing treatments that
differ from normal ranching practices. In 1997, $46,203
was collected and deposited in the Refuge Revenue
Sharing Account.
The methods and expected results for the different
grazing strategies used are explained below.
Spring grazing treatment is done before the end of
May on sub-irrigated meadow sites. The cattle are in
the unit for more than two weeks. Cattle eat or
trample most of the residual cover.They also overgraze
and thus reduce undesirable cool season exotic grasses
(Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome). Meadows
hayed are also sometimes given this treatment to add
fertilizer. Dramatic results occur with this treatment.
Exotic cool season grasses are suppressed and native
warm seasons (switchgrass and others) increase in
vigor and density. The disadvantage is the loss of the
unit for nesting in the year of treatment and a lower
waterfowl nesting density in the following year. Often
the unit can, however, be rested for up to five years
following treatment. In 1997, 30 habitat units totaling
6,099 acres (9 percent of grassland) received a spring
grazing treatment and included some areas that were
later hayed.
Spring short-duration grazing is grazing a unit for less
than two weeks during May. Generally the cattle are in
the unit for only 3 to 5 days. This type of grazing is
limited to hill units to stimulate growth of grasses,
especially cool seasons. The short exposure times
eliminate overgrazing. In 1997, ten habitat units
totaling 3,280 acres (5 percent of grassland) had
spring short-duration grazing treatments. Where
possible, units grazed later in summer the previous
year are grazed using this treatment. This both varies
treatment and reduces disturbance to nesting cover.
Most units grazed with spring short-duration grazing
show excellent growth of native vegetation by fall.
Short-duration summer grazing is done from June 1
through September 1. Cattle are in a unit for less than
two weeks. Most units are grazed only 3 to 5 days and
the cattle moved onto the next unit. Electric fences are
used to break up larger units and increase stock
density. Most short-duration summer grazing is
completed by mid-July. In 1997, 79 habitat units
totaling 19,723 acres (32 percent of grassland) were
short-duration summer grazed. Units grazed by this
method show good growth by fall if adequate moisture
is received. If little or no late summer rainfall is
received, regrowth is less, especially in those units
grazed in late July or August.
Summer grazing is done from June 1 through September
1 and cattle are in the unit for two weeks or longer. In
1997, no acres were summer grazed. If done, this is in
larger units that have not been cross fenced.
Fall grazing is done from September through November.
Fall grazing can reduce mulch accumulations and add
fertilization. If done at the proper time, cattle will also
graze out small wetlands dominated by prairie
cordgrass and leave the surrounding upland vegetation
alone. Generally the wetlands have green vegetation in
them while the uplands have only cured grasses.
Grazing in the wetlands recycles nutrients and provides
pair habitat for ducks in the spring. Most units that
are fall grazed are then given a spring grazing
treatment the following year. In 1997, six habitat units
totaling 1,446 acres (2 percent of grassland) were fall
grazed.
Winter grazing is done from November through April.
In winter grazing, cattle are fed hay on a feed ground
in a unit. The hay comes from the Refuge. Winter
feeding creates dense weed patches for several years
following the treatment. These weed patches provide
winter food for deer, pheasants, and other resident
wildlife. Units with a history of winter grazing combined
with feeding also have excellent growth of vegetation.
Resident wildlife also uses waste grain from the
feeding operation. In 1997, three habitat units totaling
1,167 acres (2 percent of grassland) were winter
Haying was done on 714 acres (1 percent of grassland)
of sand, sub-irrigated, and wetland range sites and
yielded 1,520 tons of hay in 1997. Haying is done on a
share-basis with three permittees receiving 60 percent
and the Refuge receiving 40 percent of the hay harvested.
Some hay is also put up on a contract with the cost
deducted from permittees grazing bills. Most of the
meadows hayed are also grazed either in the fall or
spring. This adds fertilization to the meadows and
improves the quality and quantity of hay produced.
Haying is used to provide browse areas for Canada
geese, prairie grouse, and deer, and for winter feed for
the Texas Longhorn herd at Fort Niobrara NWR. In
some years, part of the Refuge share of hay is used for
road repair and maintenance. This was not done in 1997.
Wetland Management
Most of the lakes, marshes, and wetlands on the
Refuge are natural and have no structures for water
level management. Drainage ditches put in before the
area was a Refuge can still be found in several locations.
These ditches are only active in high water periods and
are generally not effective in draining the Refuge
wetlands.
Several of the nine lakes open to sport fishing have dikes
and structures that offer limited water management
capabilities. On four lakes, water levels are generally
held at a level higher than the natural level to reduce
the possibility of a winter kill of sport fish. In normal
water years, the Refuge staff releases water from
these lakes at such a time as to not impact downstream
landowners’ haying operations. In recent high water
years, water has run continuously from these lakes.
These lakes also have fish barriers to keep the carp
from migrating between lakes and infesting new
waters. The lakes open to sport fishing were pumped
and treated with rotenone to kill the carp between 1975
and 1982. Following treatment they were restocked with
sport fish and have been managed as sport fisheries.
Sport fish are stocked frequently and on occasion
moved between lakes.
Threatened and endangered species recorded on the
Refuge are blowout penstemon, western prairie
fringed orchid, American burying beetle, bald eagle,
peregrine falcon, whooping crane, and least tern.
Managing and maintaining prairie habitat by using
rest, fire, and grazing will benefit these species.
Surveys for blowout penstemon have been conducted
on the Refuge and only several naturally occurring
plants found each year. Nine areas of blowout penstemon
have been transplanted onto the Refuge during the
past three years under a University of Nebraska
cooperative program. About 2,000 seedlings per year
were raised and transplanted in suitable habitat during
Western prairie fringed orchids are surveyed in July
when in bloom. They grow in some areas mowed for
hay. In these areas, the plants are marked with stakes
so they are not cut. Areas where the orchids grow are
not grazed during the flowering season. The Service
assists the Task Force for Population Habitat Viability
Analysis for the orchid.
American burying beetles have been documented on
Bald eagles are common winter residents on the
Refuge. Whooping cranes, least terns, and peregrine
falcons are only rarely seen. No special management is
conducted. Occasionally in the past, areas of the
Refuge were closed to the public when whooping
cranes were present on Refuge meadows. This closure
would be repeated if whooping cranes use the Refuge
during migration.
Indigenous Wildlife
Wildlife diversity, with the exception of large ungulates
and their predators, is relatively unchanged in the
Nebraska Sandhills as compared to most areas of the
United States. Moreover, since the 1980’s the ecologi-cal
integrity of Sandhill Prairie on Valentine NWR has
been enhanced by planned treatments of grazing,
prescribed fire, and rest. These planned treatments have
resulted in a tremendous improvement in the vigor and
composition of native vegetation, natural aesthetics, and
simultaneously provided greater amounts of residual
vegetation for indigenous grassland wildlife than is
available throughout the remainder of the 19,000
square miles of the Nebraska Sandhills.
Long-term monitoring of key indicator species has
documented that waterfowl (particularly mallard) and
prairie grouse (particularly prairie chicken) populations
have benefited from the greater amounts of residual and/
or undisturbed vegetative cover. In fact, the Fort
Niobrara and Valentine NWR’s are the only refuges
that have retained historic populations of greater
prairie chickens in the System; and in both cases, these
populations have increased since the mid-1980’s.
Positive effects on other indigenous wildlife species
that require greater amounts of vegetative cover
undoubtedly exist; however, specific documentation is
not available for Valentine NWR.
The Service conducts very limited trapping of
mammalian predators and snakes on a nesting island
in the Marsh Lakes to benefit nesting waterfowl. The
Refuge has a trapping plan targeted to predator
control and muskrat disease outbreaks. No trapping by
the public took place on the Refuge in 1997.
Exotic and Invading Species
Prescribed fire, rest, and grazing are the main tools
used for controlling exotic and invader plants to
maintain healthy prairies. Spring grazing treatments are
especially effective in reducing Kentucky bluegrass,
the most widespread invader on the Refuge. Spring
grazing treatments and fire are also being used to
reduce smooth brome grass. Fire is also used to
remove cedar trees invading native prairies. The
acreages for these treatments are listed under the
grassland section.
Leafy spurge is present in several locations covering
less than ten acres. Insect releases for biocontrol have
been made in some patches of spurge and several
patches have been sprayed with herbicide. Canada
thistle is also present in small amounts in meadows
and along the edges of wetlands. High water has
reduced the range of this plant on the Refuge. Insect
releases for its control have also been made.
Reed canary grass and Russian olive are present in
small areas but have not been treated.
Valentine NWR has no accurate counts of the Refuge’s
visitors; thus, the quality of information on public use
on the Refuge is poor. For calendar year 1997, visitations
to Valentine NWR were estimated at 9,500 visits with
approximately 90 percent made up of anglers. Fishing
visits were lower in 1997 due to poor ice conditions
during the winter fishing season. The remaining 10
percent of visitors were mostly hunters. Increasing
numbers of people are visiting Valentine NWR for the
purpose of bird and other wildlife observation.
News releases on Refuge events are written and
distributed to area television and radio stations, as
well as to newspaper outlets. The Fort Niobrara/
Valentine NWR Complex also hosts special events
including the Nebraska Federal Junior Duck Stamp
Contest, a kids fishing day, a steel shot clinic, and a
nature fest. Unfortunately, some requests for tours
and educational programs are denied due to staffing
Valentine NWR is outfitted with three information
kiosks at major entry points to the Refuge. The kiosks
have general information on the Refuge, a map,
information on management of grasslands for wildlife,
and leaflet dispensers.
Blinds for observing prairie grouse displays are set up
in the spring and receive plenty of use. People come to
the Refuge to birdwatch and enjoy the prairie. No
counts are made for this type of visitation, but Refuge
staff believe that it may be increasing.
Waterfowl hunting is permitted only in the Watts,
Rice, and Duck Lakes areas of the Refuge according to
the State’s seasons and limits. No counts were made,
but it is estimated that about 75 visits were made by
duck hunters.
The Refuge is open to hunting of sharp-tailed grouse
and prairie chickens during the State set season that
runs from mid-September through December. The
Refuge is a popular place for out- of-state, as well as
Nebraska, hunters to pursue prairie grouse. Grouse
hunters are surveyed via wing collection boxes placed
around the Refuge. In 1997, 258 hunter days were
recorded through the collection boxes. However, not
all hunters participate in the voluntary collection
The Refuge is also open to pheasant hunting during
the State set season that runs from the first weekend
of November through the end of January. Pheasant
hunters made an estimated 100 visits to the Refuge in
1997. This is a large number of hunters considering
that bird numbers remain very low.
The Refuge is open to deer hunting during the Nebraska
rifle deer season in November. Most of the deer hunting
takes place on opening weekend. In 1997, a total of 88
deer were harvested including both white-tailed and mule
deer. These figures come from deer checked by Refuge
law enforcement officers and records obtained at
Nebraska Game and Parks check stations. The Refuge
probably receives the heaviest hunting pressure of any
location within the state hunting units. A higher
quality hunt is possible if opening day is avoided.
The Refuge is also open for muzzle loader deer hunting.
The season runs for two weeks in December. Hunting
pressure is light and only seven muzzle loader hunters
were known to hunt on Valentine NWR in 1997. This
form of hunting is, however, becoming more popular.
Permits are unlimited and statewide; either sex.
The Refuge is also open to archery deer hunting which
runs from mid-September through the end of December.
Only a few hunters were known to have visited the
Refuge to archery hunt in 1997.
Coyotes can be hunted on the Refuge from December
1 through March 15. A free permit is required and can
be obtained in person or by mail. The permit is a
postcard that the hunter returns at the end of the
season and includes harvest information. For the 1996-
1997 season, 37 permits were issued.
Nine Refuge lakes (Watts, Rice, Duck, West Long,
Pelican, Hackberry, Dewey, Clear, and Willow) are
open to fishing year round. Fishing, especially ice
fishing, accounts for most visits to Valentine NWR. An
estimated 7,900 visits were made for fishing in 1997. This
figure is based on very limited counts of anglers
throughout the year. In 1997, ice was on the lakes for
fewer days than average resulting in lower visits for
ice fishing. In some heavy use years, up to 17,000
anglers have been counted.
Bass, perch, bluegill, muskie, saugeye, and northern
pike are present in the fishing lakes. Size limits are in
effect to protect larger pike needed for carp control
and minnows are prohibited on Refuge lakes to
prevent introduction of exotic fish. Gas powered boats
are not allowed. Catch-and-release for bass and muskie
is in effect on Watts Lake. The Refuge lakes are most
noted for large bass, catch-and-release northern pike
fishing, and large bluegills. Many Master Angler
(trophy) fish are caught each year.
The Fort Niobrara/Valentine NWR Complex has one
seasonal and four collateral duty law enforcement
The Refuge works with organizations and individuals
in a variety of areas but mostly in monitoring.
Cooperative efforts in monitoring are listed in the next
section. Fort Niobrara/Valentine NWR Complex staff
works with the following groups: with private landowners
through the Partners in Wildlife Program; with the
Natural Resource Conservation Service in the Wetland
Reserve Program; with Farmers Service Agency in the
easement program; with Cherry County Extension in
educational programs; with local law enforcement;
with the Niobrara Council on wild and scenic river
management; state, Federal, and local agricultural
agencies in weed control; U.S. Forest Service; and
U.S. Geological Survey.
The Refuge has formal agreements with rural fire
protection districts to suppress wildfires both on and
off the Refuge. Biologists from four universities
regularly study reptile physiology at the Refuge. The
Refuge plans grazing for, maintains the fence on, and
patrols the Willow Lake Game Management Area
adjacent to the Refuge. The Service works with
Nebraska Game and Parks in fish stocking, fish egg
collection and law enforcement. The Refuge staff
works with the eight Refuge grazing permittees to
manage grasslands on the Refuge using cattle.
The Refuge has one full-time biologist who conducts
biological monitoring on the Refuge with occasional
assistance from other staff. The main emphasis is on
grassland monitoring. Grassland transects are run each
year to evaluate cover, composition, and grassland
health. More than 100 photo points are taken to
document long-term changes to the grassland.
Techniques and information are shared with the
Forest Service.
Refuge staff completes segments of statewide surveys
in cooperation with the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission including sandhill crane, goose, waterfowl,
turkey, deer, wintering eagle, pheasant brood, grouse
brood, and prairie grouse breeding and productivity.
The Refuge maintains a weather station in cooperation
with the National Weather Service at Hackberry Lake.
Refuge staff read and report on U.S. Geological
Survey groundwater wells at more than 30 locations on
the Refuge. Both these efforts have been conducted for
60 years and yields long-term trend information.
Surface water levels are also recorded for some Refuge
lakes.
Surveys for sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chicken
are performed and used as an indicator of grassland
health. In the spring, lek counts are conducted; in the
fall, wing collection boxes are maintained. Part of the
lek count is a state count block and this information is
passed on to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Wing collection from hunters is done in cooperation with
the Forest Service and the Nebraska Game and Parks
Pair and brood counts for waterfowl are done on the
Marsh Lakes to assess waterfowl production. Nesting
success of ducks is monitored on an island in the
Marsh Lakes as part of a long- term study. Colonial
and marsh nesting birds are also counted in some
areas of the Refuge. Monitoring for avian botulism is
conducted in late summer on Refuge lakes and wetlands.
An annual count of muskrat houses is done.
Fishery surveys using electrofishing, gill, and trap
nets are done on Refuge lakes open to fishing on a
regular basis by USFWS Fisheries Assistance Office
biologists.
Surveys of the threatened western prairie fringed
orchid and endangered blowout penstemon are
conducted. When orchids are found they are marked to
prevent mowing them during haying operations.
Historical Alternative
Grassland/Fenced Animal Management
A major feature of the historical alternative is to
reintroduce bison to the entire Refuge. The entire
boundary will be fenced. A herd of 500 bison using
approximately 7,200 AUMs annually will be the
maximum herd size (winter/after sale). All interior
fences would be removed. Permittee cattle grazing
will be eliminated. Bison will come from excess animals
at the Fort Niobrara and other Department of the
Interior herds. No Texas Longhorns will be placed on
Big game fences will be electric with a minimum of
seven strands. The fence will contain bison within the
Refuge, yet will allow egress and ingress of free roaming
antelope and deer herds. Bison age and sex ratios will
approximate natural free roaming herds. Sufficient
monitoring will be conducted to maintain herd
composition, health, genetic diversity, and annual
surplus removals. Excess animals will be disposed of
through traditional sales and donations according to
Department of Interior policy.
Grasslands will be maintained by using bison whose
distribution will be managed by using fire, water, and
placement of salt. Fire will also provide cedar control
and grassland invigoration. It is estimated that
between 1,000 and 8,000 acres could conceivably be
treated annually. Haying would not be conducted on
The Service would remove water control structures
and restore the designated fishing lakes to natural lake
levels. Ditches that have spoil banks present would be
filled. The Refuge would not actively practice water
level management in lakes and wetlands. Water levels
would be allowed to fluctuate with natural conditions.
The Refuge would continue to maintain existing
habitat and document threatened and endangered bird
species use. The Refuge will reintroduce blowout
penstemon in appropriate sites. The Service will
monitor and evaluate the interactions between bison
and T&E species.
The Service will identify potential sites and attempt to
establish prairie dogs on the Refuge. The Refuge will
conduct and promote research and monitoring efforts
documenting the historic management setting.
The Refuge will maintain its integrated pest management
program. Efforts to use mechanical and some chemical
control to reduce Canada thistle and leafy spurge will
continue. Increased efforts to reduce cedar through
prescribed fire will be conducted.
Lakes open to fishing will not have managed water
levels; water heights will fluctuate naturally and fish
winter kill would be more frequent.
The current Refuge hunting programs will continue.
The Service will initiate hunts for bison as a herd
control management method.
The Refuge will increase interpretation of historical
ecology. Access to the main herds will be provided by
one concessionaire during peak public use periods.
Existing access to fishing lakes and other Refuge areas
will be maintained for wildlife observation and
photography and other public uses.
The Service will continue its current cooperation with
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for sport fish
management. Agreements are in place for wildland
wildfire suppression efforts, surplus bison relocation
for the Inter Tribal Bison Council, participation in the
Niobrara Council, and other common coordination
efforts with other agencies and landowners will continue.
The Refuge will seek to increase partnerships with other
entities, particularly with bison management groups.
The Refuge staff will establish (with Refuge personnel,
contract, Biological Resource Division (BRD), or in
cooperation with others) an inventory of the flora and
fauna to provide a baseline index of current habitat
conditions and species utilization for future reference.
Refuge staff will revise its current monitoring plan. At
a minimum the following monitoring will be conducted:
P wildlife herd monitoring sufficient to maintain age
and sex ratios, health, genetic diversity, and annual
excess removal.
P waterfowl production and migration trends.
P native bird species monitoring to supply trend
information on prairie grouse, species of management
concern, grassland neotropical migrants, biodiversity
trend indexes.
P monitoring fire effects as part of the prescribed
burning program.
P monitor habitat parameters (i.e., vegetation
composition and structure, tree canopy, etc.) (with a
minimum confidence level) to ensure that habitat
objectives are being measured for success according to a
Habitat Management Plan and the adaptive management
Intensive Wildlife Management Alternative
Approximately 6,000 AUMs of forage will be removed
annually with short duration grazing by using
permittee cattle and longhorn cattle brought down
from Fort Niobrara. The number of longhorn AUM’s
may vary but normally will not exceed 1,500 AUMs.
Longhorn cattle use will occur for winter pasture
renovation, spring treatment of grasslands, and summer
grassland treatments. Longhorn AUM removal will
replace permittee cattle AUM removal. This amount of
forage removal is similar to existing removal rates
(current management). The major difference will be a
shift toward higher removal rates in April and May,
and less after June 15. Less hay will be removed than
is currently removed.
It is estimated that between 1,000 and 4,000 acres
could conceivably be treated annually with prescribed
fire. The purpose of prescribed fire will be to reinvigorate
grassland and to reduce a cedar invasion.
The Service will ensure that 60 percent or more of the
Refuge grassland is in an undisturbed cover condition
(42,000 acres) annually.
Designated fishing lakes would be maintained in their
current condition. Ditches that have spoil banks
present would be filled. The Service would actively
practice water level management in lakes and wetlands.
Water levels would be drawn down periodically to
control the carp and to increase vegetative and aquatic
insect productivity. In fishing lakes, these renovations
would include restocking of sport fish.
The Service would continue to maintain existing
use. Blowout penstemon will be reintroduced in
appropriate sites. The Service will conduct surveys for
American burying beetles, and conduct a Refuge-wide
survey for blowout penstemon and western prairie
fringed orchids. In consultation with Ecological Services
staff, the Refuge staff will conduct applied research on
management practices to promote increased federally
listed plant species production.
The Service will identify potential habitat and attempt
to establish prairie dogs on the Refuge to the extent
possible. The Service will conduct and promote research
and monitor for species of special concern and unique
reptiles and amphibians present on the Refuge.
Predators would be controlled in prime nesting areas.
The Service will maintain its integrated pest
management program. Efforts to use mechanical and
some chemical control to reduce Canada thistle and
leafy spurge will continue. Increased efforts to reduce
cedar through prescribed fire will be conducted.
The number of lakes open to fishing will be reduced.
Lakes that remain open to fishing will have managed
water levels and periodic drawdowns to renovate lakes
and increase productivity. Renovations will include
restocking of sport fish.
The current Refuge hunting programs will continue. If
crowding develops, the Service will limit, if needed,
opportunities to hunt on the Refuge to ensure a quality
recreational experience.
The Service will increase the quality of interpretation
along major access points. Existing access to fishing
lakes and other Refuge areas will be maintained for
wildlife observation and photography and other public
uses. The headquarters will be moved to a location
along Highway 83.
management. Agreements in place for wildland
wildfire suppression efforts, participation in the
Niobrara Council and other common coordination
The Service will seek to increase partnerships with other
groups. The Service will seek to trade Holt Creek
WMA to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for
portions of Willow, Rat, and Beaver Lake. The Service
will also seek to acquire three inholdings.
The Refuge will establish (with Refuge personnel,
contract, BRD, or in cooperation with others) an
inventory of the flora and fauna to provide a baseline
index of current habitat conditions and species
utilization for future reference.
Refuge staff will revise its monitoring plan. At a
minimum the following monitoring will be conducted:
objectives are being measured for success according to
a Habitat Management Plan and the adaptive
management process.
Modified Historical (Preferred) Alternative
Discussion of Influencing Factors on Decision to
Select Preferred Alternative
During the initial interagency comment period, several
comments were made that the document did not give a
clear understanding of the reasons why the following
alternative was chosen. The following discussion
addresses these concerns.
Regional and field staff believed that the historical
grassland management setting and species that
contributed to that setting were important. The U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service is focused on preserving
wildlife species and wildlands and strongly believes in
maintaining ecological relationships. A major herbivore,
the bison, is missing from Valentine NWR. Although
bison have been as close as the Fort Niobrara NWR,
the Service has substituted domestic cattle throughout
the years in an attempt to achieve the overall habitat
objective of the Refuge. It was believed that this was
an appropriate time to begin to phase into this change
and return the species and, with that, put a major
species back into the ecological setting of the Refuge.
Another ecological force, fire, is also believed to be
important. Obviously, concerns with the safety of this
tool exist. Recent increases in the Service’s funding for
prescribed fire and increased ability to use the tool
safely, make it an appropriate time to expand the use
of this tool and expand the benefit it provides to
grassland ecology.
The Service will use an adaptive management strategy
to implement this alternative. The primary focus will be
to achieve the habitat objectives defined for migratory
birds and other wildlife with bison being the most
significant management tool. Initially, bison will be
used on a portion of the Refuge to determine if the
mosaic of 50 percent undisturbed cover and plant
composition can be achieved in the tested area. Various
management strategies such as fire, salt, fencing, etc.,
will be utilized and modified to achieve the desired
grassland conditions. A period of at least five years will
be needed to assess the results of habitat management
through the use of bison in the tested area. If the
findings are favorable to achieving the habitat and
migratory bird objectives, the portion of the Refuge
utilizing bison grazing will be expanded as funding
permits. If the findings conclude that bison cannot be
used to achieve the described habitat and wildlife
objectives, this alternative will be revised to utilize
domestic livestock as the tool of choice.
Other aspects of the plan are similar to the current
management regime of the Refuge. These programs
are largely successful, well received by the public, and
there were no reasons to change them significantly.
Some additional discussion on this issue is found in
the Environmental Consequences Section.
A major feature of the preferred alternative is to
reintroduce bison to the Refuge. This would be
conducted in a phased-in approach with the first bison
placed in the southwest portion of the Refuge. In this
area, numbers of bison will be matched to the fenced
area, as much interior fence as possible will be re-moved,
and prescribed fire, water, and salt placement
will be used to influence use by bison. At least five
years will be used to evaluate the effects of this change
on grasslands and wildlife. After evaluation, the
Refuge will either expand the area grazed by bison as
funding permits or utilize domestic livestock as a
grassland management tool. Bison will come from
excess animals from Fort Niobrara. If evaluation
determines that bison are effective in meeting the
goals of the Refuge, eventually a herd of 450 bison
utilizing approximately 6,480 AUM’s would be present.
If bison are reintroduced, grazing by cattle would be
phased out. No Texas longhorn cattle from Fort
Niobrara NWR will be placed on Valentine NWR.
Big game fences will be electric wire fence that
controls bison within the fence, but allows existing free
roaming antelope and deer ingress and egress. The
proposed makeup of the bison herd has not been fully
determined. Several different strategies could be
implemented. Excess animals will be disposed of
Strategy A: The bison herd age and sex ratio
composition will be similar to many private herds. The
males will be young animals to simplify ease of han-dling,
and the herd will be largely cows, approximate
sex ratios of 1 bull:12 cows. The herd will be managed
primarily by a formal cooperative agreement with a
private bison manager or contractor. Major
responsibilities of the bison manager will be day-to-day
herd management, maintenance of boundary and other
fence, roundup and sale of excess animals according to
Refuge specifications, and coordination with Refuge
staff. Major Refuge staff responsibilities will be habitat
and other wildlife management.
Strategy B: Strategy B is the same herd makeup as
above; the difference would be that Refuge employees
will be responsible for day-to-day herd management,
and roundup and sale of excess animals.
Strategy C: Strategy C is to maintain a herd similar to
the existing Fort Niobrara herd, simulating natural
free roaming herds. This would mean older age bulls,
and more bulls so that a 1:1 sex ratio exists. This may
require a more substantial and costly fence, which if
similar to Fort Niobrara’s fence appearance, would
allow the addition of elk to the Refuge. The Refuge
staff would be responsible for day-to-day management,
sufficient monitoring to maintain herd composition,
health, genetic diversity, and annual excess removals.
Under all strategies current levels of grassland use
will be maintained so that a minimum of 60 percent of
the meadow areas and 55 percent of the hills are in
undisturbed cover.
The use of prescribed fire will be increased to invigorate
grasslands, provide cedar control, and assist in managing
areas used by bison. From 1,000 to 8,000 acres could
conceivably be treated annually.
The Service will continue to maintain water control
structures and depths appropriate for sport fisheries
at designated fishing lakes. Ditch plugs will be placed
on ditches unnecessary for water management. The
Refuge staff will conduct drawdowns and renovations
of wetlands and lakes when possible to rejuvenate
wetland plant productivity and diversity, and provide
carp control. Sport fishing lakes may periodically be
drawn down and renovated. Renovations in these cases
would include restocking with appropriate mixes of
sport fish species.
The Refuge staff will continue to maintain existing
habitat and document endangered bird use and will
conduct surveys for American burying beetles. The
Refuge staff will intensify efforts to reintroduce
blowout penstemon and will conduct Refuge wide
surveys for it and western prairie fringed orchids. In
consultation with the Service’s Ecological Services
staff, the Refuge staff will conduct applied research
efforts to determine management practices promoting
these species. The Service will maintain existing
woodland, and promote regeneration of woodland
habitat along lake borders that are important as bald
eagle roosting sites.
be able to exclude prairie dogs from areas where their
presence presents a safety hazard. The Service will
maintain the existing furbearer harvest program,
which uses trapping as a management tool to achieve
Refuge wildlife objectives.
The Service will continue its integrated pest management
program. Mechanical and some chemical control to
reduce Canada thistle, invasive cool season grasses,
and leafy spurge will continue. Increased efforts to
reduce cedar and exotic cool-season grasses through
The Service will continue its current sport-fishing
program on nine designated fishing lakes. No additional
lakes will have sport fish stocked in them.
The current Refuge hunting program will continue
with the exception of 160 acres adjacent to the
Hackberry Civilian Conservation Corps fire tower
which will be closed to hunting. This no-hunting area
will be from the west side of the George Wiseman
Research Natural Area west to the county road. This
fire tower, which is adjacent to the Wiseman Natural
Area, will be enhanced to support the addition of a
self-guided nature trail and interpretive observation
deck on the tower.
The Service will seek funds to move the headquarters
to an area along Highway 83 to improve environmental
education and interpretation of wildlife and cultural and
historic resources on the Refuge. Access to the main
bison herd will be allowed through one concessionaire on
the Refuge during peak public use periods, as part of
an overall Refuge program to educate the public
regarding bison and other wildlife. This concessionaire
may conduct trail rides during certain times of the
year. Current facilities, wildlife observation, and
photography uses will remain open.
The Service will develop a cultural resource/
paleontological management plan. The plan will
include Refuge-wide cultural resource inventory and
(paleontological) resource inventory strategies. It will
also include increased interpretation and protection of
and education about the cultural resources on the
wildfire suppression efforts, excess bison for the Inter
Tribal Bison Council, participation in the Niobrara
Council, and other common coordination efforts with
other agencies and landowners will continue. The
Refuge will seek to increase partnerships with other
The Service will seek to develop outside funding
sources and support for implementing some aspects of
this preferred alternative. Examples would be moving
the subheadquarters, big game fence, and possible
acquisition of several inholdings from willing sellers.
Trading Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area for
portions of Rat, Beaver, and Willow Lake State
WMA’s will be pursued with Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission. A partnering effort in bison
management will be pursued.
Refuge staff will revise its monitoring plan. The
subsequent section, Implementing the Plan, lists the
major monitoring and survey efforts the Refuge will
undertake as part of this alternative.
A more in-depth monitoring proposal/plan will be
completed in order to compare the change (if any) of
grassland species composition and structure and
subsequent wildlife response when bison and fire are
introduced as major habitat management tools.
Yellowthroat Wildlife Management Area
This alternative includes the continued management and
conservation of the Yellowthroat Wildlife Management
Area formerly known as the Tower WMA. This area is
located in Sections 25 and 26, T28N, R22W, Brown
County, Nebraska. The area is composed of a 480-acre
parcel owned in fee title by the Service and an adjacent
440 acres protected by a Farmers Home Administration
Conservation Easement. Together, the 920 acres
protect 153 acres of wetland and 767 acres of Sandhill
Prairie, much of it restored after being cropped in the
1980’s. The area is physically located 13 miles south of
Ainsworth, Nebraska on Highway 7 and is accessible
by prairie trail.
Grassland and wetland habitats will be managed with
fire, rest, and permittee grazing under the same
objectives as discussed previously for Valentine NWR.
Some restoration of sandhill prairies is still needed on
previously cropped areas. The major habitat goals will
be to have a high quality prairie and wetland environ-ment
present for use by migratory waterfowl and
other wildlife.
Portions of the tract will be open to fishing, hunting,
wildlife observation, and photography in the same
manner and under the same authority as Valentine
Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area
This alternative includes the proposed exchange of the
Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area for the Willow
Lake and Rat and Beaver Lake properties presently
owned and managed by the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission. The Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission lands are located adjacent to Valentine
NWR. The Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area is
located about nine miles north of Springview, NE in
section 32, T35N, R20W in Keya Paha County,
Nebraska. Holt Creek flows through the 180 acre
property which has a mix of woodlands and grasslands.
Prior to the proposed exchange the tract will be open
to hunting, wildlife observation, and photography in
the same manner, and under the same authority, as
Valentine NWR. Habitat will be managed with
permittee grazing, fire and rest.
Implementing the Plan (Preferred Alternative)
This section is intended to provide additional information
to the preferred alternative section above. Where
possible; time frames are delineated, specific strategies
and actions are stated, and a list of projects and a
summary of estimated project costs are presented.
Bison from Fort Niobrara NWR will be used to stock
Valentine NWR. Permittee grazing and haying will be
phased out as bison are reintroduced. Present permittees
will retain their grazing privileges for ten years following
the signing of this plan. Any permittees who drop out
during the ten-year period will not be replaced. As
permittees leave in the next ten years, bison will be
reintroduced to the Refuge. At the end of ten years, if
all the Refuge is not fenced for bison, a bid system will
be used to secure permittee grazing. Permittees may
be required to move their cattle longer distances
within the Refuge as areas are fenced for bison. The
entire boundary will be fenced with a bison proof
electric fence phased in over time.
Corrals will be built to sort, handle, and load bison.
Some windmills will be retained to provide water for
bison herds during the winter, to attract bison to areas
in need of grazing pressure, and as a water source for
wildland wildfire suppression efforts.
Placement of salt will be used to attract bison to areas
needing grazing.
Some interior electric fencing will be retained or
constructed to control bison movements and allow
habitat rest in some areas. This fence will be removed
in increments and effects of removal on grasslands and
bison movements monitored. Approximately 250 miles
of interior fence will be removed. The 100 miles of
electric fence can probably be sold.
Monitoring of fire effects on grasslands and animal
distribution will be conducted by fire staff.
Additional equipment for prescribed fire work will be
Fences around existing tree plantings will be removed;
no new tree belts will be planted. Tree rows planted by
the Civilian Conservation Corps will not be removed,
replaced, or fenced.
Old ditches draining Refuge wetlands will be plugged.
Continue use of northern pike as a predator to control
the carp.
Carp barriers will be constructed where needed and
renovations conducted where possible. Restocking of
Refuge wetlands and lakes will be done with native fishes.
Drought and winterkill may present opportunities for
renovation and exclusion of the carp. Maintain water
control structures on three lakes and build carp
barriers on Marsh Lakes.
Remove Calf Camp water control structure, replace
with a culvert, and return the wetland to its natural
A Crissafulli pump is needed to increase water
management capabilities.
Habitat Acquisition
A trade of land in fee title or a management agreement
will be sought for the exchange of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service’s Holt Creek Wildlife Management
Area for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s
Willow Lake and Rat and Beaver Lakes Wildlife
Management Areas.
Trades or purchase of lands with willing landowners
will be sought to reduce inholdings and straighten
boundaries, and reduce boundary fencing costs.
Bison will be phased-in to the Refuge grassland
program and permitted to increase to a herd size of
450 head.
Establish at least one prairie dog town east of Highway
83 and at least one west of Highway 83 of 400 acres
each, if suitable habitat is present. Towns will not be
established adjacent to Refuge boundaries.
Conduct an education program to reduce turtle
mortality from visitors driving Refuge trail roads and/
or modify trails to ensure reduced turtle mortality.
Continue monitoring prairie grouse populations using
lek counts and the hunter harvest survey.
Annually conduct the Breeding Bird Survey route at
Use point count or line transects to sample grassland,
wetland, and woodland songbirds; annually conduct a
colonial nesting bird survey.
Limited trapping by Refuge staff and a public trapping
program for management purposes will continue.
Conduct a feasibility study, and if feasible, reintroduce
sandhill cranes as a nesting bird.
Waterfowl pair and brood counts will be conducted on
a sample of Refuge lakes.
Monitor reptile, amphibian, and small mammal
populations at five year intervals.
Conduct a survey to determine native fish species
presence and abundance.
Maintain a sport fishery in the nine lakes presently
open to fishing in cooperation with Nebraska Game
and Parks Commission by using fish stocking, transfer
of fish between lakes, surveys, drawdowns, renova-tions,
brood stock, and egg harvest.
Fishery surveys using electrofishing, gill and trap nets
will be done on a regular basis by the USFWS Fisheries
Assistance Office.
Conduct an annual winter count of muskrat houses.
Refuge lakes and wetlands will be monitored for
botulism and other diseases, dead birds picked up, and
disposed of according to USFWS regulations.
Conduct American burying beetle surveys.
Completing the above monitoring and survey
requirements will require the addition of two seasonal
biological technicians.
Interpretation, environmental education, wildlife
observation, and photography
Prepare a site plan under contract. This site plan will
include information on visitor access, interpretive
themes, and locations for future developments.
The rest rooms, information area, and boat ramp at
Hackberry Headquarters will be closed.
Construct an observation platform on the Hackberry
CCC fire tower, and provide a self-guiding nature trail
leading from the parking area to the Hackberry CCC
fire tower.
Provide a self-guiding auto tour route passable in a
passenger car. Cost is variable depending upon
location and distance.
Maintain information kiosks/leaflet dispensers at the
main Refuge entrances.
Provide one information and regulation sign at
entrances and remove most of the regulation and
information signs in the interior of the Refuge.
Update Refuge brochures to the new USFWS standard.
Provide access for viewing to the main bison herds and
roadless areas of the Refuge through a concessionaire.
Provide blinds for viewing prairie grouse on leks.
Designate a prairie hiking trail for visitors to get to
remote areas of the Refuge on foot.
Move headquarters to a location along Highway 83 and
provide staffing during the week to provide information
to visitors.
Provide one improved boat ramp at all fishing lakes
except Rice which will remain walk-in fishing only.
Develop one additional handicapped accessible fishing
dock and parking area on the Refuge. Other accessible
sites will be provided in future years.
Use of live minnows will be prohibited.
Electric motors, row, and paddle power will be allowed;
gas powered motors will be prohibited.
Guiding will be allowed under a permit; a maximum of
five guides will be allowed. Guides will be selected by
lottery if demand exceeds supply. Guides will pay a fee
of a percent of gross receipts and/or a flat fee to the
Catch-and-release fishing tournaments by nonprofit
groups will be permitted.
Taking of frogs, turtles, and minnows will not be
authorized.
Size limits and catch-and-release may be used to
manage northern pike for carp control and provide a
trophy fishery.
The Refuge fishing leaflet will be updated to USFWS
Waterfowl, deer, prairie grouse, pheasants, dove, and
coyote hunting will be allowed in designated areas of
the Refuge. If elk are reintroduced to the Refuge,
limited hunts will be allowed with permits available by
drawing and an application fee will be charged.
Guiding will be allowed by permit with a maximum of
five guides allowed. Guides will be selected by lottery if
demand exceeds supply. Guides will pay a fee of a
percent of gross receipts and/or a flat fee to the
No new roads will be constructed for hunter access;
some existing hunting access roads will be improved to
all-weather roads as funding permits.
Hunting tournaments will not be allowed on Valentine
Dog training will not be allowed outside regular
hunting seasons.
If crowding occurs or develops during hunting seasons,
a permit system with drawings for permits will be
instituted.
Persons charging a fee for the use of their horses to
haul big game from the Refuge will be required to
obtain a permit and pay a fee.
A cultural resource inventory will be completed under
The history of the Civilian Conservation Corps will be
interpreted at the fire tower observation platform.
Staffing Needed to Implement the Valentine NWR
Preferred Alternatives (CCP)
The following staff chart shows current staff and
proposed additional staffing needed to fully implement
the preferred alternative. If all positions were filled,
the Refuge Complex can carry out all aspects of the
preferred alternative. If some positions are not filled,
all aspects of the plan cannot be completed or those
completed may be done over a longer period of time.
Staffing and funding are expected to come over the
15-year life of this plan. Positions marked with an * are
shared with Fort Niobrara NWR. The new refuge
operations specialist position would be responsible for
the Partners For Wildlife program, Holt Creek WMA,
and Yellowthroat WMA. (X = filled; -- = vacant)
Position Current Proposed
Refuge Manager* X X
Refuge Operations Specialist X X
Refuge Operations Specialist* -- X
Outdoor Recreation Planner* -- X
Law Enforcement Officer* X X
Administrative Officer* X X
Office Automation Clerk* X X
Wildlife Biologist X X
Biological Technician -- X
Biological Technician/Seasonal (2) -- X
Heavy Equipment Operator* X X
Maintenance Worker X X
Maintenance Worker (2) -- X
Maint. Laborer/Seasonal (2) -- X
Asst. Fire Management Officer* X X
Range Technician (Fire) X X
Firefighter/Seasonal (3) X X
Funding Needed to Implement Valentine NWR Pre-ferred
Alternative (CCP)
The Refuge currently has a large backlog of maintenance
needs. The needs are recorded in a national Maintenance
Management System (MMS). In 1997, under current
management plans, the backlog for Valentine NWR
was $3,633,000. Most of these maintenance needs
would also need to be met under the preferred or other
alternatives. A synopsis of these needs is listed below:
Vehicles and Equipment $794,000
Fences, Windmills, Tanks $230,000
Water Control Structures and Dikes $258,000
Roads and Gates $790,000
Public Use Facilities $131,000
Buildings and Maintenance Facilities $672,000
Residences $282,000
Administrative Buildings/Facilities $476,000
TOTAL $3,633,000
The System uses another database, Refuge Operating Needs System (RONS), to document proposed new projects
that will implement a comprehensive conservation plan, implement ecosystem or endangered species goals or meet
legal mandates. In 1998, the total for projects in the RONS is $6,543,000 with annual recurring costs (including
salary costs) of $475,000. Most of this cost is associated with the need to upgrade substandard roads. A synopsis of
these needs is listed below:
Construction First Year Annual Recurring
Roads, parking areas/related facilities $5,650,000 $358,000 $205,000
Biological Monitoring and Studies -- $283,000 $149,000
Habitat Restoration $ 115,000 $ 27,000 $ 9,000
Habitat Management -- $118,000 $ 80,000
Partners for Wildlife Program -- $ 27,000 $ 2,000
Resource Protection $ 320,000 $275,000 $ 30,000
Public Education and Recreation $ 458,000 $358,000 $205,000
TOTAL $6,543,000 $1,446,000 $680,000
The preferred alternative also proposes projects that have costs that are not included in the MMS or RONS. The
total of these costs is $3,256,000. A summary of these costs follows:
Bison fence and corrals (for entire Refuge) $2,200,000
Carp and water control structures 160,000
Move headquarters to site along Highway 83 640,000
Wildlife projects 38,000
Public use projects 18,000
Cultural resource inventory 200,000
Affected Environment
Geographic/Ecosystem Setting
Valentine NWR is 71,516 acres in size and lies in the
heart of the Nebraska Sandhills, the largest sand dune
area in the Western Hemisphere and one of the largest
grass-stabilized regions in the world (Bleed and
Flowerday, 1989). The Sandhills are characterized by
rolling, vegetated sand dunes and interdunal valleys
which spread over the landscape from a northwest to
southeasterly direction. Native grasses predominate.
Many shallow lakes and wetlands are interspersed in
the lower valleys. Wildlife diversity, except large
ungulates and their predators, is relatively unchanged
since early settlement in the Sandhills.
Grassland comprises 90 percent of the 19,300 square
mile region with nearly 97 percent of the total acreage
being in private ownership (Bleed and Flowerday
1989). The predominant land-use of the Sandhills is
beef cattle production which can have significant
impact upon the biological diversity of native flora and
fauna. Management of lands adjacent to the Refuge
and throughout the Sandhills employ a combination of
grazing and haying to support the ranching economy.
A variety of grazing treatments and rotations are used.
Most meadows are mowed or hayed annually. Pre-scribed
fire is used very rarely. Grasslands seldom
receive a prolonged rest treatment.
In the Sandhills, habitat is not a limiting factor for
those species of wildlife that rely on, or are tolerant of,
disturbed cover (i.e., mowed and/or grazed grasslands).
Valentine NWR is one of the few areas in the Sandhills
where management can be dedicated to enhancing
those species of flora and fauna that do not thrive
under management strategies emphasizing economic
An estimated 177,000 acres of open water and marsh
and 1,130,000 acres of wet meadows remain in the
Sandhills. These are mostly freshwater wetlands and
include wet meadows, shallow marshes, fens, alkaline
wetlands, and range in size from 1 to 2,300 acres with
80 percent of them less than 10 acres in size (LaGrange
1997). Many Sandhills wetlands have been drained in
attempts to increase hay production. Estimates of the
amount drained range from 15 percent (McMurtry et
al. 1972) to 46 percent (USFWS 1986). Wetland
drainage continues to this day. On Valentine NWR
there are drainage ditches dug before the area became
a Refuge. Most do not carry water but in very high
water years.
An Atlas of the Sandhills, 1989, by Bleed and Flowerday,
is an excellent reference for those wanting more in-depth
information on the Sandhills of Nebraska.
The climatic patterns of the Nebraska Sandhills are
characteristic of the Central Great Plains. The climate
is continental with cold winters and hot summers with
frequent thunderstorms occurring from the spring to
late summer. Annual precipitation averages 17 to 23
inches from the western to the eastern portion of the
Sandhills (Wilhite and Hubbard 1989) and, coupled
with high evapotranspiration rates, has significant
ecological effect on the region. Valentine NWR has
been an official weather station since 1935. Annual
precipitation since 1945 has averaged 21.6 inches.
Temperature extremes range from -38oF in the winter
to 111oF during the summer. Climatological conditions
have generally been favorable since the mid 1970’s and
relatively high annual precipitation levels have resulted
in positive net moisture balances (annual precipitation
minus open pan evaporation) during most years since
Air quality is good due to the distance to any urban or
industrial areas from the Refuge.
Most of the soils are wind-laid sand that has not been
held in place long by vegetation. They are light colored
and have little organic matter. The soils in basins,
valleys, and wet meadows have thicker and darker
surface layers and more organic matter than soils found
in the hills. Rainfall is quickly absorbed by the sandy soils
and causes little erosion and low evaporation rates.
Native grasses grow well in these conditions. Soil
exposed by overgrazing or plowing is subject to wind
erosion (Layton et al 1956). The main soil types are the
Valentine-Els-Tryon and Valentine-Thurman
Associations (Kuzila 1989). In 1997 and 1998 the soils
of the Refuge were surveyed for mapping by the
Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Water Resources and Associated Wetlands
The Nebraska Sandhills overlay the High Plains Aquifer
- commonly referred to as the Ogallala Aquifer. This
groundwater resource creates an interspersion of shallow
lakes, semi-permanent, and temporary wetlands in the
lower elevations and valleys where the groundwater
level is exposed. Water resources are the driving force
supporting the ecological diversity and integrity of the
Nebraska Sandhills.
There are 37 major wetland complexes on Valentine
NWR totaling approximately 13,000 acres. These
wetlands are a mix of shallow lakes, marshes, seasonal
wetlands, wet meadows, fens, and small streams that
run during high water periods. Wetlands are well
dispersed throughout the Refuge grasslands.
Submergent and emergent vegetation in lakes and
marshes range from very sparse to dense depending on
soils and alkalinity. Emergents include cattail, bulrush,
wild rice, and phragmites. Vegetation bordering wetlands
is primarily grasses. Some lakes are bordered by trees
on the south shores.
Water control structures have been installed on six
lakes, however, only four can increase water elevations
significantly above the maximum, naturally functioning
level. Several Refuge lakes have water level gauges
where records of lake levels are recorded. Refuge staff
also record water levels in U.S. Geological Survey
groundwater survey wells. Some old drainage ditches
dug before the Refuge was established remain. These
ditches are only partially functional due to siltation
and perhaps poor design. In several areas, wetlands
have been dug out in wet meadows and fens to produce
open water areas.
Most of the wetlands on the Refuge rise and fall
depending on precipitation and groundwater levels.
Precipitation for the past 17 years has been high
resulting in record levels for lakes. The Marsh Lakes,
historically a very large cattail marsh with three areas
of open water and a closed basin, is now one large lake
with water flowing out of the basin. Refuge wetlands
normally function as a closed system and only during
high precipitation periods does excess surface water exit
the Refuge. Refuge wetlands are shown in Figure 2.
Sandhill Prairie is within the wide transitional zone of
the Mixed Grass Prairie between Tallgrass Prairie and
the Short Grass Plains. Annual precipitation is typical
of the semi-arid Mixed Grass Prairie; however, the
Nebraska Sandhills is characterized by a predominance
of post climax tallgrass species typical of a greater
moisture regime (Oosting 1948, Keeler et al. 1980).
This mixture and general dominance by Tallgrass
Prairie species is locally influenced by topography (i.e.,
the soil moisture holding capacities and soil moisture
penetration in different textures of the sand soil range
sites and the root structures and the photosynthetic
strategies of cool and warm season plants) (Tolstead
1942, Barnes 1984). Refuge vegetation is shown on
Figure 3. Four basic range sites are located within the
Sandhills.
Wetland range sites are the low meadow sites dominated
by grass species that thrive in a moisture saturated
soil profile (i.e., prairie cordgrass, blue-joint reedgrass,
sedge species, and non-grass species such as golden
rods, saw-toothed sunflower and willows). A federally
threatened species, western prairie fringed orchid, is
found within the wetland range site.
Sub-irrigated range sites are meadows that are very
close to the groundwater level. Sub-irrigated range
sites are dominated by Tallgrass Prairie species such
as big bluestem and Indian grass. Soil moisture in the
sub-irrigated range site is adequate to support the
deep rooted warm season native grasses even during
periods of drought. Sub-irrigated range sites are
commonly invaded by exotic species such as Kentucky
bluegrass, smooth brome, and red top.
Sand range sites comprise the dry meadows (low sand
sites) and the gently undulating Sandhills. Native
vegetative species common to the sand range sites are
cool season grasses: needle-and-thread, porcupine
grass, prairie June grass and western wheat grass; and
warm season grasses typical of the Tallgrass Prairie:
prairie sandreed, sand bluestem, sand love grass, little
bluestem, and switchgrass. Typical non-grass species
of the sand range site include stiff sunflower, yucca,
lead plant, and prairie rose. Exotic smooth brome and
Kentucky bluegrass tend also to invade the lower
elevations of the sand range sites.
Choppy sand range sites are the characteristic sand
dunes for which the Nebraska Sandhills is named.
Many vegetational characteristics are common to the
sand range sites, but there is a greater proportion of
unvegetated sand soil surface that is subject to wind
and water erosion. Typical perennial grasses include:
blue grama, sand bluestem, prairie sandreed, blowout
grass, sand love grass, little bluestem, spiny muhly;
and non-grass species include yucca, prairie rose and
sunflowers. The federally endangered species, blowout
penstemon, is endemic to the Nebraska Sandhills and
its characteristic habitat includes the blowouts and
open sand areas of the choppy sand range sites.
Native perennial and annual flowering forbs adorn the
various range sites on Valentine NWR; some of which
are only found on native grasslands that have not been
degraded by the impact of modern man (i.e., conversion
of grassland to farm land, use of herbicides, and chronic
overgrazing of livestock) (Weaver 1961, Farrar 1990).
Approximately 45 species of native and introduced
trees and shrubs exist in the Sandhills. Native willows are
found around wetlands as are occasional cottonwoods.
Hackberry, choke cherry and American plum are
found on the north slopes usually adjacent to the south
sides of lakes. The abundance of woody cover has
drastically changed since Valentine NWR was
established. Many shrub and tree species, including
nonnatives, were planted by the Civil Conservation
Corps during the 1930s. Since then cedar and Russian
olive trees have been expanding and invading grassland
and are beginning to jeopardize the floral and faunal
integrity of native Sandhills Prairie.
Threatened and Endangered Plants
Blowout Penstemon
Hayden’s, or blowout penstemon, is perhaps
Nebraska’s rarest plant and is listed as endangered
under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act
(Farrar 1990). Listing was accomplished in 1987. This
species is endemic to the Nebraska Sandhills and is
dependent upon disturbance, to promote the blowouts
or open sand habitat, for its existence (Fritz et al.
1992). The plant grows in and around blowouts, areas
of open sand maintained by wind erosion. A small
number of naturally occurring blowout penstemon
plants have been found in three locations on the Refuge.
In recent years, seedlings have been transplanted into
nine blowouts in an attempt to increase the population.
Blowout penstemon has also been documented at two
locations immediately adjacent to Valentine NWR.
Since 1979, annual inventories have been conducted by
personnel from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
Chadron State College, and Valentine NWR.
Western Prairie Fringed Orchid
The western prairie fringed orchid is one of Nebraska’s
rarest wildflowers (Farrar 1990) and, in 1989, was
listed as threatened under the provisions of the
Endangered Species Act. Prairie fringed orchid site
locations are characterized by a high soil moisture
profile common to the wetland range sites on Valentine
NWR (Fritz 1993). Since 1985, inventories have been
performed by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
and Valentine NWR personnel. Prairie fringed orchids
have been documented at eight sites on Valentine
NWR and at three sites on private land immediately
adjacent to Valentine NWR.
Grassland management treatments that pose a threat
to prairie fringed orchids are continuous and/or
inopportune timing of grazing and mowing; the
indiscriminate use of herbicides; and application of
insecticides that may affect populations of the insect
pollinators (Fritz 1993). Prairie fringed orchids have
been reported to respond to spring grassland burns
(Sather et al. 1992) and fall burns (Hull-Seig and King
1995). Management on Valentine NWR involves
excluding prairie fringed orchids from mowing and
grazing manipulative treatments during the critical
period of plant growth through the maturation of seeds
(June - September).
The Sandhills of Nebraska is one of the few prairie
areas in the United States that has not been converted
to farmland. This, plus the abundance of a variety of
wetlands, has resulted in most of the native plants and
animals historically found in the area still being
present today. A list of bird, mammal, amphibian and
reptile species present at Valentine NWR can be found
Description Rating Title Valentine National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment Description valentine_draft.pdf FWS Resource Links http://library.fws.gov Subject DocumentWildlife refugesPlanning Location Region 6Nebraska FWS Site VALENTINE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Publisher U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Date of Original April 1999 Type Text Format PDF Source NCTC Conservation Library Rights Public domain File Size 497522 Bytes Original Format Document Length 79 Full Resolution File Size 497522 Bytes Transcript Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 1 Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Valentine National Wildlife Refuge 2 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Valentine National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment April 1999 Prepared by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ft. Niobrara/Valentine NWR Complex HC14, Box 67 Valentine, NE 69201 and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Land Acquisition and Refuge Planning P.O. Box 25486, DFC Denver, CO 80215 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 3 Table of Contents Summary ............................................................................................................................ 5 Purpose of and Need for Action .................................................................................... 9 Purpose of and Need for Comprehensive Conservation Plan ................................ 9 Planning Process, Planning Time Frame, and Future Revisions....................... 9 Step-Down Management Plans .................................................................................. 10 National Wildlife Refuge System Mission and Goals ............................................ 10 Valentine National Wildlife Refuge History ............................................................ 13 Valentine National Wildlife Refuge Purpose and Vision ...................................... 17 Refuge Goals and Objectives....................................................................................... 18 Interrelationships of Goals and Objectives.............................................................. 18 Habitat Management .................................................................................................... 18 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................. 20 Threatened and Endangered Species ........................................................................ 22 Interpretation and Recreation .................................................................................... 23 Ecosystem (Partner) ..................................................................................................... 23 Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action .......................................................... 24 Current Management (No Action) Alternative ....................................................... 24 Historical Alternative ................................................................................................... 30 Intensive Wildlife Management Alternative ........................................................... 32 Modified Historical (Preferred) Alternative ........................................................... 34 Yellowthroat Wildlife Management Area ................................................................. 37 Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area ..................................................................... 37 Implementing the Plan (Preferred Alternative) .................................................... 37 Affected Environment .................................................................................................. 43 Geographic/Ecosystem Setting ................................................................................... 43 Climate ............................................................................................................................. 43 Air Quality ....................................................................................................................... 43 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 43 Water Resources and Associated Wetlands .............................................................. 44 Vegetation ........................................................................................................................ 44 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................. 50 Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................ 52 Economic Environment ................................................................................................ 52 Special Designations ..................................................................................................... 52 4 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................... 53 Alternative A. Current Management (No Action) .................................................. 53 Alternative B. Historical.............................................................................................. 54 Alternative C. Intensive Wildlife Management ...................................................... 56 Alternative D. Modified Historic (Preferred Alternative).................................... 57 List of Preparers ............................................................................................................ 58 Consultation and Coordination with Others .......................................................... 59 Appendix A. Summary of Actions Proposed Under Management Alternatives ...................................................................................... 61 Appendix B. Valentine National Wildlife Refuge Species Lists......................... 65 Birds ................................................................................................................................. 65 Mammals......................................................................................................................... 68 Amphibians and Reptiles ............................................................................................. 68 Appendix C. References ................................................................................................ 69 Appendix D. Section 7 .................................................................................................. 71 Appendix E. Glossary ................................................................................................... 73 Appendix F. Key Legislation/Policies ....................................................................... 75 Appendix G. Mailing List of Agencies and Individuals ........................................ 77 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 5 The Current Management Alternative would continue managing the Refuge as it is presently done. Grazing, using permittee cattle, rest, and limited prescribed fire, would be used to manage grasslands. Limited surveys and management for endangered species would take place. Exotic plants and weeds would be controlled using grazing, fire, beneficial insects, and herbicides. Public use would continue with hunting, fishing on the same number of lakes, and wildlife observation allowed. Cooperation and partnerships in place would continue. Present monitoring of wildlife and habitat would take place. The Historical Alternative would manage Refuge grasslands and wildlife to replicate conditions that existed before settlement. A herd of 500 bison would be introduced to the Refuge. Permittee cattle would be removed over time. Prescribed fire would be increasingly used to replicate naturally occurring fire frequency. Water control structures would be removed and lakes returned to natural levels. Endangered species would be monitored and studied to determine effects of historic management. Exotic plants would be controlled using increased prescribed fire along with beneficial insects and herbicides. Prairie dog towns would be established. Current hunting programs would continue and a bison hunt initiated. The number of lakes open to fishing would increase, but water levels would not be managed for sport fish. A concession would be sought to access the bison herd and increased interpretation of historical ecology emphasized. Current cooperation and partnerships would continue and additional partnerships in bison management sought out. Monitoring of the bison herd as well as fire effects and wildlife trends would increase. Summary The 71,000-acre Valentine National Wildlife Refuge is located in the Sandhills of north central Nebraska. The native grass prairie and wetlands found here support a diversity of wildlife. Little has changed from historic times. The Refuge was established by Congress in 1935 “as a breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.” The Refuge is home to 270 species of birds, 59 species of mammals, and 22 species of reptiles and amphibians. Several threatened and endangered plants, birds, and one insect are found here. The 180-acre Holt Creek and 480-acre Yellowthroat Wildlife Management Wildlife Management Areas in Keya Paha and Brown Counties are also included in this Plan. Comprehensive conservation planning is being done for the Refuge and Wildlife Management Areas to guide management for the next 10- to 15-year period. When completed, the Plan will provide clear goals and objectives, implementation strategies, and recommended staffing and funding for the areas. The Plan will also meet the planning requirement in the National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act of 1997. This Draft Comprehensive Management Plan (CCP) considered four alternatives for management of Valentine National Wildlife Refuge. Alternatives considered were Current Management Alternative, Historical Alternative, Intensive Wildlife Management Alternative, and Modified Historical Alternative (Preferred Alternative). 6 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Several of the alternatives for manage-ment of Valentine National Wildlife Refuge call for the return of bison to Refuge grasslands; Native grasses growing on Refuge meadows provide excellent nesting habitat for ducks, prairie chickens, and birds which pre-fer tall dense cover; The endangered plant, blowout penstemon, grows in the sandy dunes where wind erosion cre-ates areas of open sand;Money from the sale of Duck Stamps was used to purchase most of the lands that now make up Valentine National Wildlife Refuge; in April prairie chicken males display on traditional breeding grounds throughout the Refuge. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 7 8 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 The Intensive Wildlife Management Alternative would actively manage habitats and Refuge programs to increase outputs in certain areas. Grazing with permittee cattle and Texas longhorns from Ft. Niobrara NWR, rest, and increased use of fire would be used to actively manage grasslands. Water control structures would remain in place and active water level management, including drawdowns, used. Increased monitoring, management, and research on endangered and threatened species would occur. Prairie dog towns would be established. Weeds and exotic plants would be controlled using increased prescribed fire along with grazing, beneficial insects, and herbicides. Current Refuge hunting programs would continue with limits on numbers of hunters instituted if crowding develops. The number of Refuge lakes open to sport fishing will be reduced but management of those open increased for sport fish. Interpretation and environmental education will be increased and the Refuge headquarters moved to a location along Highway 83. Current cooperation and partnerships will continue and additional ones sought. Land trades and acquisition from willing sellers will be pursued. Monitoring of wildlife and habitats would increase. The Modified Historical Alternative was selected as the preferred alternative. This alternative was selected based on an analysis of the environmental consequences and the desire to return the historical forces of bison grazing and fire to grassland management. To start, the southwest portion of the Refuge will be fenced for bison and a herd placed there. Prescribed fire will be increased in this area and interior fences incrementally removed. This area will be monitored over a five-year period to document changes in grasslands and wildlife. After evaluation, the decision will be made to extend this type of management over the entire Refuge or to return to using permittee cattle as the primary grassland management tool. Refuge lakes presently open to fishing will remain open with water control structures, water level, and other management used to benefit sport fish. Old drainage ditches will be plugged. Endangered species use will be monitored and applied research conducted to determine methods to increase use. Blowout penstemon will be transplanted in additional sites and trees protected for bald eagle roosts. An attempt will be made to establish prairie dog towns. Weeds and exotic plants will be controlled using a combination of prescribed fire, beneficial insects, and herbicides. Current hunting and fishing opportunities will continue. Increased emphasis would be placed on environmental education and interpretation and the Refuge headquarters site moved to a location near Highway 83. Current cooperation and partnerships would continue. Outside funding would be sought to implement parts of the Plan. A partnering effort in bison management may be sought. Land trades and acquisition with willing sellers will be pursued to straighten Refuge boundaries. Trading Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area for portions of Rat, Beaver, and Willow Lakes will be pursued with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Monitoring of grasslands and wildlife will increase with emphasis on evaluation of the use of bison and fire to manage grasslands. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 9 Purpose of and Need for Action Purpose of and Need for Comprehensive Conservation Plan The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recognized the need for strategic planning for the field stations of its National Wildlife Refuge System (System). The System now has more than 513 refuges totaling more than 93 million acres. In September 1996, Executive Order 12996 was enacted which gave the System guidance on issues of compatibility and public uses of its land. Congress passed the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act (Act) in October 1997. This “organic act,” for the first time in the System’s history, required that Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCP) be prepared for all refuges within 15 years. The Service was an active participant in this historic legislation and supported the planning requirement. The planning effort will help each station, and thus the entire System, to meet the changing needs of wildlife species and the public. The planning effort provides the opportunity to meet with our neighbors, our customers, and other agencies to ensure that plans are relevant and truly address natural resource issues and public interests. It is our goal to have the System be an active and vital part of the United States’ conservation efforts. This Draft CCP/ Environmental Assessment (EA) discusses the planning process, Valentine Na-tional Wildlife Refuge’s (NWR) characteristics, and the direction management will take in the next 15 years. It is provided to give the reader a clear understanding of the purposes of the Refuge, the alternatives considered, and the preferred alternative. Planning Process, Planning Time Frame, and Future Revisions Valentine NWR is located 20 miles south of Valentine, Nebraska, along Highway 83 (see Figure 1). The Refuge is administered as part of the Fort Niobrara- Valentine NWR Complex with the main office located five miles east of the city of Valentine. The Hackberry Headquarters on Valentine NWR is located along State Spur 16B. Comprehensive conservation planning efforts for Valentine NWR began in January 1997 with a meeting of regional management and planning staff and field station employees at Fort Niobrara NWR. At that meeting a core planning team was designated with the major responsibilities of gathering information and writing the plan. A review team was set up to provide guidance and direction to the core planning team. A working group was also organized to provide interchange of information between Service personnel, outside agencies, and interested stakeholders of the Refuge. On March 20, 1997, an open house scoping session was held in the Cherry County Hall meeting room, Valentine, Nebraska. The open house provided participants an opportunity to learn about the Refuge’s purposes, mission, and goals, and issues currently facing management. People attending were provided the chance to speak with Service representatives and to share their comments. A two-day tour was held with the working group and Service management and planning staffs in April 1997. The tour gave participants an opportunity to view fenced animal management and prominent wildlife species of the Refuge, discuss management aspects of the Refuge, and give planning staff ideas for consider-ation in the planning process. During the planning process, the review and working groups have had access to information on objectives and alternatives being considered. Written comments have been exchanged and verbal conversations have been held. This Draft CCP/EA is the first opportunity that these groups and the public have had to review the entire planning effort and the Plan. A 60-day comment period is provided. The CCP will guide management on the Refuge for the next 15 years. Plans are ultimately signed by the Regional Director, Region 6, thus providing Regional direction to the station project leader. A copy of the Plan will be provided to all those interested. The project leader of the station will review the Plan every five years to decide if it needs revision. 10 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Step-Down Management Plans The Service has traditionally used a Refuge Manual to guide field station management actions.The policy direction given through the Manual has provided for a variety of plans used to prepare annual work schedules, budgets, land management actions including prescribed fire, grazing, haying, sale of excess animals, monitoring, public use, safety, and other aspects of public land management. The CCP is intended as a broad umbrella plan that provides general concepts, specific wildlife and habitat objectives, endangered species, public use, and partnership objectives. Depending on the Refuge needs, these may be very detailed or quite broad. The purpose of step-down management plans is to provide greater detail to managers to implement specific actions authorized by the CCP. Under this Plan, the Valentine NWR will revise its current wildlife and habitat monitoring plan. An overall Habitat Management Plan will be prepared to guide all aspects of habitat management to include but not limited to the following: annual grazing by large animal herds, the use of prescribed fire, prairie dog reintroduction, and rest and undisturbed cover required by migratory waterfowl and native birds. A cultural resource protection and interpretation plan will be prepared. The Service will also prepare a site plan for relocation of the headquarters along Highway 83 and other associated facilities. National Wildlife Refuge System Mission and Goals The Mission of the System is, “To administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.” Goals of the System are aimed at fulfilling this mission. Some major goals are to provide for specific classes of wildlife species for which the Federal government is ultimately responsible. These “trust resources” are threatened and endan-gered species, migratory birds, and anadromous fish. Most refuges provide breeding, migration, or wintering habitat for these species. Nearly all refuges also supply habitat for big game species and resident or nonmigratory wildlife as well. Individual refuges provide specific requirements for the preservation of trust resources. For example, waterfowl breeding refuges in South and North Dakota provide important wetland and grassland habitats to support populations of waterfowl as required by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Valentine NWR also supports breeding populations as well as providing migration habitat during spring and fall periods. Sabine NWR, and other refuges in Louisiana and Texas provide wintering habitat for these populations. The network of lands is critical to these birds’ survivals; any deficiency in one location will affect the species and the entire networks ability to maintain adequate populations. Other refuges may provide habitat for endangered plants or animals that exist in unique habitats found only in very few locations. Refuges in these situations ensure that populations are protected and habitat is suitable for their use. Refuges, by providing a broad network of lands throughout the United States, help to prevent species from being listed by providing secure habitat for their use and opportunities for recovery. Under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, six wildlife-dependent recreational uses are recognized as priority public uses of refuge lands. These are wildlife observation and photography, environmental education and interpretation, fishing and hunting. These and other uses are allowed on refuges after finding that they are compatible with the purpose of the refuge. Uses are allowed through a special regulation process, individual special use permits, and sometimes through normal state fishing and hunting regulations. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 11 Figure 1 - Vicinity Map 12 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 13 Valentine National Wildlife Refuge History Valentine NWR was established on August 14, 1935 by Executive Order No. 7142 “as a breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.” Lands for the Refuge were purchased from private ranches, recreational land, resort clubs, and corporations with investment interests. Funding for acquisition came from the Emergency Conservation Fund of 1933. The dust bowl period of the 1930’s created concern among conservationists for the survival of waterfowl species. Many refuges were set aside during this period to help in meeting the goals of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Since the 1940’s, additional lands have been purchased and traded to straighten Refuge boundaries and improve Refuge administration. In 1992, the Fort Niobrara-Valentine Refuge Complex acquired the Yellowthroat Wildlife Management Area, a 920-acre fee title/easement area in Brown County, and in 1995 the 180 acre fee title Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area in Keya Paha County, through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farmers Home Administration, under provisions of the 1990 Farm Bill. A Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp of 200 enrollees was established on Valentine NWR in 1935 and was operational until 1939. The CCC enrollees con-structed fences, roads, buildings, fire towers, planted trees and shrubs, developed ponds and water control structures, and built a diversion ditch from Gordon Creek. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NG&PC) acquired a water right for the Gordon Creek Diversion. In the early 1980’s, this water right was relinquished for lack of use and also because it was not in the best interest of the Refuge. Surface water management has been facilitated by subsequent construction of seven water control structures and records of lake elevations are available since the 1950’s. The Refuge was opened to fishing when water re-turned to the lakes following the drought of the 1930’s. The Refuge was opened for the following hunting seasons: deer in 1964, pheasant and grouse in 1965, waterfowl in 1977, dove in 1983, and coyotes in 1986. From 1935 through 1972, Valentine NWR was managed by an on-site refuge manager in charge of only Valentine NWR. In 1973, the Refuge was joined with Fort Niobrara NWR to form a Complex with one manager in charge. Wetland Management History Thirty-seven major wetland areas exist on Valentine NWR comprised of approximately 13,000 acres of semipermanent and permanent wetlands which historically have operated as a closed system except for periods of high precipitation. Historic data regarding surface and groundwater elevations are available for Valentine NWR; however, the most consistent data records available are since 1985. Since establishment of Valentine NWR, various attempts have been made to manage the water elevations of six lakes by water control structures. However, water elevations are dependent upon precipitation. Since 1981, above average annual precipitation has complicated attempts of managing lake elevations beyond diminishing the adverse effects of the extremely high wetland levels experienced since the mid-1980’s. (See Table 1) Approximately 40 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) wells have been established on and adjacent to Valentine NWR in which groundwater elevations have been monitored by Refuge staff since the 1950’s. This information is part of the monitoring program carried out by USGS Water Resources Division. Groundwater elevations are presently 4-7 feet above the elevations recorded during the period 1950 to 1985. Table 1 14 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Gordon Creek Diversion In the 1930’s, the CCC’s constructed a diversion on Gordon Creek to divert water through Valentine NWR. Considerable resources were allocated to the construction of the diversion dam and ditch to Hackberry Lake. However, the project was “piecemealed” beyond Hackberry Lake through the remainder of Valentine NWR (Dewey, Clear, and Willow Lakes) and north through Trout and Big Alkali Lakes via Slagel Creek and east through Ballard Marsh and Red Deer Lake via East Plum Creek. In 1952, a District Count Decree (Young, Harse and Harms vs State of Nebraska) successfully challenged the construction of a larger water control structure on Willow Lake by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission; set a maximum elevation that water could be held in Willow Lake; and the defendants were “permanently restrained and enjoined from causing or permitting any interference ... and from by any act or in any manner causing or contributing to causing the water in the natural water course below and to the north of the outlet of Willow Lake to flow in any different manner or at any different time or season of the year than in the manner and at times and seasons in which they are wont to flow.” In1997, the Willow Lake water control structure washed out and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has elected not to replace the structure and to allow water levels in Willow Lake to fluctuate naturally. The water right for the Gordon Creek Diversion was acquired by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, but the water right was relinquished in the early 1980’s because it was not of benefit to the management of Valentine NWR. This diversion was the original source of carp infestation for Valentine NWR. Wetland management subsequent to the construction of the diversion has focused on controlling carp populations and the adverse effects of carp on habitat and food resources of waterfowl and sport fish. Over the years, water control structures were constructed and reconstructed in an attempt to prevent the movement of carp. However, by the 1940’s, carp had spread throughout the wetlands in the northwest area of Valentine NWR as well as the downstream wetlands under the management of NG&PC and private landowners. Various attempts to control carp with chemical treatment were carried out in the 1950’s and 1960’s to control carp populations on Valentine NWR. The most effective control technique was initiated in 1975 and, during the period 1975-82, seven lakes were mechanically pumped and chemically treated with rotenone to reduce the carp populations. To date, only two of the renovated lakes have remained carp-free. However, in the remaining five lakes, carp populations have remained at moderate levels with the imple-mentation of biological control. Biological control was accomplished by modifying northern pike size limits to enhance the populations of larger northern pike and subsequently reduce carp recruitment. Grassland Management History Livestock grazing has occurred on Valentine NWR since establishment. However, the level of grazing dramatically increased during the early 1950’s, and by the early 1960’s, annual grazing use exceeded 50,000 animal unit months (AUM). Virtually the entire Refuge grassland acreage was grazed or hayed. The two Natural Research Areas, totaling 1,381 acres, were not grazed. This level of grazing had a negative impact on wildlife and vegetation on the Refuge. In 1971, a grassland management study team was formed to look into the situation and recommend appropriate corrective actions. The major management recommendations of the team were: 1. Zone all meadows based on their value for nesting waterfowl. 2. Stop annual mowing of meadows. 3. Improve native plant vigor and composition by prescribed burning, mowing and grazing with alternating periods of rest. 4. Maintain nesting cover by providing 40- to 100- acre undisturbed blocks for three to eight years. 5. Hold units in reserve through normal attrition of permittees to allow for flexible and intensive manipulation. 6. Initiate restoration of native vegetation on priority meadows beginning in 1972. 7. Develop small food plots (i.e., “weed patches”) to promote greater diversity and abundance of wildlife species. 8. Stop season-long grazing and promote restoration and maintenance of range condition by use of rest, fall-deferment, deferred-rotation and rest-rotation systems. 9. Establish wilderness area - remove grazing facilities and possibly employ summer grazing. 10. Initiate adequate monitoring techniques to evaluate qualitative and quantitative changes in vegetation and response by wildlife. Recommendations of the team have generally been implemented except that the wilderness proposal has not received Congressional approval; mowing has been reduced by approximately 85 percent; and maintaining cover in undisturbed condition, for periods of three to eight years, has annually involved less than 20 percent of the total grassland acreage of Valentine NWR. In 1986, rotational grazing was phased out and short-duration grazing initiated. Use allowed by permittees was retained but as permittees dropped out of the program, they were not replaced. Between 1986 and 1997, permittees went from 13 to 9 and use from approximately 9,000 to 6,000 AUMs. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 15 Wildlife Management History Wildlife populations have been affected by both the management of wetland and grassland resources on Valentine NWR. Grazing practices increased as a result of increased demand for beef during World War II and remained in excess of 50,000 AUMs until the mid-1960’s. Indigenous wildlife species with specific habitat requirements (which are not achieved under the widespread grazing/mowing regimes of that time) did not fare very well. By the mid-1950’s, considerable criticism was leveled against the management of Valentine NWR both from within and outside the Service. In the early 1970’s, a grassland management Table 2 team was formed to develop recommendations regarding the management of Refuge grasslands. Wildlife populations, for which monitoring data are available, have responded positively to the spirit and intent of these recommendations; specifically, the enhancement of native Sandhill Prairie through the termination of widespread, season-long grazing, annual mowing practices, and the implementation of planned grassland management treatments (See Table 2). These provide optimum acreage of vegetative composition, structure, and undisturbed nesting cover for wildlife. 16 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 The annual acreage of undisturbed cover for upland nesting birds increased from less than 5 percent in 1969 to greater than 50 percent by 1985 (See Table 3). The increase in undisturbed nesting cover acreage has resulted in greater productivity and population levels particularly for upland nesting waterfowl. Specifically, a significant improvement has occurred in the hatching chronology of blue-winged teal and mallards with the increased acreage of undisturbed cover. The earlier hatching peaks since 1978 have ultimately resulted in greater recruitment rates (See Table 4) and subsequently greater breeding populations and composition of dabbling ducks. In particular, mallard breeding pairs have increased dramatically with the increased acre-age of cover that received rest treatment for two or more growing seasons, and this increase occurred during a period of extremely low continental duck breeding populations. Table 4 Table 3 Winter Fall Rotational S.Duration Spring Rest Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 17 The greater prairie chicken is an “indicator species” of the health and vigor of native grasslands and is a reflection of the management of native grasslands. In the 1930’s, 21 refuges existed with breeding populations of greater prairie chickens and, by 1963, the only remaining breeding populations existed on Ft. Niobrara-Valentine NWRs. Since the 1980’s, a considerable effort has been put forth within the Ft. Niobrara-Valentine NWR Complex to increase the health, vigor, and residual cover amounts of native grasslands for upland nesting birds by controlling the timing of grazing and rest treatments. Statistical analysis indicates that a significant inverse relationship exists between the level of AUM utilization and the breeding population of prairie chickens on Valentine NWR (See Table 5). Additionally, Hughes and McDaniel (unpublished 1998) developed linear regression models for Valentine NWR to determine relationships between cover treatment and the number of male prairie chickens surveyed during the period 1969-1996. The best fit model indicated an inverse significant relationship between the percentage of disturbed cover throughout the year prior to the breeding population survey period; indicating the importance of undisturbed cover for prairie chickens throughout the year for nesting, brood rearing, and winter survival. Other wildlife have undoubtedly benefitted from the enhancement of Sandhill Prairie; however, specific surveys have not been carried out to document changes in the numerous species present on Valentine NWR. Table 5 Valentine National Wildlife Refuge Purpose and Vision Refuge Purpose The Valentine NWR was established by Executive Order No. 7142, August 14, 1935, “. . . reserved and set apart . . . as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.” Refuge Vision Statement Preserve, restore, and enhance the ecological integrity of Nebraska Sandhill uplands and associated wetlands as habitat for migratory birds and other indigenous wildlife for the benefit of present and future generations. 18 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Refuge Goals and Objectives The Refuge planning team spent considerable time defining habitat and other objectives to further describe management actions needed to meet Refuge goals. They are presented here to provide a logical step-down from the broad purpose and vision statements to concrete management decisions. They are also useful in this document as a comparison with the following section on Alternatives. Ideally, each alternative should meet all these objectives, in practice some meet them more fully than others. The preferred alternative described in this CCP represents a course of action felt to meet them best. Interrelationships of Goals and Objectives The subsequent presentation of Refuge goals and objectives are presented separately for ease of understanding and reference. They are however, not independent of each other. The goals and objectives, and the resources and activities discussed are completely interrelated in spatial, ecological, and management considerations. The habitat goals and objectives are the primary criteria that refuge managers will use to guide their efforts and evaluate progress toward accomplishing this CCP. Goals and objectives for wildlife, endangered and threatened species, interpretation and recreation, and ecosystem provide additional information for managers to refine specific actions and to help in evaluating success of habitat management and use of the Refuge by the public. In order for refuge managers to achieve the purpose and vision of the Refuge fully, these objectives need to be understood holistically and applied in combination, each being a critical part of the Refuge vision. Habitat Management Goal: Preserve, restore, and enhance the ecological diversity of indigenous flora of the physiographic region described as Sandhill Prairie within the Northern Great Plains. Grassland Habitat [Composition] Objective: Preserve, restore, and enhance the diverse native floral communities so that greater than 75 percent is composed of climax species (good to excellent range condition). The following are the indicator species and composition of the desired floral community by range site (USDA Range Handbook and Potential Natural Vegetation of Nebraska - Kaul and Rolfsmeier, 1993) P Wetland Range: Eighty percent grasses (bluejoint and northern reedgrass, inland saltgrass, prairie cordgrass and foxtail barley); 15 percent grasslike plants (sedges and rushes); 5 percent forbs (saw-toothed sunflower, marsh hedge-nettle, Indian hemp dogbane, swamp milkweed, arrowhead and smartweeds). P Sub-irrigated Range: Seventy-five to 85 percent grasses (switchgrass, big bluestem, Indian grass, Scribner’s panicum, prairie cord grass, inland saltgrass and purple lovegrass); 5-10 percent grasslike plants (sedges and rushes); 5-10 percent forbs (American licorice, blue verbena, purple prairie clover, stiff sunflower, nodding lady’s-tresses, western ironweed, milkweeds, goldenrods, closed and downy gentians, blue lobelia, and the threatened western prairie fringed orchid); 5 percent shrubs (leadplant, willow, poison ivy, western snowberry, Arkansas and Wood’s wild rose). P Sand Range: Eighty to 95 percent grasses (switchgrass, sand bluestem, little bluestem, big bluestem, Indian grass, prairie sandreed, needle-and-thread, porcupine grass, sand love grass, Canada wildrye, Scribner’s panicum, western wheatgrass, prairie June grass); less than 5 percent grasslike plants (sedges); 10 percent forbs (blue verbena, bush morning glory, cudweed sagewort, blazing star, penstemons (shell-leaf, narrow beardtongue), western ragweed, bracket spiderwort, Rocky Mountain bee plant, evening primrose, prairie coneflower, silky and purple prairie clovers, gilia, ten-petal mentzelia, sunflowers, goldenrods, vetches, scurfpeas, yucca and pricklypear cactus); less than 5 percent shrubs (Arkansas and wild rose, leadplant, green sage, poison ivy, sand cherry, wild plum, chokecherry and western snowberry). Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 19 P Choppy Sands Range: Eighty-five percent grasses (prairie sandreed, little bluestem, sand bluestem, blowout grass, needle-and-thread, prairie June grass, sand dropseed, sand love grass, spiny muhly, switchgrass, and blue grama); less than 5 percent grasslike plants (thread-leaf sedge); less than 10 percent forbs (bush morning glory, painted milkvetch, bracted spiderwort, western ragweed, cudweed sagewort, sunflowers, scurfpeas, yucca, pricklypear cactus and the endangered blowout penstemon); less than 5 percent shrubs (Arkansas and wild rose, green sage, poison ivy, sand cherry, wild plum, chokecherry and western snowberry). Grassland Cover [Structure] Objective: Annually provide diverse vegetation composition and structure with greater than 50 percent (30,930 acres) of the total grassland (61,861 acres) remaining in undisturbed cover (i.e., vegetative cover that has not been disturbed by grazing, mowing or fire during the preceding growing season through July 10 of the current year) to meet nesting, brooding, feeding and protective cover requirements of various grassland dependent wildlife species. The following combinations of cover treatment and vegetative structure are recom-mended for meadow and hill acreages: Cover Treatment Acreage (%) VOR Ave. (Range) * Meadow (13,106 Ac.) Disturbed cover ~5,200 (~40%) ~ 3.0" (1-10") 1 Year Rest ~2,600 (~20%) ~10.0" (2-20") 2 Years+ Rest ~5,200 (~40%) ~12.0" (4-24") Hills (48,755 Ac.) Disturbed cover ~21,900 (~45%) <3.0" (1-10") 1 Year Rest ~12,200 (~25%) =>6.0" (1-16") 2 Years+ Rest ~14,600 (~30%) =>6.0" (1-18") * - Visual Obstruction Readings averages are residual cover readings taken in the Fall(before the upcoming nesting season). Wetland Habitat Objectives: P Groundwater Resources: Maintain a database on Refuge groundwater resources to ensure long-term protection of Refuge groundwater quantity and quality. P Surface Water Resources: Maintain a database on Refuge surface water resources by documenting wetland elevations for long-term protection of Refuge water supplies. P Maximize production of invertebrate (protein) and plant (carbohydrate) resources on 11,181 wetland acres to provide an appropriate food base for indigenous wildlife (migratory birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish) and enhance production on 2,650 acres of lakes for sport fishing. P Maximize food production for migratory birds by providing an unexploited food base on the following acreage of wetlands that are not designated for sport fishing: Wetland Class Acreage Temporary 735 Seasonal 1,094 Semipermanent 4,636 Lakes 4,716 Total Acreage 11,181 P Enhance food production by periodic drawdowns/ renovations on the following Lakes designated for sport fishing: Wetland Acreage Clear 532 Dewey 494 Duck and Rice 118 Hackberry 528 Pelican 617 Watts 173 West Long 76 Willow (Refuge) 112 Total 2,650 P Maintain Dewey Marsh Fen and identify and maintain other fen sites which have unique vegetation and hydrology. 20 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Indigenous Trees, Brush, and Planted Tree Habitat Objectives: Enhance the Sandhill Prairie landscape by reducing invading cedar trees while still maintaining a representa-tive interspersion of indigenous woody vegetation per the following specific objectives. Site specific indigenous woody vegetation recom-mended targets: P Maintain indigenous woody vegetation of the north facing slopes next to the south shorelines of Clear, Dewey, Hackberry, Pelican, Whitewater, Dad’s and South Marsh Lakes. P Maintain indigenous willow tree and brush on the northwest-west ends of Dewey, Hackberry and Pelican Lakes and around Duck Lake. P Maintain indigenous trees in and adjacent to the Headquarters and Sub-headquarters areas. Recommended maximum target level of composition by habitat unit: P Willow occurrence and invasion on meadows and around lakes (less than 10 percent). P Cedar occurrence and invasion on meadows (less than 5 percent) and in the Sandhills (less than 5 percent). P Reduce cottonwood invasion in the northern King Flat area. P Maintain the two relic stands of quaking aspen at the west end of Watts Lake Habitat Unit (H.U. 1A) and the north side of Dewey Marsh (H.U. 3B) Exotic Plant Species Objective: Prevent additional exotic plant species from becoming established and reduce the occurrence, frequency and stand density of existing exotic species to less than 5 percent of composition within five years. Russian olive Black and honey locust Siberian elm Mulberry Smooth brome Quack grass Reed canary grass Leafy spurge Canada thistle Kentucky bluegrass Wildlife Goal: Preserve, restore and enhance the ecological diversity and abundance of migratory birds and other indigenous wildlife with emphasis on waterfowl, prairie grouse, and other grassland dependent birds. Discussion: The following wildlife objectives are based upon unpublished Refuge data, and represent average population levels that can normally be expected to occur given the above habitat objectives. Periodic severe weather events, continental changes in migratory bird populations, and other factors can, and do, cause fluctuations in Refuge populations. Migratory Waterfowl Objectives: P Achieve an average annual breeding pair density of equal to or greater than 4,000 dabbling and 700 diving ducks with a brood/pair ratio expressed as a percent of equal to or greater than 20 percent over a five year period (unpublished Refuge data 1978-91). A brood/ pair ratio is the percent of pairs that produce a brood to flight stage. P Maintain an annual breeding population of approximately 100 Canada goose pairs. P Provide approximately 11,000 acres of wetland for spring and fall migrating waterfowl. P Trumpeter swans: Cooperate with Lacreek NWR by reporting all trumpeter swan production and winter activity observed on and adjacent to Valentine NWR. Generally one and periodically two breeding pairs of swans are present on Valentine NWR. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 21 Other Migratory Bird Objectives: P Maintain and increase breeding populations of indigenous, neotropical migrants that are water-based including American bittern, white-faced ibis, black tern, marbled godwit, northern harrier and other shorebirds and wading birds that inhabit the Refuge. Establish average densities of appropriate species and an overall species richness/diversity index to document baseline levels and to determine subsequent population trends. P Maintain and increase breeding populations of land-based species of management concern such as upland sandpiper, long-billed curlew, short-eared owl, barn owl, grasshopper sparrow, dickcissel, eastern phoebe, eastern kingbird, loggerhead shrike, and eastern meadowlark (Bogan, 1995). Establish average densities of selected species and an overall species richness/diversity index to document baseline levels and to determine subsequent population trends. P Maintain and increase breeding populations of colonial nesting species (western and eared grebes, Forster’s and black terns, cormorants and black-crowned night herons). P Evaluate reintroduction of breeding populations of sandhill cranes to the Nebraska Sandhills and specifi-cally Valentine NWR. Prairie Grouse (Prairie Chicken and Sharp-tailed Grouse) Objectives: P Maintain a five-year average density of equal to or greater than one prairie grouse lek per 1.6 sq. mi. (28 total leks including 15 prairie chicken and 13 sharp-tailed grouse) within the area designated as the State Survey Block. The Survey is a portion of the Refuge surveyed each year as one part of a statewide survey of prairie chicken and sharp-tailed grouse. P Maintain annually a minimum of 35 prairie chicken leks (2.8 sq. mi. / lek) throughout Valentine NWR. P Annually achieve a minimum target sample of 350 prairie grouse wings from the Volunteer Prairie Grouse Hunter Harvest Survey. Achieve a harvest ratio of equal to or greater than 2.5 juveniles per adult. The harvest ratio measures current year nesting success and health of the population by comparing the number of young in the fall population to the number of adults. Ratios greater than or equal to 2.5 indicate a healthy population. Other Indigenous Wildlife Species Objective: P Ensure the diversity and abundance of indigenous mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates remain intact. Establish average densities of key indicator species to document baseline levels and to determine subsequent population trends. Introduced/Exotic Species Objective: P Prevent the establishment of additional introduced species and refrain from carrying out management activities specifically to encourage population expansion of existing introductions (pheasants). P Reduce carp population densities in Refuge lakes. Sport Fishery Objective: P Maintain sustainable and harvestable populations of sport fish in the nine designated sport fishing lakes. 22 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Threatened and Endangered Species Goal: Contribute to the preservation and restoration of endangered and threatened flora and fauna that occur or have historically occurred around Valentine NWR. Threatened and Endangered Plant Objectives: P Maintain approximately 72 acres of blowouts, with potential for the endangered blowout penstemon, on the Refuge. In a minimum of five blowouts, establish and maintain populations of 100 penstemon plants per blowout. Currently the Refuge has an estimated 72 acres of blowouts in at least a dozen locations. Three habitat units exist with very small natural populations of penstemon and three additional habitat units with nine blowouts that have had plants transplanted into them. The blowout penstemon recovery plan has an objective of maintaining ten population groups with 300 plants in each group. The Refuge, if successful in increasing its populations to the objective, would satisfy approximately 16 percent of the endangered penstemon recovery goal. P Maintain and manage a meadow habitat with potential for western prairie-fringed orchids (2,000 acres) insuring an average annual population of 300 individuals in at least four locations. Currently the Refuge has an estimated population of approximately 300 plants in five known locations. Western prairie-fringed orchids have been observed on private land at four other sites adjacent to the Refuge. The Refuge currently manages meadows with orchids so that plants can flower and set seed. Threatened and Endangered Wildlife Species Objectives: P Monitor and document migration use by whooping cranes, piping plover, least terns, and peregrine falcons. Record habitats used, areas used, and durations of stay. Keep use areas free from human disturbance while individuals are present. Use by these species is so seldom that no habitat management objective or population objectives can be stated. Monitoring, documenting use, and keeping them undisturbed may at some time provide insights into ways to help these populations. P Monitor and document use by American burying beetles. P Maintain large hackberry, cottonwood, and willow trees around Refuge lakes as roost sites for migrating and wintering bald eagles. Monitor and document eagles use of habitat, roost trees, and eagle mortality. Monitoring will help in describing key locations and trees, and in documenting eagle mortality, a problem in past years. Some of these wintering locations could become nesting areas as eagle populations expand. Species of Management Concern Objective: P Maintain self sustaining populations of Blanding’s and yellow mud turtles. Develop and implement strategies to reduce mortality from vehicles. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 23 Interpretation and Recreation Goal: Provide the public with quality opportunities to learn about and enjoy Sandhill Prairie, fish, wildlife, and history of the Refuge in a largely natural setting and in a manner compatible with the purposes for which the Refuge was established. Interpretation, Wildlife Observation and Photography, and Environmental Education Objective: P Provide visitors with quality interpretation, environmental education, wildlife observation and photography opportunities. Fishing Objective: P Provide year-round fishing opportunities for warm water fish in designated lakes in a largely natural setting. Watts Lake has handicap accessibility. Hunting Objective: P Provide quality hunting opportunities for waterfowl, deer, prairie grouse, pheasants, dove, and coyote on portions of the Refuge. Limited controlled hunting opportunities for elk will be available if elk are reintroduced to the Refuge. Cultural Resource Objective: P Conduct a cultural resource inventory and provide protection for and interpretation of Refuge historical and prehistoric resources. Ecosystem (Partner) Goal: Promote partnerships to preserve, restore, and enhance a diverse, healthy, and a productive ecosystem of which the Fort Niobrara and Valentine NWR’s are part. Ecosystem Objectives/Strategies for the Fort Niobrara/Valentine NWR Complex: P Support the National Scenic River and Niobrara River Council to meet desired future conditions of the Niobrara Scenic River. P Support the Sandhills Management Plan through Partners for Wildlife Program for the enhancement of wetlands, riparian, and surrounding grassland habitats on private lands. P Support uses of refuges as research areas for all legitimate natural resource subjects. In consultation with the Division of Endangered Species, conduct applied management research relating to management of endangered plant populations. P Conduct baseline monitoring for contaminants on the Valentine NWR, Fort Niobrara NWR and the Niobrara River to identify changes in contaminant concentrations relative to baseline concentrations already established. P Develop an effective outreach program that results in two wildlife habitat/public use projects completed annually with non-governmental organizations. P Develop greater inter-agency cooperation resulting in completion of at least two cooperative projects with state and local agencies annually that materially benefit area wildlife resources. P Use the CCP document to help in marketing Refuge needs. Through grant writing and networking with other entities, accumulate outside revenue and other sources to help in meeting Refuge objectives. 24 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action Six alternatives were considered to guide the manage-ment of Valentine NWR in the future. Four alternatives for the management of Valentine NWR were considered in detail and are described here and summarized in Appendix A. The alternatives considered were Current Management (No Action), Historical, Intensive Wildlife Management, and Modified Historical (Preferred). Two alternatives, a maximization of economic uses and placing the Refuge in custodial status, were briefly considered but discarded because they are inconsistent with the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, purpose of Refuge and mission of the Refuge System. The following is a discussion of how the remaining four alternatives assist in fulfilling Valentine NWR’s goals and objectives as described previously. Current Management (No Action) Alternative Grassland Management Cattle grazing, rest, and prescribed fire are used to manage grasslands on the Refuge. The 61,861 acres of grassland on the Refuge are divided into 327 habitat units by barbed wire and electric fences. Of this acreage, 48,755 is in hills and 13,106 in meadows. Plans are made each year to either graze, rest, or prescribe burn grasslands on the Refuge. In 1997, 34,789 acres (56 percent) of Refuge grasslands were rested. Rested grasslands are those that are not grazed by cattle or burned by prescribed fire. Refuge studies have documented that rested grasslands are preferred nesting cover for waterfowl and grouse. Grassland management is designed to maximize undisturbed cover. Undisturbed cover is grassland that is not grazed, burned by either wild or prescribed fire, or effected by hail for the preceding year’s growing season and the current year’s nesting season. In 1997, 56 percent of the Refuge grasslands were in undisturbed cover through June 30. In 1997, a total of 388 acres (less than 1 percent) of grassland in seven habitat units were burned using prescribed fire. Prescribed fire is used to invigorate native grasses, reduce cedar trees in grasslands, and control invader grasses such as brome and Kentucky bluegrass. Prescribed fires are planned and conducted by a fire crew from the Fort Niobrara/Valentine NWR Complex. Wildfires on the Refuge are aggressively suppressed by the same fire crew and local fire departments under cooperative agreements. Nine permittees held annual permits to graze approxi-mately 6,600 animal use months (AUMs) over the period April 1, 1997 through March 30, 1998. The permittees have held permits for many years and all own land either adjacent to or near the Refuge. Refuge staff plans a grazing program for each permittee to maintain and improve the condition of Refuge grassland for wildlife. Grazing permittees are charged at market rate for use. Improvements and repairs to wells, fences, tanks, and other facilities needed for the program are paid for by the permittees, and the cost deducted from their final bill. In 1997, $26,759 was spent on improvements and deducted from final billings. Deductions are also made from billings for frequent moves of cattle and grazing treatments that differ from normal ranching practices. In 1997, $46,203 was collected and deposited in the Refuge Revenue Sharing Account. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 25 The methods and expected results for the different grazing strategies used are explained below. Spring grazing treatment is done before the end of May on sub-irrigated meadow sites. The cattle are in the unit for more than two weeks. Cattle eat or trample most of the residual cover.They also overgraze and thus reduce undesirable cool season exotic grasses (Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome). Meadows hayed are also sometimes given this treatment to add fertilizer. Dramatic results occur with this treatment. Exotic cool season grasses are suppressed and native warm seasons (switchgrass and others) increase in vigor and density. The disadvantage is the loss of the unit for nesting in the year of treatment and a lower waterfowl nesting density in the following year. Often the unit can, however, be rested for up to five years following treatment. In 1997, 30 habitat units totaling 6,099 acres (9 percent of grassland) received a spring grazing treatment and included some areas that were later hayed. Spring short-duration grazing is grazing a unit for less than two weeks during May. Generally the cattle are in the unit for only 3 to 5 days. This type of grazing is limited to hill units to stimulate growth of grasses, especially cool seasons. The short exposure times eliminate overgrazing. In 1997, ten habitat units totaling 3,280 acres (5 percent of grassland) had spring short-duration grazing treatments. Where possible, units grazed later in summer the previous year are grazed using this treatment. This both varies treatment and reduces disturbance to nesting cover. Most units grazed with spring short-duration grazing show excellent growth of native vegetation by fall. Short-duration summer grazing is done from June 1 through September 1. Cattle are in a unit for less than two weeks. Most units are grazed only 3 to 5 days and the cattle moved onto the next unit. Electric fences are used to break up larger units and increase stock density. Most short-duration summer grazing is completed by mid-July. In 1997, 79 habitat units totaling 19,723 acres (32 percent of grassland) were short-duration summer grazed. Units grazed by this method show good growth by fall if adequate moisture is received. If little or no late summer rainfall is received, regrowth is less, especially in those units grazed in late July or August. Summer grazing is done from June 1 through September 1 and cattle are in the unit for two weeks or longer. In 1997, no acres were summer grazed. If done, this is in larger units that have not been cross fenced. Fall grazing is done from September through November. Fall grazing can reduce mulch accumulations and add fertilization. If done at the proper time, cattle will also graze out small wetlands dominated by prairie cordgrass and leave the surrounding upland vegetation alone. Generally the wetlands have green vegetation in them while the uplands have only cured grasses. Grazing in the wetlands recycles nutrients and provides pair habitat for ducks in the spring. Most units that are fall grazed are then given a spring grazing treatment the following year. In 1997, six habitat units totaling 1,446 acres (2 percent of grassland) were fall grazed. Winter grazing is done from November through April. In winter grazing, cattle are fed hay on a feed ground in a unit. The hay comes from the Refuge. Winter feeding creates dense weed patches for several years following the treatment. These weed patches provide winter food for deer, pheasants, and other resident wildlife. Units with a history of winter grazing combined with feeding also have excellent growth of vegetation. Resident wildlife also uses waste grain from the feeding operation. In 1997, three habitat units totaling 1,167 acres (2 percent of grassland) were winter grazed. Haying was done on 714 acres (1 percent of grassland) of sand, sub-irrigated, and wetland range sites and yielded 1,520 tons of hay in 1997. Haying is done on a share-basis with three permittees receiving 60 percent and the Refuge receiving 40 percent of the hay harvested. Some hay is also put up on a contract with the cost deducted from permittees grazing bills. Most of the meadows hayed are also grazed either in the fall or spring. This adds fertilization to the meadows and improves the quality and quantity of hay produced. Haying is used to provide browse areas for Canada geese, prairie grouse, and deer, and for winter feed for the Texas Longhorn herd at Fort Niobrara NWR. In some years, part of the Refuge share of hay is used for road repair and maintenance. This was not done in 1997. 26 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Wetland Management Most of the lakes, marshes, and wetlands on the Refuge are natural and have no structures for water level management. Drainage ditches put in before the area was a Refuge can still be found in several locations. These ditches are only active in high water periods and are generally not effective in draining the Refuge wetlands. Several of the nine lakes open to sport fishing have dikes and structures that offer limited water management capabilities. On four lakes, water levels are generally held at a level higher than the natural level to reduce the possibility of a winter kill of sport fish. In normal water years, the Refuge staff releases water from these lakes at such a time as to not impact downstream landowners’ haying operations. In recent high water years, water has run continuously from these lakes. These lakes also have fish barriers to keep the carp from migrating between lakes and infesting new waters. The lakes open to sport fishing were pumped and treated with rotenone to kill the carp between 1975 and 1982. Following treatment they were restocked with sport fish and have been managed as sport fisheries. Sport fish are stocked frequently and on occasion moved between lakes. Threatened and Endangered Species Threatened and endangered species recorded on the Refuge are blowout penstemon, western prairie fringed orchid, American burying beetle, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, whooping crane, and least tern. Managing and maintaining prairie habitat by using rest, fire, and grazing will benefit these species. Surveys for blowout penstemon have been conducted on the Refuge and only several naturally occurring plants found each year. Nine areas of blowout penstemon have been transplanted onto the Refuge during the past three years under a University of Nebraska cooperative program. About 2,000 seedlings per year were raised and transplanted in suitable habitat during 1996 to 1998. Western prairie fringed orchids are surveyed in July when in bloom. They grow in some areas mowed for hay. In these areas, the plants are marked with stakes so they are not cut. Areas where the orchids grow are not grazed during the flowering season. The Service assists the Task Force for Population Habitat Viability Analysis for the orchid. American burying beetles have been documented on the Refuge. Bald eagles are common winter residents on the Refuge. Whooping cranes, least terns, and peregrine falcons are only rarely seen. No special management is conducted. Occasionally in the past, areas of the Refuge were closed to the public when whooping cranes were present on Refuge meadows. This closure would be repeated if whooping cranes use the Refuge during migration. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 27 Indigenous Wildlife Wildlife diversity, with the exception of large ungulates and their predators, is relatively unchanged in the Nebraska Sandhills as compared to most areas of the United States. Moreover, since the 1980’s the ecologi-cal integrity of Sandhill Prairie on Valentine NWR has been enhanced by planned treatments of grazing, prescribed fire, and rest. These planned treatments have resulted in a tremendous improvement in the vigor and composition of native vegetation, natural aesthetics, and simultaneously provided greater amounts of residual vegetation for indigenous grassland wildlife than is available throughout the remainder of the 19,000 square miles of the Nebraska Sandhills. Long-term monitoring of key indicator species has documented that waterfowl (particularly mallard) and prairie grouse (particularly prairie chicken) populations have benefited from the greater amounts of residual and/ or undisturbed vegetative cover. In fact, the Fort Niobrara and Valentine NWR’s are the only refuges that have retained historic populations of greater prairie chickens in the System; and in both cases, these populations have increased since the mid-1980’s. Positive effects on other indigenous wildlife species that require greater amounts of vegetative cover undoubtedly exist; however, specific documentation is not available for Valentine NWR. The Service conducts very limited trapping of mammalian predators and snakes on a nesting island in the Marsh Lakes to benefit nesting waterfowl. The Refuge has a trapping plan targeted to predator control and muskrat disease outbreaks. No trapping by the public took place on the Refuge in 1997. Exotic and Invading Species Prescribed fire, rest, and grazing are the main tools used for controlling exotic and invader plants to maintain healthy prairies. Spring grazing treatments are especially effective in reducing Kentucky bluegrass, the most widespread invader on the Refuge. Spring grazing treatments and fire are also being used to reduce smooth brome grass. Fire is also used to remove cedar trees invading native prairies. The acreages for these treatments are listed under the grassland section. Leafy spurge is present in several locations covering less than ten acres. Insect releases for biocontrol have been made in some patches of spurge and several patches have been sprayed with herbicide. Canada thistle is also present in small amounts in meadows and along the edges of wetlands. High water has reduced the range of this plant on the Refuge. Insect releases for its control have also been made. Reed canary grass and Russian olive are present in small areas but have not been treated. 28 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Public Use Valentine NWR has no accurate counts of the Refuge’s visitors; thus, the quality of information on public use on the Refuge is poor. For calendar year 1997, visitations to Valentine NWR were estimated at 9,500 visits with approximately 90 percent made up of anglers. Fishing visits were lower in 1997 due to poor ice conditions during the winter fishing season. The remaining 10 percent of visitors were mostly hunters. Increasing numbers of people are visiting Valentine NWR for the purpose of bird and other wildlife observation. News releases on Refuge events are written and distributed to area television and radio stations, as well as to newspaper outlets. The Fort Niobrara/ Valentine NWR Complex also hosts special events including the Nebraska Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest, a kids fishing day, a steel shot clinic, and a nature fest. Unfortunately, some requests for tours and educational programs are denied due to staffing shortages. Valentine NWR is outfitted with three information kiosks at major entry points to the Refuge. The kiosks have general information on the Refuge, a map, information on management of grasslands for wildlife, and leaflet dispensers. Blinds for observing prairie grouse displays are set up in the spring and receive plenty of use. People come to the Refuge to birdwatch and enjoy the prairie. No counts are made for this type of visitation, but Refuge staff believe that it may be increasing. Waterfowl hunting is permitted only in the Watts, Rice, and Duck Lakes areas of the Refuge according to the State’s seasons and limits. No counts were made, but it is estimated that about 75 visits were made by duck hunters. The Refuge is open to hunting of sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chickens during the State set season that runs from mid-September through December. The Refuge is a popular place for out- of-state, as well as Nebraska, hunters to pursue prairie grouse. Grouse hunters are surveyed via wing collection boxes placed around the Refuge. In 1997, 258 hunter days were recorded through the collection boxes. However, not all hunters participate in the voluntary collection program. The Refuge is also open to pheasant hunting during the State set season that runs from the first weekend of November through the end of January. Pheasant hunters made an estimated 100 visits to the Refuge in 1997. This is a large number of hunters considering that bird numbers remain very low. The Refuge is open to deer hunting during the Nebraska rifle deer season in November. Most of the deer hunting takes place on opening weekend. In 1997, a total of 88 deer were harvested including both white-tailed and mule deer. These figures come from deer checked by Refuge law enforcement officers and records obtained at Nebraska Game and Parks check stations. The Refuge probably receives the heaviest hunting pressure of any location within the state hunting units. A higher quality hunt is possible if opening day is avoided. The Refuge is also open for muzzle loader deer hunting. The season runs for two weeks in December. Hunting pressure is light and only seven muzzle loader hunters were known to hunt on Valentine NWR in 1997. This form of hunting is, however, becoming more popular. Permits are unlimited and statewide; either sex. The Refuge is also open to archery deer hunting which runs from mid-September through the end of December. Only a few hunters were known to have visited the Refuge to archery hunt in 1997. Coyotes can be hunted on the Refuge from December 1 through March 15. A free permit is required and can be obtained in person or by mail. The permit is a postcard that the hunter returns at the end of the season and includes harvest information. For the 1996- 1997 season, 37 permits were issued. Nine Refuge lakes (Watts, Rice, Duck, West Long, Pelican, Hackberry, Dewey, Clear, and Willow) are open to fishing year round. Fishing, especially ice fishing, accounts for most visits to Valentine NWR. An estimated 7,900 visits were made for fishing in 1997. This figure is based on very limited counts of anglers throughout the year. In 1997, ice was on the lakes for fewer days than average resulting in lower visits for ice fishing. In some heavy use years, up to 17,000 anglers have been counted. Bass, perch, bluegill, muskie, saugeye, and northern pike are present in the fishing lakes. Size limits are in effect to protect larger pike needed for carp control and minnows are prohibited on Refuge lakes to prevent introduction of exotic fish. Gas powered boats are not allowed. Catch-and-release for bass and muskie is in effect on Watts Lake. The Refuge lakes are most noted for large bass, catch-and-release northern pike fishing, and large bluegills. Many Master Angler (trophy) fish are caught each year. The Fort Niobrara/Valentine NWR Complex has one seasonal and four collateral duty law enforcement officers. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 29 Partnerships The Refuge works with organizations and individuals in a variety of areas but mostly in monitoring. Cooperative efforts in monitoring are listed in the next section. Fort Niobrara/Valentine NWR Complex staff works with the following groups: with private landowners through the Partners in Wildlife Program; with the Natural Resource Conservation Service in the Wetland Reserve Program; with Farmers Service Agency in the easement program; with Cherry County Extension in educational programs; with local law enforcement; with the Niobrara Council on wild and scenic river management; state, Federal, and local agricultural agencies in weed control; U.S. Forest Service; and U.S. Geological Survey. The Refuge has formal agreements with rural fire protection districts to suppress wildfires both on and off the Refuge. Biologists from four universities regularly study reptile physiology at the Refuge. The Refuge plans grazing for, maintains the fence on, and patrols the Willow Lake Game Management Area adjacent to the Refuge. The Service works with Nebraska Game and Parks in fish stocking, fish egg collection and law enforcement. The Refuge staff works with the eight Refuge grazing permittees to manage grasslands on the Refuge using cattle. Monitoring The Refuge has one full-time biologist who conducts biological monitoring on the Refuge with occasional assistance from other staff. The main emphasis is on grassland monitoring. Grassland transects are run each year to evaluate cover, composition, and grassland health. More than 100 photo points are taken to document long-term changes to the grassland. Techniques and information are shared with the Forest Service. Refuge staff completes segments of statewide surveys in cooperation with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission including sandhill crane, goose, waterfowl, turkey, deer, wintering eagle, pheasant brood, grouse brood, and prairie grouse breeding and productivity. The Refuge maintains a weather station in cooperation with the National Weather Service at Hackberry Lake. Refuge staff read and report on U.S. Geological Survey groundwater wells at more than 30 locations on the Refuge. Both these efforts have been conducted for 60 years and yields long-term trend information. Surface water levels are also recorded for some Refuge lakes. Surveys for sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chicken are performed and used as an indicator of grassland health. In the spring, lek counts are conducted; in the fall, wing collection boxes are maintained. Part of the lek count is a state count block and this information is passed on to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Wing collection from hunters is done in cooperation with the Forest Service and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Pair and brood counts for waterfowl are done on the Marsh Lakes to assess waterfowl production. Nesting success of ducks is monitored on an island in the Marsh Lakes as part of a long- term study. Colonial and marsh nesting birds are also counted in some areas of the Refuge. Monitoring for avian botulism is conducted in late summer on Refuge lakes and wetlands. An annual count of muskrat houses is done. Fishery surveys using electrofishing, gill, and trap nets are done on Refuge lakes open to fishing on a regular basis by USFWS Fisheries Assistance Office biologists. Surveys of the threatened western prairie fringed orchid and endangered blowout penstemon are conducted. When orchids are found they are marked to prevent mowing them during haying operations. 30 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Historical Alternative Grassland/Fenced Animal Management A major feature of the historical alternative is to reintroduce bison to the entire Refuge. The entire boundary will be fenced. A herd of 500 bison using approximately 7,200 AUMs annually will be the maximum herd size (winter/after sale). All interior fences would be removed. Permittee cattle grazing will be eliminated. Bison will come from excess animals at the Fort Niobrara and other Department of the Interior herds. No Texas Longhorns will be placed on the Refuge. Big game fences will be electric with a minimum of seven strands. The fence will contain bison within the Refuge, yet will allow egress and ingress of free roaming antelope and deer herds. Bison age and sex ratios will approximate natural free roaming herds. Sufficient monitoring will be conducted to maintain herd composition, health, genetic diversity, and annual surplus removals. Excess animals will be disposed of through traditional sales and donations according to Department of Interior policy. Grasslands will be maintained by using bison whose distribution will be managed by using fire, water, and placement of salt. Fire will also provide cedar control and grassland invigoration. It is estimated that between 1,000 and 8,000 acres could conceivably be treated annually. Haying would not be conducted on the Refuge. Wetland Management The Service would remove water control structures and restore the designated fishing lakes to natural lake levels. Ditches that have spoil banks present would be filled. The Refuge would not actively practice water level management in lakes and wetlands. Water levels would be allowed to fluctuate with natural conditions. Threatened and Endangered Species The Refuge would continue to maintain existing habitat and document threatened and endangered bird species use. The Refuge will reintroduce blowout penstemon in appropriate sites. The Service will monitor and evaluate the interactions between bison and T&E species. Indigenous Wildlife The Service will identify potential sites and attempt to establish prairie dogs on the Refuge. The Refuge will conduct and promote research and monitoring efforts documenting the historic management setting. Exotic and Invading Species The Refuge will maintain its integrated pest management program. Efforts to use mechanical and some chemical control to reduce Canada thistle and leafy spurge will continue. Increased efforts to reduce cedar through prescribed fire will be conducted. Public Use Lakes open to fishing will not have managed water levels; water heights will fluctuate naturally and fish winter kill would be more frequent. The current Refuge hunting programs will continue. The Service will initiate hunts for bison as a herd control management method. The Refuge will increase interpretation of historical ecology. Access to the main herds will be provided by one concessionaire during peak public use periods. Existing access to fishing lakes and other Refuge areas will be maintained for wildlife observation and photography and other public uses. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 31 Partnerships The Service will continue its current cooperation with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for sport fish management. Agreements are in place for wildland wildfire suppression efforts, surplus bison relocation for the Inter Tribal Bison Council, participation in the Niobrara Council, and other common coordination efforts with other agencies and landowners will continue. The Refuge will seek to increase partnerships with other entities, particularly with bison management groups. Inventory The Refuge staff will establish (with Refuge personnel, contract, Biological Resource Division (BRD), or in cooperation with others) an inventory of the flora and fauna to provide a baseline index of current habitat conditions and species utilization for future reference. Monitoring Refuge staff will revise its current monitoring plan. At a minimum the following monitoring will be conducted: P wildlife herd monitoring sufficient to maintain age and sex ratios, health, genetic diversity, and annual excess removal. P waterfowl production and migration trends. P native bird species monitoring to supply trend information on prairie grouse, species of management concern, grassland neotropical migrants, biodiversity trend indexes. P monitoring fire effects as part of the prescribed burning program. P monitor habitat parameters (i.e., vegetation composition and structure, tree canopy, etc.) (with a minimum confidence level) to ensure that habitat objectives are being measured for success according to a Habitat Management Plan and the adaptive management process. 32 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Intensive Wildlife Management Alternative Grassland Management Approximately 6,000 AUMs of forage will be removed annually with short duration grazing by using permittee cattle and longhorn cattle brought down from Fort Niobrara. The number of longhorn AUM’s may vary but normally will not exceed 1,500 AUMs. Longhorn cattle use will occur for winter pasture renovation, spring treatment of grasslands, and summer grassland treatments. Longhorn AUM removal will replace permittee cattle AUM removal. This amount of forage removal is similar to existing removal rates (current management). The major difference will be a shift toward higher removal rates in April and May, and less after June 15. Less hay will be removed than is currently removed. It is estimated that between 1,000 and 4,000 acres could conceivably be treated annually with prescribed fire. The purpose of prescribed fire will be to reinvigorate grassland and to reduce a cedar invasion. The Service will ensure that 60 percent or more of the Refuge grassland is in an undisturbed cover condition (42,000 acres) annually. Wetland Management Designated fishing lakes would be maintained in their current condition. Ditches that have spoil banks present would be filled. The Service would actively practice water level management in lakes and wetlands. Water levels would be drawn down periodically to control the carp and to increase vegetative and aquatic insect productivity. In fishing lakes, these renovations would include restocking of sport fish. Threatened and Endangered Species The Service would continue to maintain existing habitat and document threatened and endangered bird use. Blowout penstemon will be reintroduced in appropriate sites. The Service will conduct surveys for American burying beetles, and conduct a Refuge-wide survey for blowout penstemon and western prairie fringed orchids. In consultation with Ecological Services staff, the Refuge staff will conduct applied research on management practices to promote increased federally listed plant species production. Indigenous Wildlife The Service will identify potential habitat and attempt to establish prairie dogs on the Refuge to the extent possible. The Service will conduct and promote research and monitor for species of special concern and unique reptiles and amphibians present on the Refuge. Predators would be controlled in prime nesting areas. Exotic and Invading Species The Service will maintain its integrated pest management program. Efforts to use mechanical and some chemical control to reduce Canada thistle and leafy spurge will continue. Increased efforts to reduce cedar through prescribed fire will be conducted. Public Use The number of lakes open to fishing will be reduced. Lakes that remain open to fishing will have managed water levels and periodic drawdowns to renovate lakes and increase productivity. Renovations will include restocking of sport fish. The current Refuge hunting programs will continue. If crowding develops, the Service will limit, if needed, opportunities to hunt on the Refuge to ensure a quality recreational experience. The Service will increase the quality of interpretation along major access points. Existing access to fishing lakes and other Refuge areas will be maintained for wildlife observation and photography and other public uses. The headquarters will be moved to a location along Highway 83. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 33 Partnerships The Service will continue its current cooperation with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for sport fish management. Agreements in place for wildland wildfire suppression efforts, participation in the Niobrara Council and other common coordination efforts with other agencies and landowners will continue. The Service will seek to increase partnerships with other groups. The Service will seek to trade Holt Creek WMA to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for portions of Willow, Rat, and Beaver Lake. The Service will also seek to acquire three inholdings. Inventory The Refuge will establish (with Refuge personnel, contract, BRD, or in cooperation with others) an inventory of the flora and fauna to provide a baseline index of current habitat conditions and species utilization for future reference. Monitoring Refuge staff will revise its monitoring plan. At a minimum the following monitoring will be conducted: P waterfowl production and migration trends. P native bird species monitoring to supply trend information on prairie grouse, species of management concern, grassland neotropical migrants, biodiversity trend indexes. P monitoring fire effects as part of the prescribed burning program. P monitor habitat parameters (i.e., vegetation composition and structure, tree canopy, etc.) (with a minimum confidence level) to ensure that habitat objectives are being measured for success according to a Habitat Management Plan and the adaptive management process. 34 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Modified Historical (Preferred) Alternative Discussion of Influencing Factors on Decision to Select Preferred Alternative During the initial interagency comment period, several comments were made that the document did not give a clear understanding of the reasons why the following alternative was chosen. The following discussion addresses these concerns. Regional and field staff believed that the historical grassland management setting and species that contributed to that setting were important. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is focused on preserving wildlife species and wildlands and strongly believes in maintaining ecological relationships. A major herbivore, the bison, is missing from Valentine NWR. Although bison have been as close as the Fort Niobrara NWR, the Service has substituted domestic cattle throughout the years in an attempt to achieve the overall habitat objective of the Refuge. It was believed that this was an appropriate time to begin to phase into this change and return the species and, with that, put a major species back into the ecological setting of the Refuge. Another ecological force, fire, is also believed to be important. Obviously, concerns with the safety of this tool exist. Recent increases in the Service’s funding for prescribed fire and increased ability to use the tool safely, make it an appropriate time to expand the use of this tool and expand the benefit it provides to grassland ecology. The Service will use an adaptive management strategy to implement this alternative. The primary focus will be to achieve the habitat objectives defined for migratory birds and other wildlife with bison being the most significant management tool. Initially, bison will be used on a portion of the Refuge to determine if the mosaic of 50 percent undisturbed cover and plant composition can be achieved in the tested area. Various management strategies such as fire, salt, fencing, etc., will be utilized and modified to achieve the desired grassland conditions. A period of at least five years will be needed to assess the results of habitat management through the use of bison in the tested area. If the findings are favorable to achieving the habitat and migratory bird objectives, the portion of the Refuge utilizing bison grazing will be expanded as funding permits. If the findings conclude that bison cannot be used to achieve the described habitat and wildlife objectives, this alternative will be revised to utilize domestic livestock as the tool of choice. Other aspects of the plan are similar to the current management regime of the Refuge. These programs are largely successful, well received by the public, and there were no reasons to change them significantly. Some additional discussion on this issue is found in the Environmental Consequences Section. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 35 Grassland Management A major feature of the preferred alternative is to reintroduce bison to the Refuge. This would be conducted in a phased-in approach with the first bison placed in the southwest portion of the Refuge. In this area, numbers of bison will be matched to the fenced area, as much interior fence as possible will be re-moved, and prescribed fire, water, and salt placement will be used to influence use by bison. At least five years will be used to evaluate the effects of this change on grasslands and wildlife. After evaluation, the Refuge will either expand the area grazed by bison as funding permits or utilize domestic livestock as a grassland management tool. Bison will come from excess animals from Fort Niobrara. If evaluation determines that bison are effective in meeting the goals of the Refuge, eventually a herd of 450 bison utilizing approximately 6,480 AUM’s would be present. If bison are reintroduced, grazing by cattle would be phased out. No Texas longhorn cattle from Fort Niobrara NWR will be placed on Valentine NWR. Big game fences will be electric wire fence that controls bison within the fence, but allows existing free roaming antelope and deer ingress and egress. The proposed makeup of the bison herd has not been fully determined. Several different strategies could be implemented. Excess animals will be disposed of through traditional sales and donations according to Department of Interior policy. Strategy A: The bison herd age and sex ratio composition will be similar to many private herds. The males will be young animals to simplify ease of han-dling, and the herd will be largely cows, approximate sex ratios of 1 bull:12 cows. The herd will be managed primarily by a formal cooperative agreement with a private bison manager or contractor. Major responsibilities of the bison manager will be day-to-day herd management, maintenance of boundary and other fence, roundup and sale of excess animals according to Refuge specifications, and coordination with Refuge staff. Major Refuge staff responsibilities will be habitat and other wildlife management. Strategy B: Strategy B is the same herd makeup as above; the difference would be that Refuge employees will be responsible for day-to-day herd management, and roundup and sale of excess animals. Strategy C: Strategy C is to maintain a herd similar to the existing Fort Niobrara herd, simulating natural free roaming herds. This would mean older age bulls, and more bulls so that a 1:1 sex ratio exists. This may require a more substantial and costly fence, which if similar to Fort Niobrara’s fence appearance, would allow the addition of elk to the Refuge. The Refuge staff would be responsible for day-to-day management, sufficient monitoring to maintain herd composition, health, genetic diversity, and annual excess removals. Under all strategies current levels of grassland use will be maintained so that a minimum of 60 percent of the meadow areas and 55 percent of the hills are in undisturbed cover. The use of prescribed fire will be increased to invigorate grasslands, provide cedar control, and assist in managing areas used by bison. From 1,000 to 8,000 acres could conceivably be treated annually. Wetland Management The Service will continue to maintain water control structures and depths appropriate for sport fisheries at designated fishing lakes. Ditch plugs will be placed on ditches unnecessary for water management. The Refuge staff will conduct drawdowns and renovations of wetlands and lakes when possible to rejuvenate wetland plant productivity and diversity, and provide carp control. Sport fishing lakes may periodically be drawn down and renovated. Renovations in these cases would include restocking with appropriate mixes of sport fish species. Threatened and Endangered Species The Refuge staff will continue to maintain existing habitat and document endangered bird use and will conduct surveys for American burying beetles. The Refuge staff will intensify efforts to reintroduce blowout penstemon and will conduct Refuge wide surveys for it and western prairie fringed orchids. In consultation with the Service’s Ecological Services staff, the Refuge staff will conduct applied research efforts to determine management practices promoting these species. The Service will maintain existing woodland, and promote regeneration of woodland habitat along lake borders that are important as bald eagle roosting sites. 36 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Indigenous Wildlife The Service will identify potential sites and attempt to establish prairie dogs on the Refuge. The Refuge will be able to exclude prairie dogs from areas where their presence presents a safety hazard. The Service will maintain the existing furbearer harvest program, which uses trapping as a management tool to achieve Refuge wildlife objectives. Exotic and Invading Species The Service will continue its integrated pest management program. Mechanical and some chemical control to reduce Canada thistle, invasive cool season grasses, and leafy spurge will continue. Increased efforts to reduce cedar and exotic cool-season grasses through prescribed fire will be conducted. Public Use The Service will continue its current sport-fishing program on nine designated fishing lakes. No additional lakes will have sport fish stocked in them. The current Refuge hunting program will continue with the exception of 160 acres adjacent to the Hackberry Civilian Conservation Corps fire tower which will be closed to hunting. This no-hunting area will be from the west side of the George Wiseman Research Natural Area west to the county road. This fire tower, which is adjacent to the Wiseman Natural Area, will be enhanced to support the addition of a self-guided nature trail and interpretive observation deck on the tower. The Service will seek funds to move the headquarters to an area along Highway 83 to improve environmental education and interpretation of wildlife and cultural and historic resources on the Refuge. Access to the main bison herd will be allowed through one concessionaire on the Refuge during peak public use periods, as part of an overall Refuge program to educate the public regarding bison and other wildlife. This concessionaire may conduct trail rides during certain times of the year. Current facilities, wildlife observation, and photography uses will remain open. Cultural Resources The Service will develop a cultural resource/ paleontological management plan. The plan will include Refuge-wide cultural resource inventory and (paleontological) resource inventory strategies. It will also include increased interpretation and protection of and education about the cultural resources on the Refuge. Partnerships The Service will continue its current cooperation with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for sport fish management. Agreements in place for wildland wildfire suppression efforts, excess bison for the Inter Tribal Bison Council, participation in the Niobrara Council, and other common coordination efforts with other agencies and landowners will continue. The Refuge will seek to increase partnerships with other entities. The Service will seek to develop outside funding sources and support for implementing some aspects of this preferred alternative. Examples would be moving the subheadquarters, big game fence, and possible acquisition of several inholdings from willing sellers. Trading Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area for portions of Rat, Beaver, and Willow Lake State WMA’s will be pursued with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. A partnering effort in bison management will be pursued. Inventory The Refuge will establish (with Refuge personnel, contract, BRD, or in cooperation with others) an inventory of the flora and fauna to provide a baseline index of current habitat conditions and species utilization for future reference. Monitoring Refuge staff will revise its monitoring plan. The subsequent section, Implementing the Plan, lists the major monitoring and survey efforts the Refuge will undertake as part of this alternative. A more in-depth monitoring proposal/plan will be completed in order to compare the change (if any) of grassland species composition and structure and subsequent wildlife response when bison and fire are introduced as major habitat management tools. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 37 Yellowthroat Wildlife Management Area This alternative includes the continued management and conservation of the Yellowthroat Wildlife Management Area formerly known as the Tower WMA. This area is located in Sections 25 and 26, T28N, R22W, Brown County, Nebraska. The area is composed of a 480-acre parcel owned in fee title by the Service and an adjacent 440 acres protected by a Farmers Home Administration Conservation Easement. Together, the 920 acres protect 153 acres of wetland and 767 acres of Sandhill Prairie, much of it restored after being cropped in the 1980’s. The area is physically located 13 miles south of Ainsworth, Nebraska on Highway 7 and is accessible by prairie trail. Grassland and wetland habitats will be managed with fire, rest, and permittee grazing under the same objectives as discussed previously for Valentine NWR. Some restoration of sandhill prairies is still needed on previously cropped areas. The major habitat goals will be to have a high quality prairie and wetland environ-ment present for use by migratory waterfowl and other wildlife. Portions of the tract will be open to fishing, hunting, wildlife observation, and photography in the same manner and under the same authority as Valentine NWR. Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area This alternative includes the proposed exchange of the Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area for the Willow Lake and Rat and Beaver Lake properties presently owned and managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission lands are located adjacent to Valentine NWR. The Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area is located about nine miles north of Springview, NE in section 32, T35N, R20W in Keya Paha County, Nebraska. Holt Creek flows through the 180 acre property which has a mix of woodlands and grasslands. Prior to the proposed exchange the tract will be open to hunting, wildlife observation, and photography in the same manner, and under the same authority, as Valentine NWR. Habitat will be managed with permittee grazing, fire and rest. Implementing the Plan (Preferred Alternative) This section is intended to provide additional information to the preferred alternative section above. Where possible; time frames are delineated, specific strategies and actions are stated, and a list of projects and a summary of estimated project costs are presented. Habitat Grassland Bison from Fort Niobrara NWR will be used to stock Valentine NWR. Permittee grazing and haying will be phased out as bison are reintroduced. Present permittees will retain their grazing privileges for ten years following the signing of this plan. Any permittees who drop out during the ten-year period will not be replaced. As permittees leave in the next ten years, bison will be reintroduced to the Refuge. At the end of ten years, if all the Refuge is not fenced for bison, a bid system will be used to secure permittee grazing. Permittees may be required to move their cattle longer distances within the Refuge as areas are fenced for bison. The entire boundary will be fenced with a bison proof electric fence phased in over time. Corrals will be built to sort, handle, and load bison. Some windmills will be retained to provide water for bison herds during the winter, to attract bison to areas in need of grazing pressure, and as a water source for wildland wildfire suppression efforts. Placement of salt will be used to attract bison to areas needing grazing. Some interior electric fencing will be retained or constructed to control bison movements and allow habitat rest in some areas. This fence will be removed in increments and effects of removal on grasslands and bison movements monitored. Approximately 250 miles of interior fence will be removed. The 100 miles of electric fence can probably be sold. Monitoring of fire effects on grasslands and animal distribution will be conducted by fire staff. Additional equipment for prescribed fire work will be needed. Fences around existing tree plantings will be removed; no new tree belts will be planted. Tree rows planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps will not be removed, replaced, or fenced. 38 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Wetlands Old ditches draining Refuge wetlands will be plugged. Continue use of northern pike as a predator to control the carp. Carp barriers will be constructed where needed and renovations conducted where possible. Restocking of Refuge wetlands and lakes will be done with native fishes. Drought and winterkill may present opportunities for renovation and exclusion of the carp. Maintain water control structures on three lakes and build carp barriers on Marsh Lakes. Remove Calf Camp water control structure, replace with a culvert, and return the wetland to its natural level. A Crissafulli pump is needed to increase water management capabilities. Habitat Acquisition A trade of land in fee title or a management agreement will be sought for the exchange of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Holt Creek Wildlife Management Area for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Willow Lake and Rat and Beaver Lakes Wildlife Management Areas. Trades or purchase of lands with willing landowners will be sought to reduce inholdings and straighten boundaries, and reduce boundary fencing costs. Wildlife Bison will be phased-in to the Refuge grassland program and permitted to increase to a herd size of 450 head. Establish at least one prairie dog town east of Highway 83 and at least one west of Highway 83 of 400 acres each, if suitable habitat is present. Towns will not be established adjacent to Refuge boundaries. Conduct an education program to reduce turtle mortality from visitors driving Refuge trail roads and/ or modify trails to ensure reduced turtle mortality. Continue monitoring prairie grouse populations using lek counts and the hunter harvest survey. Annually conduct the Breeding Bird Survey route at Valentine NWR. Use point count or line transects to sample grassland, wetland, and woodland songbirds; annually conduct a colonial nesting bird survey. Limited trapping by Refuge staff and a public trapping program for management purposes will continue. Conduct a feasibility study, and if feasible, reintroduce sandhill cranes as a nesting bird. Waterfowl pair and brood counts will be conducted on a sample of Refuge lakes. Monitor reptile, amphibian, and small mammal populations at five year intervals. Conduct a survey to determine native fish species presence and abundance. Maintain a sport fishery in the nine lakes presently open to fishing in cooperation with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission by using fish stocking, transfer of fish between lakes, surveys, drawdowns, renova-tions, brood stock, and egg harvest. Fishery surveys using electrofishing, gill and trap nets will be done on a regular basis by the USFWS Fisheries Assistance Office. Conduct an annual winter count of muskrat houses. Refuge lakes and wetlands will be monitored for botulism and other diseases, dead birds picked up, and disposed of according to USFWS regulations. Conduct American burying beetle surveys. Completing the above monitoring and survey requirements will require the addition of two seasonal biological technicians. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 39 Interpretation and Recreation Interpretation, environmental education, wildlife observation, and photography Prepare a site plan under contract. This site plan will include information on visitor access, interpretive themes, and locations for future developments. The rest rooms, information area, and boat ramp at Hackberry Headquarters will be closed. Construct an observation platform on the Hackberry CCC fire tower, and provide a self-guiding nature trail leading from the parking area to the Hackberry CCC fire tower. Provide a self-guiding auto tour route passable in a passenger car. Cost is variable depending upon location and distance. Maintain information kiosks/leaflet dispensers at the main Refuge entrances. Provide one information and regulation sign at entrances and remove most of the regulation and information signs in the interior of the Refuge. Update Refuge brochures to the new USFWS standard. Provide access for viewing to the main bison herds and roadless areas of the Refuge through a concessionaire. Provide blinds for viewing prairie grouse on leks. Designate a prairie hiking trail for visitors to get to remote areas of the Refuge on foot. Move headquarters to a location along Highway 83 and provide staffing during the week to provide information to visitors. Fishing Provide one improved boat ramp at all fishing lakes except Rice which will remain walk-in fishing only. Develop one additional handicapped accessible fishing dock and parking area on the Refuge. Other accessible sites will be provided in future years. Use of live minnows will be prohibited. Electric motors, row, and paddle power will be allowed; gas powered motors will be prohibited. Guiding will be allowed under a permit; a maximum of five guides will be allowed. Guides will be selected by lottery if demand exceeds supply. Guides will pay a fee of a percent of gross receipts and/or a flat fee to the Refuge. Catch-and-release fishing tournaments by nonprofit groups will be permitted. Taking of frogs, turtles, and minnows will not be authorized. Size limits and catch-and-release may be used to manage northern pike for carp control and provide a trophy fishery. The Refuge fishing leaflet will be updated to USFWS standards. 40 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Hunting Waterfowl, deer, prairie grouse, pheasants, dove, and coyote hunting will be allowed in designated areas of the Refuge. If elk are reintroduced to the Refuge, limited hunts will be allowed with permits available by drawing and an application fee will be charged. Guiding will be allowed by permit with a maximum of five guides allowed. Guides will be selected by lottery if demand exceeds supply. Guides will pay a fee of a percent of gross receipts and/or a flat fee to the Refuge. No new roads will be constructed for hunter access; some existing hunting access roads will be improved to all-weather roads as funding permits. Hunting tournaments will not be allowed on Valentine NWR. Dog training will not be allowed outside regular hunting seasons. If crowding occurs or develops during hunting seasons, a permit system with drawings for permits will be instituted. Persons charging a fee for the use of their horses to haul big game from the Refuge will be required to obtain a permit and pay a fee. Cultural Resources A cultural resource inventory will be completed under contract. The history of the Civilian Conservation Corps will be interpreted at the fire tower observation platform. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 41 Staffing Needed to Implement the Valentine NWR Preferred Alternatives (CCP) The following staff chart shows current staff and proposed additional staffing needed to fully implement the preferred alternative. If all positions were filled, the Refuge Complex can carry out all aspects of the preferred alternative. If some positions are not filled, all aspects of the plan cannot be completed or those completed may be done over a longer period of time. Staffing and funding are expected to come over the 15-year life of this plan. Positions marked with an * are shared with Fort Niobrara NWR. The new refuge operations specialist position would be responsible for the Partners For Wildlife program, Holt Creek WMA, and Yellowthroat WMA. (X = filled; -- = vacant) Position Current Proposed Refuge Manager* X X Refuge Operations Specialist X X Refuge Operations Specialist* -- X Outdoor Recreation Planner* -- X Law Enforcement Officer* X X Administrative Officer* X X Office Automation Clerk* X X Wildlife Biologist X X Biological Technician -- X Biological Technician/Seasonal (2) -- X Heavy Equipment Operator* X X Maintenance Worker X X Maintenance Worker (2) -- X Maint. Laborer/Seasonal (2) -- X Asst. Fire Management Officer* X X Range Technician (Fire) X X Firefighter/Seasonal (3) X X Funding Needed to Implement Valentine NWR Pre-ferred Alternative (CCP) The Refuge currently has a large backlog of maintenance needs. The needs are recorded in a national Maintenance Management System (MMS). In 1997, under current management plans, the backlog for Valentine NWR was $3,633,000. Most of these maintenance needs would also need to be met under the preferred or other alternatives. A synopsis of these needs is listed below: Vehicles and Equipment $794,000 Fences, Windmills, Tanks $230,000 Water Control Structures and Dikes $258,000 Roads and Gates $790,000 Public Use Facilities $131,000 Buildings and Maintenance Facilities $672,000 Residences $282,000 Administrative Buildings/Facilities $476,000 TOTAL $3,633,000 42 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 The System uses another database, Refuge Operating Needs System (RONS), to document proposed new projects that will implement a comprehensive conservation plan, implement ecosystem or endangered species goals or meet legal mandates. In 1998, the total for projects in the RONS is $6,543,000 with annual recurring costs (including salary costs) of $475,000. Most of this cost is associated with the need to upgrade substandard roads. A synopsis of these needs is listed below: Construction First Year Annual Recurring Roads, parking areas/related facilities $5,650,000 $358,000 $205,000 Biological Monitoring and Studies -- $283,000 $149,000 Habitat Restoration $ 115,000 $ 27,000 $ 9,000 Habitat Management -- $118,000 $ 80,000 Partners for Wildlife Program -- $ 27,000 $ 2,000 Resource Protection $ 320,000 $275,000 $ 30,000 Public Education and Recreation $ 458,000 $358,000 $205,000 TOTAL $6,543,000 $1,446,000 $680,000 The preferred alternative also proposes projects that have costs that are not included in the MMS or RONS. The total of these costs is $3,256,000. A summary of these costs follows: Bison fence and corrals (for entire Refuge) $2,200,000 Carp and water control structures 160,000 Move headquarters to site along Highway 83 640,000 Wildlife projects 38,000 Public use projects 18,000 Cultural resource inventory 200,000 TOTAL $3,256,000 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 43 Affected Environment Geographic/Ecosystem Setting Valentine NWR is 71,516 acres in size and lies in the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills, the largest sand dune area in the Western Hemisphere and one of the largest grass-stabilized regions in the world (Bleed and Flowerday, 1989). The Sandhills are characterized by rolling, vegetated sand dunes and interdunal valleys which spread over the landscape from a northwest to southeasterly direction. Native grasses predominate. Many shallow lakes and wetlands are interspersed in the lower valleys. Wildlife diversity, except large ungulates and their predators, is relatively unchanged since early settlement in the Sandhills. Grassland comprises 90 percent of the 19,300 square mile region with nearly 97 percent of the total acreage being in private ownership (Bleed and Flowerday 1989). The predominant land-use of the Sandhills is beef cattle production which can have significant impact upon the biological diversity of native flora and fauna. Management of lands adjacent to the Refuge and throughout the Sandhills employ a combination of grazing and haying to support the ranching economy. A variety of grazing treatments and rotations are used. Most meadows are mowed or hayed annually. Pre-scribed fire is used very rarely. Grasslands seldom receive a prolonged rest treatment. In the Sandhills, habitat is not a limiting factor for those species of wildlife that rely on, or are tolerant of, disturbed cover (i.e., mowed and/or grazed grasslands). Valentine NWR is one of the few areas in the Sandhills where management can be dedicated to enhancing those species of flora and fauna that do not thrive under management strategies emphasizing economic return. An estimated 177,000 acres of open water and marsh and 1,130,000 acres of wet meadows remain in the Sandhills. These are mostly freshwater wetlands and include wet meadows, shallow marshes, fens, alkaline wetlands, and range in size from 1 to 2,300 acres with 80 percent of them less than 10 acres in size (LaGrange 1997). Many Sandhills wetlands have been drained in attempts to increase hay production. Estimates of the amount drained range from 15 percent (McMurtry et al. 1972) to 46 percent (USFWS 1986). Wetland drainage continues to this day. On Valentine NWR there are drainage ditches dug before the area became a Refuge. Most do not carry water but in very high water years. An Atlas of the Sandhills, 1989, by Bleed and Flowerday, is an excellent reference for those wanting more in-depth information on the Sandhills of Nebraska. Climate The climatic patterns of the Nebraska Sandhills are characteristic of the Central Great Plains. The climate is continental with cold winters and hot summers with frequent thunderstorms occurring from the spring to late summer. Annual precipitation averages 17 to 23 inches from the western to the eastern portion of the Sandhills (Wilhite and Hubbard 1989) and, coupled with high evapotranspiration rates, has significant ecological effect on the region. Valentine NWR has been an official weather station since 1935. Annual precipitation since 1945 has averaged 21.6 inches. Temperature extremes range from -38oF in the winter to 111oF during the summer. Climatological conditions have generally been favorable since the mid 1970’s and relatively high annual precipitation levels have resulted in positive net moisture balances (annual precipitation minus open pan evaporation) during most years since 1976. Air Quality Air quality is good due to the distance to any urban or industrial areas from the Refuge. Soils Most of the soils are wind-laid sand that has not been held in place long by vegetation. They are light colored and have little organic matter. The soils in basins, valleys, and wet meadows have thicker and darker surface layers and more organic matter than soils found in the hills. Rainfall is quickly absorbed by the sandy soils and causes little erosion and low evaporation rates. Native grasses grow well in these conditions. Soil exposed by overgrazing or plowing is subject to wind erosion (Layton et al 1956). The main soil types are the Valentine-Els-Tryon and Valentine-Thurman Associations (Kuzila 1989). In 1997 and 1998 the soils of the Refuge were surveyed for mapping by the Natural Resource Conservation Service. 44 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Water Resources and Associated Wetlands The Nebraska Sandhills overlay the High Plains Aquifer - commonly referred to as the Ogallala Aquifer. This groundwater resource creates an interspersion of shallow lakes, semi-permanent, and temporary wetlands in the lower elevations and valleys where the groundwater level is exposed. Water resources are the driving force supporting the ecological diversity and integrity of the Nebraska Sandhills. There are 37 major wetland complexes on Valentine NWR totaling approximately 13,000 acres. These wetlands are a mix of shallow lakes, marshes, seasonal wetlands, wet meadows, fens, and small streams that run during high water periods. Wetlands are well dispersed throughout the Refuge grasslands. Submergent and emergent vegetation in lakes and marshes range from very sparse to dense depending on soils and alkalinity. Emergents include cattail, bulrush, wild rice, and phragmites. Vegetation bordering wetlands is primarily grasses. Some lakes are bordered by trees on the south shores. Water control structures have been installed on six lakes, however, only four can increase water elevations significantly above the maximum, naturally functioning level. Several Refuge lakes have water level gauges where records of lake levels are recorded. Refuge staff also record water levels in U.S. Geological Survey groundwater survey wells. Some old drainage ditches dug before the Refuge was established remain. These ditches are only partially functional due to siltation and perhaps poor design. In several areas, wetlands have been dug out in wet meadows and fens to produce open water areas. Most of the wetlands on the Refuge rise and fall depending on precipitation and groundwater levels. Precipitation for the past 17 years has been high resulting in record levels for lakes. The Marsh Lakes, historically a very large cattail marsh with three areas of open water and a closed basin, is now one large lake with water flowing out of the basin. Refuge wetlands normally function as a closed system and only during high precipitation periods does excess surface water exit the Refuge. Refuge wetlands are shown in Figure 2. Vegetation Grasslands Sandhill Prairie is within the wide transitional zone of the Mixed Grass Prairie between Tallgrass Prairie and the Short Grass Plains. Annual precipitation is typical of the semi-arid Mixed Grass Prairie; however, the Nebraska Sandhills is characterized by a predominance of post climax tallgrass species typical of a greater moisture regime (Oosting 1948, Keeler et al. 1980). This mixture and general dominance by Tallgrass Prairie species is locally influenced by topography (i.e., the soil moisture holding capacities and soil moisture penetration in different textures of the sand soil range sites and the root structures and the photosynthetic strategies of cool and warm season plants) (Tolstead 1942, Barnes 1984). Refuge vegetation is shown on Figure 3. Four basic range sites are located within the Sandhills. Wetland range sites are the low meadow sites dominated by grass species that thrive in a moisture saturated soil profile (i.e., prairie cordgrass, blue-joint reedgrass, sedge species, and non-grass species such as golden rods, saw-toothed sunflower and willows). A federally threatened species, western prairie fringed orchid, is found within the wetland range site. Sub-irrigated range sites are meadows that are very close to the groundwater level. Sub-irrigated range sites are dominated by Tallgrass Prairie species such as big bluestem and Indian grass. Soil moisture in the sub-irrigated range site is adequate to support the deep rooted warm season native grasses even during periods of drought. Sub-irrigated range sites are commonly invaded by exotic species such as Kentucky bluegrass, smooth brome, and red top. Sand range sites comprise the dry meadows (low sand sites) and the gently undulating Sandhills. Native vegetative species common to the sand range sites are cool season grasses: needle-and-thread, porcupine grass, prairie June grass and western wheat grass; and warm season grasses typical of the Tallgrass Prairie: prairie sandreed, sand bluestem, sand love grass, little bluestem, and switchgrass. Typical non-grass species of the sand range site include stiff sunflower, yucca, lead plant, and prairie rose. Exotic smooth brome and Kentucky bluegrass tend also to invade the lower elevations of the sand range sites. Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 45 Figure 2 46 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 47 Figure 3 48 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 49 Choppy sand range sites are the characteristic sand dunes for which the Nebraska Sandhills is named. Many vegetational characteristics are common to the sand range sites, but there is a greater proportion of unvegetated sand soil surface that is subject to wind and water erosion. Typical perennial grasses include: blue grama, sand bluestem, prairie sandreed, blowout grass, sand love grass, little bluestem, spiny muhly; and non-grass species include yucca, prairie rose and sunflowers. The federally endangered species, blowout penstemon, is endemic to the Nebraska Sandhills and its characteristic habitat includes the blowouts and open sand areas of the choppy sand range sites. Native perennial and annual flowering forbs adorn the various range sites on Valentine NWR; some of which are only found on native grasslands that have not been degraded by the impact of modern man (i.e., conversion of grassland to farm land, use of herbicides, and chronic overgrazing of livestock) (Weaver 1961, Farrar 1990). Trees Approximately 45 species of native and introduced trees and shrubs exist in the Sandhills. Native willows are found around wetlands as are occasional cottonwoods. Hackberry, choke cherry and American plum are found on the north slopes usually adjacent to the south sides of lakes. The abundance of woody cover has drastically changed since Valentine NWR was established. Many shrub and tree species, including nonnatives, were planted by the Civil Conservation Corps during the 1930s. Since then cedar and Russian olive trees have been expanding and invading grassland and are beginning to jeopardize the floral and faunal integrity of native Sandhills Prairie. Threatened and Endangered Plants Blowout Penstemon Hayden’s, or blowout penstemon, is perhaps Nebraska’s rarest plant and is listed as endangered under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act (Farrar 1990). Listing was accomplished in 1987. This species is endemic to the Nebraska Sandhills and is dependent upon disturbance, to promote the blowouts or open sand habitat, for its existence (Fritz et al. 1992). The plant grows in and around blowouts, areas of open sand maintained by wind erosion. A small number of naturally occurring blowout penstemon plants have been found in three locations on the Refuge. In recent years, seedlings have been transplanted into nine blowouts in an attempt to increase the population. Blowout penstemon has also been documented at two locations immediately adjacent to Valentine NWR. Since 1979, annual inventories have been conducted by personnel from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Chadron State College, and Valentine NWR. Western Prairie Fringed Orchid The western prairie fringed orchid is one of Nebraska’s rarest wildflowers (Farrar 1990) and, in 1989, was listed as threatened under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act. Prairie fringed orchid site locations are characterized by a high soil moisture profile common to the wetland range sites on Valentine NWR (Fritz 1993). Since 1985, inventories have been performed by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Valentine NWR personnel. Prairie fringed orchids have been documented at eight sites on Valentine NWR and at three sites on private land immediately adjacent to Valentine NWR. Grassland management treatments that pose a threat to prairie fringed orchids are continuous and/or inopportune timing of grazing and mowing; the indiscriminate use of herbicides; and application of insecticides that may affect populations of the insect pollinators (Fritz 1993). Prairie fringed orchids have been reported to respond to spring grassland burns (Sather et al. 1992) and fall burns (Hull-Seig and King 1995). Management on Valentine NWR involves excluding prairie fringed orchids from mowing and grazing manipulative treatments during the critical period of plant growth through the maturation of seeds (June - September). 50 Valentine Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan - April 1999 Wildlife The Sandhills of Nebraska is one of the few prairie areas in the United States that has not been converted to farmland. This, plus the abundance of a variety of wetlands, has resulted in most of the native plants and animals historically found in the area still being present today. A list of bird, mammal, amphibian and reptile species present at Valentine NWR can be found i Tag Library-Source-CCPs Date created 2012-10-05 Your rating was saved. you wish to report: |
Purchase College, SUNY Added by Liz Waytkus, last update: October 26, 2011, 4:55 pmPurchase College Campus, source: Architecture for the Arts, Museum of Modern Art, date: 1971Location
735 Anderson Hill Road Purchase, NY
41° 2' 55.5288" N, 73° 41' 57.6096" W
See map: Google Maps Javascript is required to view this map.Identity of Building / SitePrimary classification: Education (EDC)Secondary classification: Public Services (PBS)Federal, State, or Local Designation(s) and Date(s): NoneHistory of Building/SiteOriginal Brief: Founded in 1971, Purchase College, State University of New York (SUNY) is one of sixty-four colleges and universities that make up the largest public university system in the United States. The State University of New York system was written into law in 1948 by Governor Thomas E. Dewey and was dramatically expanded by Nelson A. Rockefeller during his four terms as Governor from 1959 to 1973. "Rockefeller saw a grand panorama of prize-winning buildings spread across the state that would offer the best assortment of learning environments anywhere. Students could choose among them and, within their architecturally outstanding walls, grow under a cadre of superior educators wooed from the best universities" (Bleeker 168). To do so, Rockefeller created the State University Construction Fund (SUCF) in 1962 in order to meet the increased demand for higher education resulting from population growth. The Fund, initially lead by a three-person board of trustees, one overall architect and one general manager, streamlined governmental procedures and allowed for construction of State University facilities to be expedited. Private architects and contractors, who had previously been reluctant to take on State work, now were afforded control over design and a "climate essential to the creation of good design and good architecture" (Drexler 5).
The addition of a State University for the arts, initiated in 1967, was of special interest to Governor Rockefeller. Edward Larrabee Barnes was selected as the master planner, and unique to all of the SUNY campuses, a roster of the most gifted and highly regarded architects were chosen to design a structure on the campus. The architects selected included Philip Johnson and John Burgee, Paul Rudolph, Venturi and Rauch, Gunnar Birkerts & Associates and Gwathmey, Henderson & Siegel. With buildings amid construction, Purchase opened in the fall of 1971 in portable classrooms and the original clapboard farm house on the 500-acre site. Dates: Commission / Completion:Commission 1967 (c)/ Founded: September 1971 (e)/ Completion 1979 (a)Architectural and other Designer(s): Master Planner: Edward Larrabee Barnes, 1968
Great Court, Post Office & Library: Edward Larrabee Barnes, 1973
Performing Arts Center: Edward Larrabee Barnes, 1977
Visual Arts: Norman Fletcher, The Architects Collaborative, 1977
Roy R. Neuberger of Art: Philip Johnson and John Burgee, 1972
Humanities: Venturi and Rauch, 1973
Social Sciences: Venturi and Rauch, 1978
Natural Sciences: Paul Rudolph, 1976
Dance: Gunnar Birkerts, 1976
Music: Edward Larrabee Barnes, 1978
Student Activities A & B: Edward Larrabee Barnes, 1972
Residential Complex A: Gwathmey, Henderson & Siegel, 1973
Residential Complex B: Gwathmey, Henderson & Siegel, 1976
Health and Physical Education: Edward Larrabee Barnes, 1973
Service Buildings: Gwathmey, Henderson & Siegel, 1972
Theatre Arts: Never Realized
Landscape Architect: Peter G. Rolland & Associates
Electro-Mechanical Engineers: Segner & Dalton
Acoustical Consultants: Bolt Beranek & Newman
Transportation Consultants: Voorhees & Associates, Inc.
Soils Consultants: Fred N. Zercher & AssociatesOthers associated with Building/Site: Governor: Nelson A. Rockefeller
Chancellor: Enest L. Boyer
President: Abbott Kaplan
Acting General Manger SUCF: William A. SharkeySignificant Alteration(s) with Date(s): Type of change: Dance Building Restoration
Persons/organizations involved: Robert Siegel Architects Circumstances/reasons for change: The renovations to the Dance Building included the replacement of the entire skylight glass, roof drainage and perimeter waterproofing and interior renovations including new resilient flooring, lounge area seating, painting and ADA accessible doors on the main floor and from the Plaza.
Type of change: Student Services Building (new)
Persons/organizations involved: Lead Agency:The State University Construction Fund, Design: Hom & Goldman
Circumstances/reasons for change: The Student Services Building is part of a campus master plan prepared by Hom + Goldman. The design of the building was a key factor, as this single structure became the focal point of the entire campus. The glass and brick building has a two-story atrium with a one-stop-shop for student services and a multi-media conference center. The new facility houses the admissions office, exhibition space, executive administrators and the President of the University. The building was utilized to create a new centralized campus center, by developing a courtyard, which bridges over the existing roadway, and relates to the new library addition also designed by Hom + Goldman Architects.
Type of change: Fort Awesome Residential Complex (new)
Persons/organizations involved: Lead Agency: DASNY (Domitory Authority of the State of New York), Design: Einhorn Yaffee Prescot Acrhitects & Engineers, Contractor:J. Kokolakis Contracting, Inc Circumstances/reasons for change: Fort Awesome is a 96,000 square feet, four story, brick building with an entry courtyard as well as a lower level retail. The construction of the dormitory will bring our total campus housing population to approximately 2600 beds, in an effort to meet current and projected campus goals.
The constuction of Fort Awesome is the first step towards the development of a campus "Commons." The Commons is intended as the setting for new retail and public programs, attracting students, faculty and the surrounding community. Type of change: Mall/Plaza Deck Rehabilitation
Date: 2007 - Present
Persons/organizations involved: Lead Agency: The State University Construction Fund, Design: San Fanandre Justin Architects, Contractor: MPCC, Project Manager: Sayim Malik
Circumstances/reasons for change: The work includes removal and replacement of the existing waterproof membrane, deck drains and piping as well as original trees, landscaping and tile pavers. New pavers will differ from original, smaller tile and the site will receive new site furnishings, landscaping and lighting.
Type of change: Library Restoration/Addition
Persons/organizations involved: Lead Agency: The State University Contruction Fund, Design / Kevin Hom + Andrew Goldman Architects P.C., Contractor: Summit Construction Services Group, Inc.
Circumstances/reasons for change: Located in the center of the Campus plaza, the Library, one of the originally designed buildings by Edwards Larrabee Barnes, has received a $6.9 million rehabilitation. The project included a major reworking of the Library’s internal circulation, relocation of the building’s entrance, new accessible elevator and ramp, new Information Commons, new Reading and Reference Rooms, a high-density storage area, and three new Computer Labs. The interior finishes have been updated along with new furniture.In an attempt to revitalize the Library’s main entrance and presence on the Plaza, the entrance has been relocated to the opposite side of the building. This shift, opposite our new Student Services Building, has generated a new center of campus activity for academic and social interaction on the plaza. The new entrance structure utilized a glass curtain wall system to create a transparent, light filled entry space during the day, while allowing the light to radiate outwards onto the plaza in the evening. The new built-in Circulation Desk area helps welcome visitors to the Library while a new stainless steel and terrazzo staircase, grants access down to the main floor or up to the 2nd floor’s new Reading Room.
Type of change: Visual Arts Exterior Envelope
Date: May 2010 (c)
Persons/organizations involved: Lead Agency: State University Construction Fund, Design: Robert Siegel Architects
Circumstances/reasons for change: This project will address the ongoing leaks and exterior envelope issues of the building and increase the building's energy efficiency. The scope of work includes replacement of all the existing exterior windows and doors, flat membrane roofs, and repairs to the sloped copper roofs. This includes the replacement of the existing glass monitors over the studios, faculty offices on the second floor, and modifying the existing Maass Gallery facade to open the gallery to the Plaza. New ‘Green Roofs’ are planned for a large portion of the bldg. and egress doors will be equipped with new automatic door openers. Due to the size and complexity of the project, the work will be done in multiple phases. Type of change: Visual Arts Program Study
Circumstances/reasons for change: To execute a comprehensive program study of the School of Art & Design, located in the Visual Arts Building at Purchase College. The investigation will address the project scope and project budget, as well as assess overall feasibility of rehabilitating the structure for adaptive reuse in a manner consistent with all applicable codes, regulations, and accreditation standards. The investigation will address all aspects of the Building’s operations, management and use as a contemporary collegiate academic facility. The Program Study for the Visual Arts building will examine the current and future department programs space allocation and future growth needs. The Visual Arts building is an existing space designed in 1977 and in need of upgrades to the academic spaces as well as major mechanical systems. The program study will help guide renovations to meet current learning space needs and future program growth. Type of change: Humanities Restoration
Immediately to the left of the Performing Arts Center is the Music Instructional Building. Designed by Barnes, the building includes individual practice and private instruction rooms, rehearsal and classrooms space along with a large lecture hall and a recital hall. The Purchase College Dance Building was the first facility in the United States to be constructed solely for the study and performance of dance. Designed in 1970 by Gunnar Birkerts and Associates, it houses 14 studios and a 270-seat Dance Theater Lab. “A single two-story academic level relates the large studios and smaller supporting spaces. The studio-corridor wall is opaque on the lower portion and above is sloped glass. Inside the studios the wall slope expands the space while admitting daylight reflected from the slope above the offices. The building was pulled away from the arcade to create a green area and natural light for the administrative offices, and also to expose the building to pedestrians” (Drexler 34). The design for the Dance Building was based on a successful collaboration with the Dean and Purchase faculty based upon their experience and consultations with other academic and professional institutions devoted to the teaching of dance (Marlin 154). The garden wall has a sloped top toward the inside. “The Natural Science Building is designed to have semi-private and fixed elements facing south on the common court. The laboratories are grouped around a central riser system and placed toward the north for future expansion. Support activities, such as offices and tutorial labs, are placed at the perimeter” (Drexler 33). The building includes a central lecture hall and planetarium room. The exterior design features a juxtaposed curvilinear amphitheater and an undulating rectilinear roof line. “The Venturi and Rauch designed Social Science Building occupies the full width of the site at the arcade to preserve the design concept of the campus plan. The south elevation is dominated by a large two-story window that brings light from above the arcade down into the first floor lobby. The east facade, together with that of the Humanities Building, forms the facade of the campus core and is developed as a single plane with small openings in a regular rhythm to enhance its scale. The west facade expresses the programmatic complexity of specified classrooms and generalized laboratory spaces, and achieves a smaller scale appropriate to the function as entrance and outdoor sitting space. Internally on the east side of the building is organized into offices, seminar rooms and reading rooms and into classrooms and labs on the west side” (Drexler 30).
The second structure designed by Venturi and Rauch with assistance of Gerod Clark, Arthur Jones, Denise Scott Brown and David Vaughan is the Humanities Building. Organized in three zones the east zone contains small scale spaces; the west zone contains medium sized spaces; and the interior zone contains large scale spaces, which do not require windows and have the highest degree of acoustical sensitivity. A large open-air arena is reminiscent of Alvar Aalto’s own studio in Munkkiniemi Finland (von Moos 166). Designed by the team of Philip Johnson and John Burgee, the Neuberger Museum of Art was founded when Roy Neuberger donated his famous American Art collection in the fall of 1968. The Neuberger Museum of Art was the first building completed on the campus and initially provided classroom and studio space as well as functioning as a museum. In 1974 Philip Johnson suggested the design was intended to resemble a crankshaft and included identical 60-foot wide blocks that have shifted on a vertical access revealing similar exterior and interior spaces.
The Visual Arts Building is symbolized by an envelope of light which allows large interchange able studios and shops to receive maximum north light. The building varies in height and is set back on the east and west elevations to lend interest to the pedestrian walk and to respond to the human scale. The main open space court abutting the arcade acts as a social and cultural focus and features a two-story exhibition space above. The roof terrace over the shops responds t the landscaped cemetery space and the experimental studio and sculpture studio have their own work-study court connecting to research beyond the building (Drexler 25).
On the center of the mall is the Barnes designed Library Building and campus Post Office. The Library recently received a $6.1 million renovation and included a major reworking of the Library’s internal circulation, new Information Commons, new Reading and Reference Rooms, a high-density storage area, and three new Computer Labs. Entrance to the building was relocated from the west to the east end of the building (facing the new Student Services Building) and by way of a glass and primary colored facade, features a new accessible elevator and ramp.
The two Student Activities buildings located at the terminus of both east and west-side arcades are relatively minor structures that provide a transition from the academic court to the residential living space. The structures include indoor and outdoor dining space as well as offices and student union space.
The Residential Complex designed by Gwathmey, Henderson & Siegel represents a “U-shaped building complex encloses major outdoor open space providing transition from meadow to campus plan. The open-ended space to the south is in response to the location of future residential areas. The dormitory organizes student living accommodations initially into eight groups with entrance points at the corners of the main structure or along it as defined by its intersection with academic facilities (Drexler 41). The encircled dining hall is organized vertically and horizontally and modulated volumetrically (Arnell and Bickford 48-49). The Health and Physical Education Building is located on the east side of the campus, on axis with the mall and the Performing Arts Center. Set back from both residential complexes the building has a glass-covered central hall and front them with rows of trees. The arcades are like the thread which makes it possible to string beads into a necklace” (Drexler 9-11).
"Insofar as any architectural concept is an assertion of a particular order and purpose, it will have the limitations peculiar to its own nature. the most obvious limitation of this concept is the linear configuration automatically imposed on each building abutting the arcades, regardless of the particular academic discipline it is meant to house. Since the building sites are sufficiently wide, in practice the limitation has only a minor effect on internal circulation: of the ten buildings concerned, only four have corridors longer than might have been the case with a different site configuration. Two of the buildings are set back from the arcade, and three, where they abut it, do not occupy the full width of the site, so that there is no loss of variety in this respect. Similarly, there were no planning restrictions on floor heights, distribution of building masses, or the design of entrances. On the other hand, all buildings use the same gray-brown brick, gray glass, and gray metal trim. And with one exception (Natural Science) all of them have hard-edges crisp contours in keeping with Barnes' theater and library groups dominating the mall.
Overriding these inherent and self-imposed limitations is a cardinal advantage: the arcades and the narrow sites reassert the primacy of the street, which is the distinctive experience made possible by a community of buildings. The arcades are an indispensable part of the composition: it is not enough simply to line up the buildings on either side of the mall and front them with rows of trees. The arcades are like the thread which makes it possible to string beads into a necklace (Drexler 9-11)."Construction Period:1971-1979Original Physical Context:The Purchase College campus was designed in the rural north-west section of Westchester County on the Connecticut boarder. Located on a former dairy farm, the Purchase College campus sits on a 500-plus acre estate settled in 1734 by Judge Thomas Thomas. The original farm site, built in the 1920s and occupied by the Chisholm family as a working farm until 1967, remains as an Administration complex on the campus. EvaluationTechnical Evaluation:The overwhelming unifying source of Purchase College was the use of the red-brown brick for the entire campus. The brick along with an anodized bronze aluminum glazing system give the campus the feel of a single design intention. Similar to many modern structures, the repetition of a common material such as the brick along with the use of prefabricated products, facilitate an efficient and cost effective solution to design.Social:Conceived shortly after the phrase ‘urban design’ was coined at Harvard in the late 1950s, the design for Purchase College speaks not only to the most cutting-edge concepts in campus design but to the theoretical struggle that faced the architecture, planning and design fields of the time. Barnes’ design was based on a rational and orderly composition that placed importance on social interaction, open space and the idea of a dense, urban village. Centering all structures at the core of the 500-acre campus allowed for open space and the rural qualities of the site to be preserved. This also allowed for a walkable campus, one in which prominence was given to pedestrians and cars were limited to the periphery of the site. Cultural & Aesthetic:The design of Purchase College is a excellent example of 1970s urban design and campus planning concepts. The complex is often described within the Brutalist architectural style for its rough and block-like appearance. The use of brick as the dominant material was described at the time as "masterly" and functions as a unifying element across the individually designed structures. The 1983 issue of Abitare highlights the design accomplishments at Purchase College and state, "the spacious halls [of the Performing Arts Center] inside allow the designer to create vast surfaces without break, and to lend significance to the architecture solely by means of the interplay of elementary volumes, in a quest for characteristic forms of the expression of the minimal."Historical:The development of a State University for the Arts in New York State was quite notable for its time and was eagerly awaited by the press and students alike. Described in publications across the world, Purchase College was an anomaly of cutting-edge design created by great architects, not only for the public good, but in celebration of artistic achievement. Purchase was unique in that it was a complete design of a college campus and not a piecemeal approach to growth and additions. In 1971 the Museum of Modern Art featured an exhibition of the campus design entitled, Architecture for the Arts” the State University of New York College at Purchase. Throughout its forty-year existence, the campus design as well as its origins have been widely discussed and debated. Recently, the campus was featured in the Academy Award winning film Black Swan and as the backdrop of a Vogue China photo-shoot. In a 1997 Neuberger Museum of Art exhibition catalog entitled, Urban Suburban: The Architecture of Purchase College, curator Paul Goldberger states, “the architecture of Purchase stands as evidence that society places the arts at its center, not at its periphery. A government does not build a campus such as this one for an activity it considers trite.” General Assessment:Created by the most talented American architects and championed by Nelson Rockefeller, the country’s most generous Governor, Purchase College set the bar high for the importance of public architecture and the world of the arts. Master planner Edward Larrabee Barnes’ design based on Thomas Jefferson’s historic University of Virginia campus, is notable not for its individual buildings but for its overall campus plan. Built during the apex of modern architecture, Purchase College signifies the arc of campus planning in the United States during a time in which funding for education and public services were at its highest.
Although relatively intact, Purchase College has recently experienced a number of major renovations and additions. The most significant alteration has been the addition of the Student Services Building on the eastern end of the mall. The addition, which closed off the view from the mall of the surrounding landscape and the relocation of the beloved Henry Moore sculpture, is similar in its destruction and criticism to the Stanford White Library on the mall at the University of Virginia. The State University Construction Fund and the campus facilities offices have done a relatively good job in their stewardship of the campus and the restoration of its parts. A heritage site plan is currently in place to oversee the renovation of the original farm buildings but an overall plan that takes in the significance of the 1970s campus plan should be put into place. Purchase College, its designers, its champions and its ideology speak to the development of public architecture in the twentieth century as well as the unique rise and development of the State University of New York system. As Paul Goldberger continues in his 1997 exhibition statement, “it remains an achievement unequaled in American public architecture since - a collection of buildings of the highest intent, designed to create a place in which the teaching of the arts would be nurtured and honored. Architecture has rarely been given so laudable a mission, so clearly a place in which to prove that it can matter. At Purchase College a government expressed faith in architecture, and in the context of the attitudes of the 1990s, that attitude alone defines this project as historic, and makes it impossible to view it as anything less heroic.”DocumentationText references:Drexler, Arthur. Architecture for the Arts: The State University of New York College at Purchase. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1971. |
Do you know the #1 Killer of Teenagers in this country?
Kidnappings
Dangerous Strangers
It's none of the above. Although those 5 are the top 5 fears that parents (surveyed by the Mayo clinic) stated that they have for their kids.
The #1killer of teenagers is motor vehicle crashes (and most people are ignoring this!). Don't make that mistake. Use this resource to protect your family from tragic loss and serious injuries.
Am I scaring you? Does this seem too melodramatic? Well, let's review the numbers – they tell quite a story.
These are the facts:
We are now in the third generation of driver education and still, today, just as it was three generations ago, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of deaths and serious injuries to teenagers. Why? In large part, because the standards established in 1949 follow the same formula (5 hours of classroom for every 1 hour of behind-the-wheel training) and because the driver education community (schools, instructors, regulators, etc.,) have never had to be accountable for producing safer drivers. Driver education courses are time-based courses, not mastery-based courses. Put in your time, you get your license.
Number of reported serious injuries. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) states that over 300,000 teens are hospitalized every year due to injuries from car crashes. 14%
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety states that 14% of all traffic fatalities involve teen drivers even though teen drivers only account for only 7% of the driving population.
The collision-rate reduction promise that Patrick Barrett offers his corporate fleet clients and that he has NEVER FAILED to deliver. That is why Driver Ed in a Box® incorporated his specific and unique collision-free training techniques – one of the things that make Driver Ed in a Box® different from all other driver education courses.
Our mission: to reduce the number of teen collisions in this country by 50% by the year 2017. To accomplish that, we need your help. We know what it takes to prepare drivers to become collision-free. And we need your participation to make this happen. You can't count on the state or the driver education community to do this for you. If you want your son or daughter to become a safe teen driver, you're going to have to step up to the plate. That's why we're here – to guide you through the process.
The collision-rate for 16 & 17 year olds based on the Texas Department of Public Safety Motor Vehicle Records. Their next updated data is scheduled to be posted in the fall of 2012.*
The collision-rate for 16 & 17 year-old graduates of Driver Ed in a Box® based on the Texas Department of Public Safety Motor Vehicle Records.*
* Chart available at the end of the document.
Yes, those are the facts. You ignore them at your own peril – and run the risk of losing your precious son or daughter to a senseless, preventable crash. I know you don't want that – no parent does.
Just as you trust your credit union with your money and, to a certain extent your financial well being, you can trust me when I tell you that you are a major influence in your child's driving.
Whether we believe it or not, whether we want it or not, our own personal driving behavior influences our kids.
This really isn't news. Although some of you might be saying to yourself "I sure don't see it" or "Are you talking about MY kids?" Yes, we are. Like it or not, our behavior as parents has a tremendous effect on the behavior of our children.
Of course, that alone is reason enough to set a good example when we are behind-the-wheel. And, as you become more aware of the potential consequences of that, I hope that you commit to change any behavior of yours that is, well, let's say, "not yet perfect" when you are behind the wheel.
You know what I'm talking about. Actually stopping at a stop sign, signaling, avoiding running a red light, speeding because you're a little late, whipping around the corner, texting or using a cell phone while you're driving, cutting other drivers off or reacting aggressively when someone cuts you off, etc., You don't need me to tell you what you already know about how you can improve the example you set.
But you do need me to clarify for you the most common mistakes parents make with their new teen driver and to tell you the secrets of how to guide your teen through what is definitely the highest risk period of their life – that first year of driving.
That's what this piece is about. Obviously, in this one product, I can't tell you everything there is to know about what you can do to insure your teen not only survives their first year of driving, but does so without a near miss or an incident. And of course, it's during this time frame that we want to show you how you can ingrain the habits of collision-free driving in such a way that you have peace of mind when they drive – whether that's a road trip, a run to the store, a night out with friends, or off to college.
Because you are a valued member of the credit union, we are gifting you this particular resource that contains what I consider to be the absolute most essential elements of what MUST be done if you want to at least give your child a fighting chance to survive the crazy traffic environment in which we live.
Also, I'm going to provide you with a simple, basic check list of things you can look for when she's driving so you can easily see where improvement is needed and be able to provide some coaching for her.
Of course, this won't cover everything, but it will give you a tool you can use to objectively measure what's going on and provide you some opportunity to have a conversation with your daughter about your concerns and how she can become a safer driver.
What makes me an expert? How is it that I happen to know what works and what doesn't work?
It's not just because I've been in the driver education/training business since 1974. A lot of folks have been in their field a long time. That indicates longevity, not knowledge or, more importantly, a knowledge of what works and what does not work.
I hate to be the one to break the news to you, but traditional driver education has failed to produce safer drivers. Every valid study of driver education (the largest one being the federally funded DeKalb Study) has demonstrated that driver education students are not safer drivers than those who do not take driver education. Seems counterintuitive doesn't it.
You'd think it only makes sense that beginners need some kind of formal training – why else would states and the federal government push for and mandate driver education in our state?
Unfortunately, politics often has more to do with what serves those who benefit from such requirements (driving schools, school teachers, regulators, and other so called "stakeholders") than it does from providing or requiring a public benefit (such as safer drivers).
Driver education standards haven't changed much since 1949 (they still require 5 hours of classroom for every 1 hour of actual behind-the-wheel training) and those who provide these courses have never had to be held accountable for producing safer drivers. All they have to account for is putting in minimum time requirements. Does that sound like a flawed system or what?
In 1974 I began teaching for a driving school (one that was using a department store name). Having been a school teacher, but not a driver ed teacher, I thought I could teach someone how to drive if I were trained in that area. The training I received was fairly poor. I ended up learning on the job – and that was quite an experience. My students were primarily women between the ages of 35 – 75 who had never driven, were scared to death of driving, but something had happened in their life that required them to drive now.
As ill-prepared as I was, I figured out a way to train them successfully. Six months later I was training new instructors for the company, six months after that I was managing a new branch school for them in another state. That company was in about twenty cities over several states and, in every branch, there were company vehicles involve in collisions. The question wasn't "Did you have collisions?" but "How many and how bad were they?". The offices I managed were no exception to that.
When I started my own school in 1978, the one thing I was afraid of was having collisions and being unable to get the required insurance coverage. I was lucky the first few years and had no collisions.
North American Professional Driver Education Association, an organization that I later served as president for eight years.
The first time I attended a conference, I inquired among several of the owners about how they handle their collisions. They said they didn't have any. They said that once they took the training the association offered that collisions became a thing of the past.
I found this hard to believe, so I signed up to take the training – this I had to see for myself.
Lo and behold, as I went through the training I discovered things that I never realized about how to drive and how to teach people to drive collision-free.
Once I learned these techniques, I incorporated them into every phase of my business – from instructor training, to the training of beginners, and even into the training of experienced drivers and fleets (companies that have hundreds or thousands of employees who drive company vehicles).
By 1988 I was so disappointed with the standards of driver education and what we were able to produce as a finished product (the new teen driver), that I sold all my driving schools and decided to concentrate on the fleet business (training experienced drivers).
I resolved not to get back into the training of beginners unless I could feel that I was going to produce safer drivers – not just meet minimum standards. The opportunity to create safer drivers came about with the implementation of parent-taught driver education in 1997 – that's when I created Driver Ed in a Box®, a course based not on minimum time requirements, but based on mastery and one that emphasizes practical in-vehicle training, not theory.
In 1983, I co-authored a booklet with Warren Rumsfield entitled "How to Tell...Will Your Teenager Crash the Car?...Try These Tests". This was the first work of its kind - a tool parents could use to assess their new teen driver's ability to drive safely. I've created a new product, "Concerned Parents: Your Guide to Safe Teen Driving - and your peace of mind!", to provide parents like you with a tool that can help you identify your new teen driver's strengths and weaknesses.
The 3 things you can do to eliminate your chance of being involved in over 90% of all driver-error collisions.
The 3 mistakes most "professional" driver education teachers make and how you can avoid them.
5 Communication strategies that take the pressure off both you and your teen and make your in-vehicle practice sessions a joy and a breeze.
Also, you get a practical, easy to follow checklist that you can use to check out your teen's driving habits. (It's in a .pdf format so you can print it out - a great assessment tool.)
This data is taken directly from Texas Department of Public Safety records. |
Social Scientist. v 16, no. 179 (April 1988) p. 68.
A New Look at Political Economy
UGO PAGANO, Work and Welfare in Economic Theory, Basil Blackwell, 1985
Taking as a starting point the relationship between work and welfare as conceptualised in economic theory, Ugo Pagano's excellent book branches off into a discussion of various aspects of political economy. Two broad themes, relatively unexplored in the literature, but nevertheless important for economic theory, emerge from his analysis' The relationship between these two themes is examined in the case of Adam Smith's celebrated example of the pin-making factory which he uses to argue that the market coordinates the division of labour in society, which in turn increases job-specific skills, and induces high levels of productivity. Pagano disputes the fact that coordination of labour in a pin-making factory, or for that matter in any factory, is conditional upon the market. He quotes extensively from the literature to show that Arrow's criticism of Smith for not being aware of the fact that interaction and cooperation can be achieved independently or exchange, was anticipated in the nineteenth century by Gioia, Babbage and Ure and later taken up systematically by Marx. These writers argued that coordination or activity in the labour-process occurs within the firm, is hierarchically structured and almost always precedes exchange.
According to Pagano, not only was Smith mistaken about how the coordination or division of labour was achieved, but he also had a defective understanding of why the division of labour increased productivity. He quotes from Babbage and Ure to show that the crucial implication of an extensive division of labour is not an improvement in job-specific skills, but the inducement of a process of de-skilling at the bottom of the hierarchy, where the production process requires general skills such as the ability to coordinate bodily movements in a particular way. This entire process increases the productivity of labour not by enhancing job-specific skills, but by disciplining and |
Development opportunities for smart metering services in private customer interface
The European Union has set ambitious energy efficiency targets, which include for ex-ample commonly known “20-20-20”-targets. In order to achieve the targets the Euro-pean Union has set directives that have led the member countries of the European Union to set a legal framework for the installation of smart meters. Among other things, the smart meters provide opportunities to develop new services that enable more efficient energy usage for the consumers. Informative billing, based on the actual consumption and the internet services that enable the consumer to monitor the hourly consumption data are two examples of these services. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate development opportunities for smart metering services in the private customer interface. Home Energy Management System, HEMS, is one example of smart metering service. During this work, a small-scale pilot study of HEMS was successfully carried through in a co-operation with a service provider. Pilot included five private households and provided customers with real-time consumption monitoring and enabled market price based steering of reserving electric heating. The customer feedback was collected with interviews and metering data was collected to calculate the potential savings. According to the customers, they did not change their energy consumption behavior significantly during the pilot. The steering of the electric heating enabled savings of 2.4-3.6 €/month when calculated with spot prices. To get a wider perspective about the customer needs for smart metering services a customer sur-vey was carried through. The survey included 187 customers who were using the current internet services provided by the DSO. There is a high interest towards real-time consumption monitoring and HEMS, but the willingness to invest is limited. The HEMS concept was evaluated based on the feedback from the customer pilot and from the survey. The results can be used when developing future smart metering services by designing the services according to the concrete needs. HEMS system that would enable to control a large number of HEMS-units collectively could enable bene-fits also for the market actors. Therefore the potential benefits were evaluated also from the supplier and the DSO perspective. The evaluated benefits were small related to the required HEMS-units that would be needed to achieve them. With the piloted cost level of HEMS, the incentive for suppliers or DSOs to offer energy efficiency service like HEMS for the private customers is reduced if there is no possibility to have additional benefits around the service or it is not required by the legislation. This would mean that HEMS is mainly a business opportunity for service providers. The pilot could be further utilized by providing the pilot customers with dynamic pricing rates. Additionally it could be used to demonstrate direct load steering, and to develop the control methods for a large number of HEMS. /Kir12 |
Daniel J. Harrington writes: "The statement of v. 3 that the Babylonian exile would last 'up to seven generations' (cf. Jer. 29:10, where it is supposed to last only seventy years) is sometimes taken as indicating composition late in the fourth century B.C. Since one generation lasts about forty years (see Judg. 3:11, 30), subtracting 280 years from 597 B.C. would give a date of 317 B.C. The allusion to the work in 2 Macc. 2:1-3 and the discovery of a fragment of the Greek version in a Qumran Cave 7 manuscript dated about 100 B.C. suggest the second century B.C. as the latest possible date of composition. If it was composed in Hebrew, a setting in the land of Israel and a time in which attitudes toward foreign cults were hostile (perhaps during the crisis under Antiochus IV Epiphanes) seem likely. The writer, however, is quite familiar with Babylonian customs and may have written in Babylon at an earlier time." (Harper's Bible Commentary, p. 861)
David A. deSilva writes: "Jeremiah is the 'author' of this text only insofar as Jeremiah provided the primary resource (Jer. 10:2-15) that the actual, anonymous author developed into a lengthier variation on the theme. With regard to the date of composition, Moore's caveat concerning the Additions to Daniel that one must distinguish this carefully from the time of translation into Greek is valid for the Additions to Jeremiah as well (Moore 1977: 128). The translation was accomplished before the end of the second century B.C.E., given the discovery of a Greek fragment of the Letter of Jeremiah at Qumran (7QLXXEpJer). The time of composition is less certain. Several scholars lay great stress on the peculiar internal indication of date: the prediction that the Jews would be in Babylon 'for a long time, up to seven generations' (v. 3) before God will bring them back to their ancestral land, which represents an alteration of Jeremiah's seventy years (Jer. 25:11; 29:10; an alteration also occurs in Daniel's 'seventy weeks of years' [Dan. 9:24; cf. 9:2]). (Ball 1913: 596; Moore 1977: 328; Mendels 1992: 722; Metzger 1957: 96). These scholars argue that the author must be writing before this period of time had elapsed, for it is difficult to imagine an author deliberately altering Jeremiah's prophecy in such a way that would already have proven false. A date between 317 and 306 B.C.E., or 280 years after either the first or second deportation to Babylon (597 and 586 B.C.E.), is taken as the latest date for the composition of the original Hebrew version. There is in fact no internal evidence to necessitate a later date, although the ambiguity of the length of time covered by a 'generation' should make us cautious about being overly precise about the range of dates." (Introducing the Apocrypha, p. 216)
James King West writes: "Probably the inspiration for this short tract was the letter preserved in Jeremiah 29:1-23 which Jeremiah had sent to the exiles in Babylon. Because of its association with Jeremiah it is included int he Vulgate as chapter 6 in the book of Baruch. It is, nevertheless, a separate work having no real connection with the latter and is so placed in the LXX. Although it opens with an announcement that God will end the Exile in the 'seventh generation' (6:3; cf. Jer. 29:10-14), the writing is concerned with the apostasy of idol worship. It may be that, as R. H. Pfeiffer suggests, the author is attempting to correct what he regards as the dangerous implications in Jeremiah's advice that the exiles make themselves at home in Babylon (cf. Jer. 29:5-7). Following the lead in Deutero-Isaiah's satire on idols (Isa. 44:9-20), he cautions in the name of Jeremiah against the danger that while making their home in Babylon the exiles may take up the worship of the lifeless, powerless, useless creations of human hands. Later readers of Jeremiah are thus protected from the erroneous conclusion that his letter may have given tacit approval to the Babylonian religions, and, at the same time, the author has had his say about the vanity of all other worship than that addressed to Israel's God." (Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 455)
J. Alberto Soggin writes: "The book is not a letter, nor can it be derived from Jeremiah. In the preface to his commentary on Jeremiah (Migne, PL 24, 706), Jerome already called the work 'pseudepigraphical'. It is impossible to establish the date and the circumstances of composition exactly, but the calculation of generations brings us down to the fourth century, while other elements in the text suggest an even later date. The problem to which the question about the generations seeks to give an answer is the same as in Daniel. How is it that the divine curse continues for so long after the exile? Here, too, no reply is given." (Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 460)
Marjorie L. Kimbrough writes: "The Letter of Jeremiah was written during the first-century Hellenistic period, when idol worship and Greek philosophies were competing with the Jewish Law. There is, however, no comparison in the letter between the God of Israel and the idol gods. Although the focus of the letter is an attack on idols and false prophets, praise of God is not presented. The reader is urged to logically consider the fact that the idols are lifeless, helpless, and created by human beings. Therefore people, being more powerful than the idols, certainly do not need them." (Stories Between the Testaments, pp. 61-62)
Daniel J. Harrington writes: "The Letter of Jeremiah is not an objective report written by a professor of comparative religion. Rather, it is partisan polemic against other peoples' religious beliefs and practices. It is written from the perspective of a Jew whose religion forbade physical representation of God (see Exod. 20:4-5; Deut. 5:8-9). Whether the author had direct experience of 'idol worship' or derived his descriptions of idols and their temples from biblical texts and popular rumors, he shows no sympathy for religions that represented their gods with statues. For him, the God of Israel is the only true God, and what other people worship as gods are human creations. There is no indication from the author that the devotees of these idols may have regarded them simply as signs or representations of their deities." (Invitation to the Apocrypha, p. 104) |
Hillary Clinton's Speech
Here is the transcript.Hecate went to the speech and has stories to tell.----The videos stolen from Eschaton.
Food For Feminist Thought
Linda Hirshman has written a thought-provoking piece on feminism and the recent primary fights. A snippet:So what keeps the movement from realizing its demographic potential? First, it's divided along lines so old that they feel like geological faults. Long before this campaign highlighted the divides of race, class and age, feminism was divided by race, class and age. As early as 1973, some black feminists formed a National Black Feminist Organization; in 1984, the writer Alice Walker coined the term "womanism" to distinguish black women's liberation from feminism, the white version. In the early 1970s, writer and activist Barbara Ehrenreich argued on behalf of "socialist feminism," saying that the women's movement couldn't succeed unless it attacked capitalism. The movement was barely out of its teens when Walker's daughter, Rebecca, announced a new wave to distinguish her generation's feminism from the already divided feminisms of the people who had spawned it.This would have been enough to weaken the movement. But it still could have been like many other reform movements, which manage to remain effective by using such traditional political tools as alliances and compromises. There's an old-fashioned term for it -- "log-rolling." Put crudely: First I vote for your issue, then you vote for mine.The mostly white, middle-class feminist organizations could have established relationships of mutual convenience with groups such as the black feminists. An alliance like that might have been able to prevent the confirmation of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court in 1991. White feminists opposed him, but he had enough support among black voters -- who are heavily female -- to induce four Southern Democratic senators who were heavily dependent on black votes for reelection to cast the crucial votes to confirm him.But feminists weren't going to do things the old-fashioned, "political" way. Instead, faced with criticism that the movement was too white and middle-class, many influential feminist thinkers conceded that issues affecting mostly white middle-class women -- such as the corporate glass ceiling or the high cost of day care -- should not significantly concern the feminist movement. Particularly in academic circles, only issues that invoked the "intersectionality" of many overlapping oppressions were deemed worthy. Moreover, that concern must include the whole weight of those oppressions. In other words, since racism hurts black women, feminists must fight not only racist misogyny but racism in any form; not only rape as an instrument of war, but war itself. The National Organization for Women (NOW) eventually amended its mission statement to include interrelated oppressions.Although other organizations work on women's issues when appropriate, none of the other social movements were much interested in making intersectionality their mission. The nation's oldest civil rights organization, the NAACP, which co-sponsored the 2004 march in alliance with women's groups, says nothing about feminism or homophobia or intersectionality in its mission statement. The largest Hispanic rights organization, National Council of La Raza, unembarrassedly proclaims that it "works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans."I don't know if this description is true or not, though I suspect that it might be somewhat exaggerated as Hirshman likes to provoke us into thinking and arguing. Or so I interpret the style she uses. But she makes a point worth discussing in that last paragraph: What is the best use of scarce feminist resources? Is it duplicating work already done by other organizations, especially if those organizations don't reciprocate by focusing on women's issues in return? Is work duplicated in reality? And if it is, how come are the other organizations allowed a free pass, so to speak, on the way they work for women (or don't)? And what could be done about it?The whole piece is interesting to read, whether you agree or disagree with Hirshman's arguments. Are feminists really divided so clearly along the lines she describes: age, race and class? Are the waves of feminism really so different in their understanding of what constitutes feminism?I want to leave this post full of questions for you to think about. But I'm already feverishly thinking about some of these issues in terms of my own feminist definitions, about horizontal and vertical equity, about the onion layers of feminism and about which layers we want to work on, about how someone who wasn't part of any of the waves in person might see them and so on. I think we need to go deeper in the onion, to strip off the layers one by one, not to discard them, but to investigate each of them on our way to the core. That probably doesn't make any sense right now, but I think that the way I write about feminism is more in the world of concepts and theories and less in the world of how they ultimately crop up and interact with other phenomena. Is that bad or good or indifferent? Or even true?Then there's the whole problem of the class "women" being part of so many other classes, defined by race, income, class, religion, ethnicity, so many ties of solidarity of shared experience, of shared oppressions in some cases, too. How does that all play out in defining feminism? Posted by
On Becoming A Woman
Blinky the Tree Frog found a fascinating 1950's book full of advice on how to become a woman. The writer, one Harold Shryock, M.A, M.D, obviously had lots of first-hand experience on the trials and tribulations of womanhood. Fascinating that becoming a woman seemed to require a handbook, because everything the book suggests is pretty much assumed to be automatic by today's conservatives and anti-feminists, whether of the religious type or the evolutionary psychology type.Anyway, you really should read the excerpts Blinky has so kindly provided us. They start here, continue here and here.There you will learn that "becoming a woman" means becoming an obedient helpmate for a man, one who is good at housekeeping and who keeps the gate in sex so that he doesn't have to restrain himself at all. A woman also knows that her goal in life is to become his housewife, but she should still get some quickly-acquired job qualification so that she can work before the marriage and perhaps later if needed. Of course such qualifications never bring much of a salary...It's a fascinating trip into the sexual politics of the past, you might say. On the other hand, almost everything in those excerpts is advocated in this country somewhere, right this very moment. Abstinence is the responsibility of girls, for example. Women gentle and home-directed while men are strong and outer-directed? I was just told this by a liberal guy.And then there is this wonderful excerpt on sex and why it should be women who provide blow jobs for men and not the other way round, really:Apply that concept to the porn market and the whole idea of what constitutes sex these days. It holds up astonishingly well.----Link thanks to upyernoz.
Is this post by Shakespeare's Sister on the misogyny in the primaries, if you want to understand why many women have been hurt by the campaign, including women who never supported Hillary Clinton at all. I know that I was hurt when I saw Bill Kristol chuckling so companionably with the other guy pundits inside my television set over the problem that is white women, for example, and it wasn't because Bill was being a Big Meanie. It was because I suddenly realized that the "woman problem" for these guys really is something to guffaw about. Women are hilarious! Though of course not as comedians but as the butt of the jokes.Remember when Mike Barnicle told us that Hillary Clinton reminds all men of their ex-wives at the probate court? That was funny, too! So many memories of laughing pundits! And that Hillary Nutcracker? And the C.U.N.T. t-shirt? Smart marketing moves and so funny, because you have to think for a second or two before you get that the joke is not really about Hillary but about women.Why did this revelation (that us wimmenfolk are cute when we're unintentionally funny) affect me so? Because I realized that women are just not taken seriously. Would you laugh at the first realistic presidential candidate of an ethnic group which is still banned from combat roles in the military, still banned from being priests in the Catholic Church, still overrepresented among the poor and the low earners? But you laugh at women, or at least the pundits do.Now, none of this is a defense of Hillary Clinton's campaign which was badly run or a defense of her policies or her campaign statements, some of which came across as racist. Neither is it an argument that she lost because of sexism. And it is certainly not an attempt to ignore the nasty racism in this campaign or to compare the two. But I'm wondering why I have unearthed misogyny (or something at least equal to contempt towards women) under so many stones, yes, even under liberal-looking stones. Is this just part of the campaign battle, part of using every possible weapon in the arsenal? Or is the cause of gender equality really something of a joke to many?
What Price Virginity?
This legal case from France is interesting:The bride said she was a virgin. When her new husband discovered that was a lie, he went to court to annul the marriage -- and a French judge agreed.The ruling ending the Muslim couple's union has stunned France and raised concerns the country's much-cherished secular values are losing ground to religious traditions from its fast-growing immigrant communities.The decision also exposed the silent shame borne by some Muslim women who transgress long-held religious dictates demanding proof of virginity on the wedding night.In its ruling, the court concluded the woman had misrepresented herself as a virgin and that, in this particular marriage, virginity was a prerequisite.But in treating the case as a breach of contract, the ruling was decried by critics who said it undermined decades of progress in women's rights. Marriage, they said, was reduced to the status of a commercial transaction in which women could be discarded by husbands claiming to have discovered hidden defects in them.The court decision "is a real fatwa against the emancipation and liberty of women. We are returning to the past," said Urban Affairs Minister Fadela Amara, the daughter of immigrants from Muslim North Africa, using the Arabic term for a religious decree.The outcry has been unrelenting since word of the April 1 decision in the closed-door trial in Lille was made public last week by the daily newspaper Liberation. In its judgment, the tribunal said the 2006 marriage had been ended based on "an error in the essential qualities" of the bride, "who had presented herself as single and chaste."My title is slightly misleading, as the price is the annulment of the marriage not for virginity, but for lying about it. Sort of like misleading advertising about the product you sell. Or brides are seen as selling, I guess.What's also interesting is that while most everyone dislikes the case, it may have trouble being appealed as neither of the original parties want to appeal it. Whether that means the case becomes a precedent for all French couples I do not know.The wider questions it raises are interesting and somewhat troubling.
There's a meme going around about some who supported Clinton now threatening to vote for McCain rather than for Obama. I'm almost 100% convinced that the number of people who would do that is vanishingly small and that the megaphone this story is getting on the net has to do with something else altogether. Perhaps Republicans are spreading the meme? Or most likely it's those among the Democrats who just don't want to put this wonderfully bloody and bruising primary fight to bed. Either way, pursuing that avenue is not unifying, useful or healing, to either anyone who might contemplate voting for McCain for such reasons or for anyone who likes to contemplate someone doing that.Did you notice that I wrote that whole paragraph without specifying the gender of those Clinton supporters? Have you noticed that this is not usually the case in the stories based on this meme?The common way of approaching this topic is to imply that it is female voters who are considering this dastardly deed of no party faithfulness, not male voters. I'm not sure if research backs up that generalization? Perhaps it does.Well, Scott Lemieux tells why women and feminists should vote for Obama:But even when it comes to women's rights, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The enforcement of civil rights protections for women is likely to be much less in a Republican administration, for example. The global gag order will remain firmly in place. And in general, four more years of a tax-cut-supporting, massive-defense-spending GOP president will not only make any kind of serious progressive reform (much of which disproportionately benefits women even if not specifically targeted to do so) virtually impossible for four more years but will also make it more difficult in the future. A McCain presidency would be very, very bad for women even if not a single Supreme Court vacancy opens up during his tenure.I agree with Scott. You don't want to jump out of the frying pan of these last eight years into the fire of yet another Republican Reich, so to speak. But I think his post could have been delayed a little longer.Why? Because the Democratic Primary was truly a historic one, a sign of how far the nation has come. Dreams were being pursued in that race! And either outcome would have been spine-tinglingly exciting for many -- if not most -- Americans. But once the winner has been declared some dreams will remain dreams and those who held the dream of seeing the first woman president of the United States must now get used to the idea that it will take a while longer, perhaps even a whole lot longer. Yes, it's possible to feel exhilarated about the nomination of Barack Obama and what it means for this country, while at the same time feeling sad about what it does not mean. Acknowledging that loss seems important, too, while also celebrating the history-changing event that Obama's nomination is.But Scott is certainly right in his recommendations. McCain does not have women's best interest in his policy platform. Rather, women's rights are what he serves to his fundie base as exchange for votes.
I think feminists are being nicely demonized in this new Maureen Dowd lunatic rant:But even as Obama was trying to savor, Hillary was refusing to sever. Ignoring the attempts of Obama and his surrogates to graciously say how "extraordinary" she was as they showed her the exit, she and a self-pitying Bill continued to pull focus. Outside Baruch College, where she was to speak, her fierce feminist supporters screamed "Denver! Denver! Denver!"Bolding is mine. What did you take away from that piece? That there are no fierce feminists supporting Barack Obama? Katha Pollitt doesn't count? Eve Ensler doesn't count? Barbara Ehrenreich doesn't count? Amanda Marcotte doesn't count? Ann Friedman doesn't count? All those women and men who are feminists and who have worked for Obama's campaign don't count?Of course Maureen Dowd is not a feminist herself. Her inability to see anything wrong with this sentence shows it very clearly:For months, Hillary has been trying to emasculate Obama with the sort of words and themes she has chosen, stirring up feminist anger by promoting the idea that the men were unfairly taking it away from the women, and covering up her own campaign mistakes with cries of sexism. Even his ability to finally clinch the historic nomination did not stop her in that pursuit. She did not bat her eyelashes at him and proclaim him Rhett Butler instead of Ashley Wilkes.Poor, poor Maureen. Feminism is all about emasculating men, wearing those pink gelding scissors at your belt, as all fashion magazines dictate. And politics is really nothing but retelling Gone With The Wind.Perhaps this is the pearl in Dowd's latest outcry:Either way, by broadcasting that she's open to being Obama's running mate, she puts public pressure on him similar to the sort of pressure Walter Mondale was under from rampaging feminists when he put Geraldine Ferraro on the ticket. Mondale ended up seeming henpecked, as Obama would seem if he caved to the women who say they will write in Hillary's name or vote for anti-choice McCain before they'd vote for Obama.Now the feminists are rampaging. Earlier they were just screaming and fierce. And then they henpecked poor Walter Mondale. The way to look manly is by locking all your women up and by not letting them ever get close enough to men with those gelding scissors. Sigh. Of course Dowd herself emasculates every single male columnist by coming across so fierce and rampaging, and her next column should really be about how she should not be allowed to do that as it will cause the sales of Viagra among pundits to skyrocket.Why am I writing about poor and deluded Maureen Dowd? Because her thesis encapsulates much of what I read every day: a certain kind of trivialization of feminism as unimportant, as having to do with shrieking women of a particularly illogical kind. Every day I read jokes about too many women crying sexism the way we usually say that someone cries wolf. Every day I see the threshold get lowered on what is acceptable to say about sexism as just another fun move.No doubt something similar will be done to racism in the near future, to the detriment of all of us. But I don't think people on the left think of racism as something only shrieking or rampaging people oppose, or as something that's kind of fun to crack jokes about.
I'm not terribly well read in the field of sculpture, but her work strikes me as quite path-breaking, as something appealing our most human feelings, and not only because touch is encouraged. When I first visited the Vietnam War Wall I cried, and I know no-one buried there. It was that remarkable combination of monumentalism and privacy, that ability to search for one name, to copy it, to touch it, to spend time with the memory of that person, and at the same time to realize the enormity of the losses, the gigantic wall in front of you standing as a grim reminder.I think she is a genius.That's the prelude. Then the meat of the post: Is she being treated as a genius? Is she getting the accolades and the following geniuses usually get? Has she been declared a national treasure? Has she been invited to be a member on all the important boards, an expert in all important competitions?Perhaps. But I suspect that she would be getting much more attention if her name wasn't Maya but Matthew Lin.Now try to talk me out of that opinion, please.
Asks Echidne from under her bed, and the question is about the melt-down within the liberal blogosphere between those who support Obama and those who support Clinton. It has certainly been a learning experience for me, something that has made me accept very humbly that my understanding of the human psyche is altogether deficient, that my optimism about the importance of thought and debate is vastly inflated and that human beings are excellent in seeing the mote in their neighbor's eye while ignoring the humongous beam sticking out of their own eye socket.Or perhaps I'm just too cold and reptile-like to really appreciate what kinds of feelings have been first flared and then wounded in all the zillions of blog fights I have followed. I was never in love with any musicians, either.Still. To have someone who you have debated with and joked with and argued with turn into a pod-person who can only scan your comments for signs of infidelity to their chosen leader is upsetting, to say the least, and to observe how blogs turned into all-Clinton or all-Obama in less than a nanosecond is really confusing. Or maybe not. Maybe we are all offered a lesson about how battle lines are drawn, what really energizes and motivates people, and maybe we are all also going to learn how to become friends again. I hope so, anyway.
F.U., F.U., F.U! Did that make you feel better? Oops! I forgot you're not the one writing it but the one reading it. Perhaps I should start again?The use of foul language is common on lefty blogs, and the point of using it is ultimately political. Thers explained it best a few days ago:Conservative bloggers have speculated that my use of "fuck" indicates that I possess an impoverished vocabulary, a thesis that I reject as pretty fucking stupid and in fact rather cromulent. Actually, I curse online as a conscious choice. Back in the early days of blogs I used to go into comments sections and try to, you know, persuade conservatives that, like, the proposed invasion of Iraq was perhaps not such a great idea. And what happened was, after a colloquy that sometimes lasted literally weeks at a time, what resulted was my interlocutor politely informing me that we would "agree to disagree" and that he (almost always "he") had quite enjoyed "breaking a lance" with me and that he fully expected me to join hands with him and sing a solemn hymn to Comity and then we'd go light a candle upon the altar of Civilized Discourse.And, privately, I was thinking to myself, this is fucking insane. A lot of people are going to die for no rational reason, and here we are acting like we're all hot fucking shit because we don't say "fuck."And you know what I did next?I started to say "fuck" quite a lot, and I began to tell the people who were deliberately fucking up my country and causing a lot of fucking pointless carnage that they were a bunch of fucking horrible sociopaths and that I fucking hated them.And it's been clear fucking sailing ever since.I fucking applaud that fucking explanation, I do. It's certainly very true that something is fucking wrong with our value rankings when we think saying "fuck" is worse than killing people in other countries or worse than politely suggesting stringing them all up here at home, and the latter are the types of writings I have read on some conservative blogs.But (and none of what comes after this is intended to refer to Thers, as he's not guilty of any of it and, as I said, I totally agree with the point he was making). The extensive use of foul language also has problems. One of the worst for me is that so much foul language consists of the liberal use of words "cunt", "bitch" and "slut", whether applied in the original meaning to hate on women or whether used in the new enlightened sense of gender-blind cuntery, bitchiness or sluttery. All your enemies can now be cunts! Even men! This means that we can use those words freely and be all for legal abortions. Yeah.But the words still drag their old misogynistic messages with them. Nothing can be done about that, you know, and so women reading these blogs get frequent reminders of their ultimate stinkiness. It's unpleasant, like someone's claws continuously scraping at your lower back or your inner arms. Even if you go to the doctor and get told that this condition is nothing to worry about, that "cunt" doesn't mean "you" nowadays, the scraping still goes on.Sometimes I suspect that there are bloggers and commentators who have no idea that girls might be reading political blogs, that they might in fact be reading the very words you write right at this minute! Now that is a scary thought! Can you still suggest that a politician "throws like a girl" or "bawls like a twelve-year old girl"? Aargh! It is not just girls who read political blogs, but some in the audience are not accustomed to swearwords so liberally applied. The effect is similar to that curry which a friend of mine once made from a scribbled recipe sent by his mother. The writing was hard to interpret so all the spices ended up being multiplied by a rough factor of ten. Hot it was, and our kidneys complained loudly.Since this post is all about bad analogies, let me finish with a perfume one. Using foul language a lot has the same risk as getting used to splashing your favorite perfume on every morning. Over time your nose grows numb and you can't smell that alluring scent unless you spritz a few more times. But then the people in the elevator with you drop like flies after a Raid attack.That's one reason why I don't employ the fuck-family very often. Another one is that they are very powerful people and I want to save that power for the times it is really needed.
If you belong to the majority in this country by being female you might be just a little bit ready to kill someone when you watch what is regarded as acceptable entertainment on Fox:What is funny is a guy who says all women are shallow, materialistic and whiners. He can smile like a wolf while doing this and because of the extreme misogyny he embodies Bill "The Falafel" O'Reilly comes across as almost reasonable. And the one poor woman brought into the conversation (where she is labeled as shallow, materialistic and a whiner) is expected to laugh at the silliness of women, too. He, he, he. How very hilarious.We swim in it, sisters and brothers. And I'm not describing what "it" is in any great detail on this family blog. ----If you want to feel the same dizziness I did, note that I read the above Media Matters piece right after reading about the repatriation of all the children who were taken away from the polygamous sect in Texas, and the article mentioned this:The order signed by Walther requires the parents to stay in Texas, to attend parenting classes and to allow the children to be examined as part of any ongoing child abuse investigation. It also requires that parents allow state workers to make unannounced visits to the families and that they notify the state if they plan to travel more than 100 miles from their homes.But it does not put restrictions on the children's fathers, require that polygamy be renounced or that parents live away from the Yearning For Zion Ranch.Perhaps some women (and men) don't whine enough. Perhaps there is something in the substance in which we swim so that girls and women are held to different standards, a lesser power, a greater silence?And yes, thank you for asking, I'm fucking angry today.
The Tinsley Report
Or rather, an article by Cathy Tinsley in yesterday's Washington Post says something quite interesting about women in management jobs, something that Michael Gurian's simplistic and over-generalizing theories (see Suzie's post below) completely miss: Women and men are not read the same by others:In a series of studies involving hundreds of participants since 2005, my colleagues and I have found systematic social and financial backlash against even mildly assertive female executives. In one study, for example, people judged the behavior of a hypothetical human resources manager (alternately male or female) negotiating for a refund on unused hotel space. Female managers were judged as significantly more offensive, and less likely to receive any refund, than male managers, even though all managers engaged in exactly the same behavior. In later studies in which human resources managers asked for a refund, displaying mildly assertive behavior, the behavior was routinely judged appropriate when displayed by a man but offensive when displayed by a woman.In another set of experiments, a finance director (again, alternately a man or a woman) had to choose between attending to a work crisis (an information technology system crash) or a family emergency (a sick child). When the finance director was female and chose to stay at work, she was seen as competent but unlikable. When the female finance director went home, she was rated as incompetent but likable. Yet the choices male finance directors made did not matter -- the men were always judged to be fairly likable and competent.What is especially interesting is that most of this bias is wholly invisible to the judgers themselves (who express astonishment when the bias is pointed out). Also, men and women are both likely to judge the genders according to this differential scheme.What is to be done? Note that there might be an "appropriate" way for women to act in the examples having to do with the right amount of aggression. Perhaps there is some acceptable girl-brain way of doing those tasks? We should ask Mr. Gurian.But no such solution will help women in the example about coping with either a work crisis or a family emergency, because either choice leaves her with a negative evaluation. The solution must be a change in the way we judge others and must include making these gender schemes something we are aware of.
That would be the position of women in al-Qaida, according to the number two seeded terrorist, Ayman Al-Zawahri. Women can also take care of the male al-Qaida members' children and houses. That's it, pretty much:In response to a female questioner, al-Qaida No. 2 leader Ayman Al-Zawahri said in April that the terrorist group does not have women. A woman's role, he said on the Internet audio recording, is limited to caring for the homes and children of al-Qaida fighters.His remarks have since prompted an outcry from fundamentalist women, who are fighting or pleading for the right to be terrorists. The statements have also created some confusion, because in fact suicide bombings by women seem to be on the rise, at least within the Iraq branch of al-Qaida.A'eeda Dahsheh is a Palestinian mother of four in Lebanon who said she supports al-Zawahri and has chosen to raise children at home as her form of jihad. However, she said, she also supports any woman who chooses instead to take part in terror attacks.Another woman signed a more than 2,000-word essay of protest online as Rabeebat al-Silah, Arabic for "Companion of Weapons.""How many times have I wished I were a man ... When Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahri said there are no women in al-Qaida, he saddened and hurt me," wrote "Companion of Weapons," who said she listened to the speech 10 times. "I felt that my heart was about to explode in my chest...I am powerless." All this reminds me of that Stokely Carmichael quote about the proper position of women in SNCC:In 1964, Ruby Doris Smith Robinson presented an indignant assault on the treatment of women civil rights workers in a paper entitled "The Position of Women in SNCC," to a SNCC staff meeting. Stokely Carmichael reputedly responded, "The only position for women in SNCC is prone."If you can forget the extremely distasteful context of terrorism in this topic the messages are fairly similar. Even liberation organizations and terrorist organizations are boys' tree-houses and girls are not allowed. The "liberation" is somehow oddly not for women at all. Just think where the women ended after the French Revolution was over (with a worse legal position than before it) or what happened to women's position when the old Soviet bloc crumbled.But of course most of us wouldn't have been surprised by Al-Zawahri's response at all. Isn't radical Islam really strongly invested in forcing women back into seclusion, away from paid employment and back under the rules of the Sharia law which doesn't treat women equally with men? Why would these women expect anything different from those who hold such opinions?------Hat tip to upyernoz who wrote about this topic under a title which translates to "the mujahida (the word mujahid, holy warrior, with a feminine ending tacked on) needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle."
Michael Gurian strikes again (by Suzie)
Search this blog if you want to read more about his expertise on gender. His latest book explains how men and women lead differently in business "so we can decide who is better at what in the business world," Forbes explains. I guess it's too hard to evaluate people as individuals. Gurian says men and women act differently in the workplace, not because they're socialized differently, but because their brains are different. That's why it's hard for Clinton because she has to "compete like a man." Gurian adds: "A woman right now running for office is caught." Here are a few suggestions for politics and business: Let's talk about the different ways people lead. But let's not assume that people can be categorized neatly, or that their differences are innate. Otherwise, people who act against the stereotype are seen as unnatural or inauthentic. |
In declassified document, CIA acknowledges role in '53 Iran coup
A communist newspaper's office equipment is burned in the streets of Tehran on August 19, 1953, during the pro-Shah riot that swept through Iran's capital. After a day of fighting, Royalist forces triumphed and Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh was ousted. A declassified CIA document acknowledges that the agency was involved in the coup.
Soldiers chase rioters during civil unrest in Tehran. Massive protests broke out across the nation in 1953.
An Iranian woman waves a club after joining other demonstrators in the streets of Tehran. British and U.S. intelligence agencies helped organize protests and pull pro-Shah forces together.
Rioters armed with staves are chased by soldiers in Tehran.
Gen. Fazlollah Zahedi is seated on August 19, 1953, in a Tehran officers club a few hours after the successful coup d'etat. Zahedi was appointed the country's new prime minister.
A resident washes "Yankee Go Home" graffiti off a wall in Tehran on August 21, 1953. Zahedi ordered a clean-up after the coup.
Former Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh steps off a plane in late August 1953. He was imprisoned for three years and put under house arrest until his death in 1967.
Iran's 1953 coup
A newly declassified document acknowledges the CIA's hand in ousting Mohammad Mossadegh
While this might be the CIA's first formal nod, the U.S. role has long been known
The CIA used propaganda, along with other politicians and leaders in Iran, to unseat Mossadegh
Even 60 years removed, the 1953 coup still hangs over U.S.-Iran relations.
The independent National Security Archive research institute, which published the document Monday, says the declassification is believed to mark the CIA's first formal acknowledgment of its involvement.
The documents, declassified in 2011 and given to George Washington University research group under the Freedom of Information Act, come from the CIA's internal history of Iran from the mid-1970s and paint a detailed picture of how the CIA worked to oust Mossadegh.
In a key line pointed out by Malcom Byrne, the editor who worked through the documents, the CIA spells out its involvement in the coup. "The military coup that overthrew Mossadeq and his National Front cabinet was carried out under CIA direction as an act of U.S. foreign policy, conceived and approved at the highest levels of government," the document says, using a variation of the spelling of Mossadegh's name.
While this might be the CIA's first formal nod, the U.S. role has long been known.
President Barack Obama acknowledged the United States' involvement in the coup during a 2009 speech in Cairo.
"In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically elected Iranian government," the president said.
In 2000, then-U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright spoke of the intervention, and in the same year, the New York Times published what it said was a leaked 1954 CIA-written account of the overthrow.
Iranians elected Mossadegh prime minister in 1951. Quickly, the leader moved to nationalize oil production in the country -- a move that would have been a serious blow to the United States and Britain and a win for the USSR.
Because of the failure of oil negotiations with Iran, along with a number of other issues, the United States was concerned "that Iran was in real danger of falling behind the Iron Curtain."
"If that happened, it would mean a victory for the Soviets in the Cold War and a major setback for the West in the Middle East," Donald N. Wilber, a principal planner of the mission, wrote within months of the overthrow. "It was the aim of the TPAJAX project" -- that was the mission's code name -- "to cause the fall of the Mossadeq government; to reestablish the prestige and power of the Shah."
Shortly after Mossadegh's election, the CIA began to plan his overthrow. The goal of the coup was to elevate the strength of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and appoint a new prime minister -- Gen. Fazlollah Zahedi.
Before the coup, the agency -- along with the British Secret Intelligence Service -- helped foment anti-Mossadegh fervor using propaganda, according to CIA documents. "In Iran, CIA and SIS propaganda assets were to conduct an increasingly intensified effort through the press, handbills and the Tehran clergy in a campaign designed to weaken the Mossadeq government in any way possible," Wilber wrote.
On August 19, 1953, the coup swung into full effect as the CIA and British intelligence agency helped pull pro-Shah forces together and organized large protests against Mossadegh.
"The Army very soon joined the pro-Shah movement and by noon that day it was clear that Tehran, as well as certain provincial areas, were controlled by pro-Shah street groups and Army units," Wilber wrote. "By the end of 19 August ... members of the Mossadeq government were either in hiding or were incarcerated."
In order to provide Zahedi, the country's new prime minister, with some stability, the "CIA covertly made available $5,000,000 within two days of Zahedi's assumptions of power."
After the coup, Mossadegh was sentenced to death, but the sentence was never carried out. The former leader died in Tehran in 1967.
Iranian politicians and religious leaders still use the coup as a way to foment anti-American sentiment. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian president from 2005 until earlier this year, demanded apologies from the United States for "crimes" the CIA committed in Iran during the 1953 coup.
"The issue is more than academic," wrote Byrne of George Washington University. "Political partisans on all sides, including the Iranian government, regularly invoke the coup to argue whether Iran or foreign powers are primarily responsible for the country's historical trajectory, whether the United States can be trusted to respect Iran's sovereignty, or whether Washington needs to apologize for its prior interference before better relations can occur." |
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. These laws protect employees and job
applicants against employment discrimination when it involves:
Unfair treatment because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability
or genetic information.
Harassment by managers, co-workers, or others in the workplace, because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
Denial of a reasonable workplace accommodation that the employee needs because of religious beliefs or disability.
Retaliation because the employee complained about job discrimination, or assisted with a job discrimination investigation or lawsuit.
Not all employers are covered by the laws we enforce, and not all employees are protected. This can vary depending on the type of employer, the number of
employees it has, and the type of discrimination alleged.
An employee or job applicant who believes that he or she has been discriminated against at work can file a "Charge of Discrimination." All
of the laws enforced by EEOC, except for the Equal Pay Act, require employees and applicants to file a Charge of Discrimination with us before they can file a job
discrimination lawsuit against their employer. Also, there are strict time limits for filing a charge.
The fact that the EEOC has taken a charge does not mean that the government is accusing anyone of discrimination. The charging party has alleged that an employer has discriminated against him or her and it is the EEOC's job to investigate the
matter to determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe that discrimination has occurred.
The laws enforced by EEOC require employers to keep certain records, regardless of whether a charge has been filed against them. When a charge has been filed, employers have additional recordkeeping obligations. The EEOC also collects workforce
data from some employers, regardless of whether a charge has been filed against the company.
Employers are required to post notices describing the Federal laws prohibiting job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
While the information in this section of our website applies to all employers, it has been specifically designed for small businesses which may not have a human resources department or a specialized EEO staff. We realize that the information
provided here may not answer all of the sophisticated legal issues that can arise in employment discrimination cases. Employers who have questions about the laws enforced by EEOC or about compliance with those laws in specific workplace situations
may contact one of our small business liaisons for assistance. |
Coats of arms of U.S. Armor Regiments
Coats of arms of US Armor regiments are heraldic emblems associated with armor regiments in the US Army. Under Army Regulation 840-10, each regiment and separate table of organization and equipment (TOE) battalion of the US Army is authorized a coat of arms to be displayed on the organization's flag, called the "colors."[1] This coat of arms usually forms the basis for the unit's distinctive unit insignia (DUI), the emblem worn by all members of the unit on their service uniforms.[2]
Below are galleries of the coats of arms of US Army armor regiments. The official mottoes (as awarded by The Institute of Heraldry of the U.S. Army) and/or special designations (as awarded by the United States Army Center of Military History) of the units are also noted. |
Distance measuring equipment
This article is about usage in aviation. For distance measurement in general, see rangefinder.
D-VOR/DME ground station
DME by itself
Distance measuring equipment (DME) is a transponder-based radio navigation technology that measures slant range distance by timing the propagation delay of VHF or UHF radio signals.
Developed in Australia, it was invented by James Gerry Gerrand [1] under the supervision of Edward George "Taffy" Bowen while employed as Chief of the Division of Radiophysics of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Another engineered version of the system was deployed by Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Limited in the early 1950s operating in the 200 MHz VHF band. This Australian domestic version was referred to by the Federal Department of Civil Aviation as DME(D) (or DME Domestic), and the later international version adopted by ICAO as DME(I).
DME is similar to secondary radar, except in reverse. The system was a post-war development of the IFF (identification friend or foe) systems of World War II. To maintain compatibility, DME is functionally identical to the distance measuring component of TACAN. |
Dracaena reflexa
Mature specimens on Réunion.
Scientific classification Kingdom:
Asparagales
Subfamily:
Nolinoideae
Dracaena
D. reflexa
Dracaena reflexa, commonly called Pleomele or the Song of India, is a species of Dracaena which is a tropical tree native to Madagascar, Mauritius, and other nearby islands of the Indian Ocean. It is widely grown as an ornamental plant and houseplant, valued for its richly coloured, evergreen leaves, and thick, irregular stems. |
Education in Thailand
Chaturon Chaisang
National education budget (2013)
THB 460,075.2M (USD 16 billion at USD 1 = THB 28.62 as of 21 April 2013) (19.169% national budget)[1]
Thai, English
Literacy (2005)
94[2]
Secondary diploma
Education in Thailand is provided mainly by the Thai government through the Ministry of Education from pre-school to senior high school. A free basic education of twelve years is guaranteed by the constitution, and a minimum of nine years' school attendance is mandatory.
Formal education consists of at least twelve years of basic education, and higher education. Basic education is divided into six years of primary education and six years of secondary education, the latter being further divided into three years of lower- and upper-secondary levels. Kindergarten levels of pre-primary education, also part of the basic education level, span 2–3 years depending on the locale, and are variably provided. Non-formal education is also supported by the state. Independent schools contribute significantly to the general education infrastructure.
Administration and control of public and private universities are carried out by the Office of Higher Education Commission, a department of the Ministry of Education.
1 School system
2 School grades
2.1 Uniforms
2.1.1 Students
3.1 Early education
3.2 Development
3.3 Modernisation
3.4 Recent
4 Organisation
4.3 Finance
4.4 Research
5 Primary and secondary levels
6 Vocational Education
6.1 Dual Vocational Training (DVT)
6.2 Attendance
7 Tertiary and higher education
7.1 Admission
7.2 Programmes
8 International schools
9 Distance learning support by TV
10 Teacher training
10.1 Primary and lower secondary school teachers
10.2 Upper secondary school teachers
10.3 Teacher development and associated problems
11 English language education in Thailand
11.1 Thai teachers
11.2 Native-speaker teachers
12 Situation with students in ethnic minority areas
School system[edit]
Primary school students in Thailand
The school structure is divided into four key stages: the first three years in elementary school, Prathom 1–3, are for age groups 6 to 8; the second level, Prathom 4 through 6 are for age groups 9 to 11; the third level, Matthayom 1–3, is for age groups 12 to 14. The upper secondary level of schooling consists of Matthayom 4–6 for age groups 15 to 17 and is divided into academic and vocational streams. There are academic upper secondary schools, vocational upper secondary schools and comprehensive schools offering academic and vocational tracks. Students who choose the academic stream usually intend to enter a university. Vocational schools offer programs that prepare students for employment or further studies.
Admission to an upper secondary school is through an entrance exam. On the completion of each level, students need to pass the NET (National Educational Test) to graduate. Children are required to attend six years of elementary school and at least the first three years of high school. Those who graduate from the sixth year of high school are candidates for two decisive tests: O-NET (Ordinary National Educational Test) and A-NET (Advanced National Educational Test).
Public schools are administered by the government. The private sector comprises schools run for profit and fee-paying non-profit schools which are often run by charitable organisations — especially by Catholic diocesan and religious orders that operate over 300 large primary/secondary schools throughout the country.[3] Village and sub-district schools usually provide pre-school kindergarten (anuban) and elementary classes, while in the district towns, schools will serve their areas with comprehensive schools with all the classes from kindergarten to age 14 and separate secondary schools for ages 11 through 17.
Due to budgetary limitations, rural schools are generally less well equipped than the schools in the cities. The standard of instruction, particularly for the English language, is much lower, and many high school students will commute 60–80 kilometres to schools in the nearest city.
School grades[edit]
The school year is divided into two semesters. The first begins in the beginning of May and ends in October; the second begins in November and ends in March.
Level/Grade
Typical age
Pre-school playgroup
Prathom 1
Matthayom 1
Tertiary education (College or University)
Ages vary (usually four years,
referred to as Freshman,
Sophomore, Junior and
Senior years)
Uniforms are compulsory for all students with very few variations from the standard model throughout the public and private school systems, including colleges and universities.
The dress code in primary and secondary grades for boys comprises knee-length dark blue, khaki, or black shorts with a pale white open collar short-sleeved shirt, long socks and brown or black trainers. Girls wear a knee-length dark blue or black skirt and a pale white blouse with a loosely hanging bow tie. The bow tie is dropped in favor of an open-necked pale blue shirt from Matthayom 4. The girls' uniform is complemented by white ankle socks and black school shoes.
The student's name, number, and name of the school are often embroidered on the blouse or shirt. Some independent or international schools have uniforms more closely resembling British school uniform standards, and boys in senior high school grades may be allowed to wear long trousers.
The standard dress for children in kindergarten is a red skirt and white blouse for girls and red short trousers and a white shirt for boys. In all Thai schools, one day per week, usually Thursday, is dedicated to scouting, when beige scout uniforms for boys and dark green guide uniforms are the rule, both wearing yellow neckerchiefs. Many schools have some color variations of the scout uniform such as blue uniforms with blue neckerchiefs for girl scouts at Wattana Wittaya Academy. The use of accessories is prohibited for males, while females are sometimes allowed to use simple accessories. All students are prohibited from coloring their hair or having tattoos anywhere.
University uniforms are standard throughout the country and comprise a white blouse and plain or pleated skirt for females, and long black trousers, a white long sleeved shirt with a dark blue or black tie for males.
Formal education has its early origins in the temple schools, when it was available to boys only. From the mid-sixteenth century Thailand opened up to significant French Catholic influence until the mid-seventeenth century when it was heavily curtailed, and the country returned to a strengthening of its own cultural ideology. Unlike other parts of South and Southeast Asia, particularly the Indian subcontinent, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia and the Philippines which had all benefited from the influence of countries with centuries of educational tradition, Thailand has never been colonised by a Western power. As a result, structured education on the lines of that in developed countries was slow to evolve until it gained new impetus with the reemergence of diplomacy in the late nineteenth century.
Early education[edit]
It is possible that one the earliest forms of education began when King Ram Khamhaeng the Great invented the Thai alphabet in 1283 basing it on Mon, Khmer, and Southern Indian scripts. Stone inscriptions from 1292 in the new script depict moral, intellectual and cultural aspects.[4] During the Sukhothai period (1238–1378), education was dispensed by the Royal Institution of Instruction (Rajabundit) to members of the royal family and the nobility, while commoners were taught by Buddhist monks.
In the period of the Ayutthaya kingdom from 1350 to 1767 during the reign of King Narai the Great (1656–1688), the Chindamani, generally accepted as the first textbook of the Thai language, collating the grammar. The prosody of Thai language and official forms of correspondence was written by a monk, Pra Horatibodi, in order to stem the foreign educational influence of the French Jesuit schools It remained in use up to King Chulalongkorn's reign (1868–1910). Narai himself was a poet, and his court became the center where poets congregated to compose ve |
Flora of Lithuania
The Flora of Lithuania is estimated to comprise about 10,600 species. About 1,350 of these are vascular plants; about 335 are bryophytes; and about 2,000 are algae. Lichens are represented by about 500 species, and fungi by about 6,400 species. About 550 of these species are considered extinct or threatened. Protected areas now cover more than 12% of the territory of Lithuania.
Lithuania lies in both in the boreal and the broadleaved (angiosperm) forest belts. A variety of species are therefore found within its relatively small territory, including species characteristic of the southern taiga. The occurrence of the hornbeam species Carpinus betulus marks the border between the predominantly broadleaved zone in the south and the coniferous zone in the north.
1 Biomes
1.1 Forests
1.2 Wetlands
1.3 Riparian and lacustrine
2 Crops
3 Common weeds and invasive species
4 Botanical research institutions
Biomes[edit]
Forests[edit]
Forest cover in Lithuania has waxed and waned along with its fortunes; as a general rule, times of prosperity led to deforestation for agricultural uses. This tendency was seen during the Soviet occupation; forest cover was about 20% in 1948, and increased to about 30% by 1990, when Lithuania regained its independence. It has since been relatively stable. The general consensus of scientific opinion is that the optimum forest cover for Lithuania is about 33%.
Conifers constitute about 60% of the total forest area. They are concentrated in the northern, western, and eastern, and far southern sections of the country. The principal conifers are Scots Pine at about 40%, and Norway Spruce at about 20%.
Broadleaf trees dominate in the central areas of the country. Birches constitute about 18% of the total, followed by Black Alder (about 8%) and European Aspen (about 8%); oak, ash, and elm make up the remainder.
Old growth forests are relatively rare in Lithuania, numbering about 100. Data collected in 1998 suggested that these forests occupied about 580 km |
John Clem
John Lincoln Clem
Sergeant Clem, age 12, in 1863
John Joseph Clem
May 13, 1937 (aged 85)
Buried at
1863 - 1864, 1871 - 1915
22nd Michigan Infantry
24th Infantry Regiment
Battle of Chickamauga |
General layout of electricity networks. Voltages and depictions of electrical lines are typical for Germany and other European systems.
An electrical grid (also referred to as an electricity grid or electric grid) is an interconnected network for delivering electricity from suppliers to consumers. It consists of generating stations that produce electrical power, high-voltage transmission lines that carry power from distant sources to demand centers, and distribution lines that connect individual customers.[1]
Power stations may be located near a fuel source, at a dam site, or to take advantage of renewable energy sources, and are often located away from heavily populated areas. They are usually quite large to take advantage of the economies of scale. The electric power which is generated is stepped up to a higher voltage-at which it connects to the transmission network.
The transmission network will move the power long distances, sometimes across international boundaries, until it reaches its wholesale customer (usually the company that owns the local distribution network).
On arrival at a substation, the power will be stepped down from a transmission level voltage to a distribution level voltage. As it exits the substation, it enters the distribution wiring. Finally, upon arrival at the service location, the power is stepped down again from the distribution voltage to the required service voltage(s).
The term grid usually refers to a network, and should not be taken to imply a particular physical layout or breadth. Grid may also be used to refer to an entire continent's electrical network, a regional transmission network or may be used to describe a subnetwork such as a local utility's transmission grid or distribution grid.
Since its inception in the Industrial Age, the electrical grid has evolved from an insular system that serviced a particular geographic area to a wider, expansive network that incorporated multiple areas. At one point, all energy was produced near the device or service requiring that energy. In the early 19th century, electricity was a novel invention that competed with steam, hydraulics, direct heating and cooling, light, and most notably gas. During this period, gas production and delivery had become the first centralized element in the modern energy industry. It was first produced on customer’s premises but later evolved into large gasifiers that enjoyed economies of scale. Virtually every city in the U.S. and Europe had town gas piped through their municipalities as it was a dominant form of household energy use. By the mid-19th century, electric arc lighting soon became advantageous compared to volatile gas lamps since gas lamps produced poor light, tremendous wasted heat which made rooms hot and smoky, and noxious elements in the form of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Modeled after the gas lighting industry, the first electric utility systems supplied energy through virtual mains to light filtration as opposed to gas burners. With this, electric utilities also took advantage of economies of scale and moved to centralized power generation, distribution, and system management.[2]
With the realization of long distance power transmission it was possible to interconnect different central stations to balance loads and improve load factors. Interconnection became increasingly desirable as electrification grew rapidly in the early years of the 20th century. Like telegraphy before it, wired electricity was often carried on and through the circuits of colonial rule.[3]
Charles Merz, of the Merz & McLellan consulting partnership, built the Neptune Bank Power Station near Newcastle upon Tyne in 1901,[4] and by 1912 had developed into the largest integrated power system in Europe.[5] In 1905 he tried to influence Parliament to unify the variety of voltages and frequencies in the country's electricity supply industry, but it was not until World War I that Parliament began to take this idea seriously, appointing him head of a Parliamentary Committee to address the problem. In 1916 Merz pointed out that the UK could use its small size to its advantage, by creating a dense distribution grid to feed its industries efficiently. His findings led to the Williamson Report of 1918, which in turn created the Electricity Supply Bill of 1919. The bill was the first step towards an integrated electricity system.
The more significant Electricity (Supply) Act of 1926 led to the setting up of the National Grid.[6] The Central Electricity Board standardised the nation's electricity supply and established the first synchronised AC grid, running at 132 kilovolts and 50 Hertz. This started operating as a national system, the National Grid, in 1938.
In the United States in the 1920s, utilities joined together establishing a wider utility grid as joint-operations saw the benefits of sharing peak load coverage and backup power. Also, electric utilities were easily financed by Wall Street private investors who backed many of their ventures. In 1934, with the passage of the Public Utility Holding Company Act (USA), electric utilities were recognized as public goods of importance along with gas, water, and telephone companies and thereby were given outlined restrictions and regulatory oversight of their operations. This ushered in the Golden Age of Regulation for more than 60 years. However, with the successful deregulation of airlines and telecommunication industries in late 1970s, the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 advocated deregulation of electric utilities by creating wholesale electric markets. It required transmission line owners to allow electric generation companies open access to their network.[2][7] The act led to a major restructuring of how the electric industry operated in an effort to create competition in power generation. No longer were electric utilities built as vertical monopolies, where generation, transmission and distribution were handled by a single company. Now, the three stages could be split among various companies, in an effort to provide fair accessibility to high voltage transmission.[8] In 2005, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 was passed to allow incentives and loan guarantees for alternative energy production and advance innovative technologies that avoided greenhouse emissions.
The wide area synchronous grids of Europe. Most are members of the European Transmission System Operators association.
The Continental U.S. power transmission grid consists of about 300,000 km of lines operated by approximately 500 companies.
High-voltage direct current interconnections in western Europe - red are existing links, green are under construction, and blue are proposed.
The following text needs to be harmonized with text in |
Tubeless tire
Tubeless tires or tyres (in some Commonwealth Nations) are pneumatic tires that do not require a separate inner tube.
Unlike traditional pneumatic tires which use a separate inner tube, tubeless tires have continuous ribs molded integrally into the bead of the tire so that they are forced by the pressure of the air inside the tire to seal with the flanges of the metal rim of the wheel. |
This article is about the metropolitan county. For its former council, see West Yorkshire County Council. For the historic subdivision of Yorkshire, see West Riding of Yorkshire.
West Yorkshire, which is landlocked, consists of five metropolitan boroughs (City of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, City of Leeds and City of Wakefield) and shares borders with the counties of Derbyshire (to the south), Greater Manchester (to the south-west), Lancashire (to the north-west), North Yorkshire (to the north and east) and South Yorkshire (to the south-east).
West Yorkshire County Council was abolished in 1986, and so its districts (the metropolitan boroughs) are now effectively unitary authorities. However, the metropolitan county, which covers an area of 2,029 square kilometres (783 sq mi), continues to exist in law, and as a geographic frame of reference.[2][3][4] Since 1 April 2014 West Yorkshire has been a combined authority area, with the local authorities pooling together some functions over transport and regeneration as the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Kirkstall Abbey, Kirkstall, Leeds
Titus Salt's mill in Saltaire, Bradford is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Leeds Town Hall
West Yorkshire was formed as a metropolitan county in 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972, and corresponds roughly to the core of the historic West Riding of Yorkshire and the county boroughs of Bradford, Dewsbury, Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, and Wakefield.
West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council inherited the use of West Riding County Hall at Wakefield, opened in 1898, from the West Riding County Council in 1974. Since 1987 it has been the headquarters of Wakefield City Council.[5]
The county initially had a two-tier structure of local government with a strategic-level county council and five districts providing most services.[6] In 1986, throughout England the metropolitan county councils were abolished. The functions of the county council were devolved to the boroughs; joint-boards covering fire, police and public transport; and to other special joint arrangements.[7] Organisations such as West Yorkshire Police Authority and West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive continue to operate on this basis.
Although the county council was abolished, West Yorkshire continues to form a metropolitan and ceremonial county with a Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire and a High Sheriff.
Wakefield's Parish Church was raised to cathedral status in 1888 and after the elevation of Wakefield to diocese, Wakefield Council immediately sought city status and this was granted in July 1888.[8] However the industrial revolution, which changed West and South Yorkshire significantly, led to the growth of Leeds and Bradford, which became the area's two largest cities (Leeds being the largest in Yorkshire). Leeds was granted city status in 1893 and Bradford in 1897. The name of Leeds Town Hall reflects the fact that at its opening in 1858 Leeds was not yet a city, while Bradford renamed its Town Hall as City Hall in 1965.[9]
Metropolitan borough
County boroughs
Non-county boroughs
Urban districts
Rural districts
West Yorkshire is an amalgamation of 53 former local government districts, including six county boroughs and ten municipal boroughs. |
Alternative word for “media” for disks, USB storage etc
I'm looking for a generic word to describe (removable) computer storage such as CDs, USB sticks, floppies etc which is as clear as possible to non-technical people. It doesn't have to clearly distinguish removable from fixed. "Media" and "storage" are both candidates, but I am not sure how natural they sound to the average person. "Disks" is my current choice, but using it for USB sticks seems to me to be stretching it slightly.
Media is the correct word for that. You could add an adjective or two and call it storage media if you thought that would help- or persistent storage media. Those are all non-technical English words that ought to be recognizable, especially in context, by any average computer user.
I've seen the term "removable media" used. I'd avoid using the adjective persistent, as that might get people thinking about the difference between, say, read-only and rewritable CDs.
@J.R. I suppose that's a valid point. When I use the term persistent it is to differentiate between storage that requires power to maintain the information vs storage that persists data even when power is removed.
Jim, no argument from me. I just think the term has potential to confuse, particularly if one assumes it will be universally interpreted in a certain way.
My two suggestions would be:
Peripheral storage Removable media
No matter what term you use, though, I'd recommend providing a either formal definition, or a parenthetical for example list. Don't assume everyone will automatically interpret the term in the same way. As technology evolves, it becomes more and more difficult to coin a brief term and have it universally recognized, with no potential for ambiguity or misinterpretation. The terms above could be used to describe an antiquated floppy disk, a CD, a DVD-RW, a USB memory stick, a flash card, a SIM card, or a 250 GB portable hard drive. For that matter, a digital camera, an .mp3 player, or even a cell phone could be used for portable digital storage.
Maybe storage device would also give the same meaning. |
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The Hon Dr Sharman Stone
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Federal Member for Murray
SS04/067
Vital biodiversity research receives $1.8 million Australian Government funding
Research on the identification of sea anemones, emerald moths, fungi and algal species are among over 50 projects to receive a share in more than $1.8 million funding from the Australian Government's Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS). Dr Sharman Stone, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage today announced the funding for taxonomic studies on Australia's unique plants, animals and other organisms. The announcement was made at a reception for media finalists in the 2004 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes for outstanding science and science communication. Dr Stone said the ABRS grants are awarded annually under the ABRS Participatory Program to scientists in universities, museums and herbaria, and to private researchers. "This national grants program provides critical support for taxonomists to describe and classify little-known plants, animals and micro-organisms," Dr Stone said. "The research focuses on the large number of species that are still very poorly known or completely undocumented." Several projects will contribute valuable information for coastal and marine programs, including a grant of $59,000 for the Queensland Museum to describe and document new species of sea anemones. "Less than 50% of these fascinating animals are currently known, yet they have great potential as bio-indicators for Australia's marine regions," Dr Stone said. The Australian Institute of Marine Science will receive $20,000 for a study of microbial diversity in seabed thermal vents and oil seeps in the Timor Sea, while the University of Sydney will receive nearly $18,000 for studies on zooanthellae (microalgae) living within coral species on the Great Barrier Reef. "This critical work on the Reef will lead to an increased understanding of coral tolerance and susceptibility to environmental stresses such as bleaching," Dr Stone said. The University of Tasmania will use its $47,500 grant to study Emerald Moths in Australia. The moths are found in diverse habitats ranging from forests to arid areas, and may serve as surrogate indicators of vegetation change. Dr Stone said that an important new element in the Participatory Program this year is the allocation of around $75,000 of the available funds to directly support the research and production of identification keys and electronic catalogues. "These research tools will be extremely useful for students, environmental managers and other scientists for a wide range of ecological studies," Dr Stone said. Dr Stone congratulated the grant recipients and said she was looking forward to seeing the results of their hard work. "These studies are helping the Australian Government deliver on its national research priorities, and they also underpin important natural resource management programs," she said. "With the support of the ABRS, the studies will help Australians better understand the richness and complexity of our natural assets and lay the groundwork for improved conservation strategies." For further information on the ABRS, visit For a list of projects, visit admin/grants/grants-04-05.html Accessibility |
Social Issues / Influences Of Mass Media In Sport
Read Full Essay Join Now! When a message is spread not just between two individuals but rather between thousands, it is known as mass media. Mass media is the central nervous system to society. The media has many different purposes, such as providing information, entertaining, persuading and also portraying a vague general function of culture to millions of people (Frederick, 18). In order for mass media to exist, there must to be an audience. Today’s society is very selective; each receiver reacts differently through their own experience and orientation to the media. Mass media evolved into many different forms such as magazines, television, newspapers, internet, motion pictures, and even plays. With such extreme varieties of mass media existing in society there are three major constraints that seem to have an impressionable impact on which form of media one becomes exposed and accustomed to. The major constraint of mass media is competition. This competition between different forms of media is very intense and capturing the sports world is a critical component to success. Apart from the competition among the various forms of media there is also competition within each form of the media. What I mean by this is that each network competes with all other television networks for a market share of the audience. Network companies such as Fox buy the rights to show American football games for millions of dollars, which they in turn make back through companies wanting to advertise during these games. The audience Fox attracts by showing these games also provides an audience for companies wanting to advertise their products and provides potential customers for their products. This life cycle exists in all forms of media apart from just television. Newspapers try to cover the best stories in all areas of life from tragedy to sports and entertainment. From a sociological stand point in today’s society it can be seen that sex and violence attracts the most attention. By examining the internet, which is the newest form of mass media, it can also be noted that internet hosts providing websites with sexual or violent content are the most frequently visited. This is how companies in the media industry compete with each other, by looking at what attracts the most attention and trying to provide it (Media Influences). Money also puts a considerable constraint on what forms of media an individual gets exposed to. If a person can’t afford to buy a television, that is restricting the information that they are able to take in from the media. This goes for the companies providing the information to us as well. These companies run on budget plans, and if there is a lack of money in the budget, they are unable to provide certain information to society (Scotney). Time is another hindering factor as it makes no difference how much media there is if people do not have time to receive the information. This is what makes radio and television so successful because they save a lot of time that you would normally have to spend reading a newspaper, magazine or article on the internet (Scotney). With the consideration of all these constraints this may create many difficulties for delivering the different channels of media to their desired target audiences. The purpose of this paper is to show how mass media influences society, and how it influences the sports within a society. With the constant growth of mass media many individuals have been offered tremendous opportunities. This paper will use the influences of mass media in the world of sports to show examples of these opportunities. Both the positive and negative effects of the mass media will be discussed, but I feel that the effects of mass media on sports have lead to a positive overall change. Sports coverage started to be used in about 1850 when reporters would use typewriters to write about major sporting events. In the 1920’s, radio stations started to broadcast sporting events live and experimental television broadcasts were started in the 1950’s. Today, Sports Illustrated prints an average of three million copies per week. Sports have become an influential part of the entertainment industry. The media, particularly television, has become intimately involved in the growth, production, and control of modern sports (Gomery, 146). In our society sports are a major part of today’s culture, as well as popular music, movies and television shows. As a result of following sporting events, our society learns to love or hate the sports icons in our world. We as a society like to know as much information as possible about our sports heroes. The mass media is more then willing to provide us with this information because it attracts an audience. Although, sometimes it can be controversial as to whether or not they provide more information than they really should. The boundaries of an athlete’s personal privacy are denied because of their status in society. The history, family background, current lifestyle and so forth of professional athletes are almost always going to be researched. The media forces athletes to live as perfect citizens and scrutinizes anything that would be deemed inappropriate. This could lead to millions of lost dollars in sponsorships for an athlete. This is not just isolated to sports figures, as politicians and key public figures are in the spotlight as well. Most major sports teams will pay reporters to report on their teams. By doing this it ensures them that the reports will focus on the positive aspects of their teams and have negative aspects toned down to some extent (Gutierrez). Individuals perceive that the media just simply reports the facts. In actuality they report a very structured version of the sporting event that someone has composed. This selective highlighting is not natural; it is based on certain criteria and media assumptions about what is considered to be “good televisionâ€. The presentation of sport thought the media, specifically on television, involves an active process of re-presentation. “What we see as the viewer is not the event, but the event transformed into something else – a media event.†(Eitzen, 98). Sports media has its own language that at times is both ethnically and gender biased. When reporters are covering sports events they report differently for male or female players or black or white players. Most Caucasian players receive performance related comments directed towards them and more attention in replays and excuses for mistakes (Gomery, 155). However, a black player might be accused of not possessing the same skills and that is why they couldn’t perform. Commentators tend to portray female athletes as inferior to males. The media frequently provides a highly stereotypical feminized view in presenting women’s sporting achievements (Christopherson, 3). More attention is also focused on male sporting events. If women are portrayed less frequently than their participation merits and if stereotypical or negative themes are stressed when women are included, this may have an impact on the socialization of young children’s view of women in sport (Gomery, 159). For so many years women have been told that they could not play sports or at least not as well as men. Lately the media is starting to release this stance and are now focusing a little more time on women’s sporting accomplishments (Scotney). I will exemplify these differences by examining the media’s societal influences in basketball. In the NCAA, the men’s final is known and presented to us by the media as the NCAA Final Four. The women’s final four however, is presented to us by the media as the NCAA Women’s Championship. In actuality they are both the final four but the media has just socially constructed the NCAA Final Four for men. This is the most viewed college tournament of the year. If the media differentiates them, then they can focus each tournament on the individual target audiences that they choose. The media has some control over sports due to certain teams and organizations depending on them in order to survive financially. Without the media exposure, new franchises would certainly not last very long. The media attention on women’s basketball as previously mentioned has actually increased women’s participation in the sport and could be considered the main contributor to the expansion of women’s basketball. During major sporting events changes are sometimes made to appeal to the television audiences. An example of this would be the changes that are currently being looked at by the NHL to increase scoring and create a more interesting game. Sponsorship in the sports world is another big issue. Without such a wide variety of mass media, companies would be much more reluctant to sponsor individual athletes. These companies pay unbelievable amounts of money to teams as well as to players to promote their products. It has also been seen lately that they may choose a player as a child and follow their career to help boost their sales. For example, Nike sponsored LeBron James before he even graduated from high school or was even drafted into the NBA (Gutierrez). With the media exposure that good players get today, these athletes are now seen as role models with their charismatic personalities and superior skills. The media is a main source of capital for sports teams, both amateur and professional. They can usually have some say on when the games are going to be played and also decide which teams are going to receive the most attention. It is not by chance that Monday Night Football is on at 9 o’clock at night. This gives the advertisers the ability to reach their target audience. The players do not want to play on Monday nights but for the advertiser, you go where there is a better chance of reaching more people. The careers of athletes can also be affected by the media. Dennis Rodman would not be nearly as famous as he is today if the media was not so involved with every part of his life. He loved the publicity and the media promoted his performance on and off the court to the public. No forms of media took a major interest in sports until the end of World War II. At the time, people’s interest in sports was growing rapidly mainly because of the transformation from recreational to competitive sport. In the early 1950’s professional leagues were starting to develop across the United States as business men began to realize the profits to be made in professional sports (Media Influences). At the time the main forms of media in households across North America were radio and newspapers, as very few families had televisions and live coverage of games was seen by very few. The rules and the format of the game had to be changed to make the game more fair and interesting to fans at the same time. Many sports historians contribute basketball transformation over the years to the media involvement. Media coverage of sporting events such as basketball grew dramatically as more and more households had both radios and televisions (Scotney). In professional sports, media coverage has increased the capacity of fans being able to watch the games and cheer on their teams even from their own home. People no longer have to attend games to be considered a fan of the sport. Money was no longer considered one of the constraints originally mentioned, to the enjoyment of sports. The media could take full responsibility for fostering the growth of basketball throughout the world. Most schools and public recreational facilities provide basketball courts, which show the growth of the sport. This is a direct result of the media exposure the sport has received throughout history (Gutierrez). Defining sport leads down an interesting path to mass media and consequently the effect it has had on sport. In a world where technology is becoming an increasingly detrimental part of the daily life and routines of the average person, it is necessary to look at the role mass media plays with sports. It is not a coincidence that audience oriented newspapers developed about the same time sports leagues began. Since then radio, telegraph, television, tapes, films and now computers are used to advertise, promote and sell sports, sports products, and the players themselves.Reference ListChristopherson, N., Janning, M., & McConnell, E.D. (2002). Two Kicks Forward, One Kick Back: A Content Analysis of Media Discourses on the 1999 Women’s World Cup Soccer Championship. Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.Eitzen, Stanley. (2001). Sport in Contemporary Society. New York: St. Martin’s. 6th Ed.Gomery, Douglas. (1998). Media in America: The Wilson Quarterly Reader. Washington D.C.: The Woodrow Wilson Center Press.Gutierrez, Israel. (1999). Caught in the Net. Retrieved from http://www.alligator.org/edit/issues/99-fall/991103/sports.htmlMedia Influences. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/pe/history/influencesrev2.shtmlScotney, Sean. (n.d.) Online Sports: Winning on the Web. Retrieved from http://www.speech.sir.com/academics/gibbs/students/busn6080-su-2001/scotney.htmlWhitney, Frederick. (1995). Mass Media and Mass Communications in Society. Pennsylvania: McGraw-Hill. |
The Palace of Ryn Jin was at the bottom of the sea, and was so beautiful that no one has ever seen anything like it even in dreams. The walls were of coral, the roof of jadestone and chrysoprase, and the floors were of the finest mother-of-pearl. But the Dragon King, in spite of his wide-spreading Kingdom, his beautiful Palace and all its wonders, and his power which none disputed throughout the whole sea, was not at all happy, for he reigned alone. At last he thought that if he married he would not only be happier, but also more powerful. So he decided to take a wife. Calling all his fish retainers together, he chose several of them as ambassadors to go through the sea and seek for a young Dragon Princess who would be his bride.
At last they returned to the Palace bringing with them a lovely young dragon. Her scales were of glittering green like the wings of summer beetles, her eyes threw out glances of fire, and she was dressed in gorgeous robes. All the jewels of the sea worked in with embroidery adorned them.
The King fell in love with her at once, and the wedding ceremony was celebrated with great splendor. Every living thing in the sea, from the great whales down to the little shrimps, came in shoals to offer their congratulations to the bride and bridegroom and to wish them a long and prosperous life. Never had there been such an assemblage or such gay festivities in the Fish-World before. The train of bearers who carried the bride’s possessions to her new home seemed to reach across the waves from one end of the sea to the other. Each fish carried a phosphorescent lantern and was dressed in ceremonial robes, gleaming blue and pink and silver; and the waves as they rose and fell and broke that night seemed to be rolling masses of white and green fire, for the phosphorus shone with double brilliancy in honor of the event.
Now for a time the Dragon King and his bride lived very happily. They loved each other dearly, and the bridegroom day after day took delight in showing his bride all the wonders and treasures of his coral Palace, and she was never tired of wandering with him through its vast halls and gardens. Life seemed to them both like a long summer’s day.
Two months passed in this happy way, and then the Dragon Queen fell ill and was obliged to stay in bed. The King was sorely troubled when he saw his precious bride so ill, and at once sent for the fish doctor to come and give her some medicine. He gave special orders to the servants to nurse her carefully and to wait upon her with diligence, but in spite of all the nurses’ assiduous care and the medicine that the doctor prescribed, the young Queen showed no signs of recovery, but grew daily worse.
Then the Dragon King interviewed the doctor and blamed him for not curing the Queen. The doctor was alarmed at Ryn Jin’s evident displeasure, and excused his want of skill by saying that although he knew the right kind of medicine to give the invalid, it was impossible to find it in the sea.
“Do you mean to tell me that you can’t get the medicine here?” asked the Dragon King.
“It is just as you say!” said the doctor.
“Tell me what it is you want for the Queen?” demanded Ryn Jin.
“I want the liver of a live monkey!” answered the doctor.
“The liver of a live monkey! Of course that will be most difficult to get,” said the King.
“If we could only get that for the Queen, Her Majesty would soon recover,” said the doctor.
“Very well, that decides it; we MUST get it somehow or other. But where are we most likely to find a monkey?” asked the King.
Then the doctor told the Dragon King that some distance to the south there was a Monkey Island where a great many monkeys lived.
“If only you could capture one of these monkeys?” said the doctor.
“How can any of my people capture a monkey?” said the Dragon King, greatly puzzled. “The monkeys live on dry land, while we live in the water; and out of our element we are quite powerless! I don’t see what we can do!”
“That has been my difficulty too,” said the doctor. “But amongst your innumerable servants you surely can find one who can go on shore for that express purpose!”
“Something must be done,” said the King, and calling his chief steward he consulted him on the matter.
The chief steward thought for some time, and then, as if struck by a sudden thought, said joyfully:
“I know what we must do! There is the kurage (jelly fish). He is certainly ugly to look at, but he is proud of being able to walk on land with his four legs like a tortoise. Let us send him to the Island of Monkeys to catch one.”
The jelly fish was then summoned to the King’s presence, and was told by His Majesty what was required of him.
The jelly fish, on being told of the unexpected mission which was to be entrusted to him, looked very troubled, and said that he had never been to the island in question, and as he had never had any experience in catching monkeys he was afraid that he would not be able to get one.
“Well,” said the chief steward, “if you depend on your strength or dexterity you will never catch a monkey. The only way is to play a trick on one!”
“How can I play a trick on a monkey? I don’t know how to do it,” said the perplexed jelly fish.
“This is what you must do,” said the wily chief steward. “When you approach the Island of Monkeys and meet some of them, you must try to get very friendly with one. Tell him that you are a servant of the Dragon King, and invite him to come and visit you and see the Dragon King’s Palace. Try and describe to him as vividly as you can the grandeur of the Palace and the wonders of the sea so as to arouse his curiosity and make him long to see it all!”
“But how am I to get the monkey here? You know monkeys don’t swim?” said the reluctant jelly fish.
“You must carry him on your back. What is the use of your shell if you can’t do that!” said the chief steward.
“Won’t he be very heavy?” queried kurage again.
“You mustn’t mind that, for you are working for the Dragon King,” replied the chief steward.
“I will do my best then,” said the jelly fish, and he swam away from the Palace and started off towards the Monkey Island. Swimming swiftly he reached his destination in a few hours, and landed by a convenient wave upon the shore. On looking round he saw not far away a big pine-tree with drooping branches and on one of those branches was just what he was looking for—a live monkey.
“I’m in luck!” thought the jelly fish. “Now I must flatter the creature and try to entice him to come back with me to the Palace, and my part will be done!”
So the jelly fish slowly walked towards the pine-tree. In those ancient days the jelly fish had four legs and a hard shell like a tortoise. When he got to the pine-tree he raised his voice and said:
“How do you do, Mr. Monkey? Isn’t it a lovely day?”
“A very fine day,” answered the monkey from the tree. “I have never seen you in this part of the world before. Where have you come from and what is your name?”
“My name is kurage or jelly fish. I am one of the servants of the Dragon King. I have heard so much of your beautiful island that I have come on purpose to see it,” answered the jelly fish.
“I am very glad to see you,” said the monkey.
“By the by,” said the jelly fish, “have you ever seen the Palace of the Dragon King of the Sea where I live?”
“I have often heard of it, but I have never seen it!” answered the monkey.
“Then you ought most surely to come. It is a great pity for you to go through life without seeing it. The beauty of the Palace is beyond all description—it is certainly to my mind the most lovely place in the world,” said the jelly fish.
“Is it so beautiful as all that?” asked the monkey in astonishment.
Then the jelly fish saw his chance, and went on describing to the best of his ability the beauty and grandeur of the Sea King’s Palace, and the wonders of the garden with its curious trees of white, pink and red coral, and the still more curious fruits like great jewels hanging on the branches. The monkey grew more and more interested, and as he listened he came down the tree step by step so as not to lose a word of the wonderful story.
“I have got him at last!” thought the jelly fish, but aloud he said:
“Mr. Monkey. I must now go back. As you have never seen the Palace of the Dragon King, won’t you avail yourself of this splendid opportunity by coming with me? I shall then be able to act as guide and show you all the sights of the sea, which will be even more wonderful to you—a land-lubber.”
“I should love to go,” said the monkey, “but how am I to cross the water! I can’t swim, as you surely know!”
“There is no difficulty about that. I can carry you on my back.”
“That will be troubling you too much,” said the monkey.
“I can do it quite easily. I am stronger than I look, so you needn’t hesitate,” said the jelly fish, and taking the monkey on his back he stepped into the sea.
“Keep very still, Mr. Monkey,” said the jelly fish. “You mustn’t fall into the sea; I am responsible for your safe arrival at the King’s Palace.”
“Please don’t go so fast, or I am sure I shall fall off,” said the monkey.
Thus they went along, the jelly fish skimming through the waves with the monkey sitting on his back. When they were about half-way, the jelly fish, who knew very little of anatomy, began to wonder if the monkey had his liver with him or not!
“Mr. Monkey, tell me, have you such a thing as a liver with you?”
The monkey was very much surprised at this queer question, and asked what the jelly fish wanted with a liver.
“That is the most important thing of all,” said the stupid jelly fish, “so as soon as I recollected it, I asked you if you had yours with you?”
“Why is my liver so important to you?” asked the monkey.
“Oh! You will learn the reason later,” said the jelly fish.
The monkey grew more and more curious and suspicious, and urged the jelly fish to tell him for what his liver was wanted, and ended up by appealing to his hearer’s feelings by saying that he was very troubled at what he had been told.
Then the jelly fish, seeing how anxious the monkey looked, was sorry for him, and told him everything. How the Dragon Queen had fallen ill, and how the doctor had said that only the liver of a live monkey would cure her, and how the Dragon King had sent him to find one.
“Now I have done as I was told, and as soon as we arrive at the Palace the doctor will want your liver, so I feel sorry for you!” said the silly jelly fish.
The poor monkey was horrified when he learnt all this, and very angry at the trick played upon him. He trembled with fear at the thought of what was in store for him.
But the monkey was a clever animal, and he thought it the wisest plan not to show any sign of the fear he felt, so he tried to calm himself and to think of some way by which he might escape.
“The doctor means to cut me open and then take my liver out! Why I shall die!” thought the monkey. At last a bright thought struck him, so he said quite cheerfully to the jelly fish:
“What a pity it was, Mr. Jelly Fish, that you did not speak of this before we left the island!”
“If I had told why I wanted you to accompany me you would certainly have refused to come,” answered the jelly fish.
“You are quite mistaken,” said the monkey. “Monkeys can very well spare a liver or two, especially when it is wanted for the Dragon Queen of the Sea. If I had only guessed of what you were in need, I should have presented you with one without waiting to be asked. I have several livers. But the greatest pity is, that as you did not speak in time, I have left all my livers hanging on the pine-tree.”
“Have you left your liver behind you?” asked the jelly fish.
“Yes,” said the cunning monkey, “during the daytime I usually leave my liver hanging up on the branch of a tree, as it is very much in the way when I am climbing about from tree to tree. Today, listening to your interesting conversation, I quite forgot it, and left it behind when I came off with you. If only you had spoken in time I should have remembered it, and should have brought it along with me!”
The jelly fish was very disappointed when he heard this, for he believed every word the monkey said. The monkey was of no good without a liver. Finally the jelly fish stopped and told the monkey so.
“Well,” said the monkey, “that is soon remedied. I am really sorry to think of all your trouble; but if you will only take me back to the place where you found me, I shall soon be able to get my liver.”
The jelly fish did not at all like the idea of going all the way back to the island again; but the monkey assured him that if he would be so kind as to take him back he would get his very best liver, and bring it with him the next time. Thus persuaded, the jelly fish turned his course towards the Monkey Island once more.
No sooner had the jelly fish reached the shore than the sly monkey landed, and getting up into the pine-tree where the jelly fish had first seen him, he cut several capers amongst the branches with joy at being safe home again, and then looking down at the jelly fish said:
“So many thanks for all the trouble you have taken! Please present my compliments to the Dragon King on your return!”
The jelly fish wondered at this speech and the mocking tone in which it was uttered. Then he asked the monkey if it wasn’t his intention to come with him at once after getting his liver.
The monkey replied laughingly that he couldn’t afford to lose his liver: it was too precious.
“But remember your promise!” pleaded the jelly fish, now very discouraged.
“That promise was false, and anyhow it is now broken!” answered the monkey. Then he began to jeer at the jelly fish and told him that he had been deceiving him the whole time; that he had no wish to lose his life, which he certainly would have done had he gone on to the Sea King’s Palace to the old doctor waiting for him, instead of persuading the jelly fish to return under false pretenses.
“Of course, I won’t give you my liver, but come and get it if you can!” added the monkey mockingly from the tree.
There was nothing for the jelly fish to do now but to repent of his stupidity, and to return to the Dragon King of the Sea and to confess his failure, so he started sadly and slowly to swim back. The last thing he heard as he glided away, leaving the island behind him, was the monkey laughing at him.
Meanwhile the Dragon King, the doctor, the chief steward, and all the servants were waiting impatiently for the return of the jelly fish. When they caught sight of him approaching the Palace, they hailed him with delight. They began to thank him profusely for all the trouble he had taken in going to Monkey Island, and then they asked him where the monkey was.
Now the day of reckoning had come for the jelly fish. He quaked all over as he told his story. How he had brought the monkey halfway over the sea, and then had stupidly let out the secret of his commission; how the monkey had deceived him by making him believe that he had left his liver behind him.
The Dragon King’s wrath was great, and he at once gave orders that the jelly fish was to be severely punished. The punishment was a horrible one. All the bones were to be drawn out from his living body, and he was to be beaten with sticks.
The poor jelly fish, humiliated and horrified beyond all words, cried out for pardon. But the Dragon King’s order had to be obeyed. The servants of the Palace forthwith each brought out a stick and surrounded the jelly fish, and after pulling out his bones they beat him to a flat pulp, and then took him out beyond the Palace gates and threw him into the water. Here he was left to suffer and repent his foolish chattering, and to grow accustomed to his new state of bonelessness.
From this story it is evident that in former times the jelly fish once had a shell and bones something like a tortoise, but, ever since the Dragon King’s sentence was carried out on the ancestor of the jelly fishes, his descendants have all been soft and boneless just as you see them to-day thrown up by the waves high upon the shores of Japan. |
Evan in Ukraine
Had to move to another blog site...
Hi Friends! Thanks for following me on this blog, but I've had to move to a different site where I can password protect everything. Just another lovely rule brought to you by Peace Corps :-)
Anyway, my new blog site is as follows:
Evan Posted by
Finishing up Pre-Service Training and Moving On...
Hello again from South-Central Ukraine!
My time here for Pre-Service Training is quickly coming to an end, so I want to do a quick update before I head off to my new location… wherever that may be. As I’ve expressed earlier, my time here has been very busy and very chaotic but it’s all come together in the end. I’ve now taught just under 20 lessons in the school here and I’m feeling very comfortable in front of a class. In writing all my lesson plans there has been a big focus on teaching in a communicative style to really get the students speaking. It’s an interesting task to use the nationally issued textbooks and follow the national curriculum but at the same time conduct lessons in a positive, energetic atmosphere. I taught the 3rd, 7th, and 8th grades here and I ended with a positive relationship with all of them. They all wanted to take pictures with me on my last day teaching, and my 8th grade class handmade some very nice keepsakes for me to take with me. Another very positive aspect of our last week at school was the fact that we sang and danced a traditional Ukrainian song in front of the whole school this past Friday. It was a day of national song and dance, and the school didn’t want us to be left out. We were told we should participate and there is no way to say no to that… The four folks in my group (plus our two Ukrainian teachers) got all dressed up in the traditional Ukrainian clothes and sang a fun song that everyone in the country seems to know… I’ll upload some pictures when I can, they’re worth the wait :-) Our community project was another big activity we’ve been working on over the past months and it will be wrapping up here in the next 48 hours. The school here is really lacking in authentic (or any) audio resources of native English speakers. We have spent the last couple weeks recording audio tracks to go along with the textbooks that the teachers/students use. Hours and hours of audio tracks… all…read…very…slowly… It’s been a time consuming though very meaningful project and we can get a nice warm fuzzy feeling knowing that students in the 5th through 9th grades will be listening to our voices drone on for years to come :-) With a grant we applied for through the Peace Corps we were also able to facilitate the purchase of a small boom-box for the schools English department so that they can easily use the newly recorded CDs. Language was the other main component of this Pre-Service Training time and that will be concluding today with our Language Proficiency Interview (LPI). Gotta love Peace Corps with their many wonderful TLA [Three-Letter-Acronyms]. I’m feeling very happy with the level of language I’ve achieved in these short (though oh-so-very long!) three months. Living with a host family has been a great help when it came to learning the language, mainly because the house gets pretty damn quiet if you’re not trying to talk. My host mother Holla has been wonderful. It’s often the case when we have guests over (speaking rapid fire Ukrainian or Surjek, a mixture of Ukrainian and Russian) that Holla will ‘translate’ into simplified Ukrainian that she knows I can understand. It’s been an interesting learning process and I look forward to getting more proficient over the coming two years.
And now, just as a place starts to feel like home and the community welcomes you with open arms, it’s off into the unknown again. On Monday the 13th (less than a week now!) our bus arrives to pick us up along with all our baggage (physical and mental) and bring us back to Kiev. That afternoon we’ll learn how we scored on our language tests as well as (drum-roll please) where we’ll be heading for the next 24 months. The following day we’ll meet our local counterpart, who is a teacher from the community that we’ll be working in and will be our closest co-worker for the whole time at our site. No pressure there :-) The day after that is the official Swearing-In Ceremony, which is a big event with Ambassadors there as well as national news crews filming the whole thing. And that same evening you hop on a bus/or overnight train (depending on how far you’re going) and head out to your new site. And that’s that, a new home for the next couple years. I have a gut feeling about where I’m headed generally, but I don’t want to jinx it by putting it down in writing. I’m excited about whatever may come, and ready to get started…
Hi friends, hope all is well in your world, wherever you may be reading this. I’ve got a couple of free afternoon hours today, a rarity I assure you, so I want to take some time and give everyone an update from village life in Ukraine. As I said in my last blog, most of my time is devoured by language classes, teacher training, lesson planning, and then teaching lessons in the local school. It’s certainly a lot to do, and doesn’t leave me much energy for writing at the close of each day. But, luckily for me, internet is hard to come by in these parts, so I don’t have the temptation or the ability to keep do regular updates or surf aimlessly… I do sometimes wish I could stay in touch a bit better. I’m definitely cut off from the world around me at this point and have been wholly focused to my tasks everyday. I’ve had a lot of experiences here and I wish I could share more them with you guys. There are a few homes with hardwired internet here, dial up speed, but most folks with laptops use a mobile internet modem that operates through the mobile phone network. I’ve borrowed one a couple times, but reception is spotty at best and you spend more time running around in circles trying to find a signal than you do actually online. So moving forward, I’m just going to do my writing when I can find the time, and upload it when I can find a signal. For you all on the receiving end, I know this may result in a feast or famine flow in info. But please bear with me if you can for these first couple months, and when I get to my permanent site in the middle of December I should be able to work out the kinks…_______________________________
I also think it is meaningful that I am learning a new language at the same time that I am learning to teach language to others. It is a very effective way to put me into the shoes of the students that I will be teaching. It means I know it’s difficult. I know how exhausting (utterly draining!) it is to battle for understanding and meaning when everything sounds the same, blends together. I know it’s sometimes awkward and uncomfortable and embarrassing. But these are all hurdles to overcome in pursuit of a goal. For my students that goal may be to do well on their exams, get into a better college or university. Get a good job. For me that goal is to get my language ability up to a point where I’ll be able to negotiate life here for the next two years. Learn the culture, and truly get to know the people. At this point, any conversation deeper than ‘I like apples’ or ‘I will go to Kyiv tomorrow’ involves a lot of slow repeating, hand gestures, and moderate-at-best understanding, but I’ve got high hopes…
Learning Ukrainian in a classroom setting here, four hours a day, is taxing. With everything else piled on top of language, it’s often daunting. Every minute is scheduled out, and I don’t have anything that I would define as personal time. But I know that there’s a method to the madness and everything that I’m learning: language, teaching techniques, lesson planning, cultural understanding, will all be incredibly relevant for my next two years here. Sure, I often feel like a child being led around by the hand (sometimes I literally am let around by the hand by my loving host mother). And, yes, the image of a toddler with so much to say and no ability to say it often pops into my head as I try to explain what should be relatively easy to say. But when I finally manage to get my point across (and keep to toddler-style temper tantrums to a minimum) then I feel like a little bit of forward progress has been made. And on that note, I’m going to finish up for the day because my host mother just came in and said it’s time for dinner in five minutes. She also said a whole bunch of other stuff; about the bazaar and work and the elections yesterday, but I’m not sure what exactly... We’ve got a nice long dinner and chai to drink afterwards, we’ll work out the details. But “dinner in five minutes,” that I understand. It’s the simple things in life, right?
After arriving in Ukraine on the 26th of September my group, known as Group 40, had two days for what they call an arrival retreat in a town a bit to the northeast of Kyiv. It was a whole lot of informational meetings, paperwork and general administrative stuff to get the ball rolling. It was also nice to have two days to compose a bit and get our bearings. The group that I arrived with had ~55 people with another 40ish comming a few days later (they had visa issues a got delayed...). At the end of that arrival retreat we were broken up into our 'clusters' which is usually a group of 4-8 people that live in the same village/town during the three months of Pre Service Training (PST). These are the folks that you take language classes with, get teacher training, and do your PST community/school projects with. I've been luckey enough to end up with a cluster of very good people, four of us total, which has made PST thus far interesting and doable (though extremely busy, stressful, and chaotic!!)
For our three months of PST my cluster is living in the village of Kevshovata, a community of about 3000 people (counting all the out-skirts...) with one school, one post office, 3 stores that carry identical products, and lots of lovely rural views. I'm living with a host family which consists of my host mother Aholla, her husband Petro (who lives in his own house on the other side of the driveway, he's 72 and has some issues with his legs) and their grandson Maxeem, who just had his 13th birthday which we celebrated with a cake and champagne. Like I said, it's definately a rural community... we have about 20 chickens (the number depends on what's for dinner) and 4 or 5 roosters who are my alarm clock in the mornings. Ukrainian culture and life revolves around food, and your are always having more and more pushed on you as a gesture of hospitality... I never leave the breakfast or dinner table feeling hungery, or capable of walking for that matter. I've been eating lots of borshch and other soups, little meat patties, lots of potatoes and beets, and drinking tea like it's my job... it kind of is. Every weekday we have 4 (!) hours of Ukrainian language class, which is so damn complex I'll dedicate a whole blog entirely to it, but just a taste: all nouns are conjugated with different ending for gender, different endings if there is one of them or 2-5 of them, or 5+, numbers are conjugated based on gender too, nouns are also conjugated with different endings (based on gender) depending on how they are used in the sentence (direct object vs. indirect object) etc. I'll vent on all of that in a different blog :-)
I've also started teaching. I had my first 7th Grade English class in the local school last week, and I'll have two more this comming week. We receive 'technical training' on teaching techniques and lesson planning tutoring. We are also getting started on a community project, which is as yet undefined, but should prove to be very rewarding and very time consuming :-) Aside from all of that there is always stuff to do around the house, helping out in the kitchen, work around the yard, etc. All in all there is a lot to do and not enogh time to do it in. I don't sleep to much but when I do it's deep... until I hear those damn roosters :-)
Welcome to my new blog for the next 27 months as I embark on this new adventure with the Peace Corps in Ukraine. After saying goodbye to my life and all my great friends in Bozeman, I spent last month in upstate New York splitting time between my folks place in Rexford and our place up on Schroon Lake in the Adirondacks. I gave myself all that time to get my ducks in a row before I hit the road, but in typical form I procrastinated like a professional and left the majority of the work to shut down my life to my last week in town. So, I've spent the past five days running around in circles trying to get everything in order. I was successful for the most part, though it did cost me a fair bit of anxiety and sleep. As if packing up for a 27 month journey into the unknown of Ukraine was not enough to keep me on my toes, my parents are also moving. They're heading to Shanghai in the beginning of November and most likely selling their place in Rexford. That means that I ended up packing two times over in the past week, because everything not coming with me will be heading into the chaos of a storage facility. Anyway, everything came down to the wire last night as I found myself bleary eyed at 3:30am packing and repacking my two bags to check until each was under the allotted 50lb. limit. When I finally got it sorted out my head hit the pillow at 3:45am and I got a fleeting nights sleep until my alarm went off at 4:15am. That whole sleep thing is overrated anyway, especially in high stress situations... My 6am flight to DC was uneventful until we were coming in for a landing at sunrise, cruising past the Washington Monument with the monument and a fiery red sky shimmering up from the reflecting pool in the mall. Beautiful way to start the day to say the least, or rather, to continue the previous day. There are 56 people in my group heading for Ukraine, all English teachers to-be, and right off the bat in the airport shuttle the introductions and good ol' get to know you stuff was in full force. This two days here in DC is what they call Stateside Orientation (or Pre-Pre-Service Training, PPST :-) and is a general introduction to the Peace Corps and how they operate. General health issues, safety issues, overview of what these first few months will look like, etc. Kind of felt like college orientation, and in fact most of the volunteers were relatively recent college grads. The average Peace Corps age is 28, but at 27 I think I'm the oldest volunteer in the group. And for tomorrow, we head out to the airport in the afternoon for an overnight to Frankfurt and then on to Kiev by mid-day Sunday. The 56 of up are split into 6 groups and I was nominated to be a group leader for the trip. Day One, Task One and it's responsibility time already, so here we go.
We'll have 3 days near Kiev, during which time we'll get country specific orientation info from the Ukraine Country Office. In that time I'll learn if I'll be learning Ukrainian or Russian as my main language and I'll also learn who is in my learning cluster (6-10 folks I think) and those will be the people in my village, sharing language classes and English Teaching classes. And after that it's off to my Pre-Service Training (PST) with my cluster for three months, living with a family and getting down to business. I'm not sure where it will all lead for me, but what I do know is that I'm still running on the 30 minutes sleep from last night and it's time for me to collapse into a pillow before another long day manana. I won't have any internet access for at least a week, possibly longer, but when I do I'll be posting some more of what's happening, which will be a whole lot at that point.... |
The Timucua
The Timucua (tee-MOO-qua) settled in central and northeastern Florida. It is believed that the Timucua may have been the first Native Americans to see the Spanish explorers when they landed in Florida. Early explorers often used the language of the Timucua to communicate with other tribes. Life in the Villages In Timucuan villages, there were usually two kinds of houses. One type of home, referred to as a long house, was built using poles for the frame, bark for the walls, and branches from palmetto palm trees for the roof. The other type of home was round and covered with leaves of palm trees. The Timucua were known to have more permanent villages than the other tribes. Each family had their own home but the cooking took place in the village and meals were held daily in a central location. They wore clothing made from deerskin and woven cloth. The men wore their hair long with a topknot. Timucua liked to hold ceremonies for planting, harvesting, and honoring leaders who died. A shaman, the religious leader of the tribe, conducted the ceremonies. Hunting and Fishing The Timucua, like other Native Americans, were skilled hunters and fishermen. The men made tools for hunting and fishing. They used spears, clubs, bows and arrows, and blowguns, to kill their game. Some of the game that they used for food included bears, deer, wild turkey, and alligators. They smoked the meat over open fires. The women would clean and prepare the animal hides and use them for clothing. The men also caught fish, clams, and oysters for food. They used a fishing trap called a weir. This trap was a wood fence that stretched across a stream or river to catch fish. Once the fish swam over the fence in high tide, the weir caught them as the tide went out. Farming was another important means of obtaining food for the Timucua. The main crops that they harvested were maize (corn), beans, squash, pumpkins, and melons. The women cooked the meals and gathered roots, nuts and wild berries to eat. The women also made pottery to use for cooking. Fighting War and Disease During the time period from 1649 through 1656, the population of the Timucuan tribe began to diminish. Although the Timucua were one of the more peaceful tribes, they would fight back when pushed. The war with the English and other Indians decreased their numbers. In addition, a series of epidemics struck them, the major one being smallpox. As the tribe died out, it is believed that those who survived the disease may have later joined the Seminole Tribe. Home > Florida Then & Now > A Short History of Florida > The Timucua |
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Topic of the Month April 2014
Facilitated IEP Meeting
IEP facilitation is a process that helps foster effective communication between parents and districts as they develop a mutually acceptable individualized education program for a child. The process promotes productive IEP meetings that are conducted in a respectful and collaborative manner. The Illinois State Board of Education is in the process of implementing facilitated IEPs to build district level capacity to develop child-centered IEPs and to decrease the number of more formal dispute resolution processes. Pilot projects will be in place next school year (2014-2015). Parents of children with disabilities or school personnel will have the right to request state-sponsored IEP facilitation services from the Illinois State Board of Education. There will be no cost to the parent or the school district. The state-sponsored facilitator will be a neutral party and not a member of the IEP team or an advocate for any person on the team. The facilitator will promote dialog and encourage participation for decision making, but will not impose a decision upon the group. The facilitator’s role will include:
*focusing on the process of the meeting and supporting all parties full participation
*modeling effective communication
*keeping team members on task
*clarifying points of agreement and disagreement, and
*providing team members opportunities to consider alternative solutions. Learn more about Facilitated IEP Meetings from CADRE-the Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education:
Facilitated IEP Meetings
Is your child making adequate progress? Would you like to see research about the effectiveness of instructional strategies and interventions used by educators at your child’s school? Would you like information on the level of effectiveness and the age group for which the intervention was designed? Funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, the IRIS Center provides educators with information on evidence-based practices. The Center has summarized research on a variety of interventions and strategies. At their website you will find a list of interventions divided into categories such as Mathematics; Reading, Literacy, Language Arts; Transition; and Behavior and Classroom Management. Under each category a number of interventions are listed in alphabetical order and it is noted whether the intervention has been ‘proven highly effective’, ‘proven effective’, ‘proven to have mixed effects’, or ‘not yet been proven effective’ for a particular age range of students. For example, under the Mathematics category, Saxon Math has been ‘proven effective’ for students in grades 1 through 5; has been ‘proven to have mixed effects’ for students in grades 6 through 8, and has ‘not yet been proven effective’ for students in grades 8 through 12. IRIS Evidence-Based Practices
Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder is a report that provides evidence about which educational and therapeutic practices are effective with students diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Tables 7 and 8 in Chapter 3 list the evidence-based practices, define them, and show which age groups reported improvement after using the practice. This report was produced by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, and the Autism Evidence-Based Practice Review Group and was funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs and the Institute of Education Science. Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder
DISCIPLINE AT SCHOOL
“Our goal of preparing all students for college, careers, and civic life cannot be met without first creating safe schools where effective teaching and learning can take place.” This is the opening sentence in the ‘Dear Colleague’ letter from Arne Duncan on January 8, 2014 that prefaces the Guiding Principles-A Resource Guide for Improving School Climate and Discipline issued by the U.S. Department of Education. The letter goes on to say that “unfortunately, a significant number of students are removed from class each year – even for minor infractions of school rules – due to exclusionary discipline practices, which disproportionately impact students of color and students with disabilities”. This guidance document discusses approaches to creating safe and supportive conditions for learning. The guiding principles to improve school climate and discipline include:
1-create positive climates and focus on prevention;
2-develop clear, appropriate, and consistent expectations and consequences to address disruptive student behaviors; and
3-ensure fairness, equity, and continuous improvement. Read this resource guide:
January 2014 Path to Transformation 1115 Waiver
The federal government has specific rules about what Medicaid funds can cover. States can apply for WAIVERS to those rules. States can ask to expand eligibility to additional individuals and to provide services not typically covered by Medicaid.
Illinois currently has nine Waiver programs. Each of the Illinois Waiver Programs has its own rules and service delivery system. These programs serve:
-the elderly
-people with brain injuries
-people with physical disabilities (Division of Rehab Services)
-children who are medically fragile/technology dependent
-people with HIV or AIDS
-people with physical disabilities or elderly persons who need supported housing
-adults with developmental/intellectual disabilities (home-based services)
-children with developmental/intellectual disabilities (home-based services)
-children with developmental/intellectual disabilities that need residential placement
Governor Quinn’s office is proposing to combine all nine Waiver Programs into one program. The new waiver will be called “Path to Transformation”. Read a summary of what is being proposed here:Path to Transformation Concept Paper |
Butterflies and Wheels Gnu atheism, women's rights, internationalism, universalism, and gossip « People with conventional views must repress a gag reflex
Another one: Abdul Aziz Mohamed El Baz »
Guest post by Iain Walker Categories: Notes and Comment Blog
by Ophelia Benson Originally a comment on Why the Catholic church is an intrinsically immoral institution.
Minow (#22):
No it isn’t, it could reform to be less or more authoritarian, as the Anglican church did.
There are two issues here regarding the authoritarianism of the Church. Firstly, there’s one of authoritarianism in practice – the fact that it is a hierarchical organisation which emphasises obediance to the teachings promulgated from the top, and which traditionally has had a low tolerance of dissent from those teachings. This might be capable of reform, although I’m not holding my breath. There’s an awful lot of institutional and doctrinal inertia to be overcome, and any reform is (at least initially) going to have to be top-down. And I’m far from convinced that Senor Bergoglio has the moral imagination for the kind of radical transformation required – he’s at best a moderate conservative with a very selective view of what needs fixing, not a serious, root-and-branch reformer.
Secondly, there’s the issue of authoritarianism in principle. Theism itself is inherently authoritarian, in that it teaches that human fulfilment must be based on the adoption of a subservient attitude towards an unaccountable authority. Some theists (the Quakers spring to mind) manage to erect a kind of egalitarian firewall between this core principle and their day-to-day values and teachings, but it still remains the case that the tendency even in the more egalitarian sects is to teach that it is up to the individual to determine what God wants him/her to do. I.e., for all their talk of “conscience”, the underlying belief-system remains a deeply authoritarian one.
The Catholic Church is an organisation that is built on this kind of thinking. There may be Protestant sects that emphasise the submission to divine power rather more explicitly and with rather more frothing at the mouth, but the Church has constructed itself on the basis of a self-image in which it is a necessary part of the divine hierarchy. Its structure and doctrines are highly dependent on metaphysical assumptions about power, authority and submission, with God at the top, the Church in the middle, and the punters in the pews at the bottom. In other words, the authoritarianism of the Church isn’t just a matter of institutional organisation – it’s an integral part of the very mindset that gives it its raison d’etre. And while the former might possibly be reformable whilst still retaining the substance of Catholicism, the latter … not so much.
In fact, I think human rights is really a religious idea, it comes from Christianity.
There’s an element of truth in this, but only a very small one. The idea of natural law as developed by medieval Christian theologians is often seen as being influential on the later development of the idea of human rights, but the main work was done by secular thinkers like Locke, Spinoza, Rousseau, Paine, Godwin, J.S. Mill and others, some of whom were Christians and some of whom weren’t.
More to the point, the influence of Christianity is at best a contingent fact of history rather than a necessary requirement. The concept of universal human rights is a secular one in that it does not presuppose any religious assumptions, and can be derived without reference to any religious ideas – all you need to do is recognise reciprocation as the foundation of human moral behaviour and be willing to universalise consistently. Just as the Golden Rule crops up independently in many different cultures, human rights is not dependent on any one historical belief system.
No, that’s incorrect. There are many examples of innate or natural rights of persons being recognised independent (in whole or in part) of Christian influence. For example, ancient Roman concepts of ius naturale and its antecedent ius gentium recognised fundamental rights of all persons, and predated Christianity by several centuries. These influenced customary laws in much of the world for centuries right up to the Magna Carta, which was not a religious document but in fact codified concepts that themselves were in conflict with Christian teaching and caused tension with the Church of England and the Papacy (e.g it held idea that the Church of England’s rights were inviolable, including the right of conviction for heresy without trial, whilst in contradiction also holding that the population had a right to due process). Furthermore, many indigenous peoples that remain uninfluenced by Christianity have long held their own concepts of innate rights, whilst others had their own notions of innate rights before exposure to more recent Christian teaching; for example we know much about concepts of innate rights held by native Americans prior to colonisation. Also, what about other religions? Are we to believe that they never had any notions of human rights until Christianity gave it to them? That’s about as backward a view of non-Christian thought as I can imagine. On the contrary, ancient Hinduism and Islam had clear concepts of rights, whilst ancient Buddhism, though it had no fomalised protections, had clear ethical concepts which are still relevant today . Many of us today would feel that aspects of current Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic thought on human rights are fundamentally ass-ways, particularly with regard to the rights of women. And we might agree that much of Western thought on human rights, which has been a foundation of the UN Declaration on Human Rights, has been influenced by some Christian scholars. But to say that the concept of human rights comes from Christianity (even in part) is to ignore history and a vast amount of cultural evidence to the contrary.
mudpuddles (#6):
You seem to be presenting your (very well put) comments as a disagreement, but for the most part you’re actually just expanding on the points I was making. The “very small” “element of truth” I was referring to was no more than the point that historically, Christian theologians had some input to the concept of human rights as it evolved in the West – a contingent fact that totally fails to support Minow’s attempt to claim the idea as a Christian one. The modern secular notion of universal human rights could have emerged from any number of cultural contexts (and as you point out, precursors and parallel notions have). As it was, in the West, Christian thinkers did have a pass at the script that they inherited from Classical thinkers, and the secular thinkers of the Enlightenment inherited it from them in turn. Acknowledging this is not the same as saying that they deserve a full-blown script-writing credit.
I’m also a little cautious about reading ancient codes and ideas through the lens of modern human rights thinking – there’s a risk of exaggerating the similarities while neglecting the original context – but other than a few points of emphasis, I don’t particularly disagree with what you say.
Oh, and Ophelia, thanks for considering this to be worth reposting.
Minow
but it still remains the case that the tendency even in the more egalitarian sects is to teach that it is up to the individual to determine what God wants him/her to do. I.e., for all their talk of “conscience”, the underlying belief-system remains a deeply authoritarian one.
I think this is a bit silly. In the religious practices being described the individual attempts to work out what is the right thing to do based on the moral teachings of the church. Yes, he or she believes that god wants them to do the right thing, but that is not ‘authoritarian’ in the sense that is it generally used. The ‘authority’ in question (god) is not present. It is ‘authoritarian’ only in the sense that following ones own conscience would be authoritarian . The sttrainto insist that even practices that are manifestly non-authoritarian fit the description is telling I think.
For example, ancient Roman concepts of ius naturale and its antecedent ius gentium recognised fundamental rights of all persons
No, these concepts were legal, they did not refer to rights in the sense of ‘human rights’ at all. And to suuggest to a Roman that all people were fundamentally equal would have been absurd. Equal in which sense? Strength? Intelligence? Wealth? Beauty? Freedom? Power? What? Well, what is it? What is the invisible property that we all partake of that makes us in the most fundamental some sense all the same? What is this ‘humanity’ in which we are all equals and which defines our rights? The religious have an answer thhat the godless can’t claim without a duck into Platonism.
Equal in which sense? Strength? Intelligence? Wealth? Beauty? Freedom? Power? What? Well, what is it? What is the invisible property that we all partake of that makes us in the most fundamental some sense all the same? What is this ‘humanity’ in which we are all equals and which defines our rights? The religious have an answer Cool – now we only have to find a few major religions that say Atheists are equal to the believers or women are equal to men (not different but equal crap).
Minow @ 9
I think this is a bit silly. In the religious practices being described the individual attempts to work out what is the right thing to do based on the moral teachings of the church. Yes, he or she believes that god wants them to do the right thing, but that is not ‘authoritarian’ in the sense that is it generally used.
Does it not occur to you that I’m trying to point out and dispute what I take to be blind spots in the conventional wisdom? You seem to have an unerring instinct for saying “no no no what you said is not the conventional wisdom, the conventional wisdom is right, because it’s the conventional wisdom.”
And claiming that “based on the moral teachings of the church” is not authoritarian is…laughable.
Deepak @ 11 – yes. Theism is more than just a belief that God takes an interest in human affairs.
@Ophelia
what definition of theism are you using?
It isn’t unless you hold that following any moral teachings is intrinsically authoritarian, which you surely can’t be because that would mean that all morality is authoritarian (which is the mistake I think the comment at the top makes: if there is an ‘ought’ it is authority therefore authoritarian, the only liberty is a complete absence of value).
You seem to have an unerring instinct for saying “no no no what you said is not the conventional wisdom, the conventional wisdom is right, because it’s the conventional wisdom.”
This is baffling because I don’t think I have mentioned conventional wisdom or defended it at all. In fact I have been disputing the conventionalities being paraded on some of the comment threads here.
Minow (#9):
It is ‘authoritarian’ only in the sense that following ones own conscience would be authoritarian. The sttrainto insist that even practices that are manifestly non-authoritarian fit the description is telling I think.
I made it clear (in the part of the post that you rather noticeably didn’t quote), what I meant by “authoritarian in principle” – the very idea that human fulfilment must be based on the adoption of a subservient attitude towards an unaccountable authority. That is an authoritarian attitude, even though it does not always translate into authoritarian practice. Ergo, no strain is involved.
(#10):
What is the invisible property that we all partake of that makes us in the most fundamental some sense all the same? What is this ‘humanity’ in which we are all equals and which defines our rights? The religious have an answer thhat the godless can’t claim without a duck into Platonism.
The fact that we are self-aware social agents, which in turn is a consequence of shared membership of a particular species which just happens to have evolved those traits. Rights are just a way of codifying rules that maximise the individual flourishing of such agents in the course of their interactions. Or you could think of rights as rules for putting the Golden Rule or some similar principle of reciprocity into practice, and if you want that grounded in turn, well, game theory suggests that reciprocity is a stable strategy for social interactions. So I have no idea why you think non-theists would need to resort to Platonism (especially since I likewise have no idea what possible coherent answers Platonism might provide). And frankly, the religious (or at least theistic) answer, which basically boils down to those rights being granted from on high – is an example of the kind of authoritarian, top-down thinking that I was talking about. It’s also a rather unhelpful answer, since it make those rights fundamentally arbitrary – why this set of rights rather than some other possible set? I’ve seen it argued that we have the rights we do because God has created us a certain way, but if you go down that road you risk ending up with the position that we have the rights we do because we are a certain way, whether any gods created us that way or not.
So I’ll throw the question back at you: How does God make the notion of universal human rights any more intelligible or any more grounded than a secular account? Because I don’t see that it does.
Deepak – I’m using the definition of theism in which the god wants humans to follow certain (God-given) rules and in which humans reliably know both what the rules are and that the god wants humans to follow them.
What one might call normal theism, in other words. It covers, for instance, liberal versions in which the rules just boil down to “be good”.
minnow @ 17 – the “moral teachings” of the church are authoritarian because they start with the command. That’s what “authoritarian” is.
One doesn’t, for instance, talk about “the teachings” of Mill or Kant or Moore or Singer.
A Hindu might well say that per the Gita itself if one needs to go against God for something that they believe is their Dharama then that is what they must do. Your karma is in your hands and you can let the Gods evaluate you later.
Even the humans reliably know what Gods think is not necessarily a theist view – one of the Hindu vedas does have a verse which goes something like Only the God who created knows or perhaps even he doesnt know (referring to creation). There are few theists who I personally know that do not subscribe to the view that they know whatever God wants reliably so I would not accept your definition as inherent or intrinsic to theism.
A belief that God takes an interest in human affairs in inherently authoritarian?
Um, I explained the aspect of theism that inherently authoritarian – right after the phrase you quoted.
Now, I’ll grant you that “belief in a deity that takes an interest in human affairs” serves as a minimal definition of theism (and in many areas of philosophy of religion, a perfectly useful one). However, “theists” who believe this and no more are rare fish indeed. I’ve no doubt that there may be some individuals who believe a God exists who is interested in humanity, but who do not consider said God to be a moral authority or a power to be worshiped or placated, and who live their lives by their own lights without caring what this deity thinks of them. But theism as a family of ideologies is far more than this bare-bones hypothesis, and what they do have in common is this notion of submission to a higher authority – whether as judge, moral authority or object of worship – as the precondition to human fulfillment.
Is it so hard to imagine that the pope could be elected by popular vote or that the rules may be relaxed to allow women popes? or that any teaching of the Church cant be changed – Surely this has been demonstrated many times?
Hard but maybe not impossible. The problem is that more than most Christian sects, the Catholic Church represents itself as an integral part of a metaphysical hierarchy, which adds an extra and rather formidable layer of ideological inertia for true reform to overcome. Also, bear in mind that changes to Church doctrine can be regressive as well as progressive. Pius IX, anyone?
deepak – well yes, I’m talking about The Big Monotheisms I suppose.
that would mean that all morality is authoritarian (which is the mistake I think the comment at the top makes: if there is an ‘ought’ it is authority therefore authoritarian, the only liberty is a complete absence of value).
Not at all. “Ought” can act as a persuader or a reminder of shared values between equals. The question is rather of where the “ought” comes from – is it promulgated from the top down or does it emerge from the interactions of members of a moral community? The former is authoritarian, the latter is not.
@Iain
right after the phrase you quoted.
I did see it and did respond that you are dealing with flavors of theism instead of an in principle argument that the 2nd point of your post deals with.
is to teach that it is up to the individual to determine what God wants him/her to do.
And again that some theisms do not have this
However, “theists” who believe this and no more are rare fish indeed.
Are you switching from an in principle argument to an in practice one? Explicitly there are many people who say there are things they would not do so even if God told them to – see for e.g. Desmond Tutu right here – they probably don’t believe God will so command them but thats beside the point and he’ll probably tell you he learnt this from reading Jesus’s views.
Also, bear in mind that changes to Church doctrine can be regressive as well as progressive. Pius IX, anyone?
Just to be clear the RCC has , is and will probably remain for the foreseeable future an authoritarian,immoral,corrupt evil institution :). i only argue about intrinsic. @Ophelia
I would agree for those 3 as inherently authoritarian – though Christianity is a lot more fragmented and isnt quite clear and contradictory in parts on this.
@ 26 deepak shetty
Explicitly there are many people who say there are things they would not do so even if God told them to – see for e.g. Desmond Tutu [... ] he’ll probably tell you he learnt this from reading Jesus’s views.
Nah, not Jesus. Jesus was a God first, people later, kinda guy.
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
(Matthew 22:35-40)
And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
(Exodus 32:9-14)
the very idea that human fulfilment must be based on the adoption of a subservient attitude towards an unaccountable authority. That is an authoritarian attitude, even though it does not always translate into authoritarian practice. Ergo, no strain is involved.”
Ian, that is authoritarian by definition, but it is a parody of most religious belief and practice, and so it does not convince me that the catholic Church is intrinsically authoritarian. Of course some religious practice may take that form, but it needn’t and generally doesn’t, as you seem to acknowledge. Religious people are not generally encouraged to attempt to approach their god because god is simply bigger and stronger than any other thing, but because god is good and good is good for you. That you have a choice in the matter, that you are free not to accept what is good for you (according to the belief system) is kind of the point.
Rights are just a way of codifying rules that maximise the individual flourishing of such agents in the course of their interactions.
No, the principle of human rights is more than this as Bentham recognised. Legal rights might be coded in order to maximise flourishing of individuals, or (more realistically) certain groups of individuals, but the idea of human rights is more than that. Even if being a slave maximised my flourishing, we believe that the principle of human rights should not allow me that choice. We should not kill people even if it maximised human happiness, as it often would.
Or you could think of rights as rules for putting the Golden Rule or some similar principle of reciprocity into practice”and if you want that grounded in turn, well, game theory suggests that reciprocity is a stable strategy for social interactions.
Again, this is the legal concept of rights as a utilitarian strategy. But human rights is not simply that. So I have no idea why you think non-theists would need to resort to Platonism (especially since I likewise have no idea what possible coherent answers Platonism might provide).
We need some similar idea to explain the peculiar idea of moral equality, not legal rights. To explain what we mean when we say all people are equal in a fundamental sense. On the face of it, human equality is nonsense. Because we all emerge from monotheistic social traditions, this idea seems easy and obvious, we are blinded to the strangeness of it, but it made no sense whatsoever to pre-Christian (especially) societies. Why should not a brave, strong man have the use of less brave, weaker, people?
And frankly, the religious (or at least theistic) answer, which basically boils down to those rights being granted from on high
No, it isn’t, it is the idea that kings and slaves are all basically the same moral stuff, the most important stuff that lies underneath the material. To outrage the dignity of a king and a slave is the same thing (before go, not the courts). They share something fundamental, they are brothers and sisters despite the illusions of material difference and social status, you can call it soul. Materialists can only say: we prefer to consider all people equal because that idea is, currently, to our advantage. This idea has been a powerful one in challenging the authority of the state. |
Applying labels to oneself Categories: Politics
by Mano Singham After writing yesterday about the reluctance of some to adopt the label of feminist even though they share the goals of the feminist movement for gender equality, I realized that I never call myself a feminist either and that this perhaps requires an explanation.
I see labels as being either descriptive or complimentary. I am quite comfortable ascribing labels to myself that I see as purely descriptive, such as atheist, physicist, scientist, teacher, blogger, writer, and so on. But for anyone other than egomaniacs like Donald Trump, giving oneself a complimentary label would be gauche. So for example, the labels ‘humanitarian’ or ‘hero’ are not ones that people adopt for themselves but are instead conferred upon them by others. The distinction between a descriptive and complimentary label is not always clear-cut and may depend upon whom it is applied to and who is presumed to ‘own’ the right to assign it. The label feminism provides a good example of the ambiguity. Is it purely descriptive or is it also complimentary? (I know some people think of the label as derogatory but I disagree and am not really interested in pursuing that line of discussion since it would be a digression from the question I am addressing here.) Without getting into the details of what exactly the label represents, I think that it can be purely descriptive if a woman uses it to describe herself but is complimentary if applied to a man, because it suggests that he is seeking to advance the goal of equality of a group to which he does not personally belong. I feel that women ‘own’ this label and it is their prerogative to decide who should be encompassed by it. So I would be honored if someone else were to call me a feminist but would not presume to call myself that. (Commenter bad Jim shares my concern about unilaterally adopting the label.)
It is the same thing with the label of LGBT ally. I like to think that I am a supporter of equality for the LGBT community but hesitate to call myself an ‘LGBT ally’ (though I have a button that says that) because it is up to the members of the LGBT community to determine who they consider to be their allies. It would be awkward to call oneself an ally of another group and then be challenged that one is acting in ways that are not advancing the cause.
Maybe I am overthinking this and that the labels like ‘feminist’ and ‘LGBT ally’ should be seen as purely descriptive and people should feel free to adopt them if they wish to so self-identify and more clearly proclaim their allegiances.
I’d be curious to hear other people’s views on this question.
Hey, I’ll go first… I admit that until pretty recently (like a couple years ago) I held some pretty transphobic opinions, I am reluctant to stand up against casual transphobia the way I try to against casual misogyny/racism/homophobia, and moreover, despite a lot of effort, I have difficulty having real empathy for transexual individuals (the reasons for the latter might not be what most would guess: despite being straight, I totally “get” the idea of being genderqueer — so much so, that the idea of feeling a strong need to change one’s physical genitalia in order to fully inhabit one’s perceived identity is very foreign and unnatural to me. I try to imagine how I would feel if I woke up tomorrow morning and my penis was missing, but I’m pretty sure that if I had functional genitals of some kind, I’d get over it pretty quickly. Which is not to say that because I would get over it, that means everyone has to! It just makes it difficult for me to empathize.
I consider these all to be failings on my part, and pretty much any time somebody talks about trans* issues, I just listen and don’t offer the slightest opinion. It’s an area where I’m pretty sure I just kinda don’t “get it”, so I just exercise humility. That sometimes means I don’t speak out against transphobia when maybe I ought, but the thing is, I really just don’t “get it” enough to understand when something is transphobic and when it’s not. It’s an empathy fail on my part, and I’m not really sure what to do about it, other than what I already said: Practice humility.
Third: There exist self-sustaining social systems that unfairly privilege one group of people over another, which can interact in complex ways. We have a tendency to stereotype and label people, especially in relation to “sex” and “gender.” Pick the one you agree with the most. If you want more detail, hit up the ‘pedia.
“Atheist” and “feminist” are, imho, on equal par as descriptive labels. “Feminist” simply means “someone who considers women to have equal rights and treatment” or something along those lines. I suppose that old-time feminists resent men calling themselves feminist, but I don’t consider that much of a problem.
I don’t call myself a feminist anymore since I wish to not be associated with a rather vicious group of folks who use social punishment as a primary means of social policing. I used to understand ‘feminist’ to mean someone who supports working to have women in all aspects of society and who works against folks who have behaviors that disproportionally negatively effect women (ex, I’ve stopped opportunities being given out to the first person who puts their hand up. We were getting mostly men when that method was used. it had a biased impact so I got rid of it when I could.). Having listened, this is not good enough anymore. I’d have to wield the eye of the censor and the moral out rage of a catholic bishop at each and every person who exhibits the least sign of doing anything ‘patriarchy’. Like censors and punishers everywhere, they go overboard with over identification. They have largely escaped from weighing each situation for its various factors and use binary thinking (comparison to the ideal) as a stand in for thoughtfulness. Don’t get me wrong, this can be highly effective at getting apparent compliance or in politics. I do not, however, find it moral. It also goes against humanistic teaching generally. (if everything looks like a nail…)
And no, I will not be responding to any OM or A+ or their JAQing or burden flipping on this point. My threshold for responding to the punishers is a recognition (adequate restatement) of the harm I’ve outlined is a harm and some sign that censorship is waning in the movement.
Oh, slightly more on point.
I don’t make the distinction between labels that are descriptive and complimentary. The risk of wearing the wrong label is that someone may criticize you for it (call you a hypocrite if you do not live up to it, for example). That’s fine, you can then reassess if you should still wear it. I do see that some labels are fraught and you’re open to a charge of excessive egoism (hero for example) for self-application but if you have in fact done objectively heroic stuff, you should wear it. The point of a label is to say you fall within the usual meets and bounds for a description. That’s usually helpful for effective rapid communication.
Note that the error on wearing a ‘wrong label’ could be on the part of the label wearer or by the person complaining. This isn’t likely a 50/50 split as the person complaining is violating peacability norms* and more likely to be in the right (objectively; unless the objector is being tactical).
To the specific label at hand, ‘feminist’, I view it as a bit of a dodge to say, “I will wear it if you call me it.” By doing so, you get to duck (opt out of) the current fad of forcing allegiance (take this pledge = we love you; disagree with the pledge = you’re hateable). I don’t think it’s a negative mark to bow out of conflicts (generally). *I sometimes wonder about folks who willfully offend the norms of peacefulness. It’s an invitation to be attacked. I get an extra layer of offended when someone breaches a norm and then take outrage that someone then reacted. Wasn’t that the asked for response or if you poke me shouldn’t you also expect me to be a human and respond as though I’ve been poked? |
Do Geologists Have a Death Wish?
Something about having a huge pile of laboratory notebooks to grade on a tight deadline brings out the sloth in me, and suddenly every little distraction takes on monumental proportions, and I just have to share. I just looked at, courtesy of Geology.com (), a spectacular series of photos of a 2006 rockslide at Elephant Rock above the Merced River on Highway 140 just west of Yosemite, taken by Herb Dunn (). I am trying to imagine the excitement of witnessing significant geological events in action, and Herb had a seat right behind the plate so to speak. Check out the photos, they are spectacular.The photo above, taken by yours truly, is decidedly not spectacular, but it represents the only time I have seen a rock fall in Yosemite, despite something like 50 or 60 visits over the last 20 years. It happened on April Fool's Day in 2000, and I only had a cheap film camera at the time (my digital age began in 2001). And what did I do? Immediately drove as close to the impact site as I could so I could check out any damage.Seeing Herb's viewpoint (he actually didn't have much choice, with steep slopes and boulders all around), I considered what happens when events like this happen to geologists. We run for a better look! A landslide, a volcanic eruption, an earthquake, it seems like we can't resist; while others run away in a wild panic, I imagine many or most of us will be scrabbling for a camera and running towards whatever is going on.It isn't a death wish, of course. Many times (but not all), geologists may have a different understanding of the risks involved (the story of Maurice and Katia Krafft and the events at Galeras volcano in Colombia do provide a cautionary tale). I, for one, find earth processes in all forms endlessly fascinating, and we geologists have a perspective that tells us that what we see may be a once-in-a-lifetime event. At the very least, we want to share our excitement with others. Then again, maybe we are crazy...Geotripper, acting perfectly safe and sane....
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Geology through the Eyes of an Artist
Picture of the Day - A Great Outcrop |
TRAVEL BACK IN TIME WITH ROMAN-INSPIRED DINNER AND LECTURE ON POWER DINING IN ANTIQUITY At the Roman Table: A Culinary Adventure at the Getty Villa
At The J. Paul Getty Museum, Getty Villa
Thursday, July 14, and Friday, July 15, 2011, 7–10:00 p.m.
LOS ANGELES—This summer, the J. Paul Getty Museum invites you to take a culinary step back in time with a lecture about dining practices in the time of Caesar and a sumptuous dinner inspired by ancient Roman recipes. At the Roman Table: A Culinary Adventure at the Getty Villa takes place on Thursday, July 14, and Friday, July 15, 2011, 7–10:00 p.m.
Seating is limited. Reservations are available at www.getty.edu/museum/programs/lectures/at_the_roman_table.html or by phone at (310) 440-7300, beginning July 1.
The evening begins with food historian Andrew Dalby exploring the nature of "power dining" in antiquity with a talk entitled Dining with Caesar: Food and Power in Ancient Rome. He identifies great wines, local produce, and luxuries—including exotic spices from India and beyond—that made up a fashionable dinner 2,000 years ago. He illustrates how invitations and place settings at the table were calculated to impress, persuade, or seduce.
Dalby also examines Gaius Julius Caesar and how he, as a relatively unknown politician, built up the influence that made him a dictator and gave birth to a new political structure. Caesar understood better than any of his rivals that food could serve as a means of persuasion, and Dalby shares examples from Caesar's feasts and entertainments to shed fresh light on this pivotal period of Roman history.
Following the talk, guests move into the Inner Peristyle of the Getty Villa to enjoy a seated, four-course dinner prepared under the direction of Chef Sally Grainger. Many of the dishes are based on Grainger's extensive research of Apicius, the only surviving ancient Roman recipe book. The menu features dishes typical of a celebratory feast including oysters, delicately flavored with a special sauce called an oenogarum and calf's kidney stuffed with fennel and coriander as a first course. As a pièce de résistance, a whole boned and stuffed suckling pig known as porcellum hortolanum (garden-style piglet). The dinner concludes with a honey infused cake called a libum. The menu is rich in meats and combines complex sweet and spicy flavors to entice adventurous palates.
About the Getty: The J. Paul Getty Trust is an international cultural and philanthropic institution devoted to the visual arts that features the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Foundation, the J. Paul Getty Museum, and the Getty Research Institute. The J. Paul Getty Trust and Getty programs serve a varied audience from two locations: the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Getty Villa in Malibu. Sign up for e-Getty at to receive free monthly highlights of events at the Getty Center and the Getty Villa via e-mail, or visit our event calendar for a complete calendar of public programs.
Visiting the Getty Villa:
The Getty Villa is open Wednesday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Tuesday and major holidays. Admission to the Getty Villa is always free. A ticket is required for admission. Tickets can be ordered in advance, or on the day of your visit, at or at 310-440-7300. Parking is $15 per car, but free after 5pm for evening events. Groups of 15 or more must make reservations by phone. For more information, call 310-440-7300 (English or Spanish); 310-440-7305 (TTY line for the deaf or hearing impaired). The Getty Villa is at 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, California. |
If Your Adolescent Has an Anxiety Disorder
An Essential Resource for Parents
Edna B. Foa and Linda Wasmer Andrews
Adolescent Mental Health Initiative
Growing up can be stressful for any teenager, but it is considerably harder for the many adolescents who develop an anxiety disorder. This book is an essential guide for parents, teachers, or other adults involved with teenagers who may e affected by these disorders. By bringing together two strands of expertise--that of mental health professionals and of parents who have lived through the experience of their own teenager's mental illness--If Your Adolescent Has an Anxiety Disorder provides adult readers with the clinical information and practical advice they need to understand and help the teen. There are chapters detailing four the different types of anxiety disorders, including social anxiety, generalized anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and post-traumatic stress
disorders. Each includes a clearly written definition, a discussion of factors that can contribute to developing the disorder, treatment information, and case studies based on a real family's own experience with the disease. Tips and quotes from parents are sprinkled liberally throughout the text, and helpful sidebars provide more detailed information. The authors also provide a chapter fully dedicated to discussing treatment options, including what role parents play in treatment, how to juggle treatment and school, and how to handle insurance and managed care issues. Knowing the right information about anxiety disorders is the first step towards helping adolescents who are dealing with them grow to become healthy, happy adults. Show more If Your Adolescent Has an Anxiety Disorder
Author Information Edna B. Foa, Ph.D., is a Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. Linda Wasmer Andrews is a freelance science writer based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is the co-author of If Your Adolescent Has Depression or Bipolar Disorder: An Essential Resource for Parents. If Your Adolescent Has an Anxiety Disorder
"This book is a must for any parent who has an adolescent plagued by worries and anxiety. It is unique in combining current knowledge with practical information about what adolescents experience, what can be done, and how parents can help. Although written for parents, professionals will also benefit from the book's broad discussion of diagnosis, treatment, and causes of various anxiety states. Clearly, this book reflects the vast clinical experience of a seasoned and compassionate clinician." --Rachel Klein, Ph.D., New York University Child Study Center
"In this marvelous book, Edna Foa takes pioneering work on anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders in adults and, in the context of the child and adolescent literature, applies it to children and adolescents and their families. Full of clinical wisdom and built on the best available evidence, the book will be an exceptionally valuable resource for families and for clinicians working with anxious youth. We can only hope that the state of clinical practice comes to reflect the standards of care outlined in this book. Highly recommended for professionals and nonprofessionals alike."-- John S. March, M.D., M.P.H., Professor and Chief, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Program for Child Affective & Anxiety Disorders, Duke University Child and Family Study Center
"Foa and Andrews provide parents a rich understanding of a variety of worries, fears, and anxieties, and they provide guidelines on how to help their teens overcome them. Parents will find the book engaging, easy to read, and full of important ideas about how best to understand and help their teens. A must read for the teen's sake and ours."--Thomas H. Ollendick, Ph.D., University Distinguished Professor and Director, Child Study Center, Virginia Tech
"Problems with anxiety can change the life course for many teenage children. Yet good and unbiased information is almost nonexistent. This book is written by two authors who are armed with a wealth of scientific information, extensive experience, and empathic understanding. Dr. Foa and Ms. Andrews provide a vital resource for parents of anxious teenagers. The language is clear and straightforward and the information is accurate and up-to-date. It is a book that every parent with an anxious teenager must have."--Ronald M. Rapee, Ph.D., Director, Macquarie University Anxiety Research Unit, and Author of Helping Your Anxious Child: A Step by Step Guide for Parents
"An essential read, this book is a clear, concise, comprehensive resource for parents of children experiencing problems with anxiety."--Louis Harkins, Founder and Administrator of the OCD and Parenting List
"Easy-to-readan invaluable resource for parents and professionals alike. This volume can greatly assist parents as well as professionals to more effectively identify and help adolescents who are suffering. I would highly recommend it to parents as well as professional colleagues." --Esther Deblinger, Ph.D., New Jersey CARES Institute, University of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ, School of Osteopathic Medicine
"Each disorder is accompanied by a definition, contributing factors, treatment information, and case studies. Quotes, helpful tips from parents, and sidebars appear throughout the text. This in-depth, logically arranged book also contains an expanded table of contents, a useful appendix, a glossary, and a list of resources. An essential addition to public, middle, and high school libraries."--Library Journal (starred review)
Silent Nights
Brian Symon
Parent Management Training
Alan E Kazdin
If Your Adolescent Has an Eating Disorder
B. Timothy Walsh and V. L. Cameron
Building Strengths and Skills
Jacqueline Corcoran
If Your Adolescent Has Schizophrenia
Raquel E. Gur and Ann Braden Johnson
Stanley Goldberg |
Women in the World — August 26, 2011 2:16 am Nusu-Nusu: Finding Space for Women in Government By Lily Ostrer
Brazil, Sierra Leone, Kyrgyzstan, and Costa Rica do not have much in common beyond their female presidents. In the last decade, female representation in parliament and executive cabinet positions has almost doubled. Yet advances around the world are extremely varied. Rwanda, where quotas guarantee women 30 percent of seats in parliament, tops the charts with women holding 56 percent of its parliament’s seats. On the flip side, more than a dozen countries have never had a female legislator. Quotas have played a largely positive role in the expansion of women’s representation in politics, but it remains unclear if women have garnered the political power needed to promote and act on issues of importance for women. The Power of the Quota
Gender quotas require that a certain number of candidates in an election are women. They are mandated either constitutionally or by electoral law. In parliamentary systems, where candidates take seats based on votes for a party, rather than votes for a specific candidate, quotas require that each party put a certain number of women on its ticket. In “first-past-the-post” electoral systems in which the candidate with the most of votes wins the election, gender quotas reserve a certain number of seats for women.
Even though some countries have been unable to fill their quotas, all countries with quotas in place have seen an increase in female representation, and several countries have even exceeded their quota requirements. Leslie Schwindt-Bayer, a political science professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia, told the HPR, “It’s certainly true that quotas have helped to bring many more women into parliament, especially in east and southern Africa.” Of the 24 countries with at least 30 percent female representation in parliament, nearly a third are in Africa. Worldwide, 19 percent of legislators are female. In many post-conflict African countries, gender quotas are viewed as important policy measures to improve women’s access to the decision making process.
How Far Can Nusu-nusu Go?
Beyond the numerical increases in the representation of women in parliaments, the women in power have certainly had positive influences on the female image and female empowerment. “There has been a large impact in terms of symbolic representation, where women are seeing other women and this is inspiring them,” Gretchen Bauer, chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware, told the HPR. In a trip of hers to Tanzania, a country that is considering a push for fifty-fifty representation in parliament, she spoke with a woman in the town of Bagamoyo: “This old, wizened, seaweed farmer woman stood up in Swahili and she talked about nusu-nusu which means ‘half-half’ and she said ‘now I can stand up and speak in my community.’” The empowerment of women at the national level has encouraged women to become more involved in their local communities.
But quotas have only had a limited ability to change the perception of women in politics. Some have derided quotas, claiming that unqualified women, “quota women,” take seats of power simply because of the mandate for a woman fill that spot. Bauer said of quota women, “On the one hand, these women are accused of being elite. So all we’re doing is electing more elite women who are going to fatten themselves by being in parliament. Or they’re accused of being unqualified and tokens.” To contest this argument, she explained how studies have shown that “‘quota women’ in Uganda are no more elite than the other women in parliament or than the men in parliament. And if anything, they might be slightly more educated.”
What also remains unclear is if these newly empowered women in power have been able to pursue issues significant to women. Farida Jalalzai, a professor of political science and women’s and gender studies at the University of Missouri, looks to Benazir Bhutto, the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan: “I think Benazir Bhutto wanted to do more for women. But she couldn’t because she had few fellow partisans who were supportive of her. I think in the end, she didn’t really achieve that much in terms of women’s larger status.” The support of broad women’s movements is important for female politicians to advance women’s issues. Schwindt-Bayer spoke about the role of women’s movements in helping to pave the path for women to access power. “Women’s movements have been hugely important in achieving women’s equality all around the world,” she told the HPR. “Without a doubt one of the reasons why the gender quota was passed in Argentina was that there was a strong… feminist movement that was drawing on international ties that really put the gender quota on the ballot.” Women’s movements have helped shape the influence that women in power can have.
One example of the need for larger women’s movements to promote women in power is the limited access women have to executive positions in government even as women are increasingly gaining access to parliaments. Jalalzai explained, “More and more women are running for the presidency, but they almost never win. It’s interesting to examine this because there’s so much growth in other areas, but it still doesn’t seem to challenge this presidential power.” Fewer than 10% of countries have female heads of state. Bauer looked at it from another perspective, defining executives more broadly to include cabinets. She told the HPR, “It is true that women are not gaining access to executives as quickly as they are to legislatures, but they are also gaining access to executives at an increasing rate.” Women fill 17 percent of cabinet positions worldwide, a small step behind legislatures, where they hold 19 percent of seats. Nonetheless, women have had comparatively less success in achieving the highest position in a nation. But, according to Jalalzai, “Change can only happen indirectly. I can’t foresee countries saying at least so many women have to be candidates for the ballot.” Without having quotas for women to gain executive positions, this change will have to happen organically, by more women deciding to run for office and more voters supporting female candidates.
Ultimately, the success of female participation in government is dependent on broader activism from women in society. Women are increasingly feeling empowered and are realizing that they can pursue careers in politics, but there is still much to be desired. Asked what needs to be done to get even more women into power, Jalalzai said, “I think number one, the biggest thing is, you need to try. Women need to put themselves out there.” |
The risks involved with smoking during pregnancy
Although fewer women are smoking during their pregnancy now than in the past, the habit still persists among many women. In addition, even if a pregnant woman does not smoke, she may be exposed to secondhand smoke in the household, in the workplace, or in social settings. There is also new research about the dangers from third-hand smoke, the chemicals, particles, and gases of tobacco that are left on hair, clothing, and furnishings.
Smoke can be damaging to a fetus in several ways. It may cause the following:
However, if a woman quits smoking early in her pregnancy, she increases her chance of delivering a healthy baby. |
Is Ally McBeal a Thing of Beauty?: An Interview with Greg M. Smith (Part One)
By Henry Jenkins Greg M. Smith (Georgia State University) argues that there is no word more “obscene” in television studies than “beauty.” Television studies has run away from aesthetic claims from its inception and in so doing, they contribute to (or at least do nothing to combat) the wide spread public perception that mainstream television has little or no aesthetic value. In his new book, Beautiful TV: The Art and Argument of Ally McBeal, Smith offers a sustained reading of a single television series, demonstrating how key themes and images unfold over time, and how the intriguing parts add up to a most satisfying whole. Smith doesn’t avoid issues of gender and sexuality which have concerned earlier writers who have discussed this series, but he shows the complex ways that these issues get worked through across the entire run of the series, rather than pulling out one “representative” episode as standing for the work as a whole. Smith insists that we need to respect the particular character of television series as a kind of long form storytelling even if doing so places serious demands on a critic, especially in discussing a series which ran for more than a hundred episodes.
A died-in-the-wool formalist in the Wisconsin tradition, Smith is utterly fearless in his defense of applying aesthetic standards to talk about popular art both here and his other work (which deals with topics as diverse as the cognitive theory of emotion, the formal experimentation of Myst, the functions of dialog in the Final Fantasy series, the visual style of The West Wing, and the adaptation of The Maxx from comics to cartoon series). As this list suggests, Smith has been willing to apply his skills at textual analysis to film, television, games, and comics. Some years ago, Smith wrote one of the best answers I’ve ever read to the oft-heard protest of undergrads taking Introduction to Cinema classes: “But it’s just a movie!”
Smith has by now become accustomed to people asking “Why Ally McBeal?” It’s a question which he deftly discusses in the book’s introduction and in the interview below, he offers at least some of the rationale for this selection. In this first installment, Smith discusses the place of aesthetic evaluation in television studies, makes an argument for why we need to expand our canon as a field to include works which do not necessarily seem “cool” to our students or “worthy” to our colleagues, and offers a new take on the relationship between formal and ideological analysis. In tomorrow’s installment, we will explore more fully the lasting impact of Ally McBeal on American television.
You open the book with the observation, “Complexity of narrative or the beauty of construction can justify critical consideration of a novel or a film, but when a television show is no longer au courant, those considerations matter little.” Why do you think this double standard has persisted for so long and
how does your book attempt to address it?
Television’s low critical status is eroding, but like all erosion, the process is erratic.
Last week the Sunday Washington Post discussed the “dumbing of America” and laid the blame squarely on “video culture.” In the same week I went to dinner with someone who sniffed in derision when I said that my latest book was on Ally McBeal. “You can write a whole book on that?” He’d never have said the same thing about a novel or a play, even though there’s an awful lot of bad fiction and theater. But junk novels and crappy plays don’t get piped into your living room (unlike television), so they’re easier to ignore. As an aca/fan of television, you have to recognize the larger context of your work in society: the broadly held assumption that TV is crap.
Unfortunately, most academic writing on television has done little to combat this assumption. In fact, most academic writing on TV implicitly sends a similar message. that we can look through the television text to more “important” issues (race, class, gender, and so on). The construction of the program itself is the least important factor.
The reason for this has to do with how television studies grew up in universities. TV studies wanted to differentiate itself from film studies, a discipline deeply interested in the text, and so it adopted cultural studies as a way to clearly distinguish itself: “It’s not about the text; it’s about the context.” TV studies has greatly benefited from its alliance with cultural studies, but now the field is mature enough that we should create a space for criticism that focuses on the text itself: its complicated narrative construction, its interesting aesthetic choices. If we academics don’t do this work, then we leave the dominant social view of television unchallenged: that television isn’t worthy of close analysis unless you justify your work with other social concerns.
The best way to demonstrate that television is good is to proceed as if this were clearly true. Lots of people who are making this argument today: you can see it in popular magazine and newspaper criticism, in online writing by devoted fans, and even in online writing by academics (such as in the journal Flow). But the gold standard in academia still remains that old-fashioned medium: the single authored book. There are anthologies on TV shows, but none with a focus on the show’s aesthetics. A book like Beautiful TV (by its very existence) demonstrates that a contemporary television show can sustain a long, productive aesthetic analysis. It’s a small step toward eroding the big social assumption that TV is bad.
Television studies is a small field, and like any small town, there’s a tendency to be a bit insular. If you poll TV scholars, there’s a remarkable consistency in what we watch. We watch hip stuff like Lost and 30 Rock. And so when we write, we naturally tend to write about the shows that appeal to that particular sensibility.
The paradigm of cool TV for many of us was defined by Buffy: complicated, long-term storytelling with liberatory “go girl” politics, appealing to a diehard fan base. It’s great that we can have an entire subfield devoted to a single show like Buffy; that’s a step toward a more mature television studies. But the trap is in focusing too much on television that fits that mold (which, perhaps not coincidentally, is the same kind of television that producers are aiming for: shows that inspire loyal fans to visit the website and buy the DVDs).
If we’re going to call our field “television studies,” then we should study all of television. If we just study the shows we think are “hip,” then let’s stop pretending and call it “hip studies.” Basically, television studies needs to become as broad as television itself. I would love to see us producing scholars who are sincerely interested in a show with not-so-progressive politics but which still has strong popularity: something like JAG or Everybody Loves Raymond.
I’m not proposing a field of “square studies” to counter our “hip” tendencies, but we need to be aware of our blind spots. Just as we need to make room for studies of TV aesthetics and narrative (as well as cultural studies), we also need to broaden our field to look at shows that are utterly middlebrow. One of the reasons I chose Ally McBeal was that it seems so squarely middlebrow: not as high-falutin’ as The Sopranos, but not Jackass either. If we can make the argument for the aesthetic importance of Ally, then that makes the discussion of TV aesthetics that much easier in the future. Your analysis of Ally McBeal operates first and foremost as an aesthetic analysis of an innovative television series. Yet, you also explore what the series has to say about love, sexuality, and the workplace. What relationship do you posit between formal and ideological analysis?
When I was first writing this book, I sincerely tried to make it all about aesthetics and narrative just to prove that such an approach could be done. But I couldn’t do it, partly because of my training. Cultural studies has changed how we study film and television, and we can’t pretend that aesthetics exists in a timeless vacuum outside of culture. I realize that if I wanted to show an alternative to a cultural studies approach to television, I shouldn’t artificially ignore culture but instead should restore a balance to dealing with the text.
I had to talk about the place of sexuality in the workplace because that’s so much of what Ally’s storylines are about. If I kept my blinders on and didn’t talk at all about culture, then I would be doing violence to the show. I realized that my point was that I wanted to do television criticism that took the show seriously on its own terms, not justifying my criticism in “more important” issues that I brought to the text.
This allowed me to present one of my biggest justifications for studying Ally’s narrative. I argue that the show takes advantage of serial television’s ability to work through a complex set of issues over time. An individual episode can make an assertion about the nature of love in the workplace, only to have those assertions turned on their head in the next episode. Over time the show eventually makes a long-running argument about the tension between love and career in the modern workplace.
I don’t follow this argument because it deals with a big social issue; I write about this to demonstrate how serial TV narrative can make a complicated, subtle argument. I started this book when I realized that I loved Ally McBeal but hated all of the characters. What, then, brought me back every week? The gradual unfolding of an argument that was more intricate and captivating because it was staged in narrative.
I argued that one reason why there couldn’t be a McLuhan today is that there are so many other important thinkers about media change speaking from outside the academy, including game designers (Eric Zimmerman), journalists (Steven Johnson) Science fiction writers (Bruce Sterling), comic book creators (Scott McCloud), and sex activists (Susie Bright), to cite just a few examples. Each of these writers provide important perspectives on the mediascape, often with much greater impact on public perspectives than anything coming out of the academy.
I cited several important ideas about public intellectuals taken from an MIT Communications Forum event on Public Intellectuals featuring Alan Lightman and Steven Pinker.
I cited some examples of other academics and intellectuals who are effectively deploying participatory media, especially blogs and podcasts, to reach a larger public with their ideas, including:
Douglas Rushkoff, who has translated his insights into Biblical Studies into the Vertigo comic book series Testament, using the forums around the book to spark intellectual exchanges.
Howard Rheingold – Howard Rheingold’s Video blog and recent article for MIT Press/MacArthur book on using participatory media to increase civic engagement – has increasingly turned towards blogs and videopodcasts as a platform for what I call “just in time” scholarship, responding to contemporary debates and controversies from a theoretically informed perspective.
Alex Juhasz – interview on my Blog – has used YouTube as a platform to teach a class and frame a critique of YouTube’s particular vision of participatory culture.
Randy Pausch – Final Lecture on YouTube (Part 0, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10) and Blog – is battling terminal cancer. His public summation of his life’s work and his discussion of his life philosophy has enjoyed enormous circulation via YouTube, leading to his appearance on Oprah and a contract to produce a mass market book.
Peter Ludlow – Second Life Herald – helped to establish a “town newspaper” for the virtual world, Second Life, and in the process, helped the community reflect on its own practices.
David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson – two distinguished film scholars, now retired – use their blog as an extension of their succesful textbook, offering real time responses to developments in contemporary cinema.
I referenced several young scholars who were gaining wide recognition for their work while still finishing off their PhDs through their public roles as blogger:
danah boyd recently announced that she would no longer publish her work in any journal which “locks down” content, a gutsy move for someone at the start of their professional career.
I mentioned that many of our own Comparative Media Studies graduate students have also built wider followings through their blogging activities:
Ilya Vedrashko — Ad Lab blog
Michael Danziger — Visual Methods blog
Sam Ford — Convergence Culture Consortium blog
I described several recent projects in media studies where scholars were trying to use new media platforms to offer more immediate reactions to developments in the media landscape and in the process broaden the public visibility of their work:
A central theme of my talk had to do with my belief that part of being a public intellectual in the digital age is allowing yourself to be appropriated by various publics, becoming a resouce for their ongoing discussions, rather than necessarily exerting top down control over the circulation of your own ideas. As you give up control, you in fact achieve greater public impact. I cited, for example, what happened when I released my account of my testimony to the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee and the ways it was picked up by diverse communities, representing very different ideological agendas but sharing a concern for the ways that political leaders and school officials were declaring war on popular culture. I pointed to the ways that my image, and that of other theorists, have been appropriated playfully through the practice of LOL Theorists, and I cited the ways that various reporters have projected alternative frames around my work, often radically different from my own understanding of who I am but opening the work up to audiences I might never have reached otherwise. And I described my visit to Teen Second Life at an event hosted by Global Kids and the ways that the youth group produced and circulated
a music video, which in the process spread the word about some of my thinking about new media literacies and participatory culture.
I made reference to a recent essay in Flow which compared my blog to Steven King’s columns for Entertainment Weekly, arguing that we need to offer a pithier style of writing if we want to be embraced by the general public. I suggested that some of the suggestions in the piece would require us to sacrifice what we as academics bring to the table that is potentially valuable to a larger public conversation about media change. I feel strongly that we do need to become more accessible but that accessibility was not the same thing as dummying down. It refers rather to the act of taking responsibility for giving the reader the information they need to follow our arguments rather than writing to a reader we assume is already inside academic conversations. As we do so, we can challenge them to think more deeply than they are asked to do by the popular press as long as we provide the scaffolding which will enable them to join the conversation.
Examples from My Blog
One of my goals for the talk was to describe some of the uses I’ve made of my blog to date. I see the blog as an ongoing experiment into how we can build bridges from the academy and the larger public. Some of the ways I use the blog are designed to serve the needs of the CMS program, some are designed to serve the larger discipline of media studies, and some are designed to serve a range of publics to which I feel a strong allegiance. Having a blog…
provides me an opportunity to share works in progress with my readers and get feedback before I go to press. This also allows me to get my ideas out in a timely process as compared to the slow academic publishing time table. “The Tomorrow That Never Was”
allows me to share ideas from conference presentations, sometimes on the same day as I spoke. “Nine Propositions Towards a Cultural Theory of YouTube”
allows me to publish interesting “out takes” from my published works which would otherwise end up on the cutting room floor. “Eight Traits of the New Media Landscape”
allows me to be more proactive, shaping media coverage.“Vidder Luminosity Profiled in New York Magazine”
allows me to respond to media coverage or provide fuller context to the ways I am qouted by reporters.“Democracy 2.0 (Director’s Cut)”
has given me a platform to advocate on the part of cases which matter to me. “Chris Williams Responds to Our Questions about FanLib”
has expanded my contact to a global network of MIT alums, sometimes pulling them into the conversation.“City Blogging in Beirut”
has allowed me to encourage students to continue to work on interesting assignments and introduce their perspectives to a larger public. “Ordinary Men in Extraordinary Times”
allows me to showcase work by other interesting academics which I feel should be better known in the field. “Manufacturing Dissent”
has allowed me to host important conversations amongst multiple scholars. “Gender and Fan Culture”
Project Good Luck
By Henry Jenkins Recently, going through an old family album, I stumbled upon a photograph of Yours Truly in Seventh grade which I felt an obligation to pass along to my regular readers. Hillary Clinton famously dug out the evidence that Barack Obama has been talking about running for president since he was in Kindergarten. This photograph suggests that I might have had some inkling about my future profession as early as my 13th birthday.
A little explanation is in order: the young gentleman you see before you is a character, “Professor Heinrick Von Jenkins,” which I performed in my elementary school talent show. This particular Professor Jenkins was an expert on Children’s Literature who is obsessed with the themes of violence found in “Rockabye Baby,” “Humpty Dumpty,” and “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” Unlike the modern persona of Professor Jenkins, known for his appearances on radio, television, film, and blogs, critiquing the evidence that media violence leads to real world violence, this earlier comic persona was convinced that reading children such stories would have a traumatic impact on their development. The performance was totally over-the-top but it also offers a snapshot of what I thought a professor was at a moment in my life when I would have known no academics first hand. (At the time, I imagined growing up to be a stand up comic.)
Unlike many of my classmates in graduate school or many of my MIT colleagues today, I didn’t grow up within an academic family. Indeed, I was the first member of my family to go to graduate school and certainly the first to become a university professor. The only professors in my life were those I knew from television — the kindly Mr. Wizard who taught boys and girls how to do experiments using everyday materials, the Professor on Gilligan’s Island who seemed to know everything about everything except where the heck they were, the narrator of all of those great Frank Capra science film which Bell Labs produced in the early 1960s, and most importantly, Professor Ludwig Von Drake, who introduced me to the Wonderful World of Color on the Walt Disney television series.
You can see a certain resemblance to Ludwig Von Drake in the image above — including the glasses pulled down on my nose and the umbrella draped over my arm. (That’s not to mention the use of the Germanic, Heinrich, to refer to my fictional persona — in those days, so many of the experts I encountered on television had German backgrounds).
I always think of Von Drake as the forgotten duck. While comics fans have resurrected Carl Bark’s Uncle Scrooge comics, and Don Rosa has done a really wonderful series of new adventures for the character which respectfully integrate as many details from the original works as possible, there has been no such effort to respect the memory of the befuddled yet widely read fowl. Indeed, some years ago, I had a meeting with a top executive at the Disney corporation and suggested that resurrecting Von Drake might be the ideal way for the company to break into the serious games space, given the ways that he had emerged from the company’s response a generation before to the Sputnik crisis and the anxiety that young Americans were falling behind in the study of science. Unfortunately, the executive had no memory of the character and when I suggested that he had been modeled after Werner Von Braun, he called him a “Nazi.” Needless to say, the conversation didn’t go anyplace fruitful from there.
Rediscovering the theme song for the character, I was struck by the interdisciplinary nature of his expertise, including his deft bridging of what C.P. Snow famously described as the Two Worlds of science and humanities: “people say Ludwing what makes you so smart you know everything from science to art I’m forced to admit after study I find it’s just my superior mind.” Later in the same song, he lists the areas of his expertise: “I’m a wiz at calcalus, psychology, plain geometry and anthropology I’m the living end at entomology and at bridge I excel.”
He was indeed a renaissance duck — he needed to be in order to host the range of instructional specials which Disney ran in that era. In his first appearance, he celebrated the emergence of color television by taking viewers through an exploration of the nature of color. From there, he went on to explore history, geography, mythology, space travel, math, and even the psychology of one Donald Duck. Von Drake, as the song suggests, was egotistical, patronizing, absent-minded, self-bemused, and clumsy. He even once produced an album, Snore Along With Ludwig, which acknowledged that even the best academics sometimes put their audience to sleep. Often, he become so obsessed with the topic at hand that he becomes oblivious to what’s taking place in his immediate surroundings. But he also was entertaining and engaging even on topics that as a boy held little to no interest in me. If I now fight hard to bridge the gap between education and popular culture, I suspect some of it grows out of my still vivid memories of what and how I learned at the webbed feet of this highly superior mentor.
Perhaps it is wrong to imagine that the same Qwack could have that impact on the next generation of learners, as I imagined in speaking with the Disney executive, but there is still a great deal we should be able to learn by studying these earlier examples of edutainment which might shape our contemporary work in educational games or new media literacies.
I knew I had found something interesting when the very first episode featured a two part dramatization of Brave New World, narrated by Aldous Huxley with a score by Bernard Herrman. Every subsequent episode offered something different, many of them exploring new directions for radio as a medium. One week, the series might offer a debate about the authorship of Shakespeare’s plays, another week it might debut the performance of a new opera, and still another week it might offer a documentary about a successful real estate tycoon, one which has the raw edged feel we will associate with Robert Drew and Ricky Leacock’s cinema verite documentaries. There are outstanding dramatizations of both classic and then-contemporary fiction, including performances of The Little Prince, Roughing It, The Green Hills of Earth,The Space Merchants. , and Spoon River Anthology. But there are also original radio dramas which rank alongside those of Arch Obler or Norman Corwin.
Many of the episodes seem designed to be taught alongside some of the classic social historical accounts of the 1950s, capturing many of the key transformations the culture was undergoing at the time — the move towards the suburbs (“The Ex-Urbanites“), debates about permissive child-rearing (“Only Johnny Knows“), the plight of the homeless (“Subways Are For Sleeping“), the deployment of polling data in decision making (“Figger Fallup’s Billion Dollar Failure“) Madison Avenue (“The Big Event,”), and the Cold War (“A Pride of Carrots“). One amusing episode featuring Vincent Price, “Speaking of Cinderella,” suggests the impact of On the Waterfront on American consciousness, exploring what method actors might do with a childhood favorite. The series invited Helen Hayes to introduce us to some of the “Lovers, Villains and Fools” from Shakespeare’s plays, Stan Freberg to offer a guide to the value of satire, Sophie Tucker to trace her career on vaudeville, William Conrad to read “The Highway Man” or to offer a guide to the “No Plays of Japan,” and Edward R. Murrow and Sen. John F. Kennedy to read “Mediations on Ecclesiasties.” One of my favorite episodes, “The Enormous Radio,” based on a John Cheever short story, depicts what happens to an average couple when the radio suddenly starts broadcasting sounds from neighboring apartments, forcing them to confront the harsh realities of everyday life. “Report from the We-uns” is an especially amusing representation of 1950s era popular culture as interpreted by anthropologists from the distant future. The series was surprisingly progressive in its politics, including a recurring emphasis on minority-centered stories, at a time when America was confronting some of the first dramatic stirrings of the Civil Rights movement — See, for example, “The Legend of Jimmy Blue Eyes” or “The Legend of Annie Christmas”
If many of the episodes are fictional, there is also an ongoing interest in different modes of nonfictional programing. One astonishing episode (“I Was the Duke“) offers the confessions of a young delinquent, including frank and uncensored language which it is impossible to imagine making it past contemporary standards and practices. A series of audio portraits of New York, London and Paris, simply take recorders out on the streets to capture what urban life sounds like, heightening our awareness of the audioscapes which could be constructed on radio. Others, such as “Cops and Robbers,” might contribute to the pre-history of reality television: real cops are asked to apply their normal procedures to investigate a fictional crime. “A Writer at Work” represents a kind of auto-ethnography as Hector Chevieny takes us through his thinking process in composing a script for radio.
Despite the range of things the series was trying to do, the quality is consistently high. I have only been bored a few times so far, having listened to roughly forty episodes to date. The series included scores by composers like Herrman, Alex North, and Jerry Goldsmith, and if that’s not enough, voices actors included William Conrad (Ironsides), Maison Adams (Lou Grant), Hans Conried (5000 Fingers of Dr. T) and Daws Butler (Huckleberry Hound).
Learning From YouTube: An Interview with Alex Juhasz (Part Two)
By Henry Jenkins Yesterday, I ran the first installment of a two part interview with filmmaker, activist, and cultural critic Alex Juhasz. In the first part, we focused primarily on a course she taught this fall on YouTube, describing some of the pedagogical issues she encountered, and some of the ways her course got distorted through mass media coverage. Today, she is focusing more fully on some of her concerns about profoundly “undemocratic” aspects of YouTube, concerns which her teaching experience brought into sharper focus. While Juhasz and I start from very different perspectives, I see her critique as a valuable starting point for a conversation about the ways that YouTube does or does not achieve our highest goals for a more diverse and participatory culture.
You’ve expressed concerns about the blurring between education and entertainment in the Youtube environment. What concerns does this pose for you?
We are clearly living in a time where conventionalized methods must be re-thought because of the increased functions of the media. Teaching and learning are two conventions that will adapt in the face of web 2.0. Now, I’ve been an advocate of critical pedagogy my entire career as a professor. In particular, I have been keen on refiguring power, expertise, and objectivity in the classroom attempting instead to create more collaborative, imaginative pedagogic interactions where there is a self-awareness about how embedded structures of power (race, class, gender, age, expertise) organize classroom participation, and access to learning. That said, while trying to learn through YouTube, there were significant challenges posed to the traditions of teaching that both my students and I experienced as obstacles. So maybe I’m not as radical as I pretend!
Before I enumerate these, I would beg your readers to consider whether these are hold outs to a lost and dying tradition, and good riddance (as some of my students believe), or whether there are certain tried and true approaches that were developed and nuanced over time because they work: methods of teaching and learning we don’t want to lose even as technology brings us new possibilities.
We found that just what defined YouTube as good entertainment — its compelling lack of depth and expertise, and its all but disappeared procedures of coherence, order, and forced attention — made it poor for education. Of the many surprises and challenges of this class, it was most dumbfounding for me to find how resistant my students were to the loss of discipline, authority, and structure in the classroom. They hated the amount of process this demanded; disliked that I wouldn’t just tell them stuff; were reluctant to do course work in a new format in which they lacked training; and generally wanted me to take control so that they could attend to other things and know what they needed to do to satisfy me.
Why, we might ask, do they enjoy the aimlessness and devaluing of authority on YouTube, but still want it in their education, even as any student would say, in a heartbeat, that they wish school was less boring, more fun, more entertaining? We found that the rigorous, controlled, contained, and rationale argument is key to learning; not the flow, but the building of knowledge. Meanwhile, ease of acquisition, while comforting, and perhaps numbing, to my mind can never meet the sheer joy of a challenge, and the prize of the steady, often communal and hard work of growing complexity. While its nice to wast time on YouTube, people want to get something (hard) from a class!
I ended up learning a lot from this class (particularly from its unique YouTube-like structure) and even more from its students (which is where I started, I did believe correctly that on this subject they could educate me). Their keen observations about the down-side to user control were a revelation to me, lefty media activist, who has made a career around expanding media access. YouTube uses its users for almost everything: they create content, sort it, judge it, and censor it, all the while producing the revenue which runs the company by producing both its content and its consumers. There are incredible opportunities this affords us as a society: primarily unparalleled access to the thoughts, experiences, interests and documents of the daily life of real people, as they wish to be seen and heard. However, two other key results are less beneficial, especially if we want to think of YouTube as a democratic commons, which is certainly how it sees itself and is broadly understood. First is the idea of mob-rule, and how it functions for censoring.
Currently, on YouTube, if a few people flag a video as being objectionable, down it may go, within an opaque system and with no recourse. My students have learned that controversial opinions, outside the norms of the society, are often so flagged and censored. This is not a commons, where everyone has a right to a voice.
Furthermore, my students found that the system of user-ranking, or popularity, has the effect where normative or hegemonic ideas rise to the top of YouTube. The society’s already accepted opinions about race, or politics, are most highly valued, receive the most hits, and thus are the easiest to see.
Meanwhile, there is a lively world, just under the surface on YouTube, where opinions counter, or critical, to those of the mainstream are articulated. However, given that the search function relies first upon popularity, this niche-tube is hard to locate, and is currently playing a small role in the conventionalizing standards of this new form. As I’ve said before, access is only one part of an equation of liberation. In this case, I’d highlight education in media literacy, aesthetics, theory and history as equally formative.
Many critics have praised the role of confessional video in the hands of feminist and avant garde filmmakers (the works of Sadie Benning for example) yet you seemed critical of the ways that this mode gets deployed on YouTube. What differences do you see between the two?
Patty Zimmerman’s Reel Families traces the various factors which have historically turned amateur media content into “home movies,” locked away in the domestic sphere, ridiculed as uninteresting to anyone beyond the immediate family. Whatever else one may say about Youtube, however, it has
brought amateur media content into broader public visibility, allowing it to circulate well beyond its communities of origin and in ways that allow greater control for contributors than found in, say, America’s Funniest Home Videos, an outlet Zimmerman ridiculed. Would you agree?
These two questions are closely linked in my mind. Of course I agree that YouTube has opened access to video production and distribution, and that many of these newly allowed videos appear in either the home or confessional mode (a sub-set of the YouTube staple, the talking-head or rant). But this is where my particular project interfaces with, or perhaps veers from, that of the study or use of the home movie (or mundane, or DIY media) rather than the activist or art video. I am less interested in the fact of who produces, as much as I am how she does so and in what context. I am most interested in media cultures that allow regular people not simply to document their lived experience, not merely to reflect their experience through and to the norms and values of the dominant culture, but to create art and/or opinions about their lives and culture, in the name of a stated goal (of world or self-changing), and to an intended community.
Learning From YouTube: An Interview with Alex Juhasz (Part One)
By Henry Jenkins What does it mean to learn from YouTube and what would it mean to treat YouTube itself as a platform for instruction and critique?
Alex Juhasz taught a course about YouTube last term at Pizer College, a small liberal arts school in California. As she explains below, Juhasz and her students adopted novel strategies for not simply engaging with YouTube content but also for using the YouTube platform to communicate their findings to a world beyond the classroom. In doing so, they took risks — inviting outside scrutiny of their classroom activities, bringing down skepticism and scorn from many in the mainstream media which itself plays such a central role in the cycle of self promotion and publicity which surrounds the platform and its content. They became part of the phenomenon they were studying — for better or for worse.
Earlier this month, I served as a respondent on a panel at USC’s 24/7 DIY Video Event on a panel during which Juhasz shared her experiences. I felt that both her pedagogical approach and her critical perspective on Youtube would be of interest to readers of this blog. I should warn you that Alex Juhasz comes at these questions from a very different perspective than I do. For those used to my blatherings about the virtues of participatory culture, you will find her skepticism about much of the content on YouTube a bit bracing. But she raises many of the concerns which we will need to address if we are to achieve a truly participatory culture. Over the next two installments, she raises important questions about whether a participatory platform necessarily insures diverse, meaningful, or innovative content. Juhasz approaches YouTube from the perspective of someone who usually writes about independent, avant garde, and documentary film practices, from someone who speaks from the vantage point of an activism and an experimental filmmaker. She is reading YouTube against both the goals and the accomplishments of other movements to foster greater democracy through media production and finds YouTube lacking in many regards.
Be sure to try out some of the links here. Many of them will take you to work that Juhasz and her students have produced for distribution on YouTube. These videos offer some interesting model for the forms that critique might take in this new media environment.
What can you tell us about how you approached the challenges of teaching a course about YouTube? What methods of analysis did you apply to its content? How did you select which materials to examine given the vast scope and diversity of Youtube’s content?
I decided to teach a course about YouTube to better understand this recent and massive media/cultural phenomenon, given that I had been studiously ignoring it (even as I recognized its significance) because every time I went there, I was seriously underwhelmed by what I saw: interchangeable, bite-sized, formulaic videos referring either to popular culture or personal pain/pleasure. I called them video slogans (in my blog where I engage in reflections on YouTube and other political media): pithy, precise, rousing calls to action or consumption, or action as consumption (especially given how much on the site is made by or refers to corporate media). I was certain, however, that there must be video, in this vast sea, that would satisfy even my lofty standards (although search words couldn’t get me to it), and figured my students (given their greater facility with a life-on-line) probably knew better than I how to navigate the site, and better live and work with this recently expanding access to moving and networked images.
Thus, Learning From YouTube was my first truly “student led” course: we would determine the important themes and relevant methods of study together. I had decided that I wanted the course to primarily consider how web 2.0 (in this case, specifically YouTube) is radically altering the conditions of learning (what, where, when, how we have access to information). Given that college students are rarely asked to consider the meta-questions of how they learn, on top of what they are learning, I thought it would be pedagogically useful for the form of the course to mirror YouTube’s structures for learning–one of the primary being user, or amateur-led pedagogy. So, the course was student-led, as well as being amorphous in structure within a small set of constraints, for this reason of mirroring, as well. As is true on YouTube, where there is a great deal of user control within a limited but highly limiting set of tools, I set forth a few constraints, the most significant being the rule that all the learning for the course had to be on and about YouTube (unless a majority of the class voted to go off, which we eventually did for the final). While this constraint was clearly artificial, and perhaps misleading about how YouTube is actually used in connection with a host of other media platforms which complement its functionality (which is really nothing more than a massive, easy to use if barely searchable, repository for moving images), it did allow us to really see its architecture, again, something that the average student would not typically be asked to account for as part of the content of a course. Thus, all assignments had to be produced as YouTube comments or videos, all research had to be conducted within its pages, and all classes were taped and put on to YouTube. This immediately made apparent how privacy typically functions within the (elite liberal arts) classroom setting, because YouTube forced us to consider what results when our work and learning is public. This produced several negative results including students dropping the class who either did not want to be watched as they snoozed or participated in the class; or did not want their class-work to be scrutinized by an unknown and often unfriendly public. Furthermore, students realized how well trained they actually are to do academic work with the word — their expertise — and how poor is their media-production literacy (there were no media production skills required for the course as there are not on YouTube). It is hard to get a paper into 500 characters, and translating it into 10 minutes of video demands real skills in creative translation of word to image, sound, and media-layers.
This is all to say that the methods and materials for the course were selected by the students, who were forced by me to be atypically creative and responsible, and that they ended up inventing or recycling a wide range of methodology for academic research and “writing.” Surprisingly, the themes of the course ended up quite coherent: looking first at the forms, content of videos (see research projects and mid-terms), then the function of popularity (see popularity projects), and finally the structures of the site (see finals). Furthermore, and quite impressively given their lack of skills and deep initial qualms, the students devised a series of methods to do academic assignments in the form of video. I would briefly characterize these styles of work as: word-reliant, the illustrated summary, and the YouTube hack, where academic content is wedged into a standard YouTube vernacular (music video, How To, or advertisement).
Finally, it seems important for me, at this earliest stage in the interview (and I hope this will not alienate some of your readership), to identify myself as someone with a very limited interest in mainstream or popular culture, even as I am aware and supportive of the kinds of work you and your readers have done about the complex and compelling (re)uses of dominant forms. While I, too, focus on the liberating potentials of people’s expanded access to media, I have specialized in (and made) alternative media connected to the goals and theories of social movements. This is a lengthy, and formative history within the media (what I call Media Praxis) that includes some of the best media ever made, like early soviet cinema, Third Cinema, feminist film, AIDS activist video, and a great deal of new media. I continue to be concerned about why I am not seeing more on the site that is influenced by, and furthering this tradition, and my orientation in the course was to push the students to consider why serious, non-industrial, political uses of the media were not better modeled or supported on the site. Another way to say this is through a concern I have articulated about the current use of the term “DIY.” I think it is being used to identify the recent condition of massive user access to production and distribution of media. My concern is that the counter-cultural, anti-normative, critical, or political impulses behind the term (as it came out of punk, for instance), drop out of the picture–just as they do in most DIY YouTube video–when access to technology occurs outside other liberating forces. I believe that for engagements with the media to be truly transformative, the fact of expanded access to its production and exhibition is only one in a set of necessary conditions that also include a critique, a goal, a community, and a context. I’ll get to more about this in my later answers, but one of my great fears about YouTube is that it consolidates media action to the video production and consumption of the individual (this, of course, being a corporate imperative, as YouTube needs to get individual eyeballs to ads).
You also sought to use Youtube itself as a platform for pedagogy. What limitations did you discover about Youtube as a vehicle for critique and analysis?
My hope that the students would be able to see and name the limits of this site as a place for higher education were quickly met. By the mid-term, we could effectively articulate what the site was not doing for us. Our main criticisms came around these four structural limitations: communication, community, research, and idea-building. We found the site to inexcusably poor at:
allowing for lengthy, linked, synchronous conversation using the written word outside the degenerated standards of many on-line exchanges where slurs, phrases, and inanities stand-in for dialogue. creating possibilities for communal exchange and interaction (note the extremely limited functionality of YouTube’s group pages, where we tried our best to organize our class work and lines of conversation), including the ability to maintain and experience communally permanent maps of viewing experiences.
finding pertinent materials: the paucity of its search function, currently managed by users who create the tags for searching, means it is difficult to thoroughly search the massive holdings of the site. For YouTube to work for academic learning, it needs some highly trained archivists and librarians to systematically sort, name, and index its materials. linking video, and ideas, so that concepts, communities and conversation can grow. It is a hallmark of the academic experience to carefully study, cite, and incrementally build an argument. This is impossible on YouTube.
Given that the site is owned by Google, a huge, skilled, and wealthy corporation, and that all these functionalities are easily accessible on other web-sites, we were forced to quickly ask: why do they not want us to do these things on this particular, highly popular, and effective site? This is how we deduced that the site is primarily organized around and effective at the entertainment of the individual. YouTube betters older entertainment models in that it is mobile, largely user-controlled, and much of its content is user-generated (although a significant amount is not, especially if you count user-generated content that simply replays, or re-cuts, or re-makes corporate media without that DIY value of critique). The nature of this entertainment is not unique to YouTube (in fact much of its content comes from other platforms) but it certainly effectively consolidates methods from earlier forms, in particular those of humor, spectacle, and self-referentiality. As YouTube delivers fast, fun, video that is easy to understand and easy to get, it efficiently delivers hungry eyeballs to its advertisers. It need provide no other services. In fact, an expanded range of functions would probably get in the way of the quick, fluid movement from video to video, page to page, that defines YouTube viewing. Of course, this manner of watching bests older models of eyeball-delivery, which is not to even mention that users also rank materials, readily providing advertisers useful marketing and consumption information.
Your course drew the interest of the mass media. In what way did this media coverage distort or simplify your goals as a teacher? What advice might you offer to other educators who found themselves caught up in a similar media storm? The mainstream media attention served as a huge distraction and energy-drain for the course, while also being highly informative about one of the main functionalities of YouTube: popularity/celebrity. I must admit, it was downright baffling to me how my students initially could not seem to see the systems of popularity or celebrity as constructed, as made to keep them distracted. No matter how I approached it, they would only understand the concept, “you do something to get more hits, to be seen by more people and become more famous,” as innately and inherently true, the reason to be on YouTube, the reason of YouTube. When our pretty massive visibility led to prying cameras that took up a lot of classroom space and time, but never bothered to see or understand our project with any depth, and a media culture that ridiculed us without interviewing us, the idea of celebrity as an unquestionable good in itself was easily cracked open for the students. I must also add here that we were handled with much more sophistication in the blogisphere.
As for advice: I learned I’m glad I am a professor and not a pundit because I do best when I can talk in length, in context, and in conversation. While I’ve been critiquing YouTube for its inadequacies in these respects, mainstream television and radio pale in comparison, and remind us about how YouTube really does differ from these earlier corporate models. Outside innate skill, hiring a handler, or wasting all your time memorizing and practicing blurbs, I am not certain how a garden-variety professor like myself could make mainstream media attention really work for her. Dr. Alexandra Juhasz, Professor of Media Studies, Pitzer College, teaches video production and film and video theory. She has a Ph.D. in Cinema Studies from NYU and has taught courses at NYU, Swarthmore College, Bryn Mawr College, Claremont Graduate University, and Pitzer College, on women and film, feminist film, and women’s documentary. Dr. Juhasz has written multiple articles on feminist and AIDS documentary.
Dr. Juhasz produced the feature film, The Watermelon Woman, as well as nearly fifteen educational documentaries on feminist issues like teenage sexuality, AIDS, and sex education.
Her first book, AIDS TV: Identity, Community and Alternative Video (Duke University Press, 1996) is about the contributions of low-end video production to political organizing and individual and community growth.
Her second book is the transcribed interviews from her documentary about feminist film history, Women of Vision, with accompanying introductions (Minnesota University Press).
Her third book, F is for Phony: Fake Documentary and Truth’s Undoing, edited with Jess Lerner, is recently out from University of MN Press. She is currently completing her first “book” on the web, Media Praxis: A Radical Web-Site Integrating Theory, Practice and Politics.
Obama and the “We” Generation
By Henry Jenkins Several years ago, I heard my colleague and friend Justine Cassell sum up what she had learned after more than a decade of tracking the lives of hundreds of young people from around the world she had been helping to facilitate through the Media Lab’s Junior Summit. These young leaders had been working both face to face and via electronic communications to try to bring about changes in their society, focusing their energies on problems both local and global, and finding solutions through both policy and technology. Cassell is a linguist so one of the things that interested her was the language these young people used. Adult leaders, she suggested, tend to rely heavily on the first person pronoun: ‘Here’s what I will do for you‘, ‘this is my position on the issues,’ ‘I have the experience needed to do the job.’ By contrast, the youth leaders tended to deploy a third person language: ‘what do we see as the problem here,’ ‘what do we want to do about It,’ ‘what are our goals for the next steps.’ The young leaders were interested in the process as much as the product, trying to make sure that every perspective got heard and weighed appropriately before reaching a decision. They pooled information from multiple sources, valuing diversity of input because of what it would contribute to the final outcome.
All of this came back to me as I have been listening to Barrack Obama in recent weeks. Commentators have noted his tendency to use “We” far more often than first (“I”)or second person (“You” pronouns, often with only minimal understanding of what is at stake in this language choice. Some of this no doubt emerges from Obama’s experience as a community organizer, a very different role from Hillary Clinton’s early experiences as a litigator or legal council for nonprofit organizations.
Obama has constructed not so much a campaign as a movement. Campaigns are very much top down organizations focused on short term results — let’s get this person elected president — while movements are constructed bottom-up with more long-term goals — let’s reshape the American political landscape. What Obama has been building can last longer than the individual campaign because it is as much structured around connections between voters as it is around connections between the candidate and the electoriate. We see this in the use of MySpace, Facebook, and other social network sites, which both build on the set of social ties (of all kinds) that link voters together and also enables new people to get into contact with each other. I predicted in Convergence Culture that the parties and the political leaders were going to lose control of the campaign process in a world where the general public was increasingly taking media in its own hands. In a campaign season strongly influenced by grassroots media contributions, it is striking how many of the so-called “viral videos” — from the 1984 ads and the Obama Girl spots through to the recent “Yes We Can” music video were dedicated to supporting Obama’s efforts. Grassroots media makers seemed to be welcomed into the political process by Obama’s staff and he seems to inspire more people to apply their craft as contributions to his efforts.
You see it in the contrast between Obama’s embrace of Martin Luther King (himself a veteran of movement politics) who brought about change from below and Clinton’s embrace of LBJ, a consummate political insider who brought about change from the top down.
There is a sharp contrast to be drawn here with the ways that Bill Clinton changed the language of American politics a decade ago when he embraced the informality and intimacy of the town hall meeting, stepping to the edge of the stage to get as close to the voter as possible, repeating their name as part of his responses, trying to forge links between his experience and theirs, and channeling their pain as he offered a more empathic version of old style policy wonkism. Clinton was praised for embracing and incorporating his questioners into the discourse of the campaign. Yet, the Clinton approach still was very much focused on the connections between the politician and the voters as individuals (“I feel your pain”) and the recognition of a still tangible division between the two. This can be seen as the last gasp of a broadcast era model of the American public.
What Obama embodies is something different — a networked model of the relations amongst all of us who are involved in the process of transforming American society. The differences between Obama and Clinton have less to do with issues of policy but rather differences in process, in notions of governance, in cultural style, though the subtle differences in policy may reflect differences on these other levels, as when Clinton wants to require everyone to buy health insurance (top-down) and Obama seeks to make insurance accessible to everyone (bottom up). Those of us who are passionate about Obama (and yes, I’m an Obama boy) are responding to an alternative vision of the country — one based less on fragmentation around identity politics or partisan differences than one which values diversity of perspectives as opening up the possibility of refining our collective organization and enabling us to solve problems together which defeat us as individuals.
In this context, the fact that the vision is blurry and not yet well defined is a virtue rather than a limitation: it is a virtue if we set up processes which enable us to collaborate to find further solutions. I look on Obama’s more vague statements as something like a stub on wikipedia — an incitement for us to pool our insights and to work through a range of possible solutions together.
After eight years which have sought to revitalize the once discredited notion of an Imperial President, it is refreshing to imagine a more open, participatory, and bottom up process. In such a model, the experience of the leader is less important than the ability to channel all of those voices and the commitment to make sure that everyone is heard. This is like the difference between older notions of expertise (based on monopoly and control of information) and newer notions of collective intelligence (based on creating a self-correcting and inclusive process by which we collect, evaluate, and distribute knowledge.) This may be what commentators are groping towards when they talk about a generational shift or discuss Obama as the candidate of the future. It is certainly what is implied when Obama makes fun of the Clinton as wanting to build a bridge back to the 20th century, a comic reversal of the contrast they had set up a decade ago between the future-oriented Clinton and the backwards-leaning Dole. It may be this focus on a different kind of political process which resonates so strongly with younger voters who have, like those Cassell described, grown up in a networked culture and have developed different processes for working through problems together.
This is why Obama’s “Yes, We Can” slogan resonates so powerfully. As Stephen Duncombe pointed out to me when we appeared on stage together recently at Otis College, the slogan comes from Cesar Chavez’s migrant workers movement and thus can be understood cynically as an attempt to engage the Hispanic voters who have not yet embraced the Obama movement. Yet, Duncombe suggests, the music video based on this speech only uses the Spanish version one time and otherwise seeks to demonstrate the value of the concept to the society more generally. We can see this as a bottom-up contribution to a national discourse rather than as a localized appeal to identity politics.
When I first heard the “Yes We Can” speech, I was struck by the ways that Obama was linking his campaign to a range of other historic struggles for social justice, most of which are better captured by the image of bottom-up movements rather than top-down campaigns. (These aspects are accented even more fully in the Black Eye Peas music video, where Obama’s lone voice is expanded through a singing chorus.) I was impressed with how he integrated those various fights together to offer a shared vision of America’s past and future, breaking out of the more fragmented understanding of these incidents within different chapters of the history of specific minority groups. In many ways, his language recalls that of Walt Whitman whose Leaves of Grass sought to develop a synthetic construction of what America was like as a nation, linking together a range of individual experiences, memories, perspectives, sense impressions, to create a vision of the nation as one big organism. Here’s Obama:
It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.
Yes we can.
It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.
It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.
It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.
Yes we can to justice and equality.
Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.
Yes we can heal this nation.
Yes we can repair this world.
Here’s Whitman from Leaves of Grass:
We wield ourselves as a weapon is wielded,
We are powerful and tremendous in ourselves,
We are executive in ourselves—we are sufficient
in the variety of ourselves…
These States are the amplest poem,
Here is not merely a nation, but a teeming nation
Here the doings of men correspond with the
broadcast doings of the day and night,
Here is what moves in magnificent masses, care-
lessly faithful of particulars,
Here are the roughs, beards, friendliness, com-
bativeness, the soul loves,
Here the flowing trains, here the crowds, equality,
diversity, the soul loves.
Race of races, and bards to corroborate!…
Weather-beaten vessels, landings, settlements, the
rapid stature and muscle,
The haughty defiance of the Year 1—war, peace,
the formation of the Constitution,
The separate States, the simple, elastic scheme,
the immigrants,
The Union, always swarming with blatherers, and
always calm and impregnable,
The unsurveyed interior, log-houses, clearings,
wild animals, hunters, trappers;
Surrounding the multiform agriculture, mines,
temperature, the gestation of new States,
Congress convening every December, the mem-
bers duly coming up from the uttermost
parts;
Surrounding the noble character of mechanics and
farmers, especially the young men,
Responding their manners, speech, dress, friend-
ships — the gait they have of persons who
never knew how it felt to stand in the
presence of superiors,
The freshness and candor of their physiognomy, the
copiousness and decision of their phrenology,
The picturesque looseness of their carriage, their
deathless attachment to freedom, their fierce-
ness when wronged,
The fluency of their speech, their delight in
music, their curiosity, good-temper, open-
handedness,
The prevailing ardor and enterprise, the large
amativeness,
The perfect equality of the female with the male,
the fluid movement of the population,
The superior marine, free commerce, fisheries,
whaling, gold-digging,
Wharf-hemm’d cities, railroad and steamboat lines,
intersecting all points,
Factories, mercantile life, labor-saving machinery,
the north-east, north-west, south-west,
Manhattan firemen, the Yankee swap, southern
plantation life,
Slavery, the tremulous spreading of hands to
shelter it — the stern opposition to it, which
ceases only when it ceases.
For these, and the like, their own voices! For
these, space ahead! Writing at a time the union was still in crisis, Whitman constructs a unified vision of America, one which may seem overly nationalistic by modern standards, but one which sought to be inclusive of many different kinds of Americans. Obama is charting a map of the future by mobilizing what is most valuable, most precious in the nation’s past. In doing so, he is constructing a shared mythology which speaks to us across historic divides in our national consciousness. Nothing could be further removed, say, than Edward’s talk of ‘Two Americas.’ In Obama’s version, there are at once many Americas, each self contradictory and refusing to be reduced to stereotypes, and one America, a collective intelligence ready to process all of that diversity and arrive at shared solutions to shared problems. Obama is speaking for this ‘we generation’ in the closing moments of that speech:
We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.
……….. We’ve been asked to pause for a reality check. We’ve been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.
But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.
Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea –
Yes. We. Can.
My hope is that Obama’s rhetoric may evoke a similar response in future generations and in that sense, it will be, to use a word Obama likes to talk about, ‘transformative.’ Historians regard the campaign of Barry Goldwater as ‘transformative’ in that sense — transforming the directions of American politics, paving the way towards the modern conservative movement and the so-called ‘Reagan Revolution’ even in defeat. As an Obama supporter, I certainly hope that this new movement achieves its immediate political goals but my sense is that as a movement which is larger than the individual candidate it paves the way for a modern progressive movement.
This is certainly what I felt as I stood in the freezy cold with some 8000 other Obama supporters in Boston on the eve of Super Tuesday, an experience which gives new reality to the news report of turnouts across the country as this candidate has addressed the public. Then consider that few of those people were there because of mainstream media coverage; most were there because of text messages, social network sites, e-mails, blogs, podcasts, and cellphone calls. They weren’t there because of a message broadcast from above; they were there because someone they knew within their existing social networks contacted them and encouraged them to come. My wife and I were among the oldest people there; the hall was packed by young people, many of whom had never voted before.
This is what politics looks like within the ‘we generation.’ This is what politics looks like to “We The People,” circa 2008.
The discursive power of comic strips is due in large part to its accessibility. Toyoshima sees a unique intensity in people’s relationship to comics, and tries to reach people through this link. “Despite its innocent appearance, comics have a very strong effect on people in a very everyday kind of way. People will cut out comics and tape them to their door or office cubicle. People identify with comics and feel a sense of connection that is very different than other forms of art. It’s a very practical medium and a very accessible one. Everyone from kids to the elderly read comics.” Comic strips can be read in newspapers, online, or in book compilations, making the physical access to them much easier. The material barriers to the comics medium are also much lower than media like film and radio, requiring at its most basic pencil, paper, and a perhaps a photocopier for distribution.
“Having never been a big newspaper comic strip fan growing up (I read more comic books) I never gave the impact of comic strips much thought. To me most of them were not funny and were just filling the space they were given. There is a safety to the comics page that never appealed to me. Even now, many papers have a 1950′s moral code when it comes to their comics despite the fact that they have some gunshot victim on the front cover and a half naked woman on page six.” It may be exactly this perception of the comic strip’s “1950′s moral code” that gives Secret Asian Man the power to reach people. Comic strips have traditionally been a source of comfort and ritual for many people in their daily lives, the introduction of difficult issues via a familiar, reassuring medium may work to Secret Asian Man‘s advantage.
Toyoshima also considers very carefully the balance of social critique and humor in his strip, especially in light of his commitment to quality. He must because of the charged nature of his subject matter. “The key is to know how to get messages about touchy subjects like race across without scaring everyone away. If I ran in there screaming about racism and injustice I’d be canceled in a week. On the other hand I don’t want to pander to their audience and just replace some other safe comic strip with my own.” Indeed, pandering is its own danger, because Secret Asian Man would become just another empty gesture to diversity, raising the attendant specter of affirmative action.
Awareness of audience was an aspect that developed over time for Toyoshima, especially as the comic strip moved from the Weekly Dig to newspapers across the nation. “I never had a specific audience in mind. I knew that there would be a natural Asian American following but I didn’t intentionally go after them . . . In later years of the weekly strip, I did start to broaden the subject matter to include the racial experiences of other groups. You can only bitch about kung-fu movies so many times before it gets played out.” While commitment to and repetition of a core thematic issue works for ongoing comic strips, the repetition of particular jokes is not. The comic artist’s challenge is to find the balance between familiarity and freshness.
Being a daily medium, comic strips are very much in dialogue with its audience. It is a relationship that forms over time. “Once you figure out the level of the audience you have to earn their trust. Once you do, you have a very powerful tool in influencing a lot of people. Just being the only Asian on the page is already powerful. Over time I have realized the truth in the saying ‘You can catch more flies with honey.’ No one likes to be yelled at. I want to entertain people but not without leaving them with something to think about.” Again, the comic artist must maintain a tight balance between his message and the entertainment factor, and it is in this productive tension that humor lives. Humor, which has long been the way in which we express pain, is as much the comic strip’s medium as newsprint.
The central theme of Secret Asian Man really lies in the interplay of identity, power, and the politics of imaging-making. “The comic strip now focuses on groups and how they shape our identities and perceptions of each other. Everyone belongs to groups and every group has preconceived notions about other groups. Race, religion, sexual orientation, politics, sports teams, economic brackets…etc. . . .That’s the dynamic that I love to explore because it’s our everyday actions and attitudes that make the world go round.” There is room in the daily comic strip to explore the nuances of issues like race and marginalization, to capture the shifting negotiation between groups. In many ways, serial comic art could be a natural home of complex ideas because comics live beside us over months and years in a way that many media do not.
Ultimately, for any artist, Toyoshima values the time it takes to develop one’s artistic sensibilities. “You have to have patience if you want your message to be effective but it’s also important to go through the brash teen years of your artistic career to help you realize where to go from there. Some people get stuck there for fear of being called a sell-out when they progress, but I think stopping your progression for fear of what others will think of you is the ultimate sell-out move.”
Medium and Process
Toyoshima, like most artists, begins with the idea. “The writing comes first. Ideas come at random times so I usually keep a pad and pen handy. Either that or I e-mail myself story ideas and go over them later. The ideas can be as short as one word or as complete as a finished dialog.” But each concept requires a different kind of timing and layout to make the humor work. “From there I look at the idea and flesh it out, give it a solid ending and pace it out. Some ideas are best executed in a single panel. Others require some set up and delivery.” The wide variety of stories and jokes that must exist to keep a daily comic strip interesting requires that the comic artist have a wide repertoire of narrative techniques from which to draw, which means he must be as able a storyteller as he is a visual artist.
Despite the profusion of digital technologies, ink and paper remain Toyoshima’s media of choice. “I’m still a hands on kind of guy but I do use the computer as well. All the roughs and finishes I do with pencil, brush, tech pen and ink. The digital part comes in after the final inks are done and scanned in. Then I take the ins into Photoshop, clean them up and color for Sundays, grayscale for dailies.” But art is more than just the product, it is also the process. “The romantic in me loves the feeling of paper and the smell of ink. The experience feels so much more real and personal. Whether it shows in the final product I don’t know but it’s something I imagine I’ll always do. I have very mixed feelings about completely digitally done artwork.” Toyoshima really values the materiality of making art, which implies that he sees art as both a physical process and an imaginative process.
The process of creating the artwork, for Toyoshima, is visible in the art itself. It leaves a trace that you can see. “I love the idea that there is an original one of a kind piece out there, not some source file. I love original art and have bought pieces from artists I love (or can afford) and to stare at the artwork an inch away from my face I can learn so much about the artist’s process and I get a much deeper appreciation for the piece.” Focus on process also implies finding value in craft and the innovation that arises out of mastery of craft.
Toyoshima once worked as the inker for The Tick before starting Secret Asian Man and finds that there are differences in how each format shapes his artistic process. “For years I worked on comic books where you get pages and pages to tell your story. In comic strips you often have less than a quarter of a page to get your point across. I try and reserve the more wordy strips for special occasions.” Length and format, he learned, strongly shape the kind of content that can be featured, and consequently the resulting audience. “Building stories is also different. With comics you can tell a continuous story for issues at a time. There is an assumption that readers have been following the series. In comic strips, you can have an ongoing story but you have to reset the story every day just in case someone missed the previous day. I look at the Spider-Man comic strip and to me it’s unreadable because it moves so slowly compared to the comic books!” Despite the serial nature of both comic books and comic strips, the length of each format molds the core assumptions about speed, time, and narrative style.
The reduction of length between formats also forces Toyoshima to concentrate on efficient, creative communication of meaning rather than creative use of the comic frame. “The format switch from comic books to comic strips was a little difficult, mostly because of the adjustment to the space allotted. Also, when you draw comics, your canvas is a lot bigger and you have more opportunities to do fun things like break panels, have action bleed to another panel, vary panel sizing etc. With comic strips you’re pretty much limited to three to four panels max. You have to set it up, build it up and deliver the punch line very quickly. It can be a challenge to not fall into the habit of doing gag jokes. Just uninspired stuff that fills in the space that day.” The reduction in length also requires an increase in the precision of message delivery, especially because each format favors different kinds of content and narrative technique.
Some lessons, however, do carry over between different kinds of comic art. “My experience on The Tick taught me a lot about the art form in terms of knowing what will reproduce well in print, how to add depth to B+W at and most of all it built up my endurance for drawing.” Reproducibility on newsprint favors certain robust, bold drawing styles, affecting everything from the level of detail in drawings to the depiction of depth. Print culture, in a way, defines the visual aesthetic of comic strips, favoring simplified, iconic art.
The frequency of a comic strip’s publication also creates expectations and parameters about content. The more frequent and popular publications tend towards more conservative values. “Weekly newspapers allow for a lot more freedom in terms of language and subject matter. I look back of a lot of the strips I did for weeklies and there no way they could run in a daily paper. But it also made me realize that sometimes I used bad language unnecessarily and relied on shock humor a little too much. It’s easy to get a reaction from people. It’s harder to earn their respect.” Toyoshima must again balance the tension between broader appeal and addressing his core message.
While a single author can be credited as the creative impulse behind a comic strip, the process involves collaboration and multiple inputs. “Once I pace it out, I rough the strip in pencil, scan in the rough, lay it into a lettering template, add the lettering and word balloons and send a PDF off to my editors at United Features Syndicate. They then turn around some edits, we fight and cuss and the end result is almost always better than the original. They do a great job there.” Conflict between creative minds can be a valuable process, especially when it challenges the artist to examine their assumptions. There is value, however, in the way Toyoshima becomes an authorial brand, especially with his presence on the web. Toyoshima is a regular, frank blogger, which allows his audience deeper into the creative process and creates a sense of closeness and community with the creator.
Comics as a medium is defined by its physical constraints – length, avenue of distribution, frequency of publication – as well as its social and aesthetic environment – the type of publication, audience, content, and collaborators. These factors already shape what the comic artist can do with his or her medium, leaving a somewhat defined space in which the artist may work. But out of these constraints creativity may often arise, giving us innovative series like Secret Asian Man, which makes visible – both physically and discursively – the bodies, voices, and experiences of marginalized people.
Boston University, Masters of Public Health 2007
Lan Xuan Le, who has BAs in both Biology and Asian Studies from Swarthmore College (2004) and a Masters in Public Health from Boston University (2007), has been part of the “games for health movement,” conducting a qualitative study and co-authoring a white paper for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation on the use of games to combat childhood obesity. She also has a strong interest in the globalization of media and the construction of alternative understandings of what it means to be Asian and Asian-American through popular culture, an interest which led her to design, research and execute a library exhibition of anime and manga for Swarthmore’s McCabe Library. She wrote an undergraduate thesis on problematic gender and sexual representations in Japanese popular culture with a particular focus on Card Captor Sakura, a paper which won the Swarthmore College Asian Studies Program’s top writing prize.
By Henry Jenkins Last week’s 24/7 DYI Video Conference at the University of Southern California represented a gathering of the tribes, bringing together and sparking conversations between many of the different communities which have been involved in producing and distributing “amateur” media content in recent years.
Mimi Ito and Steve Anderson, the conference organizers, have worked for several years to develop a curatorial process which would respect the different norms and practices of these diverse DIY cultures while providing a context for them to compare notes about how the introduction of new digital production and distribution tools have impacted their communities. The conference featured screenings focused on 8 different traditions of production– Political Remix, Activist Media, Independent Arts Video, Youth Media, Machinima, Fan Vids, Videoblogging, Anime Music Video. The inclusiveness of the conference is suggested by the range of categories here — with avant garde and activist videos shown side by side with youth media, machinima, anime music videos, and fanvids. The curators were not outsiders, selecting works based on arbitrary criteria, but insiders, who sought to reflect the ways these communities understood and evaluated their own work. Paul Marino, who directed Hardly Workin’, and who has helped organize the Academy of Machinima Arts & Sciences, put together a crackerjack program which took us from the very earliest use of games as animation engines through the most contemporary and cutting edge work, spanning across a range of different gaming platforms, and mixing videos which are about the games world with those which have a more activist or experimental thrust. Laura Shapiro, an experienced video-maker, brought together a range of fan music videos, again representing a diverse cross-section of fandoms, while Francesca Coppa offered informed critical commentary which identified the schools represented and their aesthetic and thematic goals for their works. Tim Park, an experienced AMV producer, put together a program of anime videos drawn from more than half a dozen different countries.
Even in those categories I thought I knew well, I was familiar with only a fragment of the works shown, and even where I thought I knew a work well, I understood it differently when read in the context the curators provided. In some cases, these materials were being shown outside their subcultural community for perhaps the first time. Having written about fanvids since the 1980s, I was delighted to see them gain a public exhibition in this context and for media students to get a sense of the aesthetic complexity and emotional density that is possible working within this form. Again and again, speakers at the conference urged us to place our current moment of participatory culture in a larger historical context, and so it was refreshing to see that a larger historical trajectory was incorporated into most of the programs. The fanvids traced their traditions back to Kandy Fong’s slide shows at the early Star Trek conventions; the program on political remix video (organized by Jonathan McIntosh) included some works from the late 1980s and early 1990s; and the program on activist documentary (Curated by Jon Stout) took us from the people’s media movements in the streets of Chicago in 1968 through the Indie Media movements of more recent years through a shared focus on works documenting protests at the presidential nominating conventions.
In introducing the fan vids panel, Francesca Coppa quoted a recent news story which traced fan videos back to “the dawn of Youtube” before citing more than 30 years of productions by fan women repurposing the content of television shows and insisting on the importance of this history being part of our understanding of contemporary remix culture. Again and again, speakers at the conference referenced much earlier efforts by citizens to take media in their own hands, as well as the challenges which they faced in gaining distribution and audiences for their works.
One of the things that has excited me about YouTube is the ways that it represents a shared portal where all of these different groups circulate their videos, thus opening up possibilities for cross-polination. Yet, as many at the conference suggests, the mechanisms of YouTube as a platform work to discourage the real exchange of work. YouTube is a participatory channel but it lacks mechanisms which might encourage real diversity or the exchange of ideas. The Forums on YouTube are superficial at best and filled with hate speech at worst, meaning that anyone who tries to do work beyond the mainstream (however narrowly this is defined) is apt to face ridicule and harrasment. The user-moderation system on YouTube, designed to insure the “best content†rises to the top, follow majoritarian assumptions which can often hide minority works from view. Perhaps the biggest problem has to do with the way YouTube strips individual works from their larger contexts — this was an issue even here where “Closer,” a fanvid considered to be emotionally serious within slash fandom, drew laughter from a crowd which hadn’t anticipated this construction of same sex desire between Kirk and Spock. This conference, from its preplanning sessions which encouraged people from different communities to work together towards a common end, through the main conference screening which finally juxtaposed videos around shared themes rather than respecting the borders between different traditions, and through conference panels and hallway conversation and hands-on workshops, created a space where different DIY communities could learn from each other (and perhaps as importantly, learn to respect each other’s work).
Throughout the conference, there was some healthy questioning of the concept of DIY (Do It Yourself) Media from several angles. One group, perhaps best represented by Alexandra Juhasz, was questioning the expansion of the term from its origins in countercultural politics and its connections with an ongoing critique of mainstream media to incorporate some of the more mundane and everyday practices of video production and distribution in the era of YouTube. I find myself taking a different perspective, drawing on the old feminist claim that “the personal is political” and thus that many of the films about “everyday” matters might still speak within a larger political framework. A case in point might be a disturbing video shown during the youth media session (which was curated by young people from Open Youth Networks and Mindy Farber): a young man had been filming in a school cafeteria when a teacher demands that he stops; when he refuses, she leads him to the principal’s office, berating him every step along the way, and then the two of them threaten to confiscate his camera, all the time unaware that it is continuing to film what they are saying. The young man distributed the video via YouTube, thus exposing what took place behind closed doors to greater scrutiny by a larger public. Read on one level, this is a trivial matter — a misbehaving youth gets punished, rightly or wrongly. But on another level, the video speaks powerfully about what it is like to be a student subjected to manditory education and the strategies by which adult authorites seek to isolate the boy from any base of support he might have in the larger community of students and feels free to say and do what they want behind closed doors. Even where videos remain on the level of sophmoric “jackass” humor, there’s no way of predicting when and how these filmmakers may apply skills learned in these trivial pursuits towards larger purposes. We may never know how many of the activists involved in the indie media movement learned their skills recording skateboard stunts or capturing their grafitti exploits. And that’s why there’s something powerful about a world where all kinds of everyday people can take media in their own hands. As we saw at the screenings of Fan Vids or Machinima, the line between the political/aesthetic avant garde and more popular forms of production is blurry. Works in these programs might engage in quite sophisticated formal experiments or may deal with political issues at unexpected moments.
A second critique of the phrase, DIY, had to do with the focus on the individual rather than on collective forms of expression. Some called for us to talk about DWO (Doing It With Others) or DIT (Doing It Together). I argued that there was a fundamental ambiguity in the “You” in Youtube since in English, You is both singular and collective. When we talked about YouTube, then, we often end up dealing with videos and their producers in isolation, while many of them come from much larger traditions of the kind represented on the currated programs. I ended up one set of remarks with the suggestion that we might think about what it would mean to have a WeTube, rather than a YouTube.
I am writing this post on the airplane on the way back from Los Angeles and am still warm with afterglow of the conference. I was inspired by fellow speakers, such as Marc Davis, Howard Rheingold, John Seely Brown, Yochai Benkler, Joi Ito, Juan Devis, Sam Gregory, and so many others. Ulrike Reinhard has posted some segments from the plenary panel, Envisioning the Future of DIY, which I highly recommend to anyone who missed the event. I was inspired even more by the broad range of different kinds and modes of video production I saw throughout the screening program at this event. I am sure to be drawing on this experience in the weeks and months ahead.
An Interview with Kiosk
By Talieh Rohani
The 1979 Islamic revolution of Iran brought so many social changes and so much repression to the lives of Iranians including the decision to ban the western music. The young generation found it impossible to access any music from the rest of the world. As a result, pop music abruptly stopped progressing in Iran. At the same time in the Western World, the progressive rock scene was allegedly terminated by the arrival of punk rock, because many punk admirers incorporated progressive elements and were inspired by progressive rock bands.
Although the Iranian youngsters had already been influenced by progressive rock music from the late sixties to the late seventies, the war years made it irrelevant for the younger generation to listen to and embrace this musical goldmine. But with the arrival of satellite the Iranian young generation became aware of the current world rock music. The introduction of the Internet and the possibilities it presented allowed the Iranians to participate in the music scene.
Iranian underground music became an alternative to the mainstream pop Persian LA music. Most Iranians started to recognize this revolutionary movement. Underground bands like 127, Hypernova, Kiosk, and Abjeez have received great support in their debuts outside of Iran. And as a result, a new taste in music has emerged within Persian communities that are no longer satisfied with the mainstream LA music. What you’ll be reading is an interview with the underground Iranian rock band Kiosk conducted in Boston in November 2007. Kiosk is a Persian Blues/Rock/Jazz band established in Iran’s basements. The band’s first album Adame Mamolli (Ordinary Man), released outside of Iran by Bamahang Productions, was known as one of the most successful of Iran’s underground music recordings.
Over the past few years, Arash Sobhani, the founder and the lead singer of the band, left Iran to US and released his second album Eshgh-e Sorat (Love of Speed) in May 2007. What distinguishes “Kiosk” from other Iranian bands are the social commentaries in their lyrics. The music video clip for Love of Speed has been viewed almost 400,000 times on YouTube.
Babak Khiavchi is the founder of Bamahang Productions, which aims to help Iranian underground music gain recognition across the globe. He is also one of the main guitarists of Kiosk. Babak talks about the restrictions that were enforced on the Iranian Music Scene. He says he finds the red lines invisible but he cannot ignore their existence. According to Babak musicians cannot address certain things in their lyrics. In order to produce an album, the musician needs to get permission to start a band from Iran’s Cultural Ministry. He will also need to get permission for the lyrics, the music and even the vocals of the singers. If the ministry feels that the band is imitating a famous Persian singer in Los Angeles, it probably won’t give them permission to sing unless that music promotes the government. Babak talks about something called Laleh Zar Mafia that basically controls all music productions and distributions in Iran. This mafia knows both the audience and the market and has a monopoly on it. He refers to O-Hum group. Their lyrics are all from Hafez and Rumi and there is nothing illegal about that. However, O-Hum could not get permission for production in Iran because it was trying to fuse traditional Persian music with Rock music. This is something that is not acceptable in Iran.
According to these red lines, any presentation of Western values and style is considered decadent. Babak doesn’t face such restrictions in the American music scene. When he started working in the IT industry about 10 years ago, he decided to help his friends in Iran who were trying to get their music recorded and heard.
Babak claims that Kiosk’s Ordinary Man album was probably the first Persian underground band that was officially released and copyrighted here and he managed to add it to the iTunes catalog. He thinks that is a big step and it gives a lot of motivation to all these underground musicians in Iran to know that there is a channel for underground music on the Internet and there is an audience there for the music they are producing.
Babak believes that one of the significant things about O-Hum is that their sound engineer, Shahram Sharbaf, recorded everything on his home computer using Pro-Tools software and some other sound engineering devices. He showed everyone that they can do this at home and they wouldn’t have to go to a multi-million dollar studio. Babak strongly believes that it is the content and the idea that matters. From his perspective, it is okay to have a low quality production. But the originality of styles and ability to integrate culture into music makes it attractive to people. Babak claims that everyone followed O-Hum example and learned how to use the software and started recording. “The qualities aren’t good,” he says, “They are mostly demo quality. But even the demos have so much raw emotions.”
He compares it to the LA music market. From his point of view, the underground Persian music has so much emotion that the audience tend to forget about the quality. “You really feel the pain and frustration that these musicians burden and how they found music as an outlet to express themselves,” says Babak.
Arash sees a life that is going on in Iran underground. He describes the ways people meet and socialize with each other in underground parties. Arash says, “What you see on the streets and on TV is different than what the true life is”. This reminds him of the movie Underground. “The majority of people in Iran live underground,” he says. Arash believes that most Iranians do not live according to the values that are reinforced on TV or the Islamic values that the government wants people to live with. So he finds underground music as a medium that is exposing the emotions of those people who cannot talk on TV or newspapers to reflect their opinions to others. That’s why “These people turn to underground music and blogs…This gives voice to majority of people who do not have access to any kind of media to get heard,” Arash says.
On the other hand, Babak finds the restrictions imposed on the music scene to be the main reason for the emergence of underground music. According to him, the music produced and distributed in the LA area, although they have many resources available to them without any limitations, has no content. “What suffers here is art itself. If art is the means of self-expression, and if you can’t do this through the legal channels, and the channel that gives you the most audience, you just have to go and find your own channel underground and express yourself the way you want to be heard,” says Babak.
Some people commented that their two albums have major differences in terms of culture and restriction. The first album, Ordinary Man was made in Iran facing government restrictions. The second album, Love of Speed was released here in the US facing none of those restrictions. It took Arash three years to write the lyrics of the first album. It covers three years of his life when he was going through “different emotions,” he says, “than when I moved to San Francisco”. Most of the social commentaries of Love of Speed were created in Iran. And he only polished them here. He calls it the process of growing up. Different things are more important for him now than four years ago. I wonder what those different things are. Arash says, “Nostalgia”.
When Arash was writing the lyrics of Ordinary Man, he never planned on recording and releasing this as an album. He used to write for other people to sing and after Babak heard his demos he told him that he had to sing it himself instead of giving away such good songs. When he was writing Love of Speed, he knew he had more room to express himself. There were fewer limitations. He knew he had a chance to talk more about the social issues instead of just on a personal level.
Arash does not see the existence of censorship within his personal life in Iran as a positive factor in forming his music. He says that he did not plan to release the first album when he was writing it. He was doing it for himself so the red lines didn’t matter to him. He claims that after Khatami’s presidency, many people felt sorry for waiting for 8 years to see a progressive stable change in the society. And after, this guy, Ahmadinejad, came and took over and ruined everything. So he does not have that much time for personal songs anymore, he explains.
Kiosk received two major criticisms from people within the underground music scene. First, many people consider Mohsen Namjo Music revolutionary because it introduced new sound and rhythms to the Iranian Music. Some people believe that Kiosk has nothing new to offer other than the lyrics, and it’s an imitation of Dire Straits and Bob Dylan. Secondly, many people believe when the underground musicians moves from Iran to US, they can no longer be a part of the underground music scene. In order to be known underground, the music will need to remain underground. Kiosk no longer suffers the restrictions and limitations in underground music scene in Iran.
Arash accepts that his music sounds like Dire Straits but he says he is proud of that. “I don’t know any band that wasn’t under the influence of any other band,” says Arash, “And I don’t know any good band that wasn’t influenced by Bob Dylan.” According to him, the challenge was to use the Farsi language in a rock context, using guitar and bass. Adapting Farsi with its own music. Arash describes that this challenge started in the 70s with Koroush Yaghmayi, Farhad and Faramarz Aslani. They tried to challenge different angles. He says that the best they could do was to take poems from Rumi, Hafez and other traditional songs and mold them to Rock music.
Kiosk’s success is that it adapts Farsi lyrics to Rock and Blues. In the second album, Love of Speed, they were trying to find their own sound, similar to other rock bands that are always looking for their unique sound. “Dire Straits’ first album was influenced by JJ Cale,” claims Arash. From his perspective, everyone starts with an influence. “The important thing is that everyone is trying to find his own sound” Arash says. He thinks the second album was a big step for Kiosk in trying to establish a new sound and he finds himself hitting in a right direction.
In Babak’s opinion, if you want to get the audience’s attention, the best approach is to start from an angle that the audience is familiar with. “If you listen to “Dailiness(Roozmaregi)” you might think that it sounds like Dire Straits but it actually reflects Iranians’ social issues,” claims Babak. He argues that in Love of Speed there is a lot less influence of Dire Straits.
Babak considers Kiosk as an underground band still. He explains that they always try to call themselves an alternative to mainstream Persian music generated in Los Angeles. “Not that there is anything wrong with LA music. We all like to dance,” Babak says. Apparently Andy played in his wedding. Babak argues that Kiosk is trying to give people another alternative. “People are fed up with recycled ideas of the same old cheesy lyrics about eyebrows, eyes, lips and how tall she is,” claims Babak.
Babak mentions that they are not promoting themselves through any mainstream channels. All their concerts are being organized by grass roots support. They rely a lot on Persian student organizations in all cities that they go to. They approach them directly and ask for help. Students volunteer to do the CD sales and T-shirts. “You never see any of the big Persian promoters backing us,” says Babak.
I wonder if they know their audience and if they define underground as an alternative to the LA Mainstream music, what they would tell those people that think that Kiosk has lost the reality of Iran by immigrating here and can no longer be the voice of the underground life. Arash is concerned about that. But he believes that fortunately or unfortunately, many things has happened to him in Iran that he has content to write for many more years, he says it while laughing hysterically. But he is concerned that sooner or later he will be talking about things that people in Iran can no longer relate to. He is trying not to fall in that path. “Once we become distant from contemporary Iran we will also join others to write about hips and eyebrows.” he laughs.
Babak recalls when they started in basements. He says that they are trying to stay close to the vibes that they came up with in the basements. According to him, they were never concerned about the audience. They just did it for themselves. Fortunately there seems to be a wide range of Iranians all over the world who could relate to their music. They are from all ages. “We hear from them through emails, fan communities and social networking sites,” says Babak. They have some fans that are analyzing every word in their lyrics. He believes that no one ever sees Persian lyrics being analyzed this much. “If people would analyze LA Persian music, maybe they could do better by now,” he says sarcastically. He says that the first feedback they have got was from Persian middle-aged divorced men. Recently they have had a much younger audience. Arash thinks that is because people got exposed to their music through the Internet. They were underground and they couldn’t be played on radio or TV. So their audience was among those who had access to the Internet. Mostly educated and mostly divorced!
Arash explores more the issues regarding the restrictions on music in Iran. He reminds us that Iran has the youngest population in the world. The Islamic republic is backing up inch by inch. He remembers the time that VCRs weren’t allowed in Iran. And when satellites came around the government removed restrictions on VCR and video clubs. And then Internet came and they accepted it. So Arash believes that the government is giving room but very slowly. And the young generation wants more. They want more concerts and more music and this is not something that the government has allowed. This is because Iran is young and they need music and Radio Payam is the best they can get, says Arash. There are no other resources available to people. In Arash perspective, that’s not even what people want.
Babak recalls an incident in Iran. There was a raid at a party in Karaj (a city close to Tehran). It was a private concert in which two hundred people participated. The police arrested all of them. And the news agency announced that it was the gathering of the devil worshipers. Babak believes they were just a rock band and maybe someone was wearing an Iron Maiden metal t-shirt. In his perspective, this proves that there is a demand for rock music.
Traditional Persian music just wouldn’t satisfy Iranians. He believes that people need to have the energy of Rock music. The government knows that there is a big demand for this. That’s another thing that is pushing the boundaries in his opinion. So he believes that in the long term it might work out.
Talieh Rohani studied filmmaking at Soureh University in Tehran, Iran, before going on to do a BFA in Image Arts/Film Studies at Ryerson University in Toronto and to pursue an MFA in Cinema Studies at San Francisco State University. She has directed four short films and worked, variously, as a director, art director and production designer, cinematographer and editor. She is interested in the emergence post-revolutionary popular culture in lives of young Iranian women and in the larger impact of technology on the development of a new global imagination. She sees CMS as a place to broaden and strengthen the ideas and skills that she hopes to bring back to her flimmaking practice. |
Mexican archaeologists have found a new ballplayer monolith dating from between 900 A.D. and 1000 A.D at an archaeological site in the north-central state of Zacatecas, the National Anthropology and History Institute, or INAH, said.
The pre-Columbian sculpture was excavated from a depth of 1.5 meters (5 feet), the INAH said in a statement, noting that another sculpture depicting a ballplayer was located at the end of last year at the same complex, known as El Teul.
Experts say the two pieces may evoke the "divine twins" mentioned in the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Mayas.The more recently discovered sculpture is an almost complete cylindrical figure that is 1.75 meters (5.7 feet) tall and measures 56 centimeters (22 inches) in diameter. It was found a few weeks ago at El Teul's ballgame court, the INAH said.
The sculpture fell to the ground after the collapse of one of the court's walls, the archaeologists in charge of the excavation work, Peter Jiménez and Laura Solar, said, adding that the piece was decapitated and only a fragment of one of the ears has been recovered.
El Teul, located on the like-named hill outside the Zacatecas town of Teul de Gonzalez Ortega, was one of the few settlements in the Americas that was continuously inhabited from 200 B.C. to the time of the Spanish conquest in the first half of the 16th century, the INAH said.... |
Most of us don't give a second thought about the wealth of history and culture that shapes our dining habits and taste preferences. Our recipes, menus, ceremonies, and etiquette are directly shaped by our country's rich immigrant experience, the history and innovations of food preparation technology, and the ever changing availability of key ingredients. Key ingredients explores four aspects of our complex relationship with food: Entrepreneurial Spirit - Many people prefer to eat foods grown by people they know using local resources. D
Talib Kweli (rapper)/Dan Fagin (author). D
The Boy Scouts of America - The national council of the Boy Scouts of America will vote next week on a proposal to lift the long-standing ban on gay scouts, although allowing gay adult leaders is not under consideration. As Deborah Potter reports, most scout troops are sponsored by faith-based groups, some of whom say that lifting the ban is incompatible with scout values, and could lead them to withdraw their sponsorship. Sequestration and the Poor -The 85-billion-dollar federal spending cuts imposed by sequestration will severely impact city governments and their programs for the poor-programs like Head Start, supplemental nutrition and public housing . D
6:00 am Appalachians
The many Native American tribes who lived in these mountains initially intermarried and traded with early European explorers. When the Scots, Scotch-Irish and others poured into the area in the 1740s, decades of fighting began. As the newcomers settled in, they retained their traditional music and culture in the mountainous isolation. Part 1 of 3G 7:00 am Appalachians
President Andrew Jackson, a son of Appalachia, orders the removal of the Cherokee, marching them to what is now Oklahoma. In the Civil War, the mountains become a fierce battleground with families split between North and South. Timber, railroads and coal mining bring jobs to the area, but the outside investors also exploit the land and workers. Part 2 of 3G 8:00 am Appalachians
The phonograph and radio expose mountain people to new influences and their own music reaches across America. The New Deal of the 1930s and the War on Poverty in the 1960s help relieve the area's continuing poverty. Outside investors still control much of the land, but today, the mountains' cities are vibrant and traditional culture is revived. Part 3 of 3G 9:00 am Democracy Now!
"Samuel Hunter" Host Marcia Franklin talks with Moscow native playwright Samuel Hunter about his works and the influence of Idaho in his plays. Hunter, who was in Boise recently to help direct one of his plays, is the recipient of a 2011 Obie Award, the equivalent of a Tony Award for off-Broadway productions, for his play A Bright New Boise.G 11:00 am Linkasia
12:00 pm Appalachians
The many Native American tribes who lived in these mountains initially intermarried and traded with early European explorers. When the Scots, Scotch-Irish and others poured into the area in the 1740s, decades of fighting began. As the newcomers settled in, they retained their traditional music and culture in the mountainous isolation. Part 1 of 3G 1:00 pm Appalachians
President Andrew Jackson, a son of Appalachia, orders the removal of the Cherokee, marching them to what is now Oklahoma. In the Civil War, the mountains become a fierce battleground with families split between North and South. Timber, railroads and coal mining bring jobs to the area, but the outside investors also exploit the land and workers. Part 2 of 3G 2:00 pm Appalachians
The phonograph and radio expose mountain people to new influences and their own music reaches across America. The New Deal of the 1930s and the War on Poverty in the 1960s help relieve the area's continuing poverty. Outside investors still control much of the land, but today, the mountains' cities are vibrant and traditional culture is revived. Part 3 of 3G 3:00 pm Charlie Rose
5:00 pm Appalachians
The phonograph and radio expose mountain people to new influences and their own music reaches across America. The New Deal of the 1930s and the War on Poverty in the 1960s help relieve the area's continuing poverty. Outside investors still control much of the land, but today, the mountains' cities are vibrant and traditional culture is revived. Part 3 of 3G 8:00 pm PBS NewsHour |
Solution to Deportations Requires a Vote on Immigration Reform
Broken Policies, Politics Put America Between a Rock and a Hard Place
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Sunday, Jeb Bush spoke about the importance of family unity and the effect our outdated immigration policies have on families. And this morning, the New York Times published an in-depth analysis on deportations in the past few years. Bush’s comments and the deportation data both underscore the destabilizing effects our broken immigration system has on families, communities and our nation as a whole — effects that are leading moderate and conservative leaders across the country to call for a vote on immigration reform this Congress.
Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement regarding the path forward on reform:
“With a broken immigration system, America is between a rock and a hard place. We have an unprecedented, unfocused enforcement system on one end and a recalcitrant, reactionary Congress on the other. As a result, families are separated, the economy is undermined and communities across America are destabilized. Now is the time for Republicans and Democrats to put policy above politics and vote on reform. “There’s no question that law enforcement is part of the conversation on reform, but we cannot enforce our way to a solution. The only way we enforce our borders and address the alarming effects of deportations at the same time is through congressional action. It’s absolutely imperative that Congress find the middle ground.”
Bipartisan House Bill Would Improve Transparency at Our Borders
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the nation awaits a vote on broad immigration reform that will bring long-term stability and security to our families and our economy, bipartisan members of the House are taking a step to improve border policy. Today Congressmen Steve Pearce (NM-02) and Beto O’Rourke (TX-16) are introducing a border accountability bill that deals with training and oversight of Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. It would increase training and would require greater transparency and reports on the use of force and migrant deaths.
Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement regarding the bipartisan effort:
“A bipartisan bill from the border and for the border is a significant step toward a commonsense enforcement policy. This legislation would help ensure that transparency within Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a requirement, not just an option.
“The administration also is prioritizing greater transparency and should continue to do so. For example, CBP should release the Police Executive Research Forum’s report on its use-of-force policy. The bottom line is that we need humane border policy that boosts safety and security. “Republicans and Democrats can work together. The nation is ready for immigration reform, and bipartisan proposals such as this bill can point the way forward toward real solutions.”
Noorani, Immigration Leaders Meet with President Obama
Amid Deportation Review, Long-term Answers Are in Congress’s Hands
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This afternoon, President Obama met with immigration leaders concerned about our nation’s broken immigration system. The gathering comes on the heels of Catholic and evangelical leaders’ meetings with key Republican House offices on Wednesday and amid local faith, law enforcement and business leaders’ continuing appeals for Congress to move forward. This week’s events underscore that national leaders and local constituents will not let up on their members of Congress, but instead will keep up the push for commonsense reform this year.
“At today's meeting with the President I reaffirmed the Hispanic evangelical commitment to call for an immigration reform vote in the House this year,” said Rev. Gabriel Salguero, President of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, who participated in both the evangelical-Catholic meetings and today’s meeting with the president. “While we affirm an administrative review of deportation policies the reality is that we need a vote to fix a broken system that is hurting families. Evangelicals, business, and law enforcement want a vote this year.”
“Our current immigration system destabilizes our nation’s families, communities and economy,” added Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, who was also in today’s White House meeting. “The president’s request for a review recognizes that. But the long-term answer must come from the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. Only Congress can pass broad immigration reform that emphasizes our security and ensures economic, family and community stability.
“The ultimate responsibility for the laws and resources that lead to deportation lies with Congress. They must act. This year.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As President Obama meets with immigration leaders today, conservative support for congressional action on immigration reform continues to build around the country, fueled by the unprecedented mobilization of those who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business. Since January 2013, these unlikely allies have organized 370 events, generated more than 1,000 news stories and held hundreds of meetings with members and their offices. “As we approach the unprecedented number of 2 million deportations, too many of them unnecessary, conservative pastors, local law enforcement and business owners want an end to outdated policies that separate families, decrease public safety, and destabilize our economy. These leaders see immigrants not just as workers or customers, but as valued members of their families, congregations and communities,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, in advance of his meeting with the President.
“We support the president's review of the administration's deportation process, but it is clearly a stopgap measure; to permanently fix the broken system, Congress must once and for all enact commonsense reforms to our immigration system. For real solutions, the House must vote on immigration reform this year.”
Release Represents Important Step toward Departmental Transparency
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This afternoon, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released its existing use-of-force policies for the department as a whole as well as its Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies. Chief of the Border Patrol Michael Fisher also released a directive on safe tactics in the use of force at the border. The release follows Los Angeles Times coverage of a report, conducted by the nonprofit, third-party Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), which reviewed the use-of-force policies in place at DHS. Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement regarding the release of the use-of-force policies:
“We are encouraged by the Department on Homeland Security’s transparency in releasing their use-of-force policies, and we applaud Secretary Jeh Johnson’s first step toward fulfilling his commitment to run a transparent department. “This release is an important step in the right direction: toward measured use of force on the border and increased safety and security for our border patrol agents. “We look forward to continued transparency around our border security, and we encourage the department to release the full PERF report on the department’s use-of-force policies and procedures.”
Gil Kerlikowske Confirmed as Head of Customs and Border Protection
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This afternoon, the U.S. Senate confirmed Gil Kerlikowske as the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
After the confirmation, Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement:
“We congratulate Gil Kerlikowse on his confirmation as the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. His years of experience as a law enforcement officer and our nation’s drug czar will help him tackle the daily challenges of this post.
“We hope he will bring additional transparency to Customs and Border Protection, especially when it comes to the agency’s use of force policy. The security of our nation’s borders is also a critical component of the immigration reform discussion, and Kerlikowske will provide the leadership Customs and Border Protection needs to continue to prioritize an effective border security strategy. “As bipartisan immigration reform moves forward this year, we look forward to working closely with the new commissioner on prioritizing a secure border within the context of immigration reform.”
The Immigration Compliance Enforcement Act: A Step in the Wrong Direction
House Judiciary to Mark Up Congresswoman Black’s Bill WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (VA-06) has scheduled a markup Wednesday morning of the Immigration Compliance Enforcement Act, sponsored by GOP Congresswoman Diane Black (TN-06).
The bill would prohibit the use of federal funds for critical immigration positions within the office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including Public Advocate and Deputy Assistant Director of Custody Programs.
Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement regarding Wednesday’s committee markup:
“Immigration reform is a top priority nationwide. Members of both parties, including Chairman Goodlatte, have gone on the record in favor of fixing our broken immigration system.
“Tomorrow’s markup is a step in the wrong direction. Rather than signaling a desire to move forward, it entertains an effort to make our immigrant detention system more dysfunctional by cutting critical positions.
“It’s time that our representatives stop playing politics by putting forward unnecessary proposals and get back to the business of passing the bipartisan reform that millions of Americans want.” Additional Child Tax Credit Vote Could Harm One Million Undocumented Youth
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This afternoon, the Senate is expected to vote on an amendment proposed by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) on the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC).
The amendment would deny the refundable Child Tax Credit to 1 million undocumented youth. Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement regarding today’s vote:
“If we are to realize any immigration changes this year, they must be compassionate and broad efforts to better the lives of all who call our nation home, strengthen our economy and live up to our history as a nation of immigrants.
“Today’s amendment does none of those things. Rather, it’s a punitive measure that could endanger close to 1 million immigrant children.
“At its most basic level, our movement is about the future, and the children this amendment would harm are an important part of that future.”
New Paper Underscores Critical Importance of Citizenship
WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the nation’s 8.8 million green card holders eligible for citizenship, taking the critical step to becoming a citizen is about to require much more information. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced this morning that in 90 days, the N-400 — the citizenship application form all aspiring Americans must fill out — will double in length.
With today’s announcement and in the midst of an ongoing national debate on immigration reform, the National Immigration Forum released a new policy paper today on the merits of citizenship. The paper outlines the socioeconomic benefits for new Americans and their communities, as well as the huge swath of support citizenship has across the political spectrum.
Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement about the importance of citizenship and the N-400 form change:
“We’ve had a very active couple of weeks on immigration reform, but today’s USCIS announcement about the N-400 form allows us to re-examine the very important issue of citizen integration.
“As we continue to debate the merits of immigration, let’s not forget about the 8.8 million green card holders eligible for citizenship right now. “They are a source of untapped economic and social potential. Instead of making their citizenship application process longer, we should be promoting citizenship and all the socioeconomic benefits associated with it.” House Republicans Release Standards on Immigration Reform
Move Represents Important Step Toward Reform this Year
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today during the annual House Republican retreat, Republicans released standards on immigration reform. The standards discuss ways to reform our broken immigration system in a way that secures our nation’s borders, meets the needs of employers and addresses legalization, including citizenship for DREAMers.
In response, Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement:
“With today’s release of these standards, House leaders are showing their sincere intentions to take action on commonsense immigration reform this Congress. Republicans and Democrats now must commit to a respectful debate that moves us forward as a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws.
“It won’t be easy. But both parties have unparalleled support from their constituents. From farms to corner offices and from police stations to church pews, Americans continue to urge reform. “We applaud the release of these principles as a concrete, positive step toward commonsense reform. The next step is legislative action.
“House leadership recognizes that this long overdue debate will move our country forward. They must stay focused on commonsense reform that will boost our economy, help us treat our neighbors compassionately and keep our communities safe.”
State of the Union Highlights Bipartisan Support for Immigration Reform
President’s Speech and Republican Response Both Address Need for Action
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This evening, President Obama gave his State of the Union Address from the U.S. House of Representatives, followed by a rebuttal from Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05).
After the speeches, Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement:
“Tonight’s remarks were an encouraging sign of the road ahead on immigration reform in 2014. “Immigration holds a unique space in today’s Congress as one of the few issues with such unparalleled bipartisan support. President Obama’s comments coupled with Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers’ highlight this exceptional opportunity for bipartisan work moving forward.
“The upcoming release of the Republican standards combined with the choice of Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers for the State of the Union response underscores House Leadership’s full intentions to address commonsense immigration reform this Congress.
“As fourth-ranking House Republican, the congresswoman has a history of strongly supporting immigration reform, saying that Congress ‘must pass immigration reform’ and noting that ‘it’s a priority for Republicans, [and] for Democrats.’
“On the heels of tonight’s encouraging remarks from both sides of the aisle, we look forward to a productive 2014 for immigration reform.”
A New Year’s Resolution for Congress: Immigration Reform in 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. — According to today’s New York Times, House Speaker John Boehner is “committed to what he calls ‘step by step’ moves to revise immigration laws.” Following a year in which support for broad, bipartisan reform gained momentum across the political spectrum, 2014 offers renewed prospects for Congress and the nation to reap the benefits of a new immigration process.
“In 2013, a strong majority of Americans realized we need a new immigration process. In 2014, that majority expects not just talk but action. Democratic and Republican leaders alike need to rise above political gamesmanship and pass reform that honors our values and benefits all Americans.
“All signs point to immigration reform in 2014.”
Senate Confirms Alejandro Mayorkas as Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This morning, the United States Senate confirmed Alejandro Mayorkas as the new Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security. After the confirmation, Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement:
“We congratulate Alejandro Mayorkas on his appointment as Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security. “With his extensive immigration experience as director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Mayorkas is well prepared for this challenging post.
“Now that DHS has its secretary and deputy secretary in place, it has the leadership it needs as it continues to prioritize a secure border and uphold the laws of this nation of immigrants. As broad, bipartisan immigration reform moves forward in Congress next year, we also look forward to working with this new leadership on implementing a new immigration process.”
ICE Announces Annual Deportation Numbers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This afternoon, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced deportation numbers for fiscal year 2013, which ended Sept. 30. Total deportations numbered 368,644.
However, tens of thousands of individuals who had no criminal conviction were deported from the United States. As noted in a newly updated National Immigration Forum policy paper released today, “An increasing number of states, counties, and localities are starting to reconsider how they respond to ICE detainers.”
The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:
“It’s clear that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is working to focus its resources on deporting criminals. We are encouraged that a higher proportion of deportees had criminal convictions.
“But ICE is still removing people with no criminal record who are just trying to build a life in America — including tens of thousands this past year. These numbers highlight the urgency for broad immigration reform from Congress that stresses accountability and moves our country forward. In 2014, leaders simply must follow through on a new immigration process that emphasizes security, freedom, opportunity and human dignity.”
**For recording of today’s call click here.**
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This morning, Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform (BBB) leaders hosted a media call to highlight the progress made on immigration reform in 2013 and the opportunities 2014 holds. Speakers discussed the unique momentum for reform in the final year of the 113th Congress.
The following quotes can be attributed to participants in today’s media call: Al Cardenas, Chairman, American Conservative Union:
“I am encouraged by the positive activity in the House Chamber toward passage of conservative and principled immigration reform. There remains a lot of work ahead but I am hopeful about its prospects next year.”
Randel K. Johnson, Senior Vice President of Labor, Immigration, and Employee Benefits, U.S. Chamber of Commerce:
“The time is now for immigration reform. We’ve got work ahead of us, but no one in this coalition is into tilting at windmills; we believe we can get this done. We’re going to continue working hard over the next several months. It’s our job to keep moving forward and lay the groundwork for reform, and that’s what we’ll continue to do at the U.S. Chamber.”
Dr. Russell Moore, President, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention:
“There are several ways that our country is deeply divided, but immigration reform is not one of those areas. There is a remarkable consensus in the country that our immigration system isn’t working as is. As an evangelical Christian I believe that our immigrant neighbors are not issues, they’re persons created in the image of God, and we need to find a solution to a system that is hurting people. We have a remarkable consensus that this system is broken, and I really am optimistic about the prospects of good, sensible, and law-respecting as well as compassionate immigration reform next year.”
Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform:
“I am optimistic that the issue of immigration reform has been advanced this year and is well positioned for 2014. We have seen both individual congressmen and senators as well as the broader movements all moving toward support for broader reforms, and the ‘anti’ voices receding both in terms of numbers and of loudness. I think we’re on track for action this coming year, and the center-right coalition is in a better place on immigration than any time in recent history.”
Ali Noorani, Executive Director, National Immigration Forum:
“Across the country and across the political spectrum, Americans are urging members of Congress to support commonsense immigration reform. As Congress embarks on their holiday recess, we see momentum building in the House of Representatives. The fact is, the prospects for immigration reform have never been better.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This evening, the United States Senate voted to confirm Jeh Johnson as the new Secretary of Homeland Security. After the confirmation, Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement:
“We congratulate Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson on his appointment to one of the most challenging jobs in Washington.
“He comes into the position at a crucial time for immigration: tasked with enforcing a broken system while we wait for Congress to move forward on immigration reform. “We look forward to working with him on enforcing a secure border, extending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, streamlining our immigration system and eventually implementing broad, bipartisan immigration reform. “The coming year stands to be a blockbuster year for immigration. We congratulate Secretary Johnson, and we look forward to working together.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a strong example of bipartisan agreement, the House of Representatives passed a two-year budget deal on Thursday in a 332-94 vote. Speaker John Boehner showed emphatic support for the agreement, perhaps foreshadowing the path forward for bipartisan immigration reform efforts in 2014. “Our lawmakers’ abilities to work across the aisle will continue to be crucial for us to overhaul our broken immigration system,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “The budget deal is a powerful example of Republicans and Democrats leading the country forward.
“The budget vote displayed Speaker Boehner’s great willingness to work across the aisle and move forward on issues that have bipartisan support. We look forward to similar leadership in 2014 on the most bipartisan issue in front of Congress: immigration reform.”
As President Speaks, Americans are Ready for Immigration Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This afternoon, President Obama gave a speech on immigration reform in San Francisco. The following is a statement from Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, regarding President Obama’s speech:
“President Obama is right when he says ‘it is long past time to reform an immigration system that doesn’t serve America as well as it should.’ And America agrees. “According to a report today from the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute, 60 percent of Republicans favor an opportunity to earn citizenship for immigrants currently living in the United States illegally. Majorities of white evangelical Protestants (55 percent), white mainline Protestants (60 percent), Catholics (62 percent), minority Protestants (69 percent), and the religiously unaffiliated (64 percent) also favor such an opportunity for earned citizenship.
“Meanwhile, in today’s Washington Times, Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, wrote of his support for immigration reform as an evangelical Christian and a political conservative. “So, while the focus is squarely on Speaker Boehner and his leadership team, he can rest assured that Americans of all stripes are ready for reform and have his back. “Over the course of year, we have seen the Senate pass bipartisan immigration reform, and House committees have voted on five immigration bills. But every day, the case for immigration reform becomes more clear. The time is now to bring legislation to the House floor.”
Cantor: ‘We Remain Committed’ to Immigration Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a conversation with Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (MD-05) this afternoon on the floor of the House of Representatives, Majority Leader Eric Cantor (VA-07) spoke of Republicans’ commitment to immigration reform, although he would not commit to a timeline.
Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, issued the following statement regarding Majority Leader Cantor’s comments:
“Both parties recognize that our immigration system is broken, and both parties want to create a new immigration process that works for all Americans. Majority Leader Cantor’s comments make that clear. “As the majority leader noted, Republican members of Congress are looking for meaningful votes on reform. So are their constituents. As we have seen time and time again in recent weeks and months, conservative leaders support action on immigration reform.
“Action is the key word here. Congress knows we need a better immigration process. House Republicans have the support they need to move reform forward — from conservative faith, law enforcement and business leaders, and from a significant majority of likely voters in Republican districts.
“Immigration reform will create a stronger America. It is time for Congress to transcend politics and make it so.”
“Speaker Boehner and his leadership team have the support of conservative faith, law enforcement and business leaders in districts across America.
“When 70 percent of likely general election voters in Republican districts rate fixing the immigration system as ‘very important,’ it is time to act.
“Over the years, the policy solutions haven’t changed, but the politics of immigration certainly have. The time is now to pass immigration reform.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Earlier today, President Obama delivered prepared remarks where he once again called for a bipartisan solution to our broken immigration system.
Speaking at the White House, Obama cited the unprecedented support that immigration reform has from the faith, business and law enforcement communities.
Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement regarding President Obama’s remarks.
“In the past two days, leaders from both sides of the aisle have urged bipartisan immigration reform. Yesterday, it was Speaker Boehner citing his hopefulness at passing a bill this year. Today, it was President Obama urging a solution in the same time frame.
“Congress is facing no other issue that has the bipartisan support immigration reform has in Washington — and throughout the country.
“Next Tuesday, nearly 600 local conservative leaders will come to Washington to meet with their Republican members of Congress. These Bibles, Badges and Business leaders will echo the message they’ve been hearing on Main Street over the last 18 months: Americans are ready for reform this year. “Pastors will bring a message informed by Scripture and their congregations’ moral urgency for reform. Law enforcement leaders will speak of how reform will help keep their communities safer. And business leaders will emphasize the many economic benefits of immigration reform — from GDP growth to deficit reduction and access to skilled and unskilled labor.
“Momentum for bipartisan reform is at a fever pitch on both sides of the aisle. The time is now. The House of Representatives must find a solution this year.”
Speaker Boehner is “Hopeful” On Immigration Reform This Year
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This morning, while addressing reporters during a question and answer session, House Speaker John Boehner (OH-08) held open the possibility of bringing up immigration reform for a vote on the House floor this year.
Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement regarding Speaker Boehner’s remarks.
“We welcome Speaker Boehner’s remarks on the possibility that immigration reform will come up for a vote this year. Clearly, House Republican leaders are prioritizing reform. Congressmen Mario Díaz-Balart, Darrell Issa and Bob Goodlatte also have given positive signals recently.
“These comments and reports from Republican leadership are certainly positive, and that’s why the momentum of support from our nation’s local conservative leaders only continues to build.
“On Tuesday, Speaker Boehner will be among the dozens of House Republicans who will hear from more than 400 local leaders who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business. These leaders will share their powerful stories and urge their members of Congress to vote ‘yes’ on reform this fall.
“The time for bipartisan reform that protects family values, upholds the rule of law and grows the economy has come. The nation’s pastors, police chiefs and business owners are ready for reform.”
Republicans Continue Immigration Work Behind the Scenes
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Wall Street Journal and Washington Post reported today that House Republicans are working to address some of the thorniest issues on immigration reform.
According to the Journal, Republican Congressmen Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-25) and Darrell Issa (CA-49) are working separately on measures that would address the legal status of 11 million undocumented immigrants, give them a chance to get right with the law and, in Issa’s case, offer certain undocumented immigrants temporary legal status.
Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement regarding today’s news on Republican movement:
“The work that Congressmen Díaz-Balart and Issa are putting in on immigration reform is emblematic of the groundswell of conservative support for reform that’s been growing over the last year.
“Across the nation, Republican members of Congress are hearing the call from local conservative leaders for an immigration reform solution based on free market principles, family values and a smart border enforcement strategy. That call will be echoed on October 29, when 300 faith, law enforcement and business leaders visit with their elected members of Congress on Capitol Hill for an unprecedented gathering of pro-reform conservatives.
“Although we await details of their respective proposals, today’s news signals what Bibles, Badges and Business leaders across the country knew long ago to be true: Americans are ready for reform and immigration reform is not a partisan issue. “The time is now for Democrats and Republicans in the House to work together to pass commonsense immigration reform.” Statement on Jeh Johnson’s Nomination As Secretary of Homeland Security
After the announcement, Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement:
“Jeh Johnson is primed to take over one of the most challenging jobs in Washington.
“Should he be confirmed, he’ll immediately be thrust into a position of enforcing a broken immigration system until immigration reform passes.
“We look forward to working closely with him on streamlining our immigration laws and border security enforcement efforts – and eventually collaborating with him on the future implementation of immigration reform legislation.”
President Obama Not Alone In Making Immigration Top Priority
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tuesday night, during an interview with Univisión, President Obama said that immigration reform legislation would be the top priority as soon as the fiscal crisis draws to a close.
Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement regarding President Obama’s commitment and the urgency for reform:
“President Obama is not alone in making immigration reform a top priority. Across the country, local and regional conservative leaders continue to showcase their considerable support for members of Congress who back commonsense and bipartisan reform.
“This week, in fact, there are over 400 'Pray4Reform' gatherings in 40 states where evangelical leaders and their congregations are gathering by the hundreds to express the moral urgency for immigration reform. They add to the several dozen Roundtables for Reform that Bibles, Badges and Business leaders have been holding throughout the August recess and beyond to support members of Congress.
“On October 29, Republicans in the House of Representatives will feel that support in person when Illinois sheriffs, Texas preachers, South Carolina farmers and Indiana business owners come to Washington for the Americans for Reform Day of Action.
“These leaders will echo what’s been heard on Main Street over the last 18 months — those who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business are ready for reform.
“Immigration reform is the only truly bipartisan issue that the House of Representatives has on its docket — it’s a priority for an overwhelming majority of conservative faith leaders, law enforcement officers and business owners. It must become the top priority for the House of Representatives as soon as possible.”
California’s Trust Act Highlights Urgency for Federal Action
WASHINGTON, DC – On Saturday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed the Trust Act, a law that will ensure that only those unauthorized immigrants with serious criminal histories are turned over by California law enforcement for detention and not those who pose no threat to their communities.
Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement regarding the new California law.
“In the absence of broad immigration reform, states like California are searching for – and passing – smaller-scale fixes for our broken immigration system.
“While efforts like those in California are admirable, we can’t rely on a patchwork of state laws as a solution. Laws like the Trust Act show Congress that the urgency is there for federal action on commonsense immigration reform.
“Lawmakers are coming together at statehouses nationwide to address immigration reform. It’s time for the House of Representatives to take the lead and bring reform to a vote this fall.” Democrats Unveil Immigration Reform Proposal
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Earlier this afternoon, Representatives Joe Garcia (FL-26), Judy Chu (CA-27), Steven Horsford (NV-4), Jared Polis (CO-2) and Suzan DelBene (WA-1) unveiled an immigration reform bill.
Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement on what the Democratic proposal means for immigration reform moving forward:
“Clearly, both Democrats and Republicans are hearing the call for broad immigration reform. This call is coming from constituents across the political spectrum. Today’s announcement continues the conversation in Congress.
“The incredible work of Bibles, Badges and Business leaders and other pro-reform groups is forcing members of both parties to seek commonsense solutions for our broken immigration system.
“The coming weeks will be critical. Immigration reform is up next once Congress addresses the budget and debt ceiling. Democrats and Republicans must prove that they’re able to continue working constructively on behalf of our nation’s businesses, law enforcement officers, faith communities and immigrants. “Whether it’s in home districts or Capitol Hill offices, we will continue working toward a truly bipartisan bill that respects the rule of law and fulfills our heritage as a nation of immigrants.”
Momentum Grows As October Rolls Around
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Over the last few weeks, prominent House Republicans and Democrats such as Chairman Bob Goodlatte (VA-06) and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA-12) have begun to lay the foundations for an immigration reform debate this fall.
With Congress taking these first steps, Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement.
“Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives are laying the groundwork for immigration reform in the coming months.
“Chairman Goodlatte’s commitment to move ahead in October, along with Democrats working through their options, are positive developments. The more eggs in the legislative basket, the better.
“Clearly, representatives from both parties have heard their constituents’ call. We need bipartisan action to replace our broken immigration system.
“But there are still hurdles left to clear. That’s why Bibles, Badges and Business leaders continue to ramp up their support for a rational, bipartisan debate leading to passage of legislation this fall. Whether it is in their home districts or in the nation’s capital, faith, law enforcement and business leaders will emphasize how important commonsense reform is to our economy, our security and our values.
“Congress has the opportunity to lead the country forward. They should grasp it.”
Goodlatte Pledges Action on Immigration Reform as Gang of 7 Fades
WASHINGTON — On Thursday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (VA-06) said his party is committed to immigration reform. This positive statement from a House Republican leader stands in contrast to the news that the bipartisan House Gang of 7 — which never introduced legislation and had long been dormant — lost two Republican members earlier today.
Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement regarding the news:
“The important news today is that Chairman Goodlatte has pledged to take action in October on immigration reform that addresses visa shortages and gives DREAMers an earned path to citizenship.
“Goodlatte’s commitment is a significant development. It mirrors similar statements that more than two dozen Republican representatives have made in the past few months. We remain optimistic that the work put in by members of the faith, business and law enforcement communities these past 18 months — and particularly in August — has changed the debate in Washington.
“While pledges are good, dates for floor votes are even better. From their perch, House leadership can see a consensus emerging from their conference: Passing commonsense reform will boost our economy, help us treat our neighbors compassionately and keep our communities safe.”
With the economic benefits of citizenship on full display, businesses took the stage and explained their reasons for participating in the Bethlehem Project, a groundbreaking program that partners local service providers with businesses — 26 and counting — to provide their citizenship-eligible employees with free or discounted citizenship assistance at the worksite. The Hyatt Regency Washington also announced that it was inaugurating its first citizenship session later this afternoon.
“We are excited to be launching our inaugural citizenship sessions through the Bethlehem Project today for dozens of our legal permanent resident employees,” said Steve Smith, General Manager at the Hyatt Regency Washington. “Our immigrant workers eligible for citizenship will take an important step towards their American dream in this very room in the coming hours.”
“Offering this excellent benefit to our employees does not affect our bottom line, which allows us to continue to compete as ‘choice-employers,’” added Wendy Kallergis, President and CEO of the Greater Miami & the Beaches Hotel Association. “We at the Greater Miami & the Beaches Hotel Association are excited to partner with the Bethlehem Project for this unique opportunity to offer hospitality to our own community and support to our employees.”
“Innovative, effective strategies are being deployed across the country to facilitate the journey to citizenship for these millions of new Americans,” added Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “It is an honor to work with businesses, service providers and the community to help immigrants take that final step to U.S. citizenship — and along the way help families and our economy prosper.”
Immigration advocates also emphasized the work of the New Americans Campaign — an unprecedented coalition of business, funders, and national and local service providers that’s employing innovative strategies to make citizenship a reality for 8.8 million legal permanent residents.
“We are proud to be celebrating Citizenship Month by working diligently to help eligible legal permanent residents take the next step to become U.S. citizens,” said Max Sevillia, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs for the NALEO Educational Fund. “These individuals are already making a difference in communities and cities across the country, and this step will enable them to access the rights that will allow them to become full participants in our American democracy.”
“As part of the work of the New Americans Campaign, some of the onus has been placed on providing these services in innovative ways that reflect our target communities’ habits,” added Mark O’Brien, the Executive Director at Pro Bono Net. “Immigrants are often early adopters of technology, which is why CitizenshipWorks provides easy-to-use online tools to help low- and moderate-income individuals to answer important questions about their eligibility, better understand the process and prepare for their citizenship tests.”
Nationwide this month, New Americans Campaign partners are holding more than 40 events that are providing thousands of immigrants eligible for naturalization with free or discounted citizenship services such as legal assistance and seminars.
“We know that almost 9 million people are eligible to become U.S. citizens today, but fewer than 10 percent take that step each year,” said Melissa Rodgers, Project Director at the New Americans Campaign. “As the Project Director for the New Americans Campaign — a national network that includes frontline service providers, advocacy organizations and foundations — I celebrate the men and women who have become citizens in the last year and the thousands more who are attending dozens of citizenship events across the country that our New Americans Campaign partners are organizing this very week. This is also the time to celebrate the value of citizenship to individuals, their families, our economy and our democracy.”
One of the hundreds of new Americans whom the Bethlehem Project has helped summed up the day by citing the need for such services for millions of legal permanent residents like her.
“I came to the United States in 2000. During all this time, I didn’t [apply for] citizenship due to procrastination. I kept putting it off because it was too much money and I couldn’t find the time,” concluded Marizza Contreras, a Bethlehem Project employee participant at The Betsy-South Beach. “I was in the process of hiring a lawyer when the Betsy Hotel presented this wonderful opportunity to work with the Bethlehem Project. Thank you to the Betsy Hotel for making this opportunity available to me and for the Human Resources Department, HR Director Nilmarie Almodovar and the Bethlehem Project staff for providing this incredible service and making it available.” This work is made possible by the collaboration of the national New Americans Campaign funders: The Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Grove Foundation, The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, The John S. & James L. Knight Foundation, The JPB Foundation and The Open Society Foundations.
“The numbers are clear and the message is simple. Once commonsense reform is passed, fewer immigration detainees will mean less of a financial burden on law enforcement’s resources. For example, if ICE were able to take advantage of alternatives to detention and detain only those who pose a real threat, taxpayers could save $1.44 billion per year. As legislators home in their districts listen to their constituents’ support for immigration reform, they should note the strong economic reasons for reform.”
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program turns one
Washington, D.C. -- One year ago today, on Aug. 15, 2012, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services began accepting applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Two months earlier, the Obama administration had announced the new program. In the year since DACA has been in place, more than 400,000 young undocumented immigrants who meet the program’s requirements have been granted a two-year reprieve from the threat of deportation — and the opportunity to work and attend school.
“DACA has provided a taste of the difference immigration reform can make. There’s no doubt it helped pave the way for the bipartisan debate about reform we are now having. Since its implementation, support for broad, commonsense solutions has only grown, especially within conservative circles.
"Still, DACA is a Band-Aid and not a cure. It is limited and only temporary, and that’s why Congress must move forward with long-term, bipartisan solutions. As shown by the hundred of local events across the country during the August recess, conservative faith, business and law enforcement leaders stand ready to support members who are working to implement commonsense, permanent solutions for Dreamers and aspiring Americans.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Immigration reform will create millions of new jobs and boost the United States’ gross domestic product (GDP) by billions, according to a study released this morning by Regional Economic Models, Inc. The findings increase the pressure on bipartisan leaders in the House of Representatives to pass immigration reform with a roadmap to earned citizenship.
The study looks at the macroeconomic effects of three key components in the immigration reform debate: the path to legal status, increases in high-skill visas and changes to low-skill visa programs.
Among the key findings are:
• The path to legal status would net 594,000 new U.S. jobs by 2018 and increase GDP by $49.93 billion in that same timeframe.
• Expansion of the H1-B visa program would result in net increase of 1.3 million jobs by 2045 and a GDP increase of more than $158 billion in that same timeframe.
• As a result of the new W-1 visa program, close to 365,000 jobs will be gained by 2045.
“REMI’s exhaustive study spells out what business leaders have been saying all along: Immigration reform will create jobs, boost GDP and drive innovation in all 50 states,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “Our nation needs immigration reform because of moral, security and political reasons to be sure. But we need it more than ever in these tough economic times because it’s the right thing to do for our national and state economies.” Statement on Secretary Napolitano’s Resignation
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This morning, news broke that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano plans to resign to assume the presidency of the University of California system. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:
“Secretary Napolitano has one of the most challenging jobs in Washington. She enforces an immigration system that even she recognizes is ‘broken.’ Importantly, Napolitano has welcomed debate. Whether engaging advocates or dealing with enforcement-only hawks, she has been a powerful advocate for immigration reform.
“Her new perch as president of the University of California system will be a powerful place for her to advocate on behalf of immigrant students throughout the state of California. We will look forward to continuing a productive relationship with her successor.”
Statement on House GOP Conference Meeting
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In the wake of today’s House Republican Conference meeting on immigration reform, Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, released the following statement:
“Immigration reform is good policy and good politics regardless of which party one belongs to. American voters — including GOP primary voters — want their leaders to lead on issues like immigration reform.
“Many in today's GOP Conference meeting made it clear that ‘doing nothing isn’t an option.’ That is encouraging. But words are not the immigration legislation Americans are calling for.
“Voters want action on commonsense immigration reform from Congress, and they need it this summer. The clock is ticking.
“Momentum for reform has been growing ever stronger in the past year, and not just among the usual suspects. As the Wall Street Journal put it this morning, ‘The dumbest strategy is to follow the Steve King anti-immigration caucus and simply let the Senate bill die while further militarizing the border. This may please the loudest voices on talk radio, but it ignores the millions of evangelical Christians, Catholic conservatives, business owners and free-marketers who support reform.’
“Those who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business want members of Congress to get to work and legislate. The time for talking is over."
WASHINGTON, D.C. – By a strongly bipartisan 68-32 margin, S.744, The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, became the first commonsense immigration reform bill to clear the U.S. Senate in decades.
Since the Gang of Eight introduced its compromise plan April 17, the Senate has engaged in a transparent, thorough debate on the bill. Republican and Democratic senators have recognized the urgent need to reach agreement on a new and broad immigration process that benefits all Americans, and they have worked together to keep reform moving forward.
After the final vote tally, Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement:
“Today's passage reminds us that immigration is about people not just fences. We’ve made real progress because our political leaders are finally realizing that this isn’t about politics; it’s about who we are as a country and how we fulfill our nation’s promise.
“The bill the Senate passed is a compromise. It calls for spending tens of billions to secure a border that already is as secure as it has ever been. Even so, it will be a net positive for our economy. It protects the road to citizenship and it reforms our legal immigration system for the long term. Not least, the momentum it creates gives us our best chance at immigration reform in more than 30 years.
“Attention now turns to the House of Representatives. House leaders must come together in the same bipartisan spirit that defined the Senate debate. We simply cannot replace broad, commonsense reform with a patchwork of piecemeal laws. House leaders will hear what Senate leaders took to heart: Americans want a new immigration process that respects the rule of law and fulfills our heritage as a nation of immigrants.”
A Historic Week
WASHINGTON, DC – With the Senate on the verge of a historic immigration vote, Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, released the following statement regarding the Corker-Hoeven amendment and the continued need for bipartisanship:
“The U.S. Senate is on the cusp of historic change and we urge Senators to vote for reform. After years of work and months of intense negotiation, Senate Bill 744 will create a 21st century immigration system that meets the needs of our nation.
“Over the last week we have witnessed a political whipsaw.
“The Congressional Budget Office report reported S.744—as negotiated by the Senate Judiciary Committee—would lead to $897 billion in savings over the next 20 years. Rather than putting those dollars away, senators are on the verge of deciding to spend an additional $38 billion on border security, increasing the bill's total allocation to security to a whopping $46 billion.
“To put a finer point on it: We are about to spend tens of billions of dollars securing a region with the safest cities, sharing a border with our third largest trading partner and second most common destination for American exports. All without proper attention to oversight or accountability of this massive deployment of resources.
“The overall goal of a tough but fair road to citizenship for the undocumented has been preserved. As has the establishment of a functioning legal immigration system that meets the needs of our economy, workforce and families.
“We support the process moving forward and welcome the influx of Republican and Democratic votes that come with this amendment.
“We are hopeful that the House will glean the lessons of bipartisanship and apply them to their own proceedings. There is no doubt that we are committed to improving the legislation in the conference committee and through its eventual implementation.”
Rumored Border Deal: Final Brick in the Road?
WASHINGTON, DC – This morning, news broke regarding a possible border security deal being worked on in the Senate. In light of the rumors, Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, issued the following statement:
“Immigration reform is barreling down a bipartisan road to passage. This potential border deal, which deepens support across the board, could very well be the final brick in the road. This deal appears tough but fair and the momentum it propels is instrumental in pressuring the House to move quickly. . “Though we haven’t seen amendment language, we understand the main tenets of the Gang of Eight bill have been protected and preserved throughout this process. The time is upon Congress to pass just, humane immigration reform.”
The SAFE Act: Shortsighted and Costly
WASHINGTON, DC – The House Judiciary Committee approved its first immigration bill late last night. Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement regarding the SAFE Act and what it means for law enforcement and immigration reform:
"We are this close to passing broad immigration reform because we have had the support of the law enforcement community. It's a shame that the SAFE Act, which kicks the can to cash-strapped local law authorities to do the work of federal agencies, passed out of the House Judiciary Committee late last night.
"Leaders in the law enforcement community from all political stripes have said that an enforcement-only bill is futile. Requiring state and local law enforcement to do both their job and the job of the federal government is a strain on important local resources. Plus, it breaks down trust between communities and law enforcement. Let’s support legislation that focuses resources on dangerous threats. “The SAFE Act is a shortsighted, costly approach that is unworkable and would make us less safe. A bipartisan, commonsense bill, like the Gang of 8's, is truly the best way forward for our country."
“CBO —the push Congress needs to move immigration reform past the finish line.”
WASHINGTON, DC – Following the release of scoring data regarding the S. 744, Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, by the Congressional Budget Office, Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, released the following statement:
“The Congressional Budget Office’s report confirms what business leaders have been saying all along: Commonsense immigration reform is good for the economy. Both the 10- and 20-year numbers show that reforming our broken immigration system does not add a cent to the national deficit. Rather, the Gang of 8 bill will result in net savings of about $197 billion in the first ten years, and up to $700 billion in 20 years.
“This is the push Congress needs to move broad reform past the finish line.”
Gowdy Immigration Bill Would Be a Burden
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the House Judiciary Committee holds a hearing this morning on H.R. 2278, the “Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement (SAFE) Act,” Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, released the following statement. “We need broad immigration reform that makes our communities safer. Extreme bills that reinforce our broken immigration system are simply a waste of valuable time and resources.
“Immigration reform can and must bring honor to the rule of law. Far-reaching reform will require the federal government to accept its responsibility for immigration enforcement, not abdicate it. And it will bring hardworking aspiring Americans out of the shadows so law enforcement can root out true criminals and keep all of us safe.”
On DACA Anniversary, Momentum for Reform Continues to Build
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On June 15, 2012, the Obama administration announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which temporarily removes the threat of deportation from young DREAMers — people under the age of 30 who were brought to the United States before age 16 and who meet certain residence, education and public safety requirements. A year in, this policy has become a reality for over 365,000 young immigrants — and momentum for broad, commonsense and permanent immigration solutions has only continued to build. "As over 365,000 young hard working people have bravely come forward this past year, the country has stood behind them in support. And now a vast majority of Americans are urging Congress to finish the job by making commonsense immigration reform a reality. Deferred Action has proved to be a successful and commonsense program that protects hardworking undocumented young people from deportation," said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. "And, even more, it has given us a hint of what’s to come from immigration reform.
“DACA helped to show what conversations on smart immigration policy can and should look like. Americans have said in study after study that it’s time for common sense solutions that fix our broken immigration system. DACA demonstrated that there must be a permanent, legislative that gives aspiring Americans a chance to contribute fully to the only country they call home. ”
As the immigration reform debate gets under way on the Senate floor, two polls released Thursday, June 13, show the dynamic support for broad immigration reform that has developed. In a Fox News poll, 76 percent of respondents said that passage of immigration reform legislation is important this year, and 74 percent said reform should include a roadmap to earned citizenship for aspiring Americans who meet certain requirements. Separately, a poll sponsored by the Alliance for Citizenship, Partnership for a New American Economy and Republicans for Immigration Reform found very strong support for reform in 29 states.
In the past year, support for reform also has broadened among faith, law enforcement and business leaders across the country. On Wednesday, more than 100 leaders in the Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform (BBB) network came to Washington and met with more than 80 congressional offices to show their support for immigration reform. One of the most inspiring stories of the day was that of Jesus Loya, a Utah angel investor and former DREAMer. “My American story is one of hard work and perseverance, but it is not unique — I feel compelled to share it on behalf of the millions of aspiring young Americans, like me, who want to give back to the only country they know and love,” Loya said. “That’s why I’m here: to make sure that stories like mine are told, and to help ensure Congress knows that Americans are calling on them to fix our broken immigration system once and for all.”
As the debate in Congress continues to unfold, voters across the political spectrum are watching.
“We have come a long way on the road to immigration reform, but the fight is far from over,” Noorani said. “Deferred Action is a Band-Aid where we need a cure. We look forward to the passage of comprehensive immigration reform that puts into law a path to citizenship for DACA recipients and other aspiring Americans.”
WASHINGTON, DC -- The following is a quote from Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, regarding President Obama's remarks on immigration reform earlier today and the motion to proceed that passed in the Senate by an 84-15 margin:
"President Obama was right. The Senate's immigration bill is the best chance we've had at reforming our broken system in decades. With the Senate's procedural votes today, the debate has officially begun and momentum continues to grow. Though some senators are still on the fence, it is encouraging that they agree this bill is worthy of floor debate.
"As the Senate debate moves forward to passage before July 4, we encourage leaders in the House to move quickly toward mending our immigration policies and to find workable solutions for all Americans."
Speaker Boehner To Prioritize Immigration Reform
WASHINGTON, DC—The following is a quote from Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, regarding Speaker Boehner's timeline for immigration reform:
“It is encouraging that Speaker Boehner plans to prioritize immigration reform in the House of Representatives this summer by urging a House vote before the August break. As the speaker recognizes, we urgently need a new immigration process to replace our broken system. American voters of all political stripes clearly agree that reform is urgent. “We agree with leaders in both parties who recognize that comprehensive reform is the only way to prevent a patchwork of laws that would be prone to mismanagement. And we support the bipartisan efforts in both the House and the Senate for broad reform. The debate over commonsense reform must be one of statesmanship, not political gamesmanship. Congress must seize this moment.”
Senate to Debate Broad Immigration Reform on Floor Next Week
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Next week, the full Senate will begin floor debate on S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13-5 in favor of the bill in May and, during markup, senators approved more than 140 of the nearly 300 amendments submitted. Most represent good-faith efforts to improve the bill and to make government more accountable for its effective implementation. The vast majority of amendments that passed did so with bipartisan support.
The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum: “There’s no doubt we’ve come a long way to get where we are with immigration reform. Getting the Gang of 8 bill over the hurdle of passing the Senate Judiciary Committee was a great victory, but in many ways we are still at the starting line.
“As the Senate takes up floor action on the bill, it is vital that key players in the Senate continue to work in the spirit of compromise and cooperation and that we continue to build upon the momentum that got us this far.
“The American people have said time and time again that they want commonsense immigration reform. And that means reuniting families, recognizing the importance of immigration to our economy and our communities, and including a roadmap to citizenship for aspiring Americans. The bill headed for the Senate floor next week does exactly that.
“As we move full speed ahead, let’s keep our eyes on the end-goal and ensure that this broad and balanced bill gets the full support it needs in the Senate.”
The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum: “The announcement by the House represents major progress and gives immigration reform remarkable momentum. Much work lies ahead in both houses of Congress, but the diverse House group’s willingness to come together is a strong sign of just how far we have come. “Americans are ready for Congress to show its resolve and continue debating immigration reform in the bipartisan spirit that has prevailed so far. As the debate over the bill in the Senate continues to progress, the House group’s announcement marks an exciting step forward. “We await the details of the House agreement and bill. The legislation needs a clear and fair road to citizenship, and it must recognize the importance of immigration to our economy, our families and our communities.
“The tide has turned. Political leaders in both houses and both parties are recognizing that we need broad immigration reform this year. They must continue to work together until reform is reality.”
Innovative Citizenship Initiative Launches in Los Angeles.
Employees Attend Free Citizenship Workshop at American Apparel
LOS ANGELES — Today, the National Immigration Forum joined American Apparel employees to launch The Bethlehem Project in Los Angeles. Through this innovative citizenship initiative, businesses partner with local immigrant-service organizations such as NALEO, APALC, CARECEN and Catholic Charities to offer their immigrant employees onsite services such as English classes, civics instruction and legal assistance for citizenship applications. Across the country, it’s business that is increasingly leading the charge to help new Americans integrate. Following the launch of the Bethlehem Project in Miami in April, American Apparel becomes the first Los Angeles–area business taking a leadership role by investing in its immigrant workforce — in a city where nearly 1.6 million people are eligible for citizenship.
“In the end, the most important parties involved — our employees — left well-informed and seemingly energized to make the step toward a better life for them and their families,” said Marty Bailey, President of Manufacturing at American Apparel.
The Bethlehem Project is designed to meet the needs of employees and the businesses they work for. Hardworking immigrants gain essential skills on the worksite that will increase their earning potential and allow them to fully engage as citizens in their new homeland, and businesses will benefit from increased loyalty and better-trained workers.
“The L.A. Area Chamber applauds the efforts American Apparel is putting forth, in conjunction with the National Immigration Forum’s Bethlehem Project, to help eligible immigrant workers pursue citizenship,” said Gary Toebben, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. “This is a model that should be replicated nationwide. Encouraging citizenship will improve economic prosperity for all stakeholders involved.”
“The Bethlehem Project is a unique opportunity for employers to support their workers in their journey to becoming American citizens,” added Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “From Miami to Los Angeles and beyond, we’re hearing from business leaders and employees who view this service as good for the bottom line and great for employee morale.”
Senate Moves Toward Substance in Immigration Reform Debate
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Senate Judiciary Committee holds a markup this morning of S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, Congress takes another important step forward as it considers broad, commonsense immigration reform. With about 300 amendments introduced this week, senators are clearly prioritizing a new immigration process as they navigate the debate and move forward in bipartisan fashion.
The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum: “As senators take up the debate, they must remain focused on the end goal: broad, bipartisan reform. We need a new immigration process that reunites families, recognizes the importance of immigration to our economy and our communities, and includes a roadmap to citizenship for aspiring Americans. Our country will realize its full potential only when Congress has passed a bill that creates this process.
“It’s great to see the legislation moving. This is concrete progress. As the Judiciary Committee considers the wide range of amendments, the spirit of compromise and cooperation that has brought us this far must be senators’ guiding light. Congress must continue a rational debate in the same bipartisan fashion that has given reform so much momentum.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the Senate introduction of bipartisan immigration reform legislation, the National Immigration Forum Action Fund received a strong show of support from hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer to continue the bipartisan effort for common sense immigration solutions. Mr. Singer is the founder and CEO of Elliott Management, and is providing a six-figure contribution to the National Immigration Forum Action Fund’s “Bibles, Badges and Business” project to encourage Republicans and Democrats to support immigration reform that strengthens our nation’s competitiveness and helps us attract the world’s best talent and hard workers.
The passionate level of involvement and cooperation from both Republicans and Democrats on immigration reform sends a resounding message that this immigration battle is different than that of decades past. Rather than fall back into the stagnation and polarization that plagues so many of today’s political disagreements, immigration reform has produced robust coalitions and unlikely collaborations. This donation by Paul Singer is one of many signs from business leaders that American businesses are not sitting on the sidelines for this immigration reform battle. The bipartisan Senate bill is a strong start. It includes the core elements necessary for reform like commonsense fixes to our legal immigration system that ensures our competitiveness and creates a tough but fair road to citizenship for contributing immigrants already in the country. Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum Action Fund expresses the importance of Mr. Singer’s contribution: “We are grateful for the leadership and support of Paul Singer at this critical juncture. Across the country, those who read a Bible, wear a badge or own a business demand Congress build a common sense immigration system. Introduction of bipartisan legislation is only the first step. In the months of debate ahead, we know the opposition is prepared to spend millions of dollars to try and defeat immigration reform yet again. But, this time it is different. Not only are faith, law enforcement and business leaders working together. But, civic leaders like Mr. Singer are investing their hard earned resources in the path to victory.”
Representatives Gutierrez and Carter Talk to San Antonio Residents about Immigration Reform
On Monday, April 29, lawmakers gave San Antonio a front row seat to the latest developments on immigration reform
As the Senate moves forward on immigration reform, two members of the House of Representatives group that has been negotiating behind the scenes to develop a compromise immigration reform bill will sat down with San Antonio residents to share some of the latest developments on immigration reform and discussed the path forward for the bill.
The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce hosted Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and Rep. John Carter (R-Tex.) in San Antonio for “Left. Right, Forward,” an in-depth conversation on immigration reform.
Congressmen Gutierrez and Carter will engaged with San Antonians in a unique and open discussion on the path forward for immigration reform and the national immigration debate.
The event was livestreamed. Watch a video recording below:
“Left. Right. Forward.” Event Sets Tone for National Conversation on Immigration
Leaders of the bipartisan effort in the House of Representatives on immigration reform make the case for comprehensive and sensible changes to immigration law.
SAN ANTONIO, TX – In a wide-ranging discussion moderated by Texas Tribune Editor Evan Smith, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and Rep. John Carter (R-Tex.) argued for a bipartisan, comprehensive solution to immigration and border issues. A growing consensus among members of the faith, law enforcement and business communities makes that solution attainable even in a highly polarized political environment. “Today in San Antonio, Representatives Carter and Gutierrez showed us exactly why the time is now for immigration reform. They came together to talk with San Antonians about the urgency and need for both parties to continue working together on comprehensive and bipartisan reform,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “This isn’t about Democrats or Republicans getting everything they want on immigration – it’s about the left working with the right, and the right working with the left to move us forward on immigration reform.”
“Part of the conversation that Congressman Carter and I are having here today with you is an educational experience, not only for us, but for the rest of the American people,” said Congressman Gutierrez. “If they can hear a Republican and a Democrat speak in sensible terms, then I think that goes all the way down to the local police officer or constable who are also going to change their minds.”
“If the far left and the far right, which is quite honestly what our group is made up of, can come to a compromise, then it ought to be easy for the rest of the Congress to come to a compromise,” noted Congressman Carter. “We’re as far apart politically as you can get, but we’re very close right now because of this project we’re working on. We’re very proud of the product we’re moving forward.”
Both congressmen observed that national security is enhanced and the U.S. economy is invigorated by enacting rational immigration policies that allow law enforcement and border security agencies to focus on legitimate threats while allowing needed laborers and entrepreneurs to enter the U.S. workforce.
“For residents of San Antonio and South Texas who know border issues better than anyone else, the bipartisan effort led by Congressmen Gutierrez and Carter is a breath of fresh air,” said Eddie Aldrete, Senior Vice President, IBC Bank and board member of the National Immigration Forum. “Their work is vitally important for our economic and national security. More Americans need to hear them and support their effort to create sane and humane immigration laws.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday’s start of the mark-up session in the Senate Judiciary Committee represents an important step forward toward a commonsense and fully comprehensive immigration reform bill. Congress has been discussing this issue for the last 10 years, and all other piecemeal attempts at immigration reform have failed. But changing public opinion on immigration reform reinforces the notion that the time is now for reform – and the Senate’s balanced approach is the way forward. S744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act is the most extensive and wide-reaching plan for truly reforming the nation’s antiquated and unrealistic immigration system since the Reagan administration’s 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act. It comes as a result of years of debate and an unprecedented momentum and energy from the public and affected industries like labor, technology, agriculture, faith communities, and law enforcement. “We’re excited to see the Senate’s Gang of Eight Bill moving full speed ahead. We’ve already had three marathon hearings – and we expect much more deliberation as mark-up picks up,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “As we begin to move forward with the process, we can’t lose sight of the goal. The Senate’s approach to one, delicately balanced bill is the only plausible way to get across the finish line on this much needed reform. Efforts to break down the bill into separate legislative pieces will fall well short of what Republican voters seek: a complete overhaul.”
Over 100 Current and Former Attorneys General Send Letters to Congressional Leadership Urging Action
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, 36 current state attorneys general and 76 former state attorneys general signed and delivered letters to House and Senate Leadership outlining their positions on immigration reform and pushing both Chambers to move quickly to solve this issue. The signatories represent the consensus among this group of national and bipartisan law enforcement leaders for immigration reform that secures our border, keeps families together, sensibly deals with those already in our country and improves public safety at the local level. “With these two letters, the nation’s attorneys general signal the need for broad immigration reform that corrects the many harms caused by the current immigration system,” said former Attorney General Mark Shurtleff (R-Utah). “From improving border security to rebuilding trust between undocumented immigrants and their local law enforcement officers, the time is now to address these problems."
“The message sent by these leaders who have dedicated their lives to keep our communities safe represents the far reaching momentum that exists for commonsense immigration reform,” added Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “With the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, Congress has an opportunity to apply their recommendations and make America safer.”
Miami’s Business Community Launches Innovative Citizenship Initiative
The InterContinental Miami, the Betsy Hotel and Miami-Dade College Participate in National Immigration Forum's Bethlehem Project
MIAMI, FL. —Today, the National Immigration Forum inaugurated Miami as the official launch city for “The Bethlehem Project”. Through this innovative citizenship promotion initiative, businesses partner with immigrant-service organizations like the International Rescue Committee to offer their immigrant employees on-site services such as English classes, civic instruction and legal assistance for citizenship applications. The business community is increasingly leading the effort to integrate our nation’s aspiring citizens. Miami companies like InterContinental Hotel--Miami, The Betsy Hotel--South Beach and Miami-Dade College are taking their leadership to a new level by recognizing the value of investing in their immigrant workforce and promoting citizenship and integration in the workplace. While many opportunities exist for English learning, civics instruction and naturalization assistance at different sites like churches, community colleges and immigrant service organizations, virtually nobody integrates all three needs in one site like the workplace. Immigrant employees praised the project because it adds the invaluable convenience of accessing citizenship assistance at their place of work.
“Becoming a U.S. citizen is a very important step to me because I feel that this country is my home,” said Ráquel Araujo-Escobar, an employee at InterContinental Miami. “Having my employer support me in this important step by providing citizenship assistance at my place of work is a true blessing."
Similarly, business leaders stressed the Bethlehem Project’s practicality and benefits to employees and companies alike. “This program is easy to handle and coordinate. The Bethlehem Project supported us through the different stages of the program and provided flyers and easy-to-understand information that we could share with our staff in multiple languages,” said Nilmarie Almovodar, Human Resources Director at The Betsy - South Beach. “With this partnership we are demonstrating to our employees that we care and support their best interests, and that we care for our community,” added Leonie Timothee of the Human Resources Department at The InterContinental Miami.
The city of Miami is a symbol of the convergence between business and immigration. Noted worldwide as an entrepreneurial city, Miami also boasts a significant immigrant population – with over 60% of its residents hailing from other parts of the world.
“In Miami-County we have over 520,000 individuals who are legal permanent residents who have not yet become citizens,” said Eduardo Padrón, President at Miami-Dade College. “Becoming a citizen not only provides you with greater responsibility for civic engagement and voting, but it also helps you and the companies involved to get a better return on your investment.”
The Bethlehem Project is designed to meet the needs of employees and the businesses they work for – on the one hand, hard-working immigrants achieve essential skills such as English language training that will increase their earning potential and allow them to fully engage as citizens in their new homeland. On the other hand, businesses will benefit from increased productivity from better trained workers. “The Miami business community, many of whom are immigrants themselves, has long understood the importance of nurturing the innovation, energy and spirit of the immigrant community to build a more prosperous Miami,” noted Manny Díaz, Mayor of the City of Miami. “Today, we make another plea to our business community. Work with us as we try to bring these half-a-million citizen eligible residents in our community to become an even greater part of the American mainstream.”
“For hard-working immigrants in Miami, this assistance will mean the ability to realize the American Dream; for our partner businesses, this program will pay off in increased effectiveness and opportunities for advancement of their employees,” added Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum.
In addition, at more than a dozen pro-reform events in Illinois, Indiana, California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee. “Bibles, Badges and Business” leaders are showing that their constituencies will support courageous lawmakers who act on broad immigration reform in coming weeks and months. In Modesto, California, 1,500 people joined a forum on immigration at the St. Stanislaus Catholic Church featuring Rep. Jeff Tenham (R-CA) and Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC), the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Immigration. Participants called on lawmakers to make broad immigration reform with an earned path to citizenship a priority in Congress.
In Indianapolis, a business-oriented forum featured the Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association, the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and the senior vice president of Indiana’s largest integrated communications company speaking on the urgency for reform. “The recent federal court decision striking down Indiana’s immigration law as unconstitutional reinforces that fact that we must convince Congress to act swiftly to update and reform our country’s outdated immigration laws,” said Mike Murphy, Senior Vice President of Hirons and Company and a Republican who served for 16 years in the Indiana General Assembly. “Immigrants must once again be considered our nation’s strength, not a liability.”
And at an in-person press conference this week at the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales reiterated the need for reform from the law enforcement perspective. “It is past time for the president and Congress to do their job and pass comprehensive immigration reform that enhances our national and law enforcement security, bolsters our economy, and is consistent with the rule of law and our notions of fairness and compassion,” Gonzales said.
Other events featuring faith, law enforcement and business leaders include:
• a Kansas roundtable discussion featuring the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and the former Republican Attorney General. • a Good Friday discussion in northern Colorado about the “I Was a Stranger” immigration prayer challenge.
• a press conference in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Baptist clergy urging Sens. Hagan and Burr to support immigration reform. • an evangelical event in Jacksonville, Fla., to discuss a biblical way forward on immigration.
“Today’s immigration debate is different than the immigration debate of 2006 and 2007,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “Once you get outside of the Beltway you find energy and momentum from the ‘Bibles, Badges and Business’ communities for prompt action on broad immigration reform. There is no other policy issue under consideration by Congress right now that has the depth and breadth of bipartisan support that immigration reform enjoys.” Added Noorani, “The collective energy these events are generating around broad immigration reform translates to a clear call to members of Congress: We need accountable and practical immigration reform that strengthens our economy and reflects our tradition as both a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws.”
“Once you get outside the Beltway, you find that a new consensus on immigrants and America has emerged. This week alone, we at the Forum have found that whether you are in Nashville, Tennessee; Costa Mesa, California; Columbia, South Carolina; or Kansas City, Kansas, those who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business want a commonsense solution to the immigration system. The fact is that there is no other public policy issue under consideration by Congress at this moment that has the depth and breadth of bipartisan support that immigration reform enjoys.”
Senators Visit A More Secure Border
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Sens. John McCain (R-Arizona), Jeff Flake (R-Arizona), Charles Schumer (D-New York) and Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) will be visiting the Arizona border with Mexico to view security conditions as they continue to work on a broad immigration reform bill. The U.S. has met or surpassed most border security benchmarks the Senate developed during immigration reform debates in 2007, and the senators will find a border with increased Border Patrol staffing, better infrastructure and fewer people trying to cross. The following is a statement from Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:
“Maintaining a secure border is an important part of immigration reform. The senators’ visit to the border serves as a reminder of how far we’ve come.
“We have made tremendous progress on border security, and it’s time to stop moving the goalposts. Our border will be stronger and even more secure once our immigration system is reformed.
"Commonsense immigration reform will improve every aspect of the immigration process, easing pressure on the border and streamlining border security. These bipartisan Senate leaders and their colleagues in Congress should come back from their recess ready to push reform across the finish line.”
ICYMI: Majority of Republicans, Evangelicals Support Earned Citizenship
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a new, large survey released today by the Brookings Institute and the Public Religion Research Institute, 63 percent of Americans — including 56 percent of white evangelicals and 53 percent of Republicans — support a roadmap to earned citizenship as part of immigration reform. The findings increase the pressure on bipartisan leaders in Congress to include steps to earned citizenship as part of reform.
The survey suggests that support for earned citizenship among evangelicals is growing as evangelical leaders intensify their push for immigration reform rooted in biblical principles. As both the Washington Post and Politico have reported this week, evangelical leaders are stepping up pressure on Congress to pass broad, commonsense reform that emphasizes human dignity and family unity.
As the articles point out, earlier this week the Evangelical Immigration Table released a statement supporting earned citizenship as part of a revamped immigration process. And last week, a radio ad campaign launched on Christian radio in South Carolina. It too includes citizenship as a key immigration reform principle.
Earlier findings indicate that support for reform increases when evangelicals hear messages from their pastors about welcoming immigrants. “The tide for broad, commonsense immigration reform continues to grow. And across the spectrum, more and more Americans recognize that reform must include earned citizenship,” said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum. “The message from evangelical leaders is loud and clear, and members of Congress are hearing the same message from their constituents: It is time to follow through and create a better immigration process.”
Evangelical, Other Faith Leaders Press for Immigration Reform in Meeting with President
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Members of the Evangelical Immigration Table and other faith luminaries met with President Obama today to discuss the need for commonsense immigration reform and the building momentum for it in Congress. The meeting took place as evangelical leaders and pastors encourage their flocks to reflect on the Bible’s words regarding how we treat our immigrant neighbors and mobilize in support of a better immigration process.
Evangelical leaders continue to support broad, bipartisan action as leaders in the Senate — four Democrats and four Republicans — develop legislation that will modernize and strengthen our out-of-date immigration process. The 40-day “I Was a Stranger” immigration prayer challenge encourages evangelicals to read a passage of scripture daily that relates to immigrants and pray for immigrants in their communities — and encourage their members of Congress to do the same. In addition, pastors are planning media campaigns in key states such as South Carolina to emphasize the urgent need for reform in 2013, including an eventual road to citizenship.
“Our collective faith groups are prepared to support just and humane reform of a broken immigration system. With the president's leadership and cooperation between both parties in Congress, we can achieve this goal within the year. We agree with the president and bipartisan Senate leaders who are stressing the importance of a path to citizenship for the undocumented. We should not sanction a permanent underclass in our society.”
Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference:
“Today's meeting invigorated me with hope and optimism. The president's resolve in conjunction with evangelical support facilitate the prescription for a comprehensive resolution addressing America's immigration crisis. I am convinced that with prayer and prophetic activism we will live out Matthew 25 and welcome the stranger in the name of Jesus. The collective commitment to incorporate a pathway to citizenship as an integral part of any legislative solution secures a complete integration process. Both the president and faith leaders understand that citizenship must be earned, yet denying it will create a two-tier society attempting to live one dream: the American dream.”
Rev. Gabriel Salguero, President, National Latino Evangelical Coalition:
“Today's meeting with President Obama is a clarion sign for Latino Evangelicals that immigration reform is possible. We need strong bipartisan leadership from Republicans and Democrats that finally creates a just and humane solution. Latino Evangelicals stand committed to see this through in ways that provide an earned path to citizenship while addressing any security concerns. Immigration reform now!”
Rev. Jim Wallis, President and CEO, Sojourners:
“The building momentum for immigration reform is proof that it’s still possible to lift up the common good, and not just political ideology, in Washington, D.C. The faith community has called for political action on immigration for years and is encouraged to see the leadership the president is taking. President Obama made clear how high a priority immigration reform is for him and the White House and that the involvement of the faith community will be an integral part of ensuring it passes. If the bully pulpit of the White House and the pulpits of the faith community speak to the moral issues at stake in this debate, we can accomplish a genuine, bipartisan solution to fixing our broken immigration system. I’m leaving the White House today encouraged that it can and will happen.
Immigration Reform Must Include Roadmap to Citizenship
Washington, D.C — In a newly published book, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and co-author Clint Bolick suggest that immigration reform need not include a pathway to citizenship. The following is a statement from Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:
“A path to citizenship will be a key part of immigration reform that Congress is working on this year. The bipartisan ‘Gang of Eight’ in the Senate have included citizenship in their principles, and their colleagues in both houses are following their lead and recognizing that the American dream dims for all of us if we create a class of people for whom citizenship is out of reach.
“Republicans and Democrats alike are following the lead of the American people, who recognize that hardworking immigrants should have a roadmap to citizenship so they can become fully participating Americans. Poll after poll shows strong support for a road to citizenship, among Americans of all political stripes.”
“Now is the time for reform that truly unites us and brings all aspiring Americans out of the shadows. As Congress takes up serious legislation, we expect that a workable roadmap to earned citizenship will be a central piece.”
Sheriff Guadalupe “Lupe” Treviño of Hidalgo County, Texas, praised today’s meeting, stating, “I’m encouraged by the continuing bipartisan spirit in Washington for prompt action on immigration reform legislation. As the sheriff of Hidalgo County, I know firsthand the importance of long-term improvements to our immigration system to strengthen the partnerships between local police and the immigrant community and to promote public safety for everyone.”
“Today’s talks offer a bipartisan light unheard of in a divided Washington,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “Congress is moving full steam ahead on immigration reform as both Democrats and Republicans realize that an improved immigration process is smart politics and smart policy for the nation.” ###
ICYMI: Texas Immigration Summit, Compact Highlight Breadth of Support for Immigration Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As bipartisan momentum for immigration reform builds in Congress, leaders across the country and the political spectrum are appealing for broad, commonsense reform this year. A shining example is Texas, whose representatives in Congress are no longer witnessing only silence on immigration reform from their constituents. Since last week, bipartisan voices in Texas have emerged in force, seeking broad, commonsense immigration reform on the federal level. Moderate and conservative voices were prominent at both the Texas Immigration Summit in Austin and in the launch of the Texas Compact.
At the Feb. 13 summit a new network, Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform, joined the Texas Immigration Solution to emphasize the need for reform. (Watch newly posted video from the summit.) Faith, law enforcement and business leaders urged action now.
“For us, this is a sacred issue,” said Dr. David Fleming, Senior Pastor at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston. “God has an opinion on what we ought to do. We look into His word and we discover what His word says, and we just have a moral imperative to see this problem solved for the sake of the people who are caught in the system.”
“This has become a political debate instead of a good policy debate,” said Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo. “We need to focus on good policy, and if both parties do that, you can't really argue against comprehensive reform. [Then] we can get back to the business of fighting crime. There is no value in taking our very precious resources in law enforcement and try to get us to start chasing the nanny. That does absolutely nothing for public safety.”
“Texas should be the leader, and I would venture we are the leader in this debate,” said George Antuna, Co-founder of Hispanic Republicans of Texas. “We are No. 1 in terms of business growth in the country — one of the strongest reasons is the Hispanic community. We need a multifaceted immigration plan that includes border security and a guest worker program, and we are communicating these needs with our leaders.”
On Tuesday, a second group of faith, law enforcement and business leaders gathered to launch the Texas Compact, a declaration of principles to guide the immigration debate in Texas and urge immigration reform at the federal level. The principles include emphases on law enforcement, families, the economy and a free society. Initial signatories include Henry Cisneros, Chairman of CityView and Former Mayor of San Antonio.
“We are hoping that this Texas Compact, led by faith leaders, social service leaders, education leaders and business leaders, will give [Congress] the courage to take the correct action and move forward comprehensive immigration reform,” said Mike Nichols, Co-chair of the Texas Compact and Retired Senior Vice President of Administration and General Counsel, Sysco Corp.
“If we say we follow Christ, then we are commanded to love and welcome the stranger — immigrants. We must seek justice for them,” added Deborah Fikes, Executive Advisor to the World Evangelical Alliance and Board Member of the National Association of Evangelicals.
Texas leaders’ strong support for immigration reform now should serve as a wake-up call to legislators in Washington. As Mark Shurtleff, Member of the Board of Directors of the National Immigration Forum and Republican Former Attorney General of Utah, said upon the launch of the Texas Compact, “We’re building a tidal wave heading towards Washington, D.C., giving strength and support and guidance and direction, hopefully, to our members of Congress. … The timing is now for comprehensive, just, compassionate, commonsense immigration reform.” ###
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Saturday night, USA Today published a leaked draft of the White House’s immigration reform proposal. The draft bill features a direct path to legal permanent residency within eight years for undocumented immigrants if they meet certain requirements. It expands security funding and requires employers to check the legal status of their workers. The White House has stated that the leaked legislation was not final and it was meant to be a backup plan. The following is a statement from Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:
“While political guesswork focuses on how a White House leak might influence the negotiation process in Congress, the fact is that immigration reform remains on track, propelled by broad public support and a steady pro-reform movement of conservative ‘Bibles, Badges and Business.’ “Look no further than the Lone Star State for proof of the turning tide in the immigration debate. Last week in Austin, conservative business, faith and law enforcement leaders in Texas urged their congressional delegation to support broad immigration reform during the Texas Immigration Summit. And today, conservative leadership from these constituencies launched the Texas Compact, a declaration of Texan values for sound immigration policy. “The political bipartisan spirit exists now for prompt action on immigration solutions. The time for partisan bickering is over. It’s time for serious legislating to begin on a balanced package that includes a meaningful path to earned citizenship. We are confident that the White House and Congress can find a reasonable course forward to get reform done, get it done right, and make it work.”
**To listen to a recording of today’s call, visit **
TEXAS — This morning, Texas leaders in the faith, law enforcement and business communities announced the Texas Compact, a declaration of principles to guide the immigration debate in Texas and urge immigration reform at the federal level. As momentum continues to build for broad, commonsense federal reform, these principles serve to remind the Texas delegation in Congress that Texans support broad, bipartisan reform. Initial signatories comprise faith, law enforcement and business leaders from Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, including Henry Cisneros, Chairman of CityView and Former Mayor of San Antonio. The compact follows the immigration-focused Texas Summit in Austin last week and paves the way for “Immigration Summit 2.0” in Houston on Wednesday.
The quotes below can be attributed to the following speakers at today’s press conference:
Mike Nichols, Co-chair of the Texas Compact and Retired Senior Vice President of Administration and General Counsel, Sysco Corp:
“There seems to be a fear by many Texas congressmen to support immigration reform. We are hoping that this Texas Compact, led by faith leaders, social service leaders, education leaders and business leaders, will give the courage to take the correct action and move forward comprehensive immigration reform.”
Marlin R. Suell, Chief Deputy at the Dallas County Sheriff's Department:
“As law enforcement leaders, our first priority is public safety. That is why we are here. That is what the communities and the citizens that we serve require from us. We see how communities can become less safe when residents don’t trust local law enforcement. We have to be allowed to do our job and keep our communities safe and not spend time and efforts on federal immigration laws. We feel like with a collaborative effort, we can make the right decisions and continue to protect but also provide a community for everyone here in Texas.”
Deborah Fikes, Executive Advisor to the World Evangelical Alliance and Board Member of the National Association of Evangelicals:
“Scripture — Old Testament and New Testament — repeatedly commands followers of Christ to care for the stranger, to welcome them. Sometimes laws need to be changed, and I feel like our laws have been very, very draconian. It has hurt families tremendously. ... We can no longer justify not being on the forefront of this issue, because if we say we follow Christ, then we are commanded to love and welcome the stranger — immigrants. We must seek justice for them.”
Laura G. Murillo, President and CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce:
“Certainly with Texas and our proximity to Mexico, which is the U.S.’s second-largest trading partner, we understand the importance and the value that immigrants bring to this country. We need to continue to promote commerce, trade, tourism. For Texas in particular, that’s truly a huge, huge economic factor for us.” Marcia Nichols, Co-chair of the Texas Compact:
“One of the reasons we have the breadth, the hard work of individuals trying to come to our country is because we have done something very right in the past. We have provided platforms through education, through opportunities, through a system of laws, for individuals with hard work and with a vision of themselves that exceeds their present reality — they have been able to be a part of this great experiment called democracy. … We have an opportunity to align our political creativity with our highest values.”
Mark Shurtleff, Member of the Board of Directors of the National Immigration Forum and Republican Former Attorney General of Utah:
“We’re building a tidal wave heading towards Washington, D.C., giving strength and support and guidance and direction, hopefully, to our members of Congress. They are now finally talking about a bipartisan approach to comprehensive immigration reform … The timing is now for comprehensive, just, compassionate, commonsense immigration reform. The word needs to get to those members of Congress that you can do the right thing.” ###
White House Immigration Proposal Released to USA Today
“The scant details provided offer a glimpse of what looks to be very moderate White House proposal. On one hand, we are pleased a clear, achievable road to citizenship is proposed for the undocumented. On the other hand, the resources necessary for an unspecified number of Border Patrol and a massive increase in immigration judges would be better used at ports of entry and reducing the backlog for legal immigrants.
“Most importantly, the lack of attention paid to the future of America’s legal immigration system must change. America’s economy needs the President and Congress to craft a stable immigration system that serves our economy and our workforce. Commonsense immigration reform must include a functioning immigration system for the future; reform does not begin and end with citizenship and enforcement alone. We hope the bipartisan process underway in the Senate achieves this goal.”
Drive for Immigration Reform Gathers Strength Within and Outside Washington
Texas Events Encapsulate Broad Push
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Congress prepares to move from immigration principles toward legislative action, the voices encouraging bipartisan, commonsense reform are broadening. This week, interwoven with the State of the Union address and the first Senate hearing on immigration reform, faith, law enforcement and business leaders underscored their support for reform this year.
On Monday, the new “Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform” network officially launched. The network is the result of two years of alliance-building among conservative faith, law enforcement and business leaders who have forged a new consensus that we need a better immigration process. Bibles, Badges and Business leaders from across the country already are pressing members of Congress to make immigration reform an urgent priority.
Texas provides a strong example of the changing conversation around immigration. Less than a week ago, the Associated Press noted a “Texas-sized silence” around immigration. By Wednesday, the silence was broken when the Bibles, Badges and Business Network joined the Texas Immigration Solution for a Texas Summit that emphasized the need for reform. This coming Tuesday, another group of faith, law enforcement and business leaders will come together to announce the Texas Compact, a declaration of commonsense principles to guide Texas’ immigration discussion and encourage federal action. (For details, contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 202-347-0040.)
The tone of the debate is shifting in Washington, too. After President Obama spoke of immigration reform in the State of the Union, including a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who aspire to be fully American, Republicans praised the president’s comments. Meanwhile, polls continue to indicate that American voters, including a majority of Republicans, strongly support creating a roadmap to earned citizenship.
“There can be no question that Americans are ready for a rational, bipartisan and broad response from Congress that improves our immigration process and welcomes hardworking immigrants who want to contribute fully to our communities as citizens,” said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum. “We are glad that Congress is picking up the ball, and we expect them to follow the example of Bibles, Badges and Business across the nation and forge an immigration consensus that is good for America. The time has come to act.”
Advocates launch “Becoming Americans” campaign calling on Congress, U.S.C.I.S. to support legal “green card” holder immigrants who dream of American citizenship
An investment in citizenship and reduction of naturalization fees will strengthen our democracy and will keep the United States economically competitive globally, a group of researchers and immigrant advocates said on a national media call today. A new report — “Nurturing Naturalization: Could Lowering the Fee Help?” — indicates that for working poor immigrants with less education and income, the $680 cost of applying for U.S. citizenship has become a major barrier to becoming Americans — especially for Mexican immigrants.
The “Nurturing Naturalization” report was conducted by the University of Southern California Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII) and commissioned by the National Partnership for New Americans (Partnership). Together with a report released last week by the Pew Hispanic Center (“The Path Not Taken”), the new report shows that the American dream of citizenship has become unaffordable for many immigrants to the U.S. “When the fees went up, the share of those who are less educated who applied went down dramatically, the length of time between entering the country and naturalizing went up dramatically, and the share of Mexican immigrants, who tend to be more working class, went down dramatically,” said Dr. Manuel Pastor, Co-Director of CSII and report co-author. “The cost of the naturalization fee is having an impact on who are able to apply.”
According to original analysis in the “Nurturing Naturalization” report, “Fee increases trigger a dramatic decline in the naturalization of less educated (and likely lower income) immigrants, an increase in the number of years immigrants wait to become citizens, and a change in the national origin of the naturalizing population, in particular a relative reduction in those who were born in Mexico.” In addition, the report indicates:
• The percentage of immigrants with less than a high school education becoming U.S. citizens has declined by 50% since 1996, from 30% of the total down to 15% currently. Most of the decline has come since 2007, when the cost of citizenship increased from $395 to $675. • The percentage of Mexican immigrants becoming U.S. citizens also declined dramatically, from a high of 24% of the total in 1996 to a current low of 13%. Again, most of the decline has come since the 2007 fee increase. • Working poor immigrants, those with less education and income, are deeply sensitive to price increases. • The significant increases in the cost of applying for U.S. citizenship — which cost only $95 as recently as 1997 — have resulted in a systemic barrier to U.S. citizenship for the working poor.
As noted in the “The Path Not Taken,” despite these barriers, fully 93 percent of Latino immigrants want to become U.S. citizens.
“We at the Partnership take naturalization very seriously, having helped 14,448 immigrants to naturalize last year,” said Joshua Hoyt, National Partnership for New Americans Co-Chair and Chief Strategy Executive for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). “Much of the national debate has centered on a path to citizenship for the undocumented; however, largely overlooked are the 8.5 million legal permanent residents who are eligible for citizenship and eager to naturalize. We believe that helping them to become full citizens is better for them and better for our nation.”
“It is as true today as in the early days of our nation: Immigrants are eager to become full-fledged Americans,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “As Congress gets to work on fixing our immigration laws to include a road to citizenship for immigrants without papers, our naturalization process must continue to improve. As a proud nation of immigrants, we should be encouraging, not burdening, contributing immigrants in their journey to citizenship.”
The Partnership, together with the National Immigration Forum, announced the “Becoming Americans” campaign, to allow hardworking immigrants to pursue their dream of becoming U.S. citizens. The advocates called on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (U.S.C.I.S.) to examine its fee structure and to reduce the costs of U.S. citizenship, especially for the working poor. The groups called on Congress to recognize the value of citizenship by investing in immigrant integration and putting naturalization fees within reach for our newest Americans.
“CHIRLA works with immigrants who want to become citizens every day. They want to be fully integrated and they want to give back to the country that they love, but price is a major barrier,” said Angelica Salas, Executive Director of The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), a member of the Partnership. “The fact that the poorest among us are not becoming citizens should show us that we need to change the fees so that the decision to become a citizen is about allegiance and not about affordability. It is up to Congress and U.S.C.I.S. to decide if they are going to open a golden door of opportunity to all or shut it because of the high cost of citizenship.”
“When I was a child, I wasn’t always clear on the difference between being a legal permanent resident and a U.S. citizen. But as I grew up, I became aware of what citizenship means,” said Margarita Gutierrez, a Mexican immigrant and college graduate living in Portland, Oregon, who has delayed becoming a citizen due to high fees. “As farmworkers, because of their lack of understanding of the process and the high fees, my parents haven’t been able to naturalize.”
The “Nurturing Naturalization” report has been delivered to U.S.C.I.S. Director Alejandro Mayorkas, and the Partnership has met with him several times asking that he address and reduce the obstacles preventing new Americans from becoming U.S. citizens. ###
Now Congress Must Move Forward
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In his State of the Union address tonight, President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to bipartisan immigration reform in 2013, including a path to citizenship for those who aspire to become fully American. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:
“It is good to hear the president emphasize again the importance of commonsense, bipartisan immigration reform in 2013. The president’s comments are in line with the strong framework recently announced by a bipartisan group of senators, which should serve as the starting point for the imminent immigration-reform debate in Congress.
“The senators’ principles include a roadmap to earned citizenship for hardworking immigrants. A process that ends in citizenship is not extreme, as some members of the House Judiciary Committee implied last week. Across the board, American voters strongly support earned citizenship and are uncomfortable with the idea of creating permanent second-class residents for whom the American dream is always just beyond reach.
“The call for a 21st century immigration system is loud and clear, not only from the president but also from Americans of all political stripes. Including, as we have seen over and over again over the past two years, Americans who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business. It is time for Congress to seize the moment and work together to make reform a reality.”
Senate Passes Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act
Bill Includes Important Protections for Immigrant Women
Washington, D.C — Today the Senate overwhelmingly passed S. 47, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. The bill expands protections for immigrant women by broadening the qualifications for a U Visa, a visa for immigrant survivors of crimes who assist law enforcement. However, unlike a similar reauthorization bill in 2012, the 2013 version does not increase the number of U Visas available each year. In 2012, that increase stalled the bill in the House of Representatives. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:
“We are glad to see the Senate once again stand up for the rights and safety of all women, including immigrant women. Our nation’s values call on us to protect every survivor, no matter where she was born, and so should its laws. Not just women but all of us will benefit from the safer communities that will result when this bill becomes law. The Senate has addressed last year’s sticking point in the House, and we expect to see the House pass the bill in short order.”
**To listen to a recording of today’s call, please visit **
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the debate in Congress over immigration reform heats up and the president prepares his State of the Union address, faith, law enforcement and business leaders today launched the “Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform” (BBB) network. This national network is the fruit of two years of alliance-building between conservative faith, law enforcement and business leadership in the Mountain West, Midwest and Southeast who support a better immigration process and are ready to press Congress for action on reform.
On Wednesday, the BBB network is partnering with the Texas Immigration Solution for the Texas Summit: Taking a new consensus on immigrants and America to Congress. The summit will bring together conservative business, law enforcement and faith leaders in Texas who are ready to show the Texas congressional delegation that an improved immigration process can be consistent with conservative values.
“The business community in Texas is united in its effort to bring comprehensive immigration reform to Texas and to the country,” said Bill Hammond, President and CEO, Texas Association of Business. “Immigration reform will keep the economy in Texas going strong and treat those who are already here fairly. We are committed to bringing this change at the federal level, and we hope to be successful this year.”
“Right now we are at an unprecedented moment in American history where we have strong bipartisan support,” said Gabriel Salguero, President of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition and a member of the Evangelical Immigration Table. “For evangelicals, it’s a humane, moral issue. We’re bringing the values voters to the table to say: We need immigration reform because it's the right thing to do economically, morally, and for the families being divided … We want laws that respect human dignity, and one of those things is earned path to citizenship. For us as evangelicals, we want earned legal status so that no one is permanently in the shadows.”
“Conservative principles and those underlying the Bibles, Badges and Business network can really bring people together,” added Mark Shurtleff, Member of the Board of Directors of the National Immigration Forum, Republican Former Attorney General of Utah and a Partner with Troutman Sanders. “I’m very excited to support and continue to work with Bibles, Badges and Business to now convince Congress, in particular conservative Republican members of Congress, that it’s time to work together across the aisle and with the White House in order to bring a commonsense, pragmatic resolution this year to the issue of immigration.”
“Local and state law enforcement, especially in southern Texas, is very excited about the bipartisan efforts that are being made toward comprehensive immigration reform,” said Guadalupe “Lupe” Treviño, Sheriff, Hidalgo County, Texas. “Workable immigration reform is probably the best step that can be taken in order to continue to enhance border security. We need our state and local officers to concentrate on local crime and not on federal immigration issues. Immigration reform actually would strengthen security in our communities all across the country, not only in the great state of Texas.”
Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, concluded, “While the president must continue to shape the debate through the use of the bully pulpit, ultimately, it is up to Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill to follow in the footsteps of Bibles, Badges and Business to forge a congressional consensus on immigrants and America. With Democrats and Republicans recognizing the moral, economic and political imperative to improve our immigration process, the 113th Congress marks the best opportunity for commonsense immigration reform in nearly a decade.”
President Discusses Immigration Reform with Business Leaders, Advocates
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the White House continued its intense focus on immigration reform, in meetings this morning with immigrant advocates and this afternoon with business leaders. As bipartisan leaders in Congress begin the work of reforming immigration policy, President Obama continues to emphasize the need for broad, commonsense reform, including a roadmap to earned citizenship, and the opportunity for Congress to push ahead with reform in coming months.
“I am encouraged by the President’s leadership in prioritizing immigration reform this year. Ongoing leadership from the White House is crucial,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum.
“The onus is on Congress to answer the clarion call on immigration by the American people including those who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business,” Noorani continued. “The political dynamic on immigration has changed. Republicans and Democrats are finally realizing that immigration reform is smart politics for both, and smart policy for the nation.”
Steve Case, Chairman and CEO of Revolution LLC and Co-founder of America Online, participated in the business leaders’ meeting. “I was encouraged by today's immigration discussion at the White House,” Case said. “The President and his team listened to numerous proposals, outlined many of their own and expressed a desire to build a bipartisan consensus regarding comprehensive immigration reform. “I focused my comments on the reforms we need to attract and retain the world's most talented innovators and entrepreneurs, as they have been and will continue to be critical contributors to our nation's economic success. I look forward to doing whatever I can to help pass comprehensive immigration reform in the months ahead — and ensure it includes strong provisions regarding high-skilled immigration, so we are positioned to win the global battle for talent.”
House Hearing Opens Conversation on Immigration Reform in Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House Judiciary Committee is holding the first hearing on immigration reform of the 113th Congress. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:
“Today is a new day on Capitol Hill for immigration. We hail the bipartisan consensus, both within and outside Congress, that has brought immigration reform to the fore, and we are pleased to see the House Judiciary Committee prioritize the conversation around improving our immigration process. The conversation now beginning in Congress provides Republicans and Democrats a real opportunity to come together for the good of our economy and our communities.
“As Congress moves forward from strong general principles and begins to hash out policy details, legislators must acknowledge that Americans across party lines recognize the need for a better immigration process. “Leaders who hold Bibles are highlighting the importance of family unity and ensuring that immigrants have the opportunity to become fully American through earned citizenship — with both the freedoms and the obligations that citizenship entails. In the words of evangelical leader Mathew Staver today, a just immigration process ‘must end with citizenship — not a permanent second-class status.’
“Law enforcement leaders who are dealing with the results of a broken system look forward to reform that allows them to focus their limited resources on community safety, not on immigration enforcement. And business leaders support reform that ensures a skilled workforce across the labor spectrum, from the adept farmworker to the expert engineer.
“These ‘Bibles, Badges and Business’ leaders have joined opinion makers and elected officials in both parties in calling for a rational conversation that leads to broad, commonsense reform. Now Congress must take the next step.”
Senators to Announce Bipartisan Principles on Immigration Reform
Framework Is Powerful, Practical Start
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bipartisan group of senators will officially release a framework today for broad immigration reform that includes a conditional path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. The plan also includes reforms to the legal immigration system based upon the needs of the economy, creation of an employment verification system and an improved process for admitting future workers. Many of the details have yet to be hammered out, but legislation is expected to be drafted by March. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:
“We are pleased to see our political leaders in both parties prioritize broad, commonsense immigration reform, starting with their announcement of these principles. For these Republicans and Democrats to be leading their parties forward speaks volumes. Creating a 21st century immigration process won't be easy, but the framework the senators are proposing is a powerful and practical start to the legislative process, and it will make the peaks and valleys ahead much easier to traverse.
“The bipartisan support surrounding immigration reform is unlike nearly any other issue facing Congress because people who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business want a commonsense immigration system. And today's debate on immigration is fundamentally different from previous reform efforts for exactly the same reason.
“From the leadership of the Evangelical Immigration Table to the vision of the Utah Compact to conservative voices speaking publicly for reform, momentum is on our side. “What lies ahead will not be easy, and compromise will be necessary. But leaders in both parties are clearly ready to do their jobs and create an immigration process that serves the needs of all Americans.”
To read the Senate’s principles for immigration reform, please visit: =18330912
Opening Shot for Immigration Overhaul as Administration and Congress Unveil Visions for Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. — All signs point to major action on broad immigration reform in the coming weeks. Today, the White House announced that President Obama will debut his plans for an immigration overhaul during an event Tuesday in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, a bipartisan working group of senators is likely to release broad principles for reform next Friday. Congress is expected to move forward on legislation as early as this spring. According to the Washington Post, the Senate’s “timetable would aim for a bill to be written by March or April and potentially considered for final passage in the Senate as early as the summer.” “The momentum behind immigration reform is growing stronger each day. We welcome efforts by Congress and President Obama to bring immigration to center stage,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. Last week alone, prominent evangelical, business and law enforcement leaders voiced their support for the federal government to get to work on immigration reform that achieves real results. In hundreds of churches across the country, evangelical Christians are participating in the “I Was a Stranger” challenge, inviting pastors, congregants, and members of Congress to read a short passage of Scripture each day for 40 consecutive days that speaks to God’s love for immigrants and to pray for the immigrants in their community.
Added Noorani, “When it comes to crafting workable immigration solutions, people who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business are ready to work with both Democrats and Republicans to reach a consensus on a reasonable course forward on immigration. And as recent public opinion polls show, an overwhelming majority of Americans want federal action on commonsense immigration solutions that include a road to citizenship. American voters know it’s the right thing to do. Now, our nation’s leaders are finally realizing that it’s also very smart politics. Progress on immigration reform this year is within Washington’s grasp.” ###
New Day For Immigration Reform as New Administration and Congress Get to Work
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As President Obama takes the oath of office on Monday and the 113th Congress gets to work, momentum for immigration reform is building among voters and leaders across the political spectrum. This week alone, business, faith and law enforcement leaders have issued clear calls for Congress and the President to make reform a reality, and a new poll shows that American voters — Republicans and Democrats alike — support a better immigration process that includes a path to citizenship.
On Monday, the Evangelical Immigration Table launched the “I Was a Stranger” immigration prayer challenge, in which pastors will invite both their congregants and their members of Congress to read a passage of Scripture relating to immigrants and immigration daily for 40 days. Then, on Thursday, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas J. Donohue and Barrett Duke of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission joined other business, law enforcement and faith leaders and named immigration reform as one of their top legislative priorities in 2013.
Congress needs to catch up with the American public on a bipartisan immigration strategy. A poll released Friday shows that voters overwhelmingly support far-reaching changes to create an immigration process that works over the long term (see additional information below). Nearly two-thirds, including majorities of both Republicans and Democrats, believe that people without documents should have the opportunity to legalize and move toward citizenship
“Republicans and Democrats alike need to gather around a table to develop rational immigration policy that serves the interests of every American family,” said Jeb Bush Jr., chief operating officer at Jeb Bush & Associates and Member of the Board of Directors at the National Immigration Forum. “Now it is time for our national political leaders to get the cues from the American public and move forward with responsible reform — reform that ensures our security and respects the rule of law, but also acknowledges the importance of immigrants to our economy and our communities.”
“A new day has arrived in the push for legislative reform,” said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum. “Leaders in both parties know we urgently need a better immigration strategy, and they have the support of the American public. We expect Congress to advance long-term immigration solutions in 2013.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A solid majority of U.S. voters favor common sense immigration reform that includes a path to earned citizenship for current undocumented immigrants, and strong accountability measures, according to a groundbreaking, bipartisan poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, a Republican polling firm, and Hart Research Associates, a Democratic firm.
The national survey of 1,003 registered voters, sponsored by Service Employees International Union, America’s Voice Education Fund, and National Immigration Forum, showed voters wanting a long-term fix for the immigration system that includes a path to full citizenship for immigrants here without papers.
Almost four out of five voters said they support a system that requires immigrants to pay taxes, holds employers accountable for hiring legal workers and prevents them from exploiting immigrant labor, improves border security and ensures that undocumented immigrants have a chance to work towards citizenship. The plan is broadly favored across partisan, ideological, regional and ethnic groups; more information is available here.
When asked directly about support for creating a path to full citizenship for immigrants versus temporary status, 87 percent of Americans said “it would be better to give people a chance to eventually earn citizenship at some point after they register for legal status, pass a background check, learn English, and pay taxes,” while just 7 percent said “they should be allowed to qualify for legal status and work in the United States but should never be given the chance to earn citizenship.” Support for citizenship was strong across party lines, with 83% of Republicans, 91% of Democrats, and 82% of Independents choosing full integration. Other key findings include:
• When asked to choose between deporting undocumented immigrants “because they are taking away jobs that Americans need” versus allowing them to become legal taxpayers, “so they pay their fair share and can work toward citizenship in the future,” a solid 73 percent favored the citizenship option over deportation, which received only 22 percent.
• When asked to choose between focusing first on securing the border versus requiring immigrants to “become legal and pay taxes, while also improving border security,” 64 percent favored the combined solution versus 31 percent for border enforcement “first.”
• After hearing pros and cons about the complete reform package, support remained solid and strong. While 77 percent expressed support for the plan and 14 percent said they were opposed at the outset, support rose to 80 percent and opposition stayed at 14 percent after respondents heard arguments against the proposal.
• Voters support politicians who lean into this issue and support a fair and permanent solution. Fully 53 percent of Americans (including 53% of Republicans) said they would be more likely to vote for their Member of Congress if he or she voted for this plan, while only 8 percent of all voters (and 8 percent of Republicans) said they would be less likely to vote for him or her. One-third said that the Member’s vote on immigration reform wouldn’t matter either way.
While Congress has numerous top issues on its plate, three out of four voters agree the current system is not working well and almost half of the respondents said that fixing the immigration system is a very high or high priority.
According to Geoff Garin, President, Hart Research Associates, “There is a clear message in these findings that Americans from across the political spectrum understand the need for broad-based immigration reform, and if Congress acts on a comprehensive plan the public is ready to support it."
Said Guy Molyneux, Partner at Hart Research Associates, “For immigration reform to become a reality, Washington just needs to find as much common ground on immigration as the American people have already discovered."
Bill McInturff, Partner and Co-Founder at Public Opinion Strategies added, “This survey tells us addressing concerns like taxes and border security helps create the foundation for a plan that many voters see as ‘accountable.’ This is particularly important to Republicans and Independents to support immigration reform."
Jeb Bush Jr., COO at Jeb Bush & Associates and Member of the Board of Directors at the National Immigration Forum said, “The results of this poll confirm that Americans of all political stripes agree that the current patchwork of immigration policies is not working for our nation’s best interests. I’m encouraged to see that a strong majority of Republican voters recognize the need for a long term solution that includes a path to citizenship.”
According to Eliseo Medina, Secretary-Treasurer, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), “This poll confirms what we have long believed, that fixing the broken immigration system is not just a Latino priority, but also a high priority for the American people. The full package of immigration reforms, including a roadmap to citizenship, is the solution voters want and is not the third rail of politics that politicians have long feared. We look forward to a robust discussion, one that will be based on what is best for America, our economy, for business and for immigrants, and not on scapegoating or wedge issue politics.”
U.S. Chamber, Southern Baptists Make Immigration Reform One of Their Top Legislative Priorities
**Video available at **
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Days before the inauguration and just as the 113th Congress is settling into place, the CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a former Secretary of Commerce under President George W. Bush joined law enforcement and faith leaders at a press conference today to urge Congress to work together and pass broad immigration reform in 2013. With Democrats and Republicans recognizing the moral, economic and political imperative to improve our immigration process, the new Congress marks the best opportunity for broad immigration reform in nearly a decade. These leaders from the national, state and local level discussed the new consensus on immigrants and America that has emerged in the past 18 months as Americans across the political spectrum have come together to seek a new, workable immigration process. Most recently, local faith, law enforcement and business leaders from around the country gathered in Washington in December to meet with legislators and underscore the need for a rational bipartisan conversation that leads to broad, commonsense reform.
The statements below can be attributed to the following speakers at today’s press conference:
Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce:
“Our current immigration system is broken. It’s not serving the interests of our economy, our businesses, or our society. Immigration reform is an opportunity to fundamentally improve our global competitiveness, attract and retain the world’s best talent and hardest workers, secure our borders, and keep faith with America’s legacy as an open and welcoming society. “We need a lawful, rational, and workable immigration system that secures our borders, provides the workers we need at all skill levels, and protects the rights of citizens, businesses, the undocumented, and those legally pursuing citizenship. The Chamber will make passage of immigration reform legislation one of our top priorities.”
Indiana Attorney General Gregory F. Zoeller:
"The federal government has failed to perform its duty establishing immigration policy and enforcing existing immigration laws even though the U.S. Supreme Court has made clear this is primarily a federal, not a state, responsibility. Local and state law enforcement officers are reluctant to step into the role of being federal immigration agents over rightful concern of lawsuits, while immigrants are often victims of crime yet fear going to law enforcement. This is an opportunity for Congress to demonstrate it can achieve meaningful reform on a bipartisan basis.”
“Just immigration reform is a top-priority issue for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. We do not intend to let this fail. We will stay on top of this issue until Washington, D.C., and Congress do right by the 11 million undocumented immigrants here in our country. Millions of hardworking, peace-loving immigrants are caught in a no-man’s-land in this land of opportunity. They cannot improve life for themselves and their families and they dare not come out of the shadows to ask for help. It falls to us who value them as human beings created in the image of God to make a pathway for them out of despair and into hope. It’s what love would do.” Carlos Gutierrez, Vice Chairman, Citigroup; former U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President George W. Bush:
“The whole economy is suffering because we can’t grow without immigration. If we don’t get this right, shame on us, because this is about the future of our country, this is about competitiveness, this is about who is going to be a global leader in the 21st century. This has to become the No. 1 priority for the president, for Congress, to come together and say, ‘We’re going to fix this problem.’ ”
Ambassador (Ret) Johnny Young, Executive Director, Migration and Refugee Services, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:
“Congress and the Administration must seize the moment on immigration. Because of our broken system, families are being divided and migrants are dying in the desert. We must repair the system and end this suffering.” Ali Noorani, Executive Director, National Immigration Forum:
“There are many important issues for the 113th Congress to address. But there are few issues that have a past, a present and a future of bipartisan support like immigration reform. Today’s event is another indicator of the new consensus on immigrants and America that has emerged.”
“The Illinois Legislature has shown the way forward on immigration,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “More and more, political leaders around the country and in both parties are recognizing a new consensus among their constituents, one that recognizes the importance of immigrants and immigration to our nation and that demands a better immigration process.
“It is time for our leaders on the federal level to heed the call of law enforcement, business, faith and community leaders nationwide and create a better immigration process that keeps our families together, makes our communities safer and makes our economy stronger.” ###
New Report Shows Record Immigration Enforcement Spending
In Belt-tightening Era, Government Should Choose Quality over Quantity
Washington, D.C — The Obama administration has made immigration its highest law enforcement priority, according to a report released today by the Migration Policy Institute. The federal government spent nearly $18 billion in immigration enforcement in fiscal year 2012, an amount approximately 24 percent higher than the combined spending on all other federal law enforcement agencies including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Secret Service.
The fact is that our borders are much safer and better monitored that they have been in decades. Unprecedented manpower, infrastructure and technology deployed in the last ten years for border security efforts led to a drop in apprehensions at the Southwest border to a level not seen since the 1970s. The plunge in apprehension is widely viewed as an indication that fewer immigrants are crossing illegally into the U.S.
“In this belt-tightening era, our government can’t afford to continue to spend billions of dollars on immigration enforcement without a national immigration strategy,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “Immigration enforcement spending should be examined through the lens of eliminating wasteful government spending, strengthening America’s global standing, and keeping the nation secure.
“Congress should eliminate government programs that are wasteful and burdensome, like Operation Streamline, which has inundated our court system and wasted precious judicial resources without any proven benefits. Effective border security policies will use taxpayers’ dollars wisely by focusing enforcement resources on the most serious security threats.
“The border is as secure as it can get without a functioning legal immigration infrastructure provided by broad immigration reform. Congress should get to work right away on long-lasting, practical solutions that fundamentally improve our immigration process.”
Since the election, momentum for reform has only increased as national conservative leaders have joined these leaders in “Bibles, Badges and Business” in acknowledging the social and economic need for change.
“It’s time for Congress and the president to rise above partisan rhetoric and negotiate a new immigration process that strengthens our economy, our families and our security,” Noorani said. “To keep America competitive and prosperous, the 113th Congress must pass, and the president must sign, broad immigration reform.”
### New Immigration Rule Keeps Families Together, Promotes Legal Immigration
Washington, D.C — Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published the final rule for the family unity waiver, a new process that will allow U.S. citizens’ spouses and children who are eligible for a green card to file their applications for family unity from within the U.S. The process will be effective on March 4.
Currently, immigrants who are eligible for legalization because they have a U.S. citizen spouse or parent must return to their home countries to be interviewed for their visa. An immigrant who has been in the country for more than six months without legal status is banned from returning for either three or ten years once he or she departs.
This prohibition can be waived in cases of extreme hardship, but only once someone has left the country. The waiver decision can take months, during which time immigrants are separated from their families and are stranded abroad. They also may have to wait in dangerous locations such as Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, the “murder capital of the Americas.”
As a result of these overly harsh restrictions, many immigrants prefer not to risk long-term separation from their U.S. citizen spouses and children and instead choose to remain in the country without documents, even if they are eligible for a green card.
“The family unity waiver is an important improvement to our immigration process,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “It removes a major obstacle to legal immigration and fixes bureaucratic hurdles that separate American families. Eligible immigrants will be able to come forward and legalize their status, and husbands, wives and children will not have to risk their lives to get their lawful visas.
“More can be done to make this good rule better. All immigrant families should be eligible for a family unity waiver, including the families of legal permanent residents — well on the road to citizenship — who experience equally compelling hardships of lengthy family separation.
“In the long run, Congress holds the key to effective, top-to-bottom improvements to our immigration process, and they must pass laws that address harsh immigration policies that only serve to keep American families apart."
* Former Sen. Brown was unable to join the press conference but sent a statement. ###
Conservative Leaders Push for Action on Immigration Reform in 2013
National Strategy Session Is "Opening Shot" for Reform Efforts
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Over 250 faith, law enforcement and business leaders from 26 states gathered today at the National Strategy Session to debut newly energized efforts — including Capitol Hill visits with key lawmakers — to push for broad immigration reform in early 2013.
This gathering builds on two years of hard work outside Washington, including successful regional summits, state compacts and other efforts in the Mountain West, Southeast and Midwest at which hundreds of business, faith and law-enforcement leaders have built new relationships, discussed state policies and urged pragmatic federal solutions. Now, these conversations are turning into action. This critical new alliance is ready to drive the issue to the fore and apply pressure on Republicans and Democrats in Congress and on President Obama to ensure that broad immigration reform is the first legislative priority in 2013.
The statements below can be attributed to the following speakers at the press conference:
Steve Case, AOL Co-founder and Revolution LLC Chairman:
“The story of America is the story of entrepreneurs starting new businesses and imagining whole new industries. Immigrant entrepreneurs are a central part of that story. We have the world’s leading economy in part because we have attracted the world’s most talented people. Ensuring that the best and brightest innovators and entrepreneurs start and help companies here in the United States, not in competitor nations abroad, will strengthen our economic competitiveness in the long term. This is why Democrats and Republicans should come together to fix our immigration system, as quickly and as broadly as possible, including urgent action on high-skilled visas.”
Kenneth McClure, Counsel, Idaho Business Coalition for Immigration Reform:
“The contribution of foreign-born labor to the Idaho economy is substantial. A vibrant economy demands labor that local supply is unable to supply. That’s why we need labor [immigration] solutions at both ends of the [economic] spectrum.”
Angela Smith Jones, Director of Public Policy, Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce:
“For the United States to continue to compete, we have to have an educated workforce, we need to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of immigrants and we have to have immigration reform. The key to America’s success is to educate, strengthen the workforce, and bolster the economic core and tax base.”
Jeb Bush Jr., Chief Operating Officer, Jeb Bush & Associates, LLC:
“For immigration to move forward in the next year, we need leaders from both parties come together and say ‘enough is enough. Let’s move forward.’ [Immigration reform] is about being competitive. That’s the bottom line. You have to have a competitive workforce. You have to have a competitive product to succeed … it’s at the core of being a capitalist.”
Dr. David Fleming, Senior Pastor, Champion Baptist Church, Houston:
“Immigration is not a political issue for us, it’s a moral, biblical, personal issue for us … We are building a consensus [on immigrants and America] outside the Beltway that will have implications inside the Beltway.”
“We are at the precipice of immigration reform. Our faith commands that we welcome immigrants, and our country has an opportunity to enact policies that reflect our biblical values of justice, compassion and hospitality.”
Law enforcement:
The Honorable Mark Shurtleff, Attorney General, Utah:
“The immigration issue is an issue of freedom, of human dignity and of a country coming together to do the right thing … America is uniquely rooted in the concept that no matter who you are or where you come from, you should be able to succeed here if you roll up your sleeves and work hard.”
Chris Burbank, Chief of Police, Salt Lake City:
“I do not believe that local law enforcement should be acting as immigration enforcement agents. Immigration is a federal issue.”
Mayor Paul Bridges (R), Uvalda, Georgia:
“My Republican friends here inside the Beltway need to look at this issue for what it really is … put that legislation out there and do it now. Fix the problem. I think that the new consensus that we have is the master mechanic that will fix this problem with immigration.”
“Americans are ready for a new immigration solution. Today, leaders who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business are taking the next step toward that solution. 2013 will be the dawn of a new day on immigrants and immigration.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A powerful bipartisan alliance of faith, law enforcement and business leaders from across the country announced today newly energized efforts to push for top-to-bottom immigration reform in early 2013. Leaders spoke at a press conference inaugurating the two-day National Strategy Session, a gathering of over 250 leaders from 26 states including Arizona, Florida and Kansas. This gathering builds on two years of hard work outside Washington, including successful regional summits, state compacts and other efforts in the Mountain West, Southeast and Midwest at which hundreds of business, faith and law-enforcement leaders have built new relationships, discussed state policies and urged pragmatic federal solutions. Now, these conversations are turning into action. This critical new alliance is ready to drive the issue to the fore and apply pressure on Republicans and Democrats in Congress and on President Obama to ensure broad immigration reform is the first legislative priority in 2013.
The Honorable Mark Shurtleff (R), Attorney General, Utah:
“This great nation needs to relight the fire that burns with the promise of the Statue of Liberty, ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’ Reasonable and compassionate immigration reform will energize our country, enrich our economy and unite all of us with freedom and liberty.”
Brad Bailey, Co-founder and CEO, Texas Immigration Solution:
“For over two decades, families and business owners have been forced to operate in an outdated national immigration system. Both sides of the aisle have kicked the can down the road, putting even more stress on families, business owners and communities. It is time for our congressional leaders to stop complaining about the problem and lead in providing efficient, pro-family, market-based solutions to our nation’s broken immigration policy.”
Sheldon Brown, Dairy Farmer and Owner, Woody Hill Farms, Salem, N.Y.:
“Our dairy farm business would not be as successful were it not for the dedicated, hard-working, family-oriented immigrant labor staff we have worked with over the past 15 years. Congress must act on immigration solutions that provide a stable, skilled and legal workforce for dairy farms and for America’s businesses across the country.”
The Rev. Luis Cortés Jr., President, Esperanza:
“I believe we have the will on both sides of the aisle to hammer out a solution to the immigration dilemma that has confounded our nation for over a decade. The entire Hispanic faith community has been joined by thousands of evangelicals of all ethnicities in prayer for God’s guidance and wisdom for our elected officials.”
Mark C. Curran Jr., Sheriff, Lake County, Ill.: “Twenty-first century policing has to be about community policing. However, the fear and uncertainty attached to law enforcement as a result of our current immigration policies makes community policing almost impossible.”
Natalie Gochnour, Executive Vice President of Policy and Communication and Chief Economist, Salt Lake Chamber: “In Utah, the business community, interfaith leaders, law enforcement representatives and other community leaders and citizenry signed the Utah Compact in 2010, committing ourselves to a civil, constructive and compassionate immigration discussion. This principled approach resulted in groundbreaking state legislation that balanced the need for improved enforcement with the very real economic and humanitarian concerns associated with immigration in our state. We now turn our focus to the federal government and ask for equally groundbreaking federal legislation this coming year."
Dr. Richard Land, President, Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission: “Fair and just immigration reform is first and foremost a moral issue. God has definite opinions about how we treat ‘the stranger in our midst’ (Lev. 19:33-34; Matt. 25:35). We must resolve our nation’s immigration crisis and reform its immigration system in ways that respect the rule of law and the human dignity of the undocumented.” Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference:
“Immigration reform is both a vertical and horizontal issue. Vertically, the heart of God stands moved by the plight of the immigrant and the suffering. Horizontally, passing immigration reform will serve as a reconciliatory prescription for a nation divided by partisan politics. At the end of the day, this issue is not about the agenda of the donkey or the elephant. Immigration reform is about the agenda of the Lamb.”
The Most Reverend Jaime Soto, Bishop of Sacramento, Calif., United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:
“Immigration is a humanitarian issue with moral implications. Our country can no longer accept the toil and sweat equity of undocumented workers while at the same time scapegoating them, dividing their families, and denying them basic protections. This is the moral issue our nation and our elected officials must confront in the months ahead.”
Jim Wallis, President and CEO, Sojourners:
It’s quite an accomplishment to get Bibles, Badges and Business together all in one room and agreeing on something this big. This reminds us all that Christmas really is a time for miracles. The country is hungry to see our political leaders work together and find a bipartisan solution to an issue of this magnitude. And I have faith that comprehensive immigration reform is that common ground.” Ali Noorani, Executive Director, National Immigration Forum:
“Eighteen months ago, faith, law enforcement and business leaders launched a campaign to forge a new consensus on immigrants and America. The consensus we discovered is steeped in the common values of family, work and security shared by conservatives and liberals alike. We found that Americans aren’t divided by the immigration debate; rather, politicians on both sides of the aisle use the immigration debate to divide Americans. That is no longer acceptable. The President and Congress must work together in 2013 to create a 21st century immigration process.”
“The message was clear: President Obama must fulfill his campaign promise and work with congressional leaders to create a common-sense immigration process that treats all people with dignity. And Republicans must choose pragmatism over extremism on immigration, putting forward practical solutions that create a roadmap to citizenship for aspiring Americans. “In the words of CNN political analyst David Gergen earlier today, 'Whoever wins, we will get immigration reform. The Democrats want it and the Republicans need it.’ “President Obama can look to a growing alliance of conservative faith, business and law enforcement leaders who are laying the groundwork for bipartisan support on immigration reform. “Look no further than Grover Norquist, a conservative power player, for a key example of the emerging consensus among conservatives and moderates on a common-sense approach on immigration. As Mr. Norquist recently stated, ‘Immigration is the most important thing to focus on if you’re concerned about America as an economic power. It’s not only good policy to have more immigrants to the United States … [and] a path forward for those people who are here; it's also good politics.’ “Today’s election marks the introduction of something different: a powerful bipartisan alliance that expects pragmatic immigration solutions from President Obama and the 113th Congress.”
Workable immigration policies are vital to the region’s future. The Midwest economy cannot prosper without a steady influx of new residents to offset the aging population and the net outmigration of the available workforce. That’s why some areas in the Midwest are looking at immigration as an opportunity to ease population loss, revive farms and business and stimulate economic growth.
At a time of heightened polarization of the immigration issue and in the midst of a major election, leaders from the Midwest are leading the way on finding a political middle ground on immigration.
The statements below can be attributed to the following speakers at the Midwest Summit:
“Immigration is the most important thing to focus if you’re concerned about America as an economic power. Not only is it good policy to have dramatically more immigrants in the U.S. than we do today and a path for those who are here; it's also good politics. In fact, restrictionist policies are bad electoral policies.”
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller:
“State governments are understandably frustrated with the failure of the federal government to perform its duty establishing immigration policy and enforcing existing immigration laws. Our hope is that a candid discussion of the impact on states and communities will help refocus attention on states’ needs in terms of public safety, education and commerce as leaders reform U.S. immigration policies, consistent with our constitutional principles.”
Leith Anderson, President, National Association of Evangelicals:
“There is a massive shift on immigration that is occurring within the evangelical churches in America. We discovered that when pastors of our churches teach what the bible says, people’s attitudes change on immigration. If people read about what the Old Testament says on welcoming the stranger, people change their minds.”
Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, State of Utah:
“In Utah, law enforcement officers do not want to become ICE agents because they feel that is not their responsibility. Police officers are already busy doing their jobs and do not want an extra burden. As law enforcement officers, we believe that punitive immigration laws are actually harmful to public safety.”
“Immigrants create jobs, they boost American productivity and they help businesses stay competitive. In the Midwest, declining populations have reduced the number of available workers, creating a huge gap in the workforce. This is not even an immigrant issue. It’s an American issue. "
Jim Partington, Executive Director, Nebraska Restaurant Association:
“Immigrants are the backbone of America’s restaurants. A rational immigration policy is essential to our industry's continued growth. Immigrants not only make up a large portion of the restaurant industry's workforce, but they also make significant contributions as consumers in our nation's restaurants and as entrepreneurs, incorporating ethnic and cultural influences as they start up restaurants of their own.”
Chief James Hawkins, Garden City Kansas:
“Our police department believes that everyone should be treated fairly and equitably regardless of their immigration status. We are committed to establish a positive relationship with our community or we will not be able to solve our community's issues. To undo 30 years of gaining the trust of immigrant populations would be disastrous for our police department.”
Steve Tobocman, Director, Global Detroit:
“Immigrants create jobs. They don't take jobs, and that's particularly true in Michigan and in Detroit. Michigan is the only state that lost population in the last 10 years. A shrinking population means a poorer, weaker and less competitive Michigan. As we face a rapidly aging population, we really need the energy brought by immigrant workers. Immigration can be a successful strategy to reinvent the economy of the Midwest.”
Sheriff Mark C. Curran, Jr., Lake County, Illinois:
Carl Ruby, Vice President for Student Life, Cedarville University:
“Cedarville University is a very conservative university, but our student body recognizes that immigration is a spiritual issue and a civil rights issue. We hosted the first G92 immigration conference in Ohio. It was a student-led initiative to talk about the importance of showing compassion to immigrants, whether they are documented or not. We found that the young generation of students is more open to immigration reform and more likely to advocate on behalf of immigrants.”
“The winds of the immigration debate are changing. From the Midwest to the Southeast to the Mountain West, people who wear badges, run businesses and carry bibles are building a new consensus on immigrants and America.”
Videos from today’s Midwest Summit will be available soon at the Forging a New Consensus website: . You can also follow the conversation on Twitter at #MidwestSummit.
California Governor Vetoes “Anti-Arizona” Law
Washington, D.C. — On Sunday, California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed the “Transparency and Responsibility Using State Tools” Act, or TRUST Act (AB1081). This legislation limits local law enforcement implementation of the Secure Communities program by setting clear standards for local governments to comply with requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain people for deportation. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:
“Gov. Brown missed an opportunity to rein in Secure Communities, a program that has strayed far from its stated goal of identifying only the most dangerous criminals. As the state with the highest number of deportations under Secure Communities, California knows too well the damaging impact of this poorly-designed enforcement program.
“The TRUST Act would have helped California’s law enforcement prioritize their valuable resources to focus on the true threats to public safety. Moreover, by enacting this “anti-Arizona” law, the Golden State would have sent a clear message that states can do better than Arizona – that they can still keep Secure Communities within its bounds.
“All may not be lost for the TRUST Act. In his veto message, Gov. Brown promised to work with lawmakers to rework the legislation. We hope that California lawmakers and Gov. Brown can soon find a way forward for this important public safety and government efficiency measure.”
Visa Reforms in Congress Should Address Broad Range of New American Talent
Washington, D.C. — The following is a statement from Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, on the recent proposals by Democrats and Republicans in Congress to provide green cards to graduates with advanced degrees in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.
“An increase in the number of STEM visas serves one important part of our economy. “But the fact is, we in America value work in all parts of the labor market, and our nation welcomes diverse immigrant populations. Legislation to increase STEM visas should not take from other legal immigration channels. After all, both parties support legal immigration.
“We hope House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith will work with his allies across the aisle to craft a bipartisan compromise on STEM legislation that serves America's ideals as a nation of immigrants, setting the standard for broader, common-sense reform in the months and years ahead."
No One to Harvest the Harvest
As Congress Considers Labor Shortage in Tech Industry, It Must Also Address Shortages in Agriculture
Washington, D.C. — September and the months ahead are the height of the harvest season. Yet many fruits and vegetables are simply rotting on the vine because farmers cannot find enough people to work the fields. While the agriculture industry struggles with a labor shortage at this critical time, Congress and the Obama administration fail to act on workable solutions. This week, Congress is expected to consider immigration legislation to alleviate a labor shortage in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. But congressional leaders also should recognize the urgent need for workforce solutions across the economic spectrum. “America’s economy needs the skilled farmworker as much as it needs the skilled engineer. It is time Congress and the administration reach a bipartisan compromise on STEM visas, as well as legislation to make sure our nation’s crops make it to our dinner tables. If Congress is unable to act, the administration must,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum.
Ralph Broetje, President of Broetje Orchards in Washington state, one of the largest privately owned orchards in the U.S., shed light on the crisis affecting farmers: “Despite the abundant harvest, asparagus growers had to leave 10 percent of their crop in the field this year due to lack of pickers. The skilled labor source that we depend on is rapidly disappearing. If Congress does not act soon, U.S. farms will move their operations to other countries that are more cost-effective and have an adequate labor supply. If you look at that apple juice label and see where it's coming from — it's already happening.”
The situation in New York underscores the workforce challenges that farmers face across the country. Lawmakers in New York, including Democratic Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, are taking steps to capitalize on the Greek yogurt boom and turn New York into the nation’s yogurt capital. But as one hand of government is seeking to spur economic growth in New York’s dairy farms, the other hand is undermining the effort. “The Department of Homeland Security has been doing the job it was hired to do. By aggressively conducting I-9 audits, they are taking away our experienced and skilled workforce,” said Maureen Torrey, Vice President of Marketing, Torrey Farms Inc., a 12th generation family farm in western New York. "The economic impact of downsizing production is loss of wages and loss of jobs, thus taking money out of the local economy,” she added.
State-based tough immigration measures are also leaving farmers without workers. Nan Stockholm Walden, J.D., Vice President and Counsel of the Arizona-based Farmers Investment Co., the largest grower and processor of pecans in the world, spoke about the business struggles in the wake of her state’s S.B. 1070 law. “Arizona’s immigration law has created a climate of fear. Our experienced workers are leaving our state and are moving to other states that don’t have these ambiguous clouds and legal sanctions hanging over the employers’ and employees’ heads. There's never been a greater need for federal action on immigration reform. If we want to be in charge of our food security and our economy, we need to support immigration reform for agriculture."
The North Carolina economy draws more than $70 billion — about 20 percent of the state’s income — from agriculture. Yet despite the essential role of agriculture in the Tar Heel State, Congress is not recognizing the urgency of addressing farm labor shortages. Larry Wooten, President of the North Carolina Farm Bureau, explains, “Our political leaders are not looking at this issue from a jobs standpoint and the impact on our economy. Both parties lack political backbone to look at this issue and stand up and say we've got to fix it."
"Right now, all across America, there's a flurry of activity on farms. And there's a flurry of activity in Congress to provide STEM visas,” said Craig J. Regelbrugge, Co-Chair of the Agricultural Coalition for Immigration Reform. “At the end of the day, we don't just need STEM, we need STEAM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Math.” He added, “The safety of our food supply should not be a red or blue issue. Pro-business Republicans should be doing everything in their power to prevent U.S. farms from closing. And while we wait for bipartisan legislative action on this issue, the administration should use the tools at hand to prioritize immigration enforcement resources and safeguard our food supply. Both parties need to put politics aside and help us develop a 21st century solution for the farming industry."
Road Clears for Heart of Arizona’s Immigration Law — for Now
Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, district court Judge Susan R. Bolton paved the way for section 2(B) of Arizona’s immigration law to take effect. Section 2(B) will require law enforcement officers to determine the immigration status of those they “reasonably suspect” are not legally in the country. The following is a statement by Dr. Warren H. Stewart Sr., senior pastor of First Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix and Board Chair of the National Immigration Forum:
“The district court’s “wait-and-see” ruling on Arizona’s immigration law will undermine the basic rights of our state’s native-born residents, as well as Latinos and new Americans. Arizonans deserve better.
“How can law enforcement know someone’s immigration status simply by looking at them? Discrimination — based on skin color, language and ethnicity — is inevitable under this law. A similar provision has been in effect since last year in Alabama, where it has divided communities, generated an atmosphere of suspicion and damaged the state’s reputation. As Arizona implements this law in coming weeks, our communities will struggle to overcome similar strain. “However, yesterday’s ruling is unlikely to close the book on this misguided law. Judge Bolton, like the U.S. Supreme Court before her, strongly indicated that if S.B. 1070 is applied in a discriminatory manner, the court will re-examine its constitutionality. Because of the racial profiling that is inherent in section 2(B), we expect to see additional challenges to the law in the future.
“This is a watershed moment for states and for the federal government to choose where we want to go as a nation. We can follow Arizona’s footsteps to a path of confusing and discriminatory immigration laws, or we can work together as one nation and fight for practical immigration policies that reflect our commitment to the values of equality and fair treatment that defines us as Americans.” ###
“We celebrate the beginning of the Obama administration’s initiative to allow many young aspiring citizens to remain in our country and contribute to our society by putting their diplomas to work or continuing their educations. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals will allow many hardworking, American-raised young people to take a significant step toward realizing their dreams.
“Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a good example of smart prioritization of government resources. While U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reviews requests for deferred action, Homeland Security agencies that deal with immigration enforcement can focus on real public safety threats rather than law-abiding students.
“As we begin to realize the benefits of this temporary measure, we must continue to press for Congress to transcend partisanship and come together behind a permanent immigration process that recognizes the value of all who pledge allegiance to our country.”
To read the USCIS guidelines on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, including guidelines and frequently asked questions, visit . Homeland Security Announces Strong Guidance on Administrative Relief for DREAMers
Washington, D.C. — On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released information about the process to request deferred action. A grant of deferred action would freeze deportation proceedings of DREAM Act–eligible youth and give them an opportunity to work legally in the U.S. — at least temporarily. Information released today clarifies details about fees, forms, processing of requests, how collected information will be used for enforcement, and disqualifying factors. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum.
“We welcome today’s guidance on this powerful initiative that will bring many aspiring young immigrants a step closer to realizing their dreams. Thanks to deferred action, these American-raised, hardworking young immigrants will finally have a chance to put their diplomas to work.
“The Obama administration made a smart law enforcement decision to prioritize the deportation of real public safety threats instead of going after our next generation of nurses and engineers. Homeland Security enforcement resources should be targeted at enemies of our country, not law-abiding students.
“Today’s announcement, which provides further information about the process, is a welcome one. The process must be clear, fair, uniform, accessible and affordable to ensure that all deserving youth that qualify benefit from this historic program.
“We are heartened by DHS’s inclusion of confidentiality protections in the deferred action process. This will help quell concerns among eligible DREAMers that their request for deferred action might put their undocumented parents or siblings at risk of deportation. Today’s announcement also shows that DHS is on guard against scammers looking to prey on desperation in immigrant communities.
“We look forward to effective implementation of this initiative and the economic and community benefits it will deliver. This temporary effort should inspire bipartisan congressional action to create a workable immigration process that allows these promising aspiring citizens to stay permanently in the only country they call home, and to have a fair shot at the American dream.”
Indiana Attorney General Calls Parts of State’s Immigration Law Unconstitutional
Washington, D.C. — On Tuesday, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced that following review of the Supreme Court decision on Arizona’s immigration law, he will no longer defend portions of Indiana’s immigration law, SEA 590, in court. Attorney General Zoeller recognized that parts of Indiana’s legislation that are comparable to Arizona’s S.B. 1070 law, including provisions giving local police unprecedented power to make warrantless arrests based on assumed immigration status, are pre-empted by federal law. Another portion of the law, regarding state recognition of consular identification cards, will remain the subject of litigation. Legal challenges to SEA 590’s provisions regarding employer sanctions and day laborers also continue. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum.
“We applaud Attorney General Zoeller for recognizing that the writing is on the wall for critical portions of Indiana’s immigration law. The Supreme Court clearly blocked state immigration laws that interfere with the federal government’s immigration-enforcement authority. Other states inspired by Arizona also would be wise to slam the brakes on their unconstitutional legislation.
“The Indiana legislature need not look far for a common-sense approach on immigration. Last year, Attorney General Zoeller, a Republican, joined a bipartisan group of business, law enforcement, and religious leaders and advocates in signing the Indiana Compact, a set of principles to guide the immigration debate in Indiana, declaring that immigration enforcement should be handled at the federal level, not the state level.
“The Indiana Compact opened space for a reasonable debate on immigration in a solutions-oriented way. For the sake of all Hoosiers, Indiana legislators should follow the principles of the Indiana Compact and urge their federal delegation to move forward toward national solutions that create a workable immigration process.” |
Immigration Fact Checks provide up-to-date information on the most current issues involving immigration today. A Bipartisan Bridge to Prosperity: High-Skilled Immigration Legislation in the 113th Congress
In the spirit of bipartisan immigration reform, a geographically diverse contingent from both chambers of Congress have introduced legislation to strengthen high-skilled immigration and spur economic growth by recruiting and retaining entrepreneurial talent. Research is clear that high-skilled immigrants and immigrant entrepreneurs are a source of strength for America’s economy and innovative competitiveness. Currently, the most common routes for high-skilled immigrants and immigrant entrepreneurs to come to the U.S. include: H-1B visas for “specialty occupations” (which most commonly refers to occupations requiring “the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor’s or higher degree”), L-1 visas for “intracompany transferees,” O-1A visas for individuals with “sustained national or international acclaim” in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, and E-2 visas for treaty investors, which are available to citizens of countries with treaties of commerce and navigation with the U.S. The three new pieces of legislation include the Immigration Innovation Act of 2013, the StartUp Visa Act of 2013, and the Startup Act 3.0.
Immigration Innovation Act of 2013Read more...
Published On: Mon, Mar 04, 2013 | Download File The Dividends of Citizenship: Why Legalization Must Lead to Citizenship
The most concrete proposals for immigration reform thus far in 2013 include earned legalization with a path to U.S. citizenship for unauthorized immigrants already living in the United States. This is a process that essentially permits unauthorized immigrants to come forward and receive a provisional legal status that—after paying taxes, proving they understand English and civics, passing all criminal and other background checks, and showing they are committed to the United States—allows them to become lawful permanent residents (LPRs). From there, like other LPRs before them, they will have to decide whether or not to make the final commitment to their adopted country by becoming American citizens. Some critics of the new proposals argue that citizenship is too good for unauthorized immigrants, or that legal status is really all they need to thrive in this country. But that kind of short-sighted thinking ignores some very important facts: more than half a century ago the U.S. finally abandoned the idea that there should be a second-class status for any group by denying them citizenship and, in fact, today the vast majority of Americans support a path to citizenship.
The integration of the 11 million unauthorized immigrants now living in the United States into full citizenship is not only good for those individuals, but the country as a whole. Citizenship, and the quest for citizenship, facilitates integration in myriad ways that legal status alone does not. From the learning of English and U.S. civics to the earning of higher incomes, serving jury duty, and voting in elections, citizens and would-be citizens benefit from a deeper form of incorporation into U.S. society than do legal immigrants who have no hope of ever applying for naturalization.Read more...
Published On: Thu, Feb 07, 2013 | Download File The U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform (1990-1997): “Jordan Commission”
As the Congress begins a serious discussion on immigration reform, it would be a mistake to ignore the lessons of the past. In that vein, many members of Congress are invoking the The U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform, informally known as the Jordan Commission, for its chair, Barbara Jordan, a former Democratic Congresswoman from Texas. Issued in 1990’s, the Commission’s recommendations reflect the thinking of the time, but do not necessarily provide guidance for resolving today’s immigration crisis. This fact sheet provides a brief overview on the Commission and the necessity of tempering its recommendations with the knowledge we have gained in the past quarter of a century since its recommendations were released.Read more...
As the immigration debate heats up in Congress, the central question will be what to do about the 11 million unauthorized immigrants now living and working in the United States. The media often portrays this population as barely literate young men who pour over the southern border and live solitary lives, rather than providing a nuanced understanding of who the 11 million really are: adults and children, mothers and fathers, homeowners and churchgoers who are invested in their communities. This fact sheet attempts to provide a basic understanding of who the unauthorized are as people: where they live, where they’re from, how long they have been here, and what family and community ties to the United States they have.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau and other sources provide this very necessary social context to the immigration debate. And what the data reveal are that most of the unauthorized have been here for over a decade. While they are concentrated in California, Texas, Florida, and New York, there are sizeable unauthorized populations in other states across the country. Three-fifths of unauthorized immigrants come from Mexico, but significant numbers also come from Central America and the Philippines. Nearly half of all adult unauthorized immigrants have children under the age of 18, and roughly 4.5 million native-born U.S.-citizen children have at least one unauthorized immigrant parent. More than half of unauthorized immigrant adults have a high-school diploma or more education. Nearly half of longtime unauthorized households are homeowners. And approximately two-fifths of unauthorized immigrant adults attend religious services every week. In other words, most unauthorized immigrants are already integrating into U.S. society not only through their jobs, but through their families and communities as well.Read more... |
HASAN ALI I (1071-1106/1660-1694)
Hasan Ali I, also known in Iranian orbits as Bakir Shah, was born in Kahek. He had also gone to the city of Kirman with his father, but returned to Kahek after assuming the Imamate. In 1085/1674, he betrothed to a Safavid lady, and soon afterwards, there is a likelihood that the Imam had taken certain interest in the political arena. In 1105/1693, he was made the governor of Kirman.
The cursory glance of the Iranian empire reveals that Shah Abbas II had died in 1077/1666. John Malcolm writes in "History of Persia" (London, 1815, 1st vol., p. 582) that, "The love of wine, in which this prince often indulged to excess, was the cause of all the evils of his reign. It was in his moments of intoxication alone that he was capricious, cruel and unjust." Shah Abbas II was succeeded by Shah Suleman. Henceforward, the Safavid kingdom took a rapid march towards decline. Under weak and ineffective king, the ulema tended to reassert their independence of the political institution, and were at the height of their power. The mujtahids fully reasserted their independence of the Shah, and reclaimed their prerogative to be the representatives of their hidden Imam. The mujtahids moved gradually towards a position of actually controlling the king. Some sources suggest a direct religious rule by means of a concourse of mujtahids above the monarch. The ulema consequently pressed forward to obtain a dominant position in the state, heedless of the fact that by so doing they were helping to destroy it. The foreign observer, such as Sir John Chardin had noted in his "Voyages du Chevalier Chardin en Perse" (Paris, 1811, 5th vol., p. 249) that, "The ulema were saying that these immortal Safavid kings were not worthy of kinship and that the mujtahid is the real ruler as representative of the hidden Imam."
The Russian ambassador visited Iran during the period under review to conclude a truce, and as a result, Mazandaran, Jurjan etc,. went into the pocket of Russia. The Ottoman sultans in Turkey were also so weak that the whole empire had been isolated in different states. They however marched in Europe, near Vienna, but the Russians were devouring the Turkish territories behind the door.
In India, after the reign of Shah Jehan (1627-1658), the Mughal princes fought for the throne. Finally, Aurengzeb (1658-1707) ascended and ruled till 1118/1707. He fought with prince Dara Shikou, who was associated with the Qadri Sufi order. Aurengzeb was strict orthodox, intending for the Islamic rule in India. After his death, the Mughal empire was torn apart by the incessant strugglers of rival claimants to the throne.
Imam Hasan Ali directed the Ismaili mission in view of the changing situation of Iran. The names of few Ismaili dais, viz., Pir Mihrab Beg, Pir Ali Asghar Beg and Pir Ali Akbar Beg are however located, but nothing is known about them. The Turkish word beg in their names however sounds that they should have preached in the Iranian regions inhabited by the Turkomans, or more possibly, had come into the close contact of the Kizilbash circle in Iran.
It is learnt that in 1868 at Bombay, an unknown Ismaili scholar had composed a long poem to glorify the Ismaili Imams, tinged with brief accounts and advices of the Imams. It tells that Imam Hasan Ali I, had warned the Indian jamats the coming of a storm of foreign religious dogma that would convulse the poor people. He also emphasised his followers to adhere strictly to the faith of their forbears. It appears that the above unknown scholar would have derived his informations from the old manuscripts. The timely guidance of Hasan Ali however may be verified from the fast moving activities of the Christian missionaries hovering over India in the poor class. W.H. Sharp writes in "Selections from Educational Records" (1st vol., p. 3) that, "In 1659, the Court of Directors in England stated that it was their earnest desire by all possible means to spread Christianity amongst the people of India and allowed missionaries to embark on their ships." Thus, the evangelical zeal found due support in England, and steps had been taken for the propagation of the Gospel in India in the poor class. The British East India Company was primarily a commercial concern, but it also launched in the campaign in fostering proselytising and educational activities in India. In 1698, the famous missionary clause was included in the Charter of the Company by British Parliament, directing the Company to maintain ministers of religion at their factories in India, and to take a Chaplain in every ship of 500 tons or more. It was not the Company's educational enterprise as stated by some, but a systematic campaign to the activities of the Christian missionaries. On that juncture, it is possible that Imam Hasan Ali I had appropriately warned his Indian followers about the incoming storm of the Christian dogma from Europe.
In the flourishing liberty of the Shiite mujtahids in Iran, the latent differences came readily to the fore. Two major schools of theological thought emerged in Shiite society. The majority stressed constant reference to the first principles, to all the sources (usul) of law: these were Holy Koran, reports about the Prophet and the Imams. They became known as the Usuli. But a vigorously protesting movement arose, which threw doubt on the validity of reason as an independent basis of law; it stressed the massive use of reports (akhbar) were available from Prophet and the Imams, and they were known as the Akhbari. One of the most important features of this period is the greatly enhanced influence of the religious classes as a whole, as they freed themselves from political control apart from the internal differences of the Usuli and Akhbari groups. Powerful theologians emerged, of whom a typical example is Muhammad Bakir Majlisi (1037-1110/1628-1699), who held the office of Shaikh al-Islam from 1687, and then as Mulla-bashi (head of the mullas) until his death.
It is a significant point that the Usuli and Akhbari Shiite groups jointly made the Sufis as their victims. Under these circumstances, the Ismailis had to change their Sufic mantles to the Shiite. It appears that Imam Hasan Ali also followed the similar taqiya in Kirman, and adopted the Shiite sounding name, Bakir Shah few years before becoming the governor of Kirman in 1105/1693. It is also said that he had purchased some estates in Baghdad, Basra and Kazamain Sharif. The last will of the Imam, indicating his burial in Najaf also suggests a sort of taqiya in Shiite garb.
The Safavid Shah Suleman is reported to have used the fortress of Alamut as a state prison for the rebellious persons from among his courtiers, amirsand relatives. At that time, only a few Ismaili families resided in the lower Caspian region.
Imam Hasan Ali I executed the governorship of Kirman for one year, and died in 1106/1694, and his body had been taken to Najaf for interment. |
Mangrove Restoration: protecting the coast and mitigating climate change impacts
At the end of November 2007, IUCN co-organized the “Mangrove Restoration for climate change adaptation and Sustainable Development” workshop in Can Gio district, Ho Chi Minh city in partnership with other local and international partners.
The purpose of the workshop was to strengthen biodiversity protection measures for Can Gio Mangrove Forest and to apply lessons learned to other mangrove forests in Viet Nam.
Over 120 representatives from government ministries, research agencies, and civil society organizations participated in the workshop and discussed theoretical and practical solutions for mangrove restoration in Viet Nam. Following the meeting, participants conducted a site visit to Can Gio Mangrove Forest, which provided a hands-on perspective to the issues discussed during the workshop.
Mangrove forests are valuable ecosystems for environmental protection by playing an important role in disaster prevention and socio-economic development. Mangrove forests along Viet Nam’s fragile coastline act to reduce the negative impact of flooding and other harsh weather conditions. These forests also mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, which is predicted to be especially severe for Viet Nam according to climate change specialists. Viet Nam’s mangrove forests have been seriously degraded due to intensive socio-economic development and there is an urgent need for restoration.
This workshop also supports the IUCN Asia-wide programme “Mangroves for the Future”. The programme targets countries suffering from the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami as well as countries within the Asian Indian Ocean Region such as Viet Nam. It is a multi-agency, multi-country initiative aimed for the long-term conservation and sustainable management of coastal ecosystems. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants and organizers including the Mangrove Ecosystem Restoration Center (MERC), Hanoi National University, Mangrove Restoration Action Organization (ACTMANG) of Japan, and the Management Board of Can Gio Mangrove Protected Forest, expressed firm commitment to support mangrove restoration and pledged to encourage the Government of Viet Nam to enact strong restoration measures. |
I think, therefore I blog.
Political, philosophical, and theological reflections from a Christian idealist with libertarian leanings and a professional interest in science and mathematics.
Myths of Progress
Human reason can neither predict nor deliberately shape its own future. Its advances consist in finding out where it has been wrong. -- F. A. Hayek
It's common among some of my intellectual peers to speak of the "myth of progress," a term used disparagingly of the idea of progress made popular in Western consciousness ever since the Enlightenment era. The idea that "civilization has moved, is moving, and will move in a desirable direction" is a very easy target for intellectual criticism, because it both impacts our everyday thought and speech and is obviously false. Yet I find myself a little dissatisfied by the apparent alternatives. Indeed, in my experience there seem to be three different myths of progress, all working together, often paradoxically. Here they are:
The myth of inevitable progress: the idea that whatever is newer is better. You see this a lot when it comes to technology, of course (it's actually a little sad to know how many people are willing to line up for the latest toy being released by Apple or Microsoft). But you also see it all the time when it comes to morality. On multiple occasions, for instance, I have pointed out to a friend that the 19th century feminists were pro-life. Typical response: "They lived a long time ago."
The myth of progress on demand: the idea that if we want more progress, we just have to fight for it. Think of Occupy Wall Street on the left, or the "cultural warriors" on the right. Intentionally militant language is used to signify that progress is both necessary and achievable through unrelenting determination.
The myth of nihilism: there is no such thing as progress, and nothing we do really changes anything in the long run. We're no better nor worse than our ancestors, we can judge no one and no one can judge us. This is, in some ways, an immature reaction to the first two, but it is also deeper than that. Reflecting on our astonishing lack of knowledge can easily lead an intellectual down the pass to despair. Perhaps we really know nothing, after all, and everything we think we know is just a narrative we tell ourselves to keep going. But this is itself a narrative we tell ourselves, and I suspect it is because we have grown weary of traveling down the arduous path of discovery.
All of these are myths, stories we tell ourselves to simplify the world. Or, perhaps, they are stories which really do capture a genuine truth about ourselves. Myths cannot be so easily dismissed as falsehoods. For a myth to become so deeply rooted in society, it must have some ring of truth to it, after all.
Nevertheless, all of these claims are demonstrably false once they are stated clearly. The myth of inevitable progress cannot stand up to the fact of two world wars, in addition to many other credible examples of moral decline. The myth of progress on demand cannot stand up to the fact that, for example, communist revolutions have largely resulted in far worse totalitarianism than anything devised by the reigning aristocracy. The myth of nihilism is equally flawed: the world really has, in a way which is simply unprecedented in history, repudiated institutions such as slavery which were finally seen for the evils that they are. And technological progress, for all of the difficulties it brings with it, really has made people healthier and more productive than ever before.
The reason all of this is important is that we as modern people thrive on the idea of progress. We place our hopes in it; we demand it; and, precisely because we love it so much, we sometimes despair of ever attaining it. It is important that intellectuals lay a proper foundation for thinking rightly about progress, a foundation that accords with both high ideals and common sense.
I began with a quote from a chapter of The Constitution of Liberty entitled, "The Common Sense of Progress." I think this essay is a fantastic read, and it's worth reading all the way through, but I think one can also distill from it a few basic principles that are worth repeating. Here they are:
Progress is necessary. No, it isn't inevitable, and no, it doesn't come by simply demanding more of it, but it is what we want, and that's both natural and healthy. As Adam Smith pointed out years ago, a static society is awful for those who are least fortunate, and a regressive society even worse. The only way we can meet the needs of the many is to continue to make progress.
Progress is unpredictable. Just because I think I know how to solve a problem doesn't mean I will. A much bigger point is that many problems cannot even be named, much less solved, until I solve other ones. I won't even know what further progress means until I overcome today's problems.
Progress does not always satisfy. Sometimes, in solving the problems of the day, I may just wind up wishing I hadn't. But if we always knew this ahead of time, there wouldn't be any need for progress in the first place; we'd already know everything we need to.
Progress is nonlinear. Just because we improve in one way doesn't mean we improve in every way. Sometimes in order to make progress in one area, we end up stagnating or even regressing in another. It is impossible to know ahead of time how this balance will play out in the long run.
Progress begins locally. No innovation can immediately affect everyone, but it must undergo a refinement process which always starts with the people with enough expertise to understand the innovation. I think this even applies to moral progress: it is only through determined visionaries, who see the problems of society in a specialized way, that movements can arise to reform society.
Progress is good. Even though we can't say this without qualification, it is nevertheless true that progress is good. If for no other reason than the mere satisfaction of learning something new, progress is a good thing that will always continue to attract the imagination of human beings.
Hopefully these principles are a reasonable enough baseline for thinking about progress in the modern world, so that we as intellectuals can actually say things with both confidence and realistic expectations. Nothing we do will ever result in quite the thing we wanted or expected, but that is no reason not to do it. Nothing we believe is ever invulnerable to criticism or change, but that is no reason to believe nothing. The more realistic we are in our desire for change, the more hopeful we can be that change is possible. We will never know in our lifetimes whether it was all worth it, but we can be sure that such was true also of our heroes of the past.
As for me, I would like to believe that there really is some meaning behind all of our history, civilization, and progress. If we in the modern world have trouble believing in God, then I would rather that we at least believe in something that extends beyond ourselves. And since we are so prone to believe in progress, it would help if we at least believed something true about it. |
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« on: Sep 14, 2008 02:34 AM »
Question: Umar b. al-Khattâb was the first person to initiate the practice of praying the Tarâwîh prayer. Does this not make it an innovation? Answered by Sheikh Sâmî al-MâjidIt is unacceptable for someone to claim that the Tarâwîh prayer is an innovation. Only an ignorant person would say such a thing. If it were an innovation, the entire Muslim Ummah would not have unanimously accepted it, from the time of Umar - may Allah be pleased with him – up to our own time. Muslims have continuously performed this prayer throughout their history without any objection, and it is known that the Ummah as a whole is protected from erring in such a matter for all of these centuries.Know, my brother, that the Tarâwîh prayer is “sunnah”, which means that it is part of the Prophet’s tradition (peace be upon him). He did, however, fear that it would become obligatory. The Prophet (peace be upon him) went out one night in the middle of the night and prayed in the mosque, and some men prayed with him. When morning came, the people started talking and even more people gathered for the prayer on the second night. When morning came again, they talked amongst themselves and an even greater number gathered on the third night. So the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed and they prayed with him. When the fourth night came, the mosque could not contain all those who had come to pray. When dawn came, the Prophet (peace be upon him) appeared and performed the Fajr prayer, then he approached the people and testified that there is no God but Allah and that he was the Messenger of Allah, and then said: “I knew you were here, but I feared that it (the Tarâwîh prayer) would become obligatory, and that then you would fail to perform it.” [Sahih al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]The situation that the Prophet (peace be upon him) feared might happen could not happen after his death, since the religion had become complete and divine revelation had ended.Because of this, Umar b. al-Khattâb – may Allah be pleased with him - gathered the people behind Tamîm al-Dârî and Ubayy bin Ka`b after he saw the people in the mosque performing the prayer separately or in small groups. He did this in order to reinstate the “sunnah” that the Prophet (peace be upon him) established then refrained from only out of the fear that it would become mandatory.And one should note that `Umar did not gather the people to perform something that was an innovation. He did not prescribe anything new in Islam of his own accord. Moreover, `Umaar was one of the Righly Guided Caliphs Al-`Irbâd b. Sâriyah relates: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) preached to us one day after the morning prayer and gave us a touching sermon that caused our eyes to well up and hearts to shiver with fear, so a man said: “This is a sermon given by someone who is bidding us farewell, so what do you leave us with, O Prophet?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I leave you with this: the fear of Allah, and to hear and obey even if an Ethiopian slave rules over you, for whoever lives shall see many changes. And be wary of innovations, for they lead one astray. Whoever sees this should abide by my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs who shall come after me. Seize upon that with your molars.” [Musnad Ahmad, Sunan al-Tirmidhî, Sunan Abî Dâwûd, Sunan Ibn Mâjah, and Sunan al-Dârimî]And Allah knows best. Question: How many units of prayer should be performed for the Tarâwîh prayer - eight or twenty? Answered by Sheikh Sa`d al-ShuwayrikhThe ideal number of units for Tarâwîh prayer is a matter of disagreement among the people of knowledge.However, there is agreement among the people of knowledge that there is no fixed limit for the number of units of Tarâwîh prayer. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The night prayer is two units then two units then if the one of you expects the falling of morning prayer he can pray one unit to singular what he had prayed”.The Prophet (peace be upon him) never determined fixed a specific number of units for the Tarâwîh prayer.It was only related that he used to pray eleven units nightly in Ramadan and at other times.It is related in Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim that Âishah said: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) never prayed more than eleven units, whether in Ramadan or in other times. He used to pray four – do not ask how perfect and long were they – then he would pray four, do not ask how perfect and long were they – then he would pray three.”The disagreement of the people of knowledge on the number of units of Tarâwîh should ideally be is as follows:a. The prayer should be performed as twenty units. This to according to the Hanbalî school of thoughts.b. The prayer should be performed as thirty-six units. This is according to the Mâlikî school of thought.c. The prayer should be performed as eleven units.The most balanced opinion on this issue is that the number of units should vary depending upon the length of time given to each unit of prayer. This means that if the imam limits the number of the verses he recites and keeps brief the amount of time he takes for bowing and prostrating, then it is preferred for him to increase the total number of units prayed.Likewise, if he lengthens his recitation and the time he takes for bowing and prostrating, then it is preferred that he decreases the number of units.Each and every one of these sayings has evidence. Those who prefer twenty units rely on the act of `Umar gathering the people to pray twenty units as related by al-Sâ’b b. Yazîd in al-Muwatta’. This was also related from Sa`îd b. Jubayr, Abû Mijlad, Abû Ayyûb and others.No doubt, many of the Companions prayed behind these people. It was never related that any of them had objected or denied the permissibility of such a prayer.The conclusion is that there is no limit for the number of units that may be prayed in the Tarâwîh prayer. The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not determine a specific number. He only said: “The night prayer is two units then two units.” As we said, the might vary according to the length of time alloted to each unit.Please keep in mind that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever prays with the imam until the imam leaves will have the reward of praying throughout the night.” Therefore, it is better in Ramadan – but not obligatory – to pray with the imam until the imam finishes the prayer. Also, please note that the night prayer is more general than either Tarâwîh or Tahajjud. It is called Tarâwîh when it occurs in Ramadân and is customarily performed at an earlier time. Question: What are the virtues of Qiyâm al-Layl (Tahajjud)? What is the best way to perform it? Answered by the Fatwa Department Research Committee - chaired by Sheikh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-TurayrîQiyâm al-Layl means “The night prayer”. It is also known as the Tahajjud prayer. It is the most virtuous and recommended of all the voluntary prayers. The Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed it every night and encouraged his followers to do so as well.Allah commanded Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to offer this prayer.He says in the Qur’ân: “And as for the night, keep awake a part of it as an additional prayer for thee: soon will thy Lord raise thee to a station of praise and glory.” [Sûrah al-Isrâ’: 79] He also says: “O thou folded in garments, stand (to prayer) by night, but not all night, half of it, or a little less. Or a little more; and recite the Qur'ân in a slow, measured tone.” [Sûrah al-Muzzammil: 1-4]. Although these verses were addressed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), they were not confined to him. They are an encouragement for all of us. Observing this prayer is one of the reasons for attaining Paradise by Allah’s grace. Allah says: “They were in the habit of sleeping but little by night, and in the hours of early dawn they (were found) praying for forgiveness” [Sûrah al-Dhâriyât: 17-18]It is confirmed in the authentic hadîth that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to pray Qiyâm al-Layl for many long hours at a time, until his feet would become swollen. Qiyâm al-Layl can be prayed at any time at night before the time of the Fajr prayer. Preferably, it should be offered in the last third of the night. It is also preferable to sleep before praying it, but it is not obligatory to do so.You can pray as few or as many units of prayer as you want to. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The night prayer is performed as two units of prayers at a time. When you anticipating the arrival of dawn, then perform one unit of prayer as witr.” It is preferable to offer eleven units of prayer, including witr, since the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to do this. However, there is no harm in praying more or less. Source: http://www.islamtoday.com/show_quest_section.cfm?main_cat_id=25&sub_cat_id=126 Logged
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E-mail Print Comments Share Tweet Google+ Reflecting On Sept. 11, 2001 Slain Priest: 'Bury His Heart, But Not His Love'
By NPR Staff View Slideshow
A mortally injured Father Mychal Judge is carried out of the World Trade Center by first responders, including Bill Cosgrove (in white shirt). Cosgrove says, "everybody you see in that picture was saved" from the North Tower's collapse, moments later.
Father Mychal Judge was a Franciscan friar and a chaplain to the New York City Fire Department. He was also a true New York character. Born in Brooklyn, Mychal Judge seemed to know everyone in the city, from the homeless to the mayor. On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Father Mychal arrived at the World Trade Center shortly after the first plane hit. And as firefighters and other rescue personnel ran into the North Tower, he went with them. Bill Cosgrove, a police lieutenant, was also there. When the South Tower collapsed, it sent debris flying into the neighboring building, striking Judge. And soon after, Cosgrove found him. Then, Cosgrove and a group of firefighters emerged from the dust, carrying Father Mychal's body. Here's how Cosgrove, who's now retired, recalls that day: I went a couple of steps, and I hit something. And I told the fire chief that somebody was on the floor. And he put the light on him — and I remember him saying, 'Oh my god, it's Father Mike.' He checked his vital signs, and he said, 'He's dead.' So, we all picked him up. We went up the steps. And I remember looking up, because one of the firemen was yelling at a photographer. He was telling him, in no uncertain terms, 'Get out of the way.' I didn't even think about that picture being taken. I was just doing my job. It's just... so many other heroic acts were being done all around me. It's just that no one took a picture of it. The next day, when I came back into the precinct, somebody showed me the picture. And I got a lot of calls from people that knew Mychal Judge — firemen. They assumed I knew him, you know, but I didn't, until that day. He's always been on my mind ever since then, because it's my firm belief that the only reason I'm here today is because of him. I know that sounds weird, but everybody you see in that picture was saved. And I'm sure had he not been there, I would have been trying to look for other people. And when that North Tower fell, I would have been right in the middle of it, just like the rest of the firemen were, and some of my cops. But nothing was going to happen that day. At least, not to me. In the priesthood, Judge had been a mentor to another priest, Father Michael Duffy. The two served at the same parish in New Jersey during the 1970s. And at Judge's funeral service on Sept. 15, 2001, Duffy delivered the homily. "We Franciscans are a little odd, and one of our oddities is, there's a form we fill out — it's called 'On My Death.' It says where you want your funeral mass to be, who you want to do the homily, and et cetera, like that," Duffy says. As he recalls, Duffy didn't expect to be asked to speak about his late friend, especially on the occasion of a national tragedy. But the day after the attacks, his provincial minister called him. "And he said, 'Mychal wanted you to do the homily,'" Duffy says. "And I said, 'Well yes, but this is different. It should be someone with a little more import. So, I think you should do it.' And there was a long pause. And he said, 'But Mychal wanted you.' "So I mean, what are you going to say to that? I said to myself, 'When I see Mychal, I'm going to kill him,'" Duffy says with a laugh. In his speech, Duffy made a joking comparison between Father Mychal and Sister Theresa. After all, the popular priest had touched many lives. "Everyone thought Mychal Judge was their best friend," Duffy says. "He'd remember significant things in their life, and he would write a little note — just one or two lines. Of course, they'd write him back. So, he had a big black satchel, filled with letters to answer." And many of those people came to pay their respects to Judge — far too many to fit in Manhattan's St. Francis of Assisi Church. "There were 3,000 people at his funeral," Duffy says. "The church wasn't big enough to hold them. They were outside; Bill Clinton was there; Hillary Clinton; all New York." The proceedings were also televised. And finally, it was Duffy's turn to speak. "I stood up, and I reached in to get my glasses — and I couldn't get to the pocket, because my vestment was covering them. Thank goodness I'd practiced it, because I couldn't read it." The full text of Duffy's homily is posted online. Following are excerpts of what Duffy told Judge's friends and family that day: He loved to bless people — and I mean physically — even if they didn't ask. A little old lady would come up to him, and he would put his big thick Irish hands and press the head 'til I think the poor woman would be crushed. He would say to me once and a while, 'Michael Duffy' — he always called me by my full name — 'Michael Duffy, you know what I need?' And I would get excited, because it was hard to buy him a present or anything. I said, 'No, what?' 'You know what I really need?' 'No. What, Mike?' 'Absolutely nothing. I don't need a thing in the world. I am the happiest man on the face of the earth. Why am I so blessed? I don't deserve it.' Mychal Judge's body was the first one released from Ground Zero. His death certificate has the number '1' on the top. Of the thousands of people who perished in that terrible holocaust, why was Mychal Judge number one? And I think I know the reason. Mychal's goal and purpose in life was to bring the firemen to the point of death so they would be ready to meet their maker. Mychal Judge could not have ministered to them all. It was physically impossible — in this life. In the next few weeks, we're going to have name after name of people who are being brought out of that rubble. And Mychal Judge is going to be on the other side of death — to greet them, instead of send them there. And so, this morning we come to bury Myke Judge's body, but not his spirit. We come to bury his voice, but not his message. We come to bury his hands, but not his good works. We come to bury his heart, but not his love. Never his love. Audio produced for Morning Edition by Michael Garofalo with Eve Claxton.Copyright 2011 National Public Radio. To see more, visit . View the discussion thread. |
Obama To Push Jobs, Education At N.C. Middle School
Listen Transcript LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST: President Obama travels to Mooresville, North Carolina today. He'll highlight the town's middle school and its focus on technology and digital learning. It's part of what the White House is calling the president's Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour. Jobs and education are big issues for younger voters, one of the most sought after demographics for both parties. NPR's Mara Liasson reports. MARA LIASSON, BYLINE: It's not easy being a young person in today's economy. The unemployment rate for college graduates is over 25 percent, and for high school graduates it's even worse. Peter Levine is the director of CIRCLE, a non-partisan research center that studies young people as citizens. PETER LEVINE: About half of young people go to college today and about half do not, and actually only about a quarter really make it through to a four year degree. And even that group is having a lot of trouble getting jobs, or at least getting the jobs they expected to get. LIASSON: Not surprisingly, more young people are postponing marriage, family and homeownership, the kinds of commitments that historically have characterized voters open to the Republican message. And, says Peter Levine, recently young voters have been voting for Democrats. LEVINE: Democrats have the upper hand. They won the youth vote in the last two presidential elections and young people seem basically supportive of them. LIASSON: This week, the College Republican National Committee took the first step toward changing that by taking a survey of voters under 30 to find out why they don't vote Republican. CRNC Chair Alex Smith announced the report on the group's website. ALEX SMITH: As leader of over 250,000 college Republicans, I'm committed to showing my peers and younger voters just what the Republican Party has to offer. LIASSON: One task for Republicans is changing the tone on issues like gay marriage, contraception and immigration. But Kirsten Soltis Anderson, the Republican pollster who conducted the survey, found something else that surprised her. KIRSTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON: The conventional wisdom is that it's social issues that are standing in the way. Our research actually found that's not necessarily the case. The real problem is the economy. There's a sense that Republicans aren't necessarily the party that is going to help you move up the ladder but that they're the party that's going to be great for you once you make it to the top of the ladder. And for many young voters who are just starting off in life, they have a lot of student loan debt, they're struggling to get a job because youth unemployment is so high - they're wondering what the Republican Party's solutions are to those problems. LIASSON: But while the Republican Party regroups and struggles to come up with an agenda to meet these concerns, the Democrats are busy pressing their advantage. This week, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee began running ads aimed at young voters with student debt. Emily Bittner is a spokesperson for the DCCC. EMILY BITTNER: We wanted to talk to students directly, and so we reached out to newspapers that are still publishing over the summer on college campuses and published print and online ads asking why their congressmen want students to pay more, which is a consequence of what House Republicans would do when it comes to student loans. LIASSON: The irony here is that President Obama, while he has an agenda aimed at young people's needs - the student loan rate cap, investments in education, a hike in the minimum wage - hasn't been able to pass it. But what Anderson found in the GOP's survey is that young voters tend to give the president the benefit of the doubt. ANDERSON: The number one word that came up in our responses was the word trying. They felt like he was putting up some sort of an effort. It's a relatively low bar for Republicans to overcome, but they do need to have that agenda that is focused on sort of day-to-day pocketbook issues that matter to young people in order for them to begin winning a greater share of the youth vote. LIASSON: If they don't, says Anderson, the GOP will cease to be a viable party in the future. ANDERSON: Once you voted for a party a couple of times, it becomes habit forming. And when you go to the ballot box for the rest of your life, you'll be slightly more inclined to repeat that behavior and cast a ballot for that same party. It's a massive issue because it's not just about the elections in the next two to four years; it's about the sustainability of the Republican Party long term over the next few decades. LIASSON: It's an existential problem for the GOP, but Peter Levine thinks Republicans have an opening because young people, despite their pro-Democratic bias, are ambivalent about the basic premise of the Obama presidency, that the federal government can help improve their lives. LEVINE: They're quite uncertain and trying to figure out how to interpret the last five years. Was it five years of recovery or was it five years of sputtering insufficient recovery? So, it's debatable, and I think they're having the debate. LIASSON: In the upcoming election cycles, young voters will have that debate without Barack Obama at the top of the ticket, and that might help level the playing field a bit for Republicans, if they can come up with policies that speak to young voters' economic concerns. Mara Liasson, NPR News, the White House. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. |
How My Voice Went Silent
Everything looked fine on my CT scan, but I didn't sound even close to right.
Courtesy of Richard Harris
There's an old joke around newsrooms: News is something that happens to your editor. If you'll pardon the self-indulgence, I'm going to take this truism one step further: News is what happened to me. I was laid low the week before New Year's Day by a mysterious headache and a blazing sore throat. A few days later I lost my voice. My doctors eventually pinpointed the cause by snaking a small camera down my nose. My left vocal fold (or vocal cord if you prefer) had stopped working. It was essentially paralyzed, other than the occasional twitch. Being a science reporter, of course I dived into the medical literature to see what was up. It turns out that good statistics are hard to come by on how frequently Americans suffer from this condition, unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Dr. Thomas Carroll, a voice specialist at Tufts Medical Center, told me he sees about 100 cases a year. The same is true for Dr. Lee Akst, who ultimately treated me at the Voice Center at Johns Hopkins. So, given that there are about 150 voice specialists in the U.S., that means there are probably something like 15,000 cases a year that come to their attention. Other research suggests that about 1 percent of the population may have only one working vocal cord, but the effect on the voice is slight enough that it can go undetected. It may take two to tango, but one vocal fold vibrating next to a silent partner is good enough for a soliloquy. The disruptive cases, like mine, are often caused by a surgeon who accidentally nicks the nerve that controls the left vocal cord. That nerve actually travels down into the chest, so it's potentially in harm's way during heart surgeries. That kind of medical boo-boo is known in the trade as "iatrogenic," which I guess is what the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates would have said when he meant "oops." I hadn't had chest surgery over winter break, and a CT scan revealed no obvious cause. So doctors call my kind of case "idiopathic." That word has the same Greek root as "idiot," but in this case it applies to medical ignorance. So they half-heartedly blame a virus, the typical medical fall guy. Whatever the cause, unilateral vocal fold paralysis is not particularly salutary for someone who makes a living on the radio. To give you an idea of what I mean, here's a snippet of a report I did back in October, when my voice was hearty and hale: And here's what I sounded like in mid-January: One doctor said the easiest course of action was simply to wait it out. Sure, it could take a few months for my voice to return, but what's the rush? But waiting isn't the only option. It turns out this disorder is common enough that there's a line of medical products to address it. My specialist at Johns Hopkins showed me a box of the stuff. Inside was a vial containing water, gelatin and sodium carboxymethylcellulose. Yes, cellulose as in the indigestible fiber that tree trunks and paper are made of. I'll spare you the gory details, but suffice it to say the doctor injected that gelatinous stuff next to my paralyzed vocal fold, and pushed it over so it was lined up next to the one that's still working fine. That closed the yawning gap that made my voice so breathy. And the result isn't bad, as you can hear: Over the next six to 10 weeks, the carboxymethylcellulose will degrade in my gullet. That will buy time for the nerve to heal, which it often does. And in the meantime, I'm back on the air. It may sound a bit like I'm suddenly smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. But don't look for me outside by the ashtray.Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit . KENW |
One of the major coverage provisions of the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the expansion of Medicaid eligibility to nearly all low-income individuals with incomes at or below 138 percent of poverty (about $16,000 for an individual1). This expansion fills in historical gaps in Medicaid eligibility for adults and was envisioned as the vehicle for extending insurance coverage to low-income individuals, with premium tax credits for Marketplace coverage serving as the vehicle for covering people with moderate incomes. While the Medicaid expansion was intended to be national, the June 2012 Supreme Court ruling made it optional for states, and as of December 2013, 25 states are not expanding their programs.2 Medicaid eligibility for adults in states not expanding their programs is quite limited—the median income limit for parents in 2014 will be 47% of poverty, or an annual income of about $9,200 a year for a family of three, and in nearly all states not expanding, childless adults will remain ineligible. Further, because the ACA envisioned low-income people receiving coverage through Medicaid, it does not provide financial assistance to people below poverty for other coverage options. As a result, in states that do not expand Medicaid, many adults will fall into a “coverage gap” of having incomes above Medicaid eligibility limits but below the lower limit for Marketplace premium tax credits (Figure 1). Nationwide, nearly five million poor uninsured adults are in this situation.3 This brief describes the population in the coverage gap and discusses the implications of them being left out of ACA coverage expansions.
Figure 1: In states that do not expand Medicaid under the ACA, there will be a gap in coverage available for adults.
Where Do People in the Coverage Gap Live?
The nearly five million poor uninsured adults who will fall into the “coverage gap” are spread across the states not expanding their Medicaid programs but are concentrated in states with the largest uninsured populations (Figure 2). More than a fifth of people in the coverage gap reside in Texas, which has both a large uninsured population and very limited Medicaid eligibility. Sixteen percent live in Florida, eight percent in Georgia, seven percent live in North Carolina, and six percent live in Pennsylvania. There are no uninsured adults in the coverage gap in Wisconsin because the state will provide Medicaid eligibility to adults up to the poverty level in 2014.
The geographic distribution of the population in the coverage gap reflects both population distribution and regional variation in state take-up of the ACA Medicaid expansion. As a whole, more people—and in particular more poor uninsured adults— reside in the South than in other regions. Further, the South has higher uninsured rates4 and more limited Medicaid eligibility than other regions. Southern states also have disproportionately opted not to expand their programs, and 11 of the 25 states not expanding Medicaid are in the South. These factors combined mean nearly 80% of people in the coverage gap reside in the South (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Nationwide, 4.8 million uninsured nonelderly adults below poverty may fall into the coverage gap.
What Are Characteristics of People in the Coverage Gap?
The characteristics of the population that falls into the coverage gap largely mirror those of poor uninsured adults. For example, because racial/ethnic minorities are more likely than White non-Hispanics to lack insurance coverage and are more likely to live in families with low incomes, they are disproportionately represented among poor uninsured adults and among people in the coverage gap. Nationally, about half (47%) of uninsured adults in the coverage gap are White non-Hispanics, 21% are Hispanic, and 27% are Black (Figure 3). However, the race and ethnicity of people in the coverage gap also reflects differences in the racial/ethnic composition between states moving forward with the Medicaid expansion and states not planning to expand. Several states that have large Hispanic populations (e.g., California, New York, and Arizona) are moving forward with the expansion, while other states with large Black populations (e.g., Florida, Georgia, and Texas) are not. As a result, Blacks account for a slightly higher share of people in the coverage gap compared to the total poor adult uninsured population, while Hispanics account for a slightly lower share. The racial/ethnic characteristics of the population in the coverage gap vary widely by state (see Table 1), mirroring the underlying characteristics of the state population.
While nearly half of people in the coverage gap report that their health is excellent or very good, a fifth report that they are in fair or poor health (Figure 3). These individuals have known health problems that likely require medical attention. Studies repeatedly demonstrate that the uninsured are less likely than those with insurance to receive preventive care and services for major health conditions and chronic diseases.6 When they do seek care, the uninsured often face unaffordable medical bills.7
Figure 3: Demographic characteristics of adults in the coverage gap largely mirror those of poor uninsured adults.
The characteristics of people in the coverage gap also reflect Medicaid program rules in states not expanding their programs. Because non-disabled adults without dependent children are ineligible for Medicaid coverage in most states not expanding Medicaid, regardless of their income, adults without dependent children account for a disproportionate share of people in the coverage gap (76%) (Figure 4). Still, nearly a quarter (24%) of people in the coverage gap are poor parents whose income places them above Medicaid eligibility levels. The parent status of people in the coverage gap varies by state (see Table 1) due to variation in current state eligibility. For example, Alaska, Maine, and Tennessee will cover parents up to at least poverty as of 2014, so all people in the coverage gaps in those states are adults without dependent children.
Women account for just under half (49%) of adults in the coverage gap (Figure 4). Women actually make up the majority of poor uninsured adults in states not expanding their program but are more likely than men to qualify for Medicaid under current rules. As a result, the gender split actually indicates a disproportionate share of men falling into the coverage gap. Among uninsured nonelderly adults below the poverty line in non-expansion states, 94 percent of males land in the gap, compared to 83 percent of females (data not shown). This disproportionate gender pattern occurs because men are much less likely than women to meet current Medicaid eligibility in states not expanding their programs.
Figure 4: The population in the coverage gap reflects limitations on Medicaid eligibility
The work status of people in the coverage gap indicates that there are limited coverage options available for people in this situation. Nearly two-thirds (60%) of people in the coverage gap are in a family with a worker (Table 1), and 54% are working themselves (Figure 5). Nationally, 29% of adults in the coverage gap are working full-time, and a quarter (25%) are working part-time. While workers could potentially have an offer of coverage through their employer, the majority of workers in the coverage gap (51%) work for small firms (<50 employees) that will not be subject to ACA penalties for not offering coverage. Further, many firms do not offer coverage to part-time workers. A majority of workers in the coverage gap also work in industries with historically low insurance rates, such as the agriculture and service industries.
Figure 5: Adults in the coverage gap have limited access to health coverage through an employer.
Forty percent of adults in the coverage gap are in a family with no workers. Since the Medicaid expansion was designed to reach those left out of the employer-based system, and because people in the coverage gap by definition are poor, it is not surprising that most are unlikely to have access to health coverage through a job.
Number in Coverage Gap
Share in Coverage Gap who Are:
Adults without Dependent Children
In a Working Family
All states not expanding Medicaid
Pennsylvania2
It is unlikely that people who fall into the coverage gap will be able to afford ACA coverage without financial assistance: The national average premium for a 40-year-old individual purchasing coverage through the Marketplace is $270 per month for a silver plan and $224 per month for a bronze plan,9 which equates to about half of income for those at the lower income range of people in the gap and about a quarter of income for those at the higher income range of people in the gap. Further, people in the coverage gap are ineligible for cost-sharing subsidies for Marketplace plans and could face additional out-of-pocket costs up to $6,350 a year if they were to purchase Marketplace coverage. Given the limited budgets of people in the coverage gap, these costs are likely prohibitively expensive. Thus, it is most likely that adults in the coverage gap will remain uninsured, even after the ACA is fully implemented.
If they remain uninsured, adults in the coverage gap are likely to face barriers to needed health services or, if they do require medical care, potentially serious financial consequences. Many are in fair or poor health or are in the age range when health problems start to arise, but lack of coverage may lead them to postpone needed care due to the cost. While the safety net of clinics and hospitals that has traditionally served the uninsured population will continue to be an important source of care for the remaining uninsured under the ACA, this system has been stretched in recent years due to increasing demand and limited resources.
Further, the racial and ethnic composition of the population that falls into the coverage gap indicates that state decisions not to expand their programs disproportionately affect people of color, particularly Black Americans. This disproportionate effect occurs because the racial and ethnic composition of states not expanding their Medicaid programs differs from the ones that are expanding. As a result, state decisions about whether to expand Medicaid have implications for efforts to address disparities in health coverage, access, and outcomes among people of color.
Last, the population in the coverage gap shows that, as a result of state decisions not to expand their Medicaid programs, many remaining uninsured under the ACA will reflect the legacy of the system linking Medicaid coverage to only certain categories of people. Many people who fall outside these categories—specifically men and adults without dependent children—still have a need for health coverage. The ACA Medicaid expansion was designed to end categorical eligibility for Medicaid, but in states not implementing the expansion, the vestiges of categorical eligibility will remain.
This analysis uses pooled data from the 2012 and 2013 Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC). The CPS ASEC provides socioeconomic and demographic information for the United Sates population and specific subpopulations. Importantly, the CPS ASEC provides detailed data on families and households, which we use to determine income for ACA eligibility purposes (see below for more detail). We merge two years of data in order to increase the precision of our estimates.
Medicaid and Marketplaces have different rules about household composition and income for eligibility. For this analysis, we calculate household membership and income for both Medicaid and Marketplace premium tax credits for each person individually, using the rules for each program. For more detail on how we construct Medicaid and Marketplace households and count income, see the detailed technical Appendix A available here.
Immigrants who are undocumented are ineligible for Medicaid and Marketplace coverage. Since CPS data do not directly indicate whether an immigrant is undocumented, we impute documentation status for each person in the sample. To do so, we draw on the methodology in the State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC) paper, “State Estimates of the Low-Income Uninsured Not Eligible for the ACA Medicaid Expansion.”10 This approach uses the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) to develop a model that predicts immigration status; it then applies the model to CPS, controlling to state-level estimates of total undocumented population from Department of Homeland Security. For more detail on the immigration imputation used in this analysis, see the technical Appendix B available here.
As of January 2014, Medicaid financial eligibility for most nonelderly adults will be based on modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). To determine whether each individual is eligible for Medicaid, we use each state’s MAGI eligibility level that will be effective as of 2014.11 Some nonelderly adults with incomes above MAGI levels may be eligible for Medicaid through other pathways; however, we only assess eligibility through the MAGI pathway.12
An individual’s income is likely to fluctuate throughout the year, impacting his or her eligibility for Medicaid. Our estimates are based on annual income and thus represent a snapshot of the number of people in the coverage gap at a given point in time. Over the course of the year, a larger number of people are likely to move and out of the coverage gap as their income fluctuates.
← Return to textMcWilliams JM, Meara E, Zaslavsky AM, Ayanian JZ. “Use of Health Services by Previously Uninsured Medicare Beneficiaries.” New England Journal of Medicine. 2007 July 12, 357(2): 143-53.
← Return to textFor a review of findings on access to care for the uninsured, see: Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. The Uninsured: A Primer- Key Facts About Health Insurance on the Eve of Coverage Expansions. (Washington, DC: Kaiser Family Foundation), October 23, 2013. Available at: .
← Return to textIbid.
← Return to textSee for a review of these requirements.
← Return to textThe methods for arriving at this estimate can be found on the Kaiser Family Foundation Subsidy Calculator, (available here: .org/interactive/subsidy-calculator/). The calculator is based on Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projections from July 2012 (Available here: http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/43472-07-24-2012-CoverageEstimates.pdf)
← Return to textState Health Access Data Assistance Center. 2013. “State Estimates of the Low-income Uninsured Not Eligible for the ACA Medicaid Expansion.” Issue Brief #35. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota. Available at: http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2013/rwjf404825.
← Return to textKaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. Fact Sheet: Medicaid Eligibility for Adults as of January 1, 2014. (Washington, DC: Kaiser Family Foundation), October 1, 2013. Available at: .org/medicaid/fact-sheet/medicaid-eligibility-for-adults-as-of-january-1-2014/.
← Return to textNon-MAGI pathways for nonelderly adults include disability-related pathways, such as SSI beneficiary; Qualified Severely Impaired Individuals; Working Disabled; and Medically Needy. We are unable to assess disability status in the CPS sufficiently to model eligibility under these pathways. However, previous research indicates high current participation rates among individuals with disabilities (largely due to the automatic link between SSI and Medicaid in most states, see Kenney GM, V Lynch, J Haley, and M Huntress. “Variation in Medicaid Eligibility and Participation among Adults: Implications for the Affordable Care Act.” Inquiry. 49:231-53 (Fall 2012)), indicating that there may be a small number of eligible uninsured individuals in this group. Further, many of these pathways (with the exception of SSI, which automatically links an individual to Medicaid in most states) are optional for states, and eligibility in states not implementing the ACA expansion is limited. For example, the median income eligibility level for coverage through the Medically Needy pathway is 15% of poverty in states that are not expanding Medicaid, and most states not expanding Medicaid do not provide coverage above SSI levels for individuals with disabilities. (See: O’Mally-Watts, M and K Young. The Medicaid Medically Needy Program: Spending and Enrollment Update. (Washington, DC: Kaiser Family Foundation), December 2012. Available at: . And Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, “Medicaid Financial Eligibility: Primary Pathways for the Elderly and People with Disabilities,” February 2010. Available at: .org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-financial-eligibility-primary-pathways-for-the-elderly-and-people-with-disabilities/. |
Characteristics of the Sun
The distance between the sun and the earth varies because the earth travels in an elliptical rather than circular orbit. The distance is roughly 100 times the sun’s diameter. Turbulence in the photosphere forms granules of various sizes and sunspots. Temperature is a measure of kinetic energy. The dense plasma in the center of the sun is roughly 2500 times hotter than the surface. Gases in the corona have escaped from the sun’s surface and have a very high velocity. The sun’s spectral type, G2, indicates that it is composed of hydrogen, helium, calcium, iron and other metals. Newer Post |
hide Trip to Mars would likely exceed radiation limits for astronauts
This self-portrait of NASA's Mars Curiosity rover is shown in this NASA handout composite image released May 30, 2013. REUTERS/NASA/Handout By Irene Klotz
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Radiation levels measured by NASA's Mars Curiosity rover show astronauts likely would exceed current U.S. exposure limits during a roundtrip mission to Mars, scientists said on Thursday.
The rover landed on Mars in August to search for habitats that could have supported past microbial life.
Results taken during Curiosity's eight-month cruise to Mars indicate that astronauts would receive a radiation dose of about 660 millisieverts during a 360-day roundtrip flight, the fastest travel possible with today's chemical rockets. That dosage does not include any time spent on the planet's surface. A millisievert is a measurement of radiation exposure.
NASA limits astronauts' increased cancer risk to 3 percent, which translates to a cumulative radiation dose of between about 800 millisieverts and 1,200 millisieverts, depending on a person's age, gender and other factors.
"Even for the shortest of (Mars) missions, we are perilously close to the radiation career and health limits that we've established for our astronauts," NASA's chief medical officer Richard Williams told a National Academy of Sciences' medical committee on Thursday.
An astronaut living for six months on the International Space Station, which flies about 250 miles above Earth, receives a dosage of about 100 millisieverts.
An abdominal X-ray scan generates about 10 millisieverts.
At NASA's request, the Institute of Medicine panel is looking into ethics and health standards for long-duration spaceflights.
"We're looking at that 3 percent standard and its applicability for exploration-type missions," added NASA's Edward Semones, spaceflight radiation health officer at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, during a conference call later with reporters.
"The snapshot today is that we would exceed our limit," Semones said.
NASA also is looking into alternative propulsion technologies to speed up the trip to Mars and different types of spacecraft shielding.
Information from Curiosity about how much and what type of radiation astronauts can expect on the Martian surface is due to be released later this year.
The research was published in this week's edition of the journal Science. |
Public Health New Mexico
Judge Rules Physician Aid in Dying is Legal
Share Tweet E-mail Comments Print By Marisa Demarco Hamed Saber via Compfight cc A District Court judge ruled today that it's legal for doctors in New Mexico to prescribe medication so patients with terminal illnesses can end their own lives. Judge Nan Nash wrote: "If decisions made in the shadow of one's imminent death regarding how they and their loved ones will face that death are not fundamental and at the core of these constitutional guarantees, then what decisions are?" It's called "aid in dying"—not "assisted suicide." One distinction being that patients would administer the life-ending medicine themselves. Though New Mexico had an Assisted Suicide Statute on the books, advocates argued the law does not encompass aid in dying. "If it does does indeed cover this practice, we believe the statute is unconstitutional," said Laura Schauer-Ives, legal director with the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued the case. There are several key differences, she said. First, motivation—in aid-in-dying cases, the person wants to live but is facing imminent death and looks to avoid a loss of autonomy and increased pain. Second, the nature of the act—patients aren't typically alone, and go through a collaborative process with their families and physicians. Finally, she said, the effect on survivors is different, and these situations don't typically bring on immense regret and guilt. Dr. Katherine Morris, a surgical oncologist, was one of two doctors who, along with a patient, filed a complaint with the state for clarification. Three years ago, she moved to New Mexico from Oregon, where physician aid in dying is legal. While in Oregon, she was twice asked to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to a terminally ill patient. "The first time someone asked me, it took a fair amount of soul-searching," Morris said. "It was the hardest decision I ever made in my career." Morris said she's seen good deaths, and she's seen bad deaths. The good ones, she says, are peaceful—event transcendental. The patient's family is gathered around, and they're hurting, but they're supporting each other. "They're crying and they're joking. They're together. And they're with the person when they go." Bad deaths, she says, happen when the family has to watch traumatic and futile life-prolonging procedures. "It was my patients that really taught me how important it was for some patients that are really facing the end of life to have that control and to be able to say, 'I accept that I am actively in the dying process, and this is how I want to do it. I want to die at home.' " The New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops has led the charge opposing aid in dying. Executive Director Allen Sanchez said there are obvious religious objections, but there are logical and ethical issues at play as well. He likened it to the death penalty debate and said human error is too much of a factor to allow doctors and patients to make irreversible life-and-death decisions. "You're giving a great amount of power to a very small group of people. We know that there's mistakes made by physicians, and you just have to look at the amount of malpractice lawsuits that are filed every year." Compassion is an important part of being a human being, Sanchez said, but in some cases, assisted suicide is damaging to a person's dignity. In the Catholic faith, Sanchez added, this is a pro-life issue, "from the womb to the tomb." The Conference of Catholic Bishops opposes the death penalty, too, he said. "You have to balance this religiously with pain" and medications must be available for the management of pain. Along those lines, Sanchez said, the bishops chose not to oppose medical marijuana legalization for that reason. Under Catholic doctrine, treatments can be withheld, Sanchez added, if they're futile. Artificial means of sustaining a person's life can be removed, allowing the person to die, he said. "Pope Francis is talking about this right now, the real issues of people suffering and trying to alleviate suffering. With that good intention, we have to make sure that doesn't take us down a road also of taking somebody's life when they may be able to recover." Today's ruling will likely be appealed and appear before the state Supreme Court. Tags: aid in dying |
http://kuow.org
New Web Addresses Provide Alternatives To Crowded Domains
http://kuow.org/post/new-web-addresses-provide-alternatives-crowded-domains
Transcript <p>STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: <p>On a Friday it's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep.<p>LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST: <p>And I'm Linda Wertheimer. Think of the Internet as a group of islands. There's one island for all the Web addresses with .COM. That one's very crowded. There is the less popular .NET island. Also our personal favorite, .ORG. Well, now the number of islands is expanding dramatically. There's .BIKE and .PLUMBING, .NINJA and more islands to come.
David Kestenbaum
31904 at http://kuow.org
Does Raising The Minimum Wage Kill Jobs?
http://kuow.org/post/does-raising-minimum-wage-kill-jobs
President Obama has called for increasing the minimum wage, saying it will help some of the poorest Americans. Opponents argue that a higher minimum wage will lead employers to cut jobs.<p>Figuring out the effect of raising the minimum wage is tough. Ideally you'd like to compare one universe where the minimum was raised against an alternate universe where it remained fixed.<p>Economist David Card found the next best thing. In 1992, New Jersey was about to raise its minimum wage.
The Birth Of The Minimum Wage In America
http://kuow.org/post/birth-minimum-wage-america
In 1895, legislators in New York state decided to improve working conditions in what at the time could be a deadly profession: baking bread.<p>"Bakeries are actually extremely dangerous places to work," says Eric Rauchway, a historian at the University of California, Davis. "Because flour is such a fine particulate, if it gets to hang in the air it can catch fire and the whole room can go up in a sheet of flame."<p>New York passed a law called the Bakeshop Act. It didn't set a minimum wage — the minimum wage didn't exist yet in the U.S.
A Bet, Five Metals And The Future Of The Planet
http://kuow.org/post/bet-five-metals-and-future-planet
This famous bet — between a biologist and an economist — was over population growth. It started three decades ago, but it helped set the tone for environmental debates that are still happening today.<p>The biologist at the heart of this bet was Paul Ehrlich at Stanford. He wrote a best-selling book in 1968 called <em>The Population Bomb.</em> It was so popular he appeared on <em>The Tonight Show</em> with Johnny Carson.<p>He told Carson, "There are 3.6 billion people in the world today, and we are adding about 70 million a year. And that's too many.
We Found This 20-Year-Old T-Shirt In Kenya. The Internet Found The Original Owner
http://kuow.org/post/we-found-20-year-old-t-shirt-kenya-internet-found-original-owner
We recently <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/12/10/247362140/the-afterlife-of-american-clothes" target="_blank">published a story</a> about how used clothes that get donated in the U.S. often wind up for sale in markets in Africa.
A Bitcoin Insider On Crime, Congress And Satoshi Nakamoto
http://kuow.org/post/bitcoin-insider-crime-congress-and-satoshi-nakamoto
<em>For more on what Bitcoin is and how it works, see our story </em>"<a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/08/24/138673630/what-is-bitcoin" target="_blank">What Is Bitcoin?</a><em>"</em><p>Gavin Andresen is chief scientist at the <a href="https://bitcoinfoundation.org/" target="_blank">Bitcoin Foundation</a>. I first talked with him about Bitcoin, the virtual currency, <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/08/24/138673630/what-is-bitcoin" target="_blank">back in 2011</a>.
What's A Bubble?
http://kuow.org/post/whats-bubble
Robert Shiller was surprised when he got the call telling him he'd won the Nobel Memorial Prize in economics — surprised that he'd won (of course), but also surprised that he was sharing the award with Eugene Fama.<p>"He and I seem to have very different views," Shiller told me. "It's like we're different religions."<p>In particular, they have very different views about economic bubbles.<p>"The word 'bubble' drives me nuts, frankly," Fama told me.<p>Fama believes markets are basically rational. At any given moment, he says, prices reflect the collective wisdom of everyone in the market.
What Happens When You Just Give Money To Poor People?
http://kuow.org/post/what-happens-when-you-just-give-money-poor-people
<em>For more of our reporting on this story, please see our work in </em><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/magazine/is-it-nuts-to-give-to-the-poor-without-strings-attached.html?_r=0" target="_blank">The New York Times Magazine</a><em> and on </em><a href="http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/503/i-was-just-trying-to-help" target="_blank">This American Life</a><em>.</em><p>A couple of months ago, <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/08/23/214210692/the-charity-that-just-gives-money-to-poor-people" target="_blank">we reported</a> on a charity called GiveDirectl
I Lent $999.78 To The Federal Government*
http://kuow.org/post/i-loaned-99978-federal-government
Earlier this week, I bought a Treasury bill.<p>Everybody calls Treasury bills T-bills, and they work like this: The government promises to pay holders of T-bills a specific amount on a specific day in the near future. For the T-bill I bought, the government promised to pay $1,000 on Oct. 31.<p>I bought the T-bill on Tuesday, before Congress had made the debt-ceiling deal, so it was unclear whether I would get paid back on time.<p>If people are worried about a bond, the price tends to fall.
What A U.S. Default Would Mean For Pensions, China And Social Security
http://kuow.org/post/what-us-default-would-mean-pensions-china-and-social-security
What would happen if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling and the U.S. defaults on its debt later this month? The broad economic implications are unpredictable, but a default could cause huge trouble for the global economy.<p>But whatever happens to the global economy, one thing is clear: People all over the world who have loaned the U.S. government money won't get paid on time.<p>And lots and lots of people have loaned the government money. Those people are commonly referred to as owners of Treasury bonds.
An Aerogramme From Professor Higgs, Nobel Winner
http://kuow.org/post/aerogramme-professor-higgs-nobel-winner
Well, it's happened.
One Key Thing No One Knows About Obamacare
http://kuow.org/post/one-key-thing-no-one-knows-about-obamacare
Tuesday is a big day for Obamacare. The online marketplaces where people can shop for health insurance are supposed to open for business.<p>No one really knows who is going to sign up — not the Obama administration, not the insurance industry, not the president's critics. Yet the success of the law hangs on this question: Will the right mix of people sign up? In particular, will healthy people buy health insurance?<p>"The danger if you don't get young, healthy people signing up ...
Ecuador To World: Pay Up To Save The Rainforest. World To Ecuador: Meh.
http://kuow.org/post/ecuador-world-pay-save-rainforest-world-ecuador-meh
The government of Ecuador has abandoned a plan that would have kept part of the Amazonian rainforest off limits to oil drilling. The initiative was an unusual one: Ecuador was promising to keep the oil in the ground, but it wanted to be paid for doing so.<p>The oil sits under the Yasuni national park, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth — orchids, jaguars, monkeys, birds. To get to the corner of the park that holds the oil, you have to take a plane, then a motorboat, then paddle a canoe.
Cash, Cows And The Rise Of Nerd Philanthropy
http://kuow.org/post/cash-cows-and-rise-nerd-philanthropy
<em>For more of our reporting on this story, please see our recent column in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/magazine/is-it-nuts-to-give-to-the-poor-without-strings-attached.html" target="_blank">New York Times Magazine</a>, and the <a href="http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/503/i-was-just-trying-to-help" target="_blank">latest episode of This American Life</a>.</em><p>This morning, <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/08/23/214210692/the-charity-that-just-gives-money-to-poor-people" target="_blank">we reported</a> on a charity called GiveDirectly th
The Charity That Just Gives Money To Poor People
http://kuow.org/post/charity-just-gives-money-poor-people
<em>For more of our reporting on this story, please see our <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/magazine/is-it-nuts-to-give-to-the-poor-without-strings-attached.html" target="_blank">recent column in the New York Times Magazine</a>, and the <a href="http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/503/i-was-just-trying-to-help" target="_blank">latest episode of This American Life</a>.</em><p>There's a charity called GiveDirectly that just gives money to poor people in Kenya. No strings attached. |
Importance of Water Quality
Minnesota Soybean's newest issues video, featuring well-known outdoorsman, Ron Schara, shows consumers what farmers are doing to protect Minnesota land and water resources. Non-farmers are increasingly generations removed from farming, and may be concerned by the flood of messages regarding the impact of agriculture on water quality. Farming is just one of many human activities that can influence water quality. Farmers manage a lot of land, so they have more influence than most, but they also know and care more about it, and are actually doing more about it than most. While you're...
Cabinet Members Pledge Portions of Salary
Monday, April 22, 2013 - 11:25am
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told the Des Moines Register he would give up part of his salary if the department were forced to furlough employees as part of government-wide across-the-board spending reductions known as sequestration.
“I’ve indicated that early in the process,” Vilsack said in an interview. “We’ll be doing what we have to do.” All cabinet secretaries make just under $200,000 a year.
The USDA is still assessing if it will need to furlough employees, or how many it will need to if it gets to that point. If Vilsack did choose to give up his paycheck, it...
Earth Day = Free Water Conservation Kits
Monday, April 22, 2013 - 8:40am
Happy Earth Day! Today, Monday April 22nd, Minnesota Energy Resources is offering all current residential natural gas customers in Worthington FREE Water Conservation Kits. The kits include low-flow showerheads, along with kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators. These items are easy to install so you can begin saving on your home's water heating costs right away.
The free kits can be ordered by visiting or by calling 1-877-831-...
MSRPC Fishing Trip Sweepstakes
Thursday, April 18, 2013 - 12:14pm
If you recall, Minnesota Soybean gave the public several opportunities to win a year's worth of free groceries through a fantastic giveaway through March. With April turning a new leaf, the Minnesota Soybean is once more holding another giveaway; in April, you can enter once a day to win a fishing getaway for yourself (and three guests!) at McQuoid's Inn on Lake Mille Lacs!
The sweepstakes officially kicked off April 1st and will run through May 5th. Remember: limit one (1) entry per person per day.
One grand prize winner will win a fishing trip for four guests, two nights...
Anticipated Corn Planting Dates Still in Range for High Yield Expectations
ST. PAUL, Minn.-- Weather conditions are delaying the onset of corn planting, but wide fluctuations in corn planting progress are not uncommon in Minnesota. By the end of April, about 50 percent or more of Minnesota’s corn acres were planted in 2009, 2010 and 2012, compared to less than 5 percent in 2008 and 2011.
While most growers prefer to get their crops off to an early start, early planting is not a requirement for high yields. In 2008 and 2011, when it was mid-May before half of Minnesota’s corn acres were planted, state-average grain yields ranked third and fifth among Corn...
Farm 40 On Us
Saturday, April 13, 2013 - 12:06pm
4th Annual Farm 40 On Us is ON!
If you're an area farmer, we want to honor YOU!
Farm 40 on US95 and AM 730 KWOA just wrapped up Thursday night at Hickory Lodge in Worthington. Congratulations to the Farm 40 On Us grand prize corn winner: Vern Bosma!
Congratulations to the Farm 40 On Us runner-up bean winner: Jean Meester!
For area farmers...
Storm Damages Blue Mounds State Park Campground
Thursday, April 11, 2013 - 11:58am
Blue Mounds State Park, near Luverne in the southwestern corner of Minnesota, has closed its campground through Sunday, April 21, due to ice-storm damage.
Park Manager Craig Beckman said freezing rain and strong winds have taken down numerous trees and branches in the park’s campground. “With more rain, wind and snow predicted, I can only assume that branches will continue to fall,” he said.
No campers were in the park during the storm and no injuries occurred. No camping reservations had to be canceled. Once it is safe for park staff to enter the campground area,...
Tuesday, April 9, 2013 - 9:04am
The report of the NW Iowa on-farm research projects conducted during 2012 is available on the web. Find it here. This report not only summarizes data from our original 3 counties in the NW corner of Iowa, it also has data from other counties across Iowa that have started to look at replicated, field length trials on farms. This past year there were 130+ different comparisons! You can also find the report from the 2011 and 2010 trials at this web page.
Livestock Manure Management in Minnesota
Monday, April 8, 2013 - 11:29am
Rapid snow melt and potential for flooding pose challenges for manure management among the more than 25,000 livestock farms in Minnesota. Many farmers who spread solid manure during winter must ensure that it doesn’t run off with rapid snowmelt flowing to ditches, streams and other waters. Manure-contaminated runoff not only threatens water quality, it reduces the value of manure as a crop nutrient. If possible, farmers should refrain from spreading manure during periods of rapid melt. Minnesota rules require a 300-foot setback from surface waters and open tile intakes for all manure...
Monday, April 8, 2013 - 6:44am
Less than a year after expanding the trading day from 17 to 21 hours per day, CME Group, Inc. reduced hours, after approval by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Beginning April 8, trading hours on the CBOT, KC and MGEX exchanges changed to the following:
Sunday-Friday: Electronic Open from 7:00 p.m. to 7:45 a.m.
Closed: 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Pit and Electronic Open: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. |
The Influence of Japanese Art on Colonial Mexican Painting
Before Contested Visions in the Spanish Colonial World closes in just a couple of weeks, I wanted to share some of my favorite pieces. It may come as a surprise to some, but the relationship between Japan and Latin America dates back to the seventeenth century. Japanese folding screens were first introduced to New Spain as exports by way of the Manila Galleon trade and by Japanese embassies that brought them to Mexico as gifts in the early decades of the seventeenth century. Known in Spanish as biombo–a Portuguese and Spanish transliteration of the Japanese word for folding screen, byōbu–the Mexican artform was inspired by its Japanese prototype. The versatility of the folding screen contributed to its quick adaptation to daily life; because the biombo was freestanding, portable, multi-paneled, and could be painted on both sides, it provided an ideal surface on which to paint. Biombos transformed spaces into definable spaces, and were indispensable elements in domestic interiors. Today, folding screens are such an ubiquitous part of everyday life frequently used to divide rooms and spaces, as they were originally intended.
Night Festival of Tsushima Shrine, Japan, early Edo period, Kan’ei era, 1624–44, gift of Camilla Chandler Frost, David and Margaret Barry, Lenore and Richard Wayne, Leslie Prince Salzman, Friends of Heritage Preservation, Gwen and Peter Norton, and the East Asian Art Council, in honor of Robert T. Singer. On view in the Pavilion for Japanese Art.
The unique and innovative format of the folding screen provided new ways for artists to depict subject matter. It differed from the usual format and iconography of an altarpiece, devotional painting, or portrait, and was intended for domestic use. Freed from the constraints of the Catholic Church, artists experimented with the genre of secular art and utilized the full artistic potential of the folding screen.
The folding screen was a favorite format for the depiction of historical scenes. On view in the exhibition is a remarkable example of colonial painting that depicts the conquest of Mexico on the front, and the viceregal capital of Mexico City on the back. Various scenes of the conquest play out over the ten front panels, among them the meeting of Cortés and Moctezuma, the siege of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, and the assassination of Moctezuma. The artists’ incredible attention to detail in the rendering of the human figures and their elaborate costumes invites the viewer to linger over each scene on the screen.
Folding Screen with the Conquest of Mexico (front), Mexico, late 17th century, collection of Vera Da Costa Autrey, Mexico, photo © 2011 Museum Associates/ LACMA
On the back of the screen, the transformation of the Aztec capital into the orderly Spanish colonial city replete with the city’s numerous churches and plazas invites the viewer to meander among the streets, searching the legend at the bottom left for familiar sights within the city’s boundaries.
View of the City of Mexico (back), Mexico, late 17th century, collection of Vera Da Costa Autrey, Mexico. photo © 2011 Museum Associates/ LACMA
Folding Screen with the Four Continents, Mexico, late 17th century, Museo de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, photo by Sofía Sanabrais
The second folding screen on view in the exhibition includes allegorical depictions of the four continents as women riding golden chariots, flanked by the mythological figures of Ceres and Flora. Before the “discovery” of America, Europeans imagined the rest of the unknown world to be inhabited by Amazons, cannibals, and other unimaginable creatures. America, the second figure to the right, is pulled by unicorns, fantastical beasts, and behind her is a scene of indigenous cannibalism, an obvious reference to the misconception of the lack of civilization in the Americas.
Folding Screen with Indian Wedding and Paseo de Ixtacalco (front), Mexico, second half of the 18th century, Buch Molina Collection, photo by Sofia Sanabrais
The last folding screen in the exhibition portrays a slice of daily life in colonial Mexico. This scene takes place in Ixtacalco, a village in the environs of Mexico City known for its canals, canoes and verdant landscape that served as a respite from the hectic pace of the viceregal capital. This remarkable example of eighteenth century painting provides the viewer with a glimpse into the leisurely activities enjoyed by the various social classes of colonial society. In the upper right, an indigenous couple celebrates their wedding, revelers in flower-laden canoes enjoy music performed by musicians, and a family sits along the banks of the canal enjoying a meal.
Folding Screen with Indian Wedding and Paseo de Ixtacalco (back), Mexico, second half of the 18th century, Buch Molina Collection, photo © 2011 Museum Associates/LACMA by Yosi Pozeilov
The paintings on the back of this folding screen were unbeknownst to us until after the exhibition design was complete. The paintings depict Indians performing various activities, women, children and various examples of local flora and fauna. It was a delightful discovery! |
Why I Blog and How I Became an Urban Homesteader
Posted on March 21, 2011 by Anisa Four years ago, at the beginning of March, I started this blog. At first I began tentatively, not sure who would ever read what I had to say, unsure of if I even had anything to say at all. Unsure of what my blog was about (I hadn’t even really read other blogs), I titled it “Journeys and Adventures” and just sort of typed whatever came to mind, the latest happenings in our lives, reviews of articles I read or documentaries I watched.
I quickly noticed a theme. I wanted to be a farmer. But I lived (live!) in a city. During my first month of writing I covered the garden or buying our first chicks in at least every-other post. I did not know anything about “urban homesteading” or that people called themselves this or that other people we like me at all – playing farmer on little patches of earth, where ever their feet had landed them in life.
There were lots of Monday morning posts chronicling the progress of our garden over the weekend or the construction of our chicken coop. And I began to understand that this was therapy – the gardening, the chickens, and the writing about it. I took more pictures, I squeezed more into the dirt we had. I found more dirt and eeked out more spaces to grow things. I dreamed of a bee hive. But this space remained a sort or personal journal.
One day, as Rick was reading, he asked why I didn’t make the blog public, since only friends and family had access to it at this point. I thought about it for a while and decided I was afraid to put myself out in the open to any and everyone. But he encouraged me to do it, convinced that people would like what I had to say, and enjoy reading about our crazy adventures in playing at urban farming. So I did, and I decided to change the name of the blog too, so that it would reflect more of what it was now about.
I thought about the name change for a long time, mulling over terms like green, dirt, crunchy, city, suburbs, farming, etc. Through lots of reading, I discovered the term urban homesteading and found it described what we were doing. I still thought we virtually were alone in doing it, but I knew the phrase was the right one for our family and our journey.
A search engine led a writer for the Denver Post to my blog, and he contacted me, wanting an interview for a story he was doing on urban homesteaders. Because I was skeptical (hey! I didn’t know this guy), I refused to be interviewed without Rick home, so I missed my chance. Timing was off and he couldn’t come on the day Rick could be here. But I was so excited when the article came out. I discovered we were NOT alone. There were people in my own neighborhood doing this. People all over Denver!
Now look:
There is a reason I’m taking the time to write this trip down memory lane. It’s not because it was my blog-iversary. It’s because today is the third Day of Action for Urban Homesteaders across the internet.
Back in February of this year the Dervaes family of Pasadena, CA trademarked the terms “urban homestead” and “urban homesteading.” I am not linking to who the Dervaes family is, but in short, they are a father and three grown children growing lots of food in a small area in California. They are a family church, with the father being the pastor and to my knowledge, the children are the members. A church of what is pretty unclear. From what little I know of them, they’ve done a lot with their space and many in the urban homesteading community admired them. I never really read much about them until now.
So the big deal? They sent out cease and desist letters to bloggers, businesses and organizations (even a library) who were using the two trademarked terms. They want credit with links every time the phrases are typed. I’ve seen the letters. They sent one to Denver Urban Homesteading, our local indoor farmers market, and had their Facebook page (and main marketing tool) shut down. Problem is they don’t have the legal grounds to do this. They didn’t invent the phrases, nor were they the first to use them. And their trademark does not give them the right to restrict the use of the English language in the way they claim. I know this because I know the owner of Denver Urban Homesteading. James, the person I worked with on Denver’s inaugural chicken coop tour (with the Denver Botanic Garden’s) last year, and the one I helped to make the Free the Chickens video with, also just happens to be a lawyer. Apparently the Derveas picked on the wrong homesteader.
Bloggers and urban homesteaders across the country have been outraged by the actions of people who were supposed to be leaders within our community. A Facebook page was created and quickly grew to over 6000 fans supporting the canceling of the trademarks and begging the Dervaes family to, at the very least, help us understand. There have even been claims that the Dervaes’ are plagiarizing others‘ work (some of it used to support their claim to the trademarked phrases?). But the D-family closed all the comments on their many blogs. They temporarily took down their facebook page. They refused to answer email and letters. The only communication was denial of any wrong doing and to claim they were being persecuted, they were under attack. They did not (and still don’t) approve of the fact their letters were put out in the open. A quick Google search will lead you to the letter if you want to read it.
Through all of this, over the last month-plus, I’ve stayed silent. All this uproar literally struck fear into my heart. I called my mom, nearly in tears. I told my BFF. I temporarily changed my blog name. I followed fellow bloggers as they posted and united in two previous Days of Action (read my favorite post on all of this here, from Northwest Edible Life). But I was afraid. This blog holds my heart. Like I said it is my therapy. And it’s my personal journal. And it holds videos of my boys’ first steps and first words. I don’t want to loose any of it. Not over words.
But I’ve collected my thoughts. I’ve decided I can’t be silent because all of this is too important to me.
So, today, on this Urban Homesteader’s third Day of Action, I’m asking for your help. Please go to Change.org and sign the online petition to Cancel Trademarks on Urban Homestead and Urban Homesteading.
This petition is addressed to Jules Dervaes, and despite fears that he won’t listen to this community, the petition can be used to help support our cause in other ways. It is a petition, a protest, and a plea to the Dervaes family. Whether or not they listen, legal actions are also being taken. Because like all the others, I too, am an Urban Homesteader. Thanks. |
Linux on the iPhone
Porting an OS
I've been getting a lot of questions from people that seem to reflect a basic misunderstanding of what it takes to port an operating system onto a new platform. People seem to think that just by writing, say, a boot menu, means that we can stick Android or Windows or whatever onto a device because we can have a menu option for it.Here's what it takes for an operating system to run on a device:The code must be designed for the right CPU. (x86, ARM, PPC)The code must be able to interact with the hardware in the way it expects.Now, there are versions of Linux compiled in ARM (which the iPhone uses), there are even versions of Windows Mobile that are compiled in ARM. Why can't I, then, just stick Windows Mobile or Android (or another flavor of Linux) onto the iPhone and give it a whirl?Because the code cannot interact with the hardware! That is, there are no Linux drivers or Windows Mobile drivers for the hardware that's on the iPhone. We're not even talking about things like the wi-fi won't work or anything silly like that. We're talking about big things, like not being able to start because it doesn't uncompress itself into RAM properly. We're talking about freezing the first time it has to wait for something to happen because it doesn't know how to run the hardware clocks and timers (which is CRITICAL for computers) and doesn't know when to start again.Thus , if I tried to take some distribution of Linux or Windows or whatever, stick it in memory and start it, absolutely nothing will happen. That's right: nothing. There will be no output because it doesn't know how to run the display, or the USB, or serial. It probably won't even get to the first line of code that tells it to output something because so many things are broken.So how can we get Linux to boot on the iPhone?By teaching it how to run the hardware. We take the knowledge gained from getting that boot menu to display and graft it into the Linux kernel. It took an unbelievable amount of devices just to get the boot menu display: clock, timer, vic, mmu, spi, i2c, gpio, system controller, pmu, nor, uart, usb, lcd, buttons. Some of those may seem obvious to you, some work in the background to support the other devices. But all of those had to be reverse engineered and all of them will have to transplanted into the Linux kernel to even get something half-assed booting.If all of those devices were required to get something as simple as boot menu up, can you imagine what would happen if you tried to boot an operating system that did not know how to run ANY of those devices?We cannot modify the Windows Mobile kernel because it's closed source, and so there's no way to get it to run on the iPhone.The critical misunderstanding, I think, is that people think somehow that the OS "sits on top" of the boot menu, and talks to the hardware through the boot menu. Therefore, you can have an "emulation layer" that lets Windows or Linux or whatever talk to the hardware, without having to alter Windows or Linux itself. This is completely false. An operating system, by definition, has direct access to the hardware. Nothing sits between it and the hardware. Once iBoot has loaded the iPhone OS, you can go ahead and wipe it clean from the NOR and the OS will keep running as usual. It's not "running", it's not used or loaded in any way except during the boot process.The iPhone will never run Windows Mobile directly (virtualization would be possible albeit it would crawl on the iPhone). It will run Linux once we write the drivers for it based on our knowledge of the hardware. Android uses the Linux kernel, though they do modify it to a certain extent. Since the only really hardware dependent parts of an OS is in the kernel, presumably once we install the necessary drivers, Android will run just as well as Linux runs. However, not having even looked at Android's source yet, I really don't have a truly educated opinion at the moment, but let's just say that it's one of this project's primary goals.Sorry this is so long, but intelligent explanations tend to be long.P.S. Another question people ask a lot is how long will it take. I can't truly give a good answer to that, because it's sort of dependent on the schedules of the people who work on it, and it also depends on how fast it'll take to write the Linux drivers, and how many unexpected problems crop up. It could go really unexpectedly fast, or we could hit a roadblock. I think outside observers, just reading the commit logs and reading the blog has as much information as I do on how fast things are progressing, so you're free to come up with your own conclusions on how long it will take. |
By Lititz Record on October 3, 2012
By: CORY VAN BROOKHOVEN Record Express Correspondent, Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Ron ReedyThe Lititz trolley cars at Glassmyer's on North Broad Street, which is where the waiting room was located. Relics from the last trolley to run through town in 1938 are currently on display at Tomato Pie Cafe (formerly Glassmyer's). Trolleys have always fascinated me. What a treat it must have been to ride in one many years ago through the countryside. Unlike faster and more modern modes of transportation today — like buses, trains, or airplanes — trolleys served as a more pleasurable way to travel to places like Rocky Springs Park, downtown Lancaster, and several other nearby towns.
The story of how the trolley first came to Lititz is an interesting one. Originally, citizens met on Feb. 6, 1890 to discuss creating a trolley line that would run from Lancaster to Lititz. During the next year, in 1894, this idea became a reality when a charter was finally created that would make the dream possible.
It was decided that the Lancaster Traction Company would lease, for 999 years, the Lititz and Lancaster Turnpike so these two areas could be connected. Construction began, and by the end of April of 1895, track was successfully completed, stretching to Kissel Hill.
During the next month, permission was granted to lay track in the Borough of Lititz. However, it wasn’t until 1899 that this track was extended to the Reading and Columbia Railroad on Broad Street. In addition, a trolley waiting room was established inside Glassmyer’s Restaurant (now Tomato Pie Cafe, but more on this location later).
Lititz residents responded to this new mode of transportation in droves which made this unique and "modern" method of transportation affordable. Families could now visit one another with a little more ease and comfort.
Trolleys certainly had their imperfections, however. For instance, various stories have been documented of cars derailing due to snow drifts, especially in Kissel Hill. Often times, the women and children were left stranded in the cold as the men on board sought help from nearby families to shovel the trolley out of the snow. There were also occasional wrecks, with injuries.
Recently, Randy Miller of Lititz called me to his home to take a look at a few historical trolley items he had recently obtained. Having an interest in this method of transportation, I was very excited to see what he had in store for me.
When I arrived, he showed me two very interesting items and I was thrilled beyond belief to see them. While a friend of his was clearing out items that belonged to her father, she came across two items a trolley hand brake and a complete handle that was used to open a trolley door. I was ecstatic to view and hold these items in person.
As if this wasn’t enough, I was told that these particular artifacts came from the very last trolley to operate in Lititz!
These were donations from Randy’s friend who wanted to donate both items to the Lititz Historical Foundation. It was her late father’s idea to make a trip to Lititz to donate these items in person, however, he passed away in 2011 and did not have the chance to do so.
She has documentation that her grandfather William E. McCulloch (who at one time lived on Front Street) worked at the trolley barn in Lancaster. After the last Lititz trolley arrived at the barn, it was stored away. It was during this time that her grandfather removed these two items and gave them to his son Raymond, who tucked them away in his attic for several years.
Before his death, Raymond recalled to his daughter how large of an affair it was in town on the day that the last trolley left Lititz.
The year was 1938, and more modern methods of transportation were starting to take shape all around the county. He told her how numerous residents were disconnecting the pole from the line as the trolley made its last trip through Lititz, taking over an hour to leave the town limits. She recalled that he smiled widely as he thought back on this memory.
While examining these items, I too smiled widely as I imagined what it was like to use this form of transportation. To hold in my hand the very same handle that was used to open and close doors for hundreds of passengers as the trolley carried its guests from place to place was certainly a very special experience for me.
Arriving home that evening, I noticed that I had a small black smudge on my dress pants. My guess was that in all of my excitement, I had accidentally gotten some of the grease from the brake on me. I stopped and had to laugh for a moment as I deduced that I was probably the only person in Lititz in many many decades that had a grease smudge from a trolley part on his person. I assured myself that stains like this were certainly common on trolley operators and mechanics’ clothing. I felt fortunate to have this "souvenir" as a reminder of the hard work and dedication that it took to operate and maintain a trolley.
The hand brake and door handle that came from the very last trolley to leave Lititz are currently on display in the front window of the Tomato Pie Cafe for all to see. These items are fittingly placed there since this location not only served as a waiting room at one time, but was also in the vicinity of where the trolley stopped. It is a wonderful tribute to display these items in this temporary location for all to enjoy while passing by or stopping in for a meal.
Eventually, per the original request of the late Mr. McCulloch, these items will be housed at the Lititz Historical Foundation, where they will continue to be preserved for future generations to enjoy. |
Malcolm's Musings: Cryptozoology
Cryptozoology is the investigation of animals not yet recognized by science, but whose existence is hinted at by eye witness accounts, photos, or traces. I provided a major review of Australian cryptozoology in my 1996 book, "Bunyips and Bigfoots". This blog aims to continue reporting on that research.
However, initially, I intend to provide a service of translating into English a number of foreign language accounts from around the world.
INDEX TO THIS SITE
Thylacines in Indonesian New Guinea?
The thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus) officially became extinct in 1936. In historical times it was recorded only on the island of Tasmania, but fossils and Aboriginal paintings have been discovered all over the Australian mainland. Its extinction a few thousand years ago was apparently the result of competitive exclusion by the introduced dingo. Fossil evidence has also been found on the island of New Guinea, which its extinction presumably had a similar cause. However, in the early 1990s, an amateur researcher called Ned Terry told of visiting an unidentified mission station in West Iran and hearing reports of an animal strikingly similar to the thylacine. (See Bunyips and Bigfoots pages 112 - 113.) Then, in 1997, small, contradictory paragraphs started appearing in the world press about its presence in the Indonesian half of the island. About this time, I managed to renew my acquaintance with an old friend, Gerry van Klinken and was surprised to discover that he was now the editor of Inside Indonesia.
Suara Pembaruan Tues. 25 March 1997
Predator resembling "Tasmanian Tiger" Found in Interior of Jayawijawa
Jakarta 25 March A wild predatory animal resembling the former Tasmanian tiger has been found by a community in the interior of the Jayawijawa Regency. The animal, which normally lives in groups in fairly large numbers, [and] previously thought to be extinct in Australia and New Zealand, its countries of origin, has been discovered alive and roaming the Jayawijaya Range. Regent Head of District Level II, Jayawijaya, Jos Buce Wenas has revealed the discovery of a species of tiger to Pembaruan by telephone at Jayapura, Tuesday (25/3). He said that a species of tiger strongly suspected to be a rare animal of the Tasmanian tiger family, has been proved to have been discovered in the Jayawiyawa district.
"AN ANIMAL, A SPECIES OF TIGER HAVING A BODY HEIGHT OF AROUND ONE METRE AND ALWAYS LIVING IN GROUPS, HAS BEEN FOUND [by the] COMMUNITY AROUND THE KURIMA TABLELAND, OKSIBIL, AND OKBIBAB WHICH FORM A DISTRICT BORDERING PNG," HE SAID. PACKS OF THIS PREDATOR USUALLY ROAM AND BREED IN CAVES, YET IN THE EVENINGS GO OUT TO SEARCH FOR FOOD, ATTACKING LIVESTOCK BELONGING TO THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS PIGS, DOGS, CHICKENS ETC. WE HAVE ONLY JUST HEARD ABOUT THE WILD ANIMAL FROM REPORTS BY MISSIONARIES ON DUTY IN ISOLATED DISTRICTS," SAID WENAS. Because of this, the regent asks for equipment to check [for it] in the field. It is evident that this animal exists and is real, but the inhabitants are not brave enough to capture the said animal. A wild animal which lives in groups and always attacks the inhabitants' livestock cannot be killed by the inhabitants of the place because they consider it will cause disasters," said Wenas. Extraordinary Sumatran and world tiger expert, as well as an expert on rare animals, Jansen Manasang, said that based on data which has been known long before this that there have never been tigers in the Irian district. Pembaruan proposes to answer the question mid-Tuesday in regard to the groups of tigers found in Irian Jaya. If it is true that a tiger has been discovered in Irian Jaya, this would appear to be an extraordinary miracle, he said. Suara Pembaruan Wed. 26 March 1997 Wild animal found in Jayawijaya suspected to be a marsupial predator.
Yogyarkarta, 26 March The wild animal very similar to a Tasmanian tiger found in the interior of Jayawijaya Regency, Irian Jaya (Pembaruan 25/3) is suspected of being, not a tiger, or even a Tasmanian tiger, but rather a species of carnivore belonging to the family of marsupial predators. That opinion was expressed by a wildlife expert of the Faculty of Forestry, Gadjah Mata University (GMU), Dr Ir Djuwantoko to Pembaruan in Yogyakarta Tuesday evening (26/3), when asked for his comments on the discovery of an animal previously thought to be extinct. He could be certain that the said animal was not a tiger, because the said Javanese animal is a big cat, possessing a solitary character or nature i.e. it prefers to live by itself. Tigers only come together briefly during the mating season, after which they go back to living alone, except for the female suckling her young. In contrast, the predator found in the interior of Jayawijaya, as reported by Regent Jos Buce Wenas, has a body around a metre high and it always lives in groups. Another characteristic, among others, is that it has tusks, four legs and like a kangaroo it carries its young in a pouch found under its belly. In Tasmania it is shaped like a wild dog with a pouch. "Such features really belong to a marsupial predator which once lived in Australia or New Zealand," he said. He confirms that the said wild marsupial, based on data possessed by the mammalogists at LIPI, once lived in Tasmania, but was clearly not a Tasmanian tiger. However, there now remain only rumours because it is extinct. This is a matter for Australia and New Zealand. To discover a marsupial predator in the Jayawijaya Range, especially around the Kurima tableland, Oksibil and Okbibab, continued Dr Djuwantoko, is not extraordinary, because the continent of Tasmania, New Zealand, Australia and the island of New Guinea could once have formed one large archipelago, indeed [they] still are a single ecological zone. Similarly, in the case of Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Malaysia up to Kinabalu many species of flora and fauna are the same. Fortunate. Furthermore, he said, if it true that the wild animal is still found living in groups in Jayawijaya, then it is fortunate for Indonesia because in other areas it is already long extinct. If it is indeed true, it means that the habitat in Jayawijaya is still able to support it; however, the authorities must immediately take action before it is threatened with extinction as in the other areas. After having established that the animal exists, it would be best that the authorities immediately form a expeditionary team to perform a detailed investigation into where the said animal might exist, its population, source of food, shelter, the range of movements attained, its various habits, and so forth. My Comments: Jayawijawa is the name given to the part of the central mountain range of West Irian (now Papua province) next to the PNG border. Oksibil is located at 5°06'S, 140°40'E. Fossils of the thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, have been found in mainland Australia and Papua New Guinea - but not New Zealand, which is outside the Australasian biotic zone. At present the only known land predator in New Guinea is the local version of the dingo.
On mainland Australia, there exists a certain amount of "thylacine fever", with a tendency for uncritical witnesses to report mangy dogs and brindled dingos as "thylacines". This problem, fortunately, doesn't exist in Indonesia. Indeed, much of the confusion in the newspaper account, which Dr Djuwantoko tried to rectify, was due to the assumption by the journalists that a "harimau Tasmania" would be a real (feline) tiger. It is not certain if Dr Djuwantoko's description i.e. tusks, pouch etc, is based on another source of information, or whether he was simply assuming it was a thylacine. The thylacine label appears to have originated with the missionaries - and with good reason. The mammals of New Guinea, like those of Australia, are marsupials, rather than placentals. Just the same, it is important to point out another possible source of error. You cannot just walk into a Melanesian village and get the inhabitants to talk freely to you - especially not if you are their colonial master. (And Indonesian rule in western New Guinea is the sort of thing which gives colonialism a bad name.) Only someone who has gained their confidence can achieve that. It is likely, but not certain, that the missionaries could claim that sort of rapport, but the information has been passed through the intermediary of the regent.
This is important because, it is obvious that the story has gained a lot in the telling - or else the animals could not be thylacines. Thylacines were not known to live in groups, and were never a metre high. That would be comparable to a real tiger.
One final point to note: the geography of New Guinea makes it a vast complex of ecological islands, with every mountain and valley forming an isolated ecosystem. Every zoological expedition to the island produces new species, though admittedly usually small to medium-sized ones. To discover a remnant population of thylacines in New Guinea would not be as extraordinary as it would be in Australia. |
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), located on the turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm, on January 30, 2013, Sol 173 of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission, at 20:30:32 UTC.
When this image was obtained, the focus motor count position was 13950. This number indicates the internal position of the MAHLI lens at the time the image was acquired. This count also tells whether the dust cover was open or closed. Values between 0 and 6000 mean the dust cover was closed; values between 12500 and 16000 occur when the cover is open. For close-up images, the motor count can in some cases be used to estimate the distance between the MAHLI lens and target. For example, in-focus images obtained with the dust cover open for which the lens was 2.5 cm from the target have a motor count near 15270. If the lens is 5 cm from the target, the motor count is near 14360; if 7 cm, 13980; 10 cm, 13635; 15 cm, 13325; 20 cm, 13155; 25 cm, 13050; 30 cm, 12970. These correspond to image scales, in micrometers per pixel, of about 16, 25, 32, 42, 60, 77, 95, and 113.
Most images acquired by MAHLI in daylight use the sun as an illumination source. However, in some cases, MAHLI's two groups of white light LEDs and one group of longwave ultraviolet (UV) LEDs might be used to illuminate targets. When Curiosity acquired this image, the group 1 white light LEDs were off, the group 2 white light LEDs were off, and the ultraviolet (UV) LEDS were off. |
The Equity Assurance and Compliance Office, housed within the Office of the Deputy State Superintendent for Finance and Administration, assures that the Maryland State Department of Education is in compliance with pertinent federal and state civil rights in education and employment laws and regulations. The office also provides technical assistance to employees of MSDE and Maryland's 24 school systems regarding compliance with the various laws and regulations. The Maryland State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, creed, gender identity and expression, genetic information, marital status, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation in matters affecting employment or in providing access to programs.
External Responsibility
& Assure equal educational opportunities for all Maryland students in compliance with the following federal and state laws:
& Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (regarding race, color, or national origin)& The Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973& The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act of 2008& Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 For additional information, click on the link below Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 & Anti-discrimination Act of 2001& The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 & The Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 13A.04.05, Education That Is Multicultural& COMAR 13A.08.01.16, School Integration& COMAR 13A.07.05.01, Assignment of Personnel
& Equal Access to Public School Facilities for the Boy Scouts of
America and Other Designated Youth Groups
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& Assure MSDE is in compliance with various state and federal equal employment opportunity laws:
& Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with regard to race, national origin, gender, and religion& The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act of 2008& Anti-discrimination Act of 2001& The Governor's Code of Fair Employment Practices& Department of Budget and Management, Office of the Statewide Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator& The Equal Pay Act of 1963& Age Discrimination in Employment Act& State Personnel and Pensions Article, Title 5& Title 20, MD State Government, Annotated Code of Maryland (Click on State Government and then Title 20)& Numerous other state and federal laws that govern equity in employment
The Agency Equity Officer consults with the Fair Practices Officer regarding equity issues, and MSDE policy and procedure. The office investigates employee or applicant complaints of illegal employment discrimination based on race, national origin, gender, color, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and any illegal employment activity that is covered by federal or state law. Internal and External
& Provide training and technical assistance on issues such as:
& interview and selection skills& preventing and addressing harassment based on a protected classification& disability awareness and sensitivity& infusing education that is multicultural into the curriculum, instruction, and staff development& diversity and cultural awareness and proficiency& strategies to increase minority student achievement& gender equity issues
Multicultural/Equity Resource Center
The office houses a multicultural/equity resource center of books, CD's, and other materials that cover a wide range of equity issues. These materials are available for loan to all 24 school systems and MSDE employees.
Ø recruitment, selection, assignment, transfer, layoff, discharge, and recallØ opportunities for promotionØ in-service training or development opportunitiesØ wages and salariesØ sick leave time and payØ vacation time and payØ overtime work and payØ medical, hospital, life, and accident insuranceØ retirement plans and benefitsØ pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditionsØ other staff benefits
A substantial body of case law and legal precedent has been developed under Title VII. This provides many currently accepted standards for nondiscrimination in employment.
The Civil Rights Act of 1991 expands remedies available under Title VII to include, in addition to back pay and attorney fees, limited compensatory and punitive damages for intentional discrimination and harassment.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex against students and employees of education programs and activities receiving federal funds. The Title IX regulation prohibits sex discrimination in such areas as:
Ø admission to vocational, graduate, professional, and public undergraduate schoolsØ student access to courses and programsØ counseling and guidance tests, materials, and practicesØ physical education and athleticsØ vocational education programsØ student rules and policiesØ treatment of married and/or pregnant studentsØ financial assistanceØ student housingØ extracurricular activitiesØ sexual harassment
Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Title V of the Rehabilitation Act has seven sections that deal with employment, elimination of physical barriers, and nondiscrimination in the provision of services to and employment of disabled persons. This Act is parallel to sex and race requirements found in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Section 501 requires affirmative action in hiring, placement and advancement of disabled individuals in the executive branch of the federal government. Section 502 requires barrier-free construction in accordance with PL 90-480 Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 in federal and federally financed buildings, parks, transportation, etc. Section 503 requires affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified disabled persons by any contractor or sub-contractor with the federal government having a contract in excess of $2,500. Section 504 requires nondiscrimination and provision of services and equal employment opportunity in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance and in all agencies of the executive branch of the federal government. Schools and education programs must be organized in such a way as to allow disabled students to participate with other students in school classes and activities from which they can benefit. Section 505 procedures for enforcing the Civil Rights Act are provided by this section to enforce Section 501 and Section 504. Section 506 provides that the Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized to provide or contract for technical assistance to rehabilitation facilities and public or non-profit organizations for the purpose of eliminating architectural and transportation barriers. Section 507 establishes an inter-agency coordinating counsel made up of the regulatory authorities for Title V. This purpose is to promote efficiency and eliminate duplication and inconsistency in the various regulatory agencies.
Americans with Disabilities Act Amendent Act of 2008The ADA establishes a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability in all areas of an individual's life. It outlaws discrimination in state and local government services, pubic accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 as amendedThis Act prohibits employers from discriminating against employees and applicants for employment who are at least 40 years of age because of their age. The Act also prohibits retaliation against an individual for opposing employment practices that discriminate based on age or for filing an age discrimination charge, testifying, or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding, or litigation under the ADEA.
Age Discrimination Act of 1975 - Prohibits age discrimination in programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance.
Equal Pay Act of 1963 The Equal Pay Act prohibits sex discrimination in salaries. All employees of education institutions and agencies, including those in professional, executive, and administrative positions are covered by the Equal Pay Act.
The Act provides that a man and a woman working for the same employer under similar conditions in jobs requiring substantially equivalent skills, effort, and responsibility must be paid equally even when job titles and assignments are not identical.
Employers are required to maintain specified records relevant to the determination of possible violations to the law.
Maryland State LawTitle 13A State Board of Education, Subtitle 07 School Personnel, Chapter 05, Assignment of Personnel, .01 Integration - COMAR 13A.07.05.01Established that local boards of education shall develop and implement plans and procedures for the attainment of racial balance at the various levels of the public school system reflective of the composition of the population of their respective jurisdictions. These plans and procedures shall apply to the hiring, placing and promotion of all personnel employed at the various levels of the school system. Title 13A State Board of Education, Subtitle 08 Students, Chapter 01, General Regulations, .16 Integration - COMAR 13A.08.01.16Established the State's desegregation policy. The State Department of Education must assure compliance and report violations to the State Board of Education. The organization of school activities shall provide for the involvement of students regardless of sex, race, creed, or national origin.
Title 13A State Board of Education, 13A.04.05, Education That Is MulticulturalThis regulation is intended to guarantee success for Maryland students by pursuing equity and quality in education. The regulation provides guidelines for implementing education that is multicultural and establishes goals that impact curriculum, instruction, professional development and educational resources utilized in the classroom. The regulations direct schools throughout the state to implement programs and staff development that will enhance instruction and student achievement.
Education that is multicultural is a continuous, integrated, multiethnic, multidisciplinary process for educating students about diversity and commonality. Diversity factors include but are not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, religion, language, socioeconomic status, region, disabilities, and age. The goal of the regulation is to better prepare students to lead successful lives and better participate in a globally oriented society.
State Personnel and Pensions, Title 2, Subtitle 3, §2-302Provides that employees and applicants for employment be given fair opportunity to pursue their careers in an environment free of discrimination or harassment prohibited by law and prohibits employment discrimination and harassment by State managers, supervisors, or other employees.
State Personnel and Pensions, Title 5Established a State Equal Employment Opportunity Program under the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management and within each principal unit in Maryland State Government. Also spells out state employee rights and protections under the Maryland Whistleblower Law.
Title 20, MD State Government, Annotated Code of MarylandEstablished The Maryland Commission on Human Relations. The Commission seeks to eliminate discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity and expression, physical or mental disability, and age. Maryland anti-discrimination statutes for housing, employment, and public accommodations are administered and enforced by the Commission. It also initiates and investigates complaints of discrimination in State government agencies. Anti-discrimination Act of 2001State law that bans discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
Governor's Code of Fair Employment PracticesMaryland State Executive Order 01.01.1995.19 defines the State's Equal Employment Opportunity Program and it's obligation to provide a work environment free from discrimination on the basis of age, ancestry, color, creed, marital status, genetic information, gender identity and expression, mental or physical disability, national origin, religious affiliation, belief or opinion, race, sex, sexual orientation, or any other non merit factor. This executive order strictly governs State government employees only. |
Given n Points, find a Polynomial Function... [6/27/1996] Find a polynomial F(x) of degree less than n so that the graph of F
passes through all of the points.
Go for the Gold! [1/28/1996] Your job is to prepare the women's athletes for the Olympic 1,500-meter
Graphing [8/18/1995] I've got questions concerning graphing.
Graphing a Function with Asymptotes [07/05/1998] How do you find the asymptotes of f(x) = (2x + 1)/(x - 3)? How do you use
the asymptotes to graph the function?
Graphing an Equation [4/4/1996] How do you graph 2x-y = 10?
Graphing an Equation [11/08/1997] Please explain how to graph this equation: y = a + b(x) + c(x^2) + ...
Graphing an Equation with Absolute Value [10/15/1995] How would you approach graphing negative 2 times the absolute value of x
plus 2?
Graphing Parabolas [01/16/1997] How do you know how to graph a parabola from looking at its equation?
Graphing Piecewise Functions [09/09/2001] I do not understand how to graph piecewise functions.
Graphing points [4/13/1996] Given f(x)=4 and g(x)=2, which is the Y axis and which is the X axis?
f(x)=x-2(3)+4 ; g(x)=x-2(3)+4.
Graphing Quadratic Polynomials [02/07/2001] Can you give me a simple explanation of how to graph quadratic
polynomials like y = x^2 - 8x + 15?
Height of the Ball [01/05/1998] A football player kicked a 41-yard punt. The path of the ball was modeled
by y= -0.035x(squared) + 1.4x + 1, where x and y are measured in yards.
What was the maximum height of the ball?
Help with a Proof [4/6/1995] I'm trying to figure out how to prove that a is less than b implies that
a*a is less than b*b is true in R+....
Hidden Faces of Cubes [06/20/2001] My daughter has to produce an equation to show the number of hidden faces
when three rows of cubes are placed together on a flat surface.
Hiking Up and Down [04/24/1999] How many kilometers is it from the base to the top of the mountain?
Hints for Algebra 101 [7/31/1995] Do you have any helpful hints for algebra 101?
Horner's Method of Solving Irrational Roots [01/29/1998] Can you give a method, formula, and answer for this equation? x^3 - 3x^2
- 2x + 5 = 0
How Far Does C Walk? [08/06/2001] Three persons A, B, and C, travel from point X to point Y. They leave
point X at the same time and follow the same route...
How Far Will the Rocket Be from Earth? [06/22/2001] A rocket leaves the earth for the sun at a speed of 28,800 mph. At the
same time, a photon of light leaves the sun for the earth...
How Long Did She Walk? [06/12/1999] A woman usually takes the 5:30 p.m. train, arriving at her station at
6:00, and her husband picks her up and drives her home...
How Many Points Determine a Parabola? [12/20/2000] How can we determine whether or not a given plane curve is a parabola?
Under what conditions is a parabola uniquely determined?
The Idea Behind Simultaneous Equations [10/14/2001] I'm having a hard time learning the linear combinations method and the
substitution method in algebra.
Inequalities [08/01/1997] How do I deal with an equation with a greater than or less than sign?
Inequalities and Absolute Value [8/28/1996] How do I find the solution set for problems like |X| > X and
|X + 2| - X >= 0?
Inequalities and Absolute Value [10/17/1997] What's the definition of absolute value?
Inequality with Absolute Value: What Does |x| Mean? [06/14/1999] Why can't I just write the inequality |x| > a as (-a) > x > a? |
New study on multitasking reveals switching glitch in aging brain
Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco have pinpointed a reason older adults have a harder time multitasking than younger adults: they have more difficulty switching between tasks at the level of brain networks.
Juggling multiple tasks requires short-term, or "working," memory the capacity to hold and manipulate information in the mind for a period of time. Working memory is the basis of all mental operations, from learning a friend's telephone number, and then entering it into a smart phone, to following the train of a conversation, to conducting complex tasks such as reasoning, comprehension and learning.
"Our findings suggest that the negative impact of multitasking on working memory is not necessarily a memory problem, per se, but the result of an interaction between attention and memory, said the senior author of the study, Adam Gazzaley, MD, PhD, UCSF associate professor of neurology, physiology and psychiatry and director of the UCSF Neuroscience Imaging Center.
The finding, reported in the online early edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (week of April 11, 2011), complements findings by the Gazzaley lab focused not on interruptions, or multitasking, but on distractions. This research showed that the brain's capacity to ignore distractions, or irrelevant information, diminishes with age and that this, too, impacts working memory.
Researchers know that multitasking negatively impacts working memory in both young and older adults. However, anecdotal accounts of "senior moments" such as forgetting what one wanted to retrieve from the refrigerator after leaving the couch combined with scientific studies conducted at UCSF and elsewhere indicate that the impact is greater in older people.
In the current study, scientists compared the working memory of healthy young men and women (mean age 24.5) and older men and women (mean age 69.1) in a visual memory test involving multitasking. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the researchers tracked blood flow in the participants' brains to identify the activity of neural circuits and networks.
Participants were asked to view a natural scene and maintain it in mind for 14.4 seconds. Then, in the middle of the maintenance period, an interruption occurred: an image of a face popped up and participants were asked to determine its sex and age. They were then asked to recall the original scene.
As expected, older people had more difficulty maintaining the memory of the original image. The fMRI analysis revealed why. When the young and older adults were interrupted, their brains disengaged from a memory maintenance network and reallocated neural resources toward processing the interruption. However, the younger adults re-established connection with the memory maintenance network following the interruption and disengaged from the interrupting image. The older adults, on the other hand, failed both to disengage from the interruption and to reestablish the neural network associated with the disrupted memory.
"These results indicate that deficits in switching between functional brain networks underlie the impact of multitasking on working memory in older adults," said lead author Wesley C. Clapp, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Gazzaley lab.
The lab's parallel research on the impact of distractions on working memory broadens the perspective of what happens in the aging brain. The ability to ignore irrelevant information such as most of the faces in a crowded room when looking for a long-lost friend and to enhance pertinent information such as the face of a new acquaintance met during the search for the old friend -- is key to memory formation.
"The impact of distractions and interruptions reveals the fragility of working memory," said Gazzaley, who also is a member of the W. M. Keck Center for Integrative Neuroscience at UCSF. "This is an important fact to consider, given that we increasingly live in a more demanding, high-interference environment, with a dramatic increase in the accessibility and variety of electronic media and the devices that deliver them, many of which are portable."
In addition to the research studies, Gazzaley's team is exploring the potential of software brain-training programs to help older people improve their ability to mentally process tasks simultaneously. "The ability to dynamically update working memory is critical to cognitive function," he said.
Multitasking is a self deluding benefit. Single tasking is more efficient. Why waste time on this type of research to prove what we already know through other earlier research programs. We have established that mental function deteriorates as we age. More rapidly for some, more slowly for others. So where is new benefit or enlightenment in this?This is the first time I have agreed with those who are critical of some research projects.
Multitasking is a self deluding benefit. Single tasking is more efficient. I agree. But since we in normal life have to multitask in different situations, it's good to know how it works best and how that ability can be maintained even at older age.
nevermark
@Au-Pu,"This is the first time I have agreed with those who are critical of some research projects."You are critical that Scientists are developing an understanding of an effect that impacts just about every person on the planet as they age? Not to mention that their research validates new tools for linking brain activity to mental behavior?Besides the obvious benefit of understanding aging minds better, little bits of information like this that may appear unimportant on their own, add up to provide the basis for important insights about the brain to be obtained in the future.Don't join the (often cluelessly) cynical masses yet!
Multitasking is a self deluding benefit. Single tasking is more efficient. Why waste time on this type of research to prove what we already know through other earlier research programs. We have established that mental function deteriorates as we age. More rapidly for some, more slowly for others. So where is new benefit or enlightenment in this?Indeed: You are aware, in your daily life, of the symptoms, the symptoms, of failing human functionality. They are providing you with THE WHY of it all. For me, and others, we can now correlate this data with other information we have accumulated over time and seek a remedy to a problem that may in our present time, though not in the past, be curable or indeed better managed. If Quality of life can be restored or damage prevented, one would have to know more about the undelying mechanism of pathological change. -word-to-ya-muthas-This is the first time I have agreed with those who are critical of some research projects. Alitalf |
Doctors who go digital provide higher quality healthcare October 17th, 2012 in Health / The use of electronic health records is linked to significantly higher quality care, according to a new study by Lisa Kern and her team, from the Health Information Technology Evaluation Collaborative in the US. Their work appears online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, published by Springer. Electronic health records (EHRs) have become a priority in the US, with federal incentives for 'meaningful' use of EHRs. Meaningful use entails tracking and improving specific patient outcomes, as well as gathering and storing information.
Kern and colleagues examined the effect of EHRs on ambulatory care quality in a community-based setting, by comparing the performance of physicians using either EHRs or paper records. They assessed performance on nine specific quality measures for a total of 466 primary care physicians with 74,618 patients, from private practices in the Hudson Valley region of New York.
The quality measures included: eye exams, hemoglobin testing, cholesterol testing, renal function testing for patients with diabetes, colorectal cancer screening, chlamydia screening, breast cancer screening, testing for children with sore throat, and treatment for children with upper respiratory infections.
Approximately half of the physicians studied used EHRs, while the others used paper records. Overall, physicians using EHRs provided higher rates of needed care than physicians using paper, and for four measures in particular: hemoglobin testing in diabetes, breast cancer screening, chlamydia screening, and colorectal cancer screening. |
Next Interwar Presidents and the Fantasies of Historians
Also by Robert P. Murphy
It is understandable, though still harmful, when economists completely mischaracterize the policies of the Herbert Hoover Administration. But in his recent Salon piece on Sarah Palin's new book, historian David Greenberg distorts the legacies of both Calvin Coolidge and his ill-fated successor, Hoover. To set the record straight, it's worth pointing out exactly where Greenberg goes wrong.
The Legend of Silent Cal
Greenberg discusses very little of Palin's book, but instead uses her compliments for Calvin Coolidge to analyze the political right's fascination with the men who presided over the Roaring Twenties. Greenberg is not only a professor of history at Rutgers but also the author of a book on Coolidge. This allows Greenberg to share the following famous — though perhaps apocryphal — anecdotes:
To most people today, Coolidge is little more than a cartoon. If he's remembered at all, he's the grim-faced "Silent Cal," the man said by Theodore Roosevelt's daughter Alice to have looked as though he had been weaned on a pickle. His taciturn style provoked no end of jokes and anecdotes. One hostess, aware of the president's laconic reputation, was said to beseech him at an event, "I made a bet today that I could get more than two words out of you." Not missing a beat, Coolidge replied, "You lose."
Greenberg later mentions that "despite his reputation for silence … Coolidge was a skilled speechmaker — a prizewinning orator as a student and the last president to write most of his own remarks." Although his delivery could be helped with modern teleprompter technology, Coolidge's first recorded presidential address (available on YouTube) is a wonderful critique of government taxes and spending, which at that time was the "stupendous sum" (his words) of $7.5 billion.
Coolidge versus the Progressives
After the fluffy prelude, Greenberg finally gets down to business:
Coolidge's vogue on the right goes beyond the conservative principles he extolled; it lies in his conception of the presidency. He took office at a time when Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson had transformed the executive branch, actively using their powers to restrain big business and secure a measure of fairness in economic life. Coolidge, in contrast, believed in a small federal government, a passive executive and light regulation of business. "If the federal government were to go out of existence," he said, "the common run of people would not detect the difference." The main legislative battles of his presidency were to implement the tax cuts favored by his plutocratic Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon. He even balanced the budget.
In the first place, it is always interesting that the historians who are ostensibly concerned about "the little guy" revere US presidents in almost exact proportion to how many people were killed by their subordinates. Beyond Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson's wars, however, is their dismal record of economic interventionism.
It is a myth that antitrust legislation, "trust busting," was a vehicle to protect consumers and workers from rapacious big businessmen, as Tom DiLorenzo explains in this lecture. And Woodrow Wilson enjoys the dubious distinction of having ushered in both the Federal Reserve and the federal income tax. Adherents of the Austrian theory of the business cycle know that the Fed fueled the 1920s stock bubble (as well as the housing bubble in our own times), and so can hardly be seen as a promoter of "fairness." But even using empirical mainstream research, one can see that the Fed has been a source of economic instability — as Selgin et al. demonstrate in this article.
As far as federal income-tax rates, it's true that Coolidge took the advice of his Treasury Secretary, Andrew Mellon, to cut them. But that was because they had been raised to an absurd level during World War I. As this history shows, even the rate on the lowest bracket jumped from 1 percent in 1913 to 6 percent by 1918. Moreover, someone who made $20,000 in 1913 paid 1 percent in federal income taxes, but because the brackets were redefined, someone earning the same money income in 1918 paid a whopping 20 percent in federal tax. (Note too that from June 1913 to June 1918 the Consumer Price Index rose 50 percent, so that a given money income purchased far less in actual goods and services.)
In contrast to this onerous burden created under Woodrow Wilson, during the Coolidge years the bottom bracket's tax rate was brought down to 1.5 percent by 1926, while an upper-middle-class (though hardly "filthy rich") household earning $20,000 saw its tax rate slashed to 9 percent.
As far as fiscal responsibility, Coolidge was superlative, perhaps second only to Andrew Jackson, who literally paid off the national debt (as well as slew the central bank). Coolidge had a much more modest success, in that he ran budget surpluses every year he was in office.[1]
Although I have disagreed with Greenberg's remarks on Teddy Roosevelt, Wilson, and Coolidge, the disagreement largely stems from our differing views on economic theory. But when it comes to the Hoover record, Greenberg simply invents history:
There is another reason, of course, that Coolidge — and not Warren Harding or Herbert Hoover, the other conservative Republicans of the interwar years — has become a hero to the contemporary right. Harding, who was probably more conservative than Coolidge, was discredited by the Teapot Dome affair. … Hoover, who put the small-government philosophy into effect at an hour of crisis, saw it fail utterly. They do not appear in Sarah Palin's new book. (emphasis added)
This is demonstrably false; it would be akin to saying that George W. Bush sat back and did nothing in response to the collapse of Lehman Brothers. It's true, a die-hard interventionist could say Herbert Hoover didn't do enough, but it is simply not true to claim that he "put the small-government philosophy into effect."
Before looking at specifics, consider the broader picture. If it's really true that Herbert Hoover did nothing, and that's why the stock market Crash of 1929 devolved into the Great Depression, then what happened during all the previous crises in American capitalism? After all, there was no New Deal implemented during the panic of 1907, and yet the United States wasn't plunged into double-digit unemployment for a decade. And by many measures, the first year of the 1920–1921 depression was worse than the Great Depression; yet the economy bounced back quickly under the postwar budget slashing of Wilson and then Harding.
As I document in my book on the Depression, Hoover was in fact a big-government conservative. Perhaps his most fateful mistake was pressuring businesses to prop up wage rates after the stock-market crash. Coupled with the ensuing monetary and price deflation, this was a disastrous policy that raised the real wages of labor and contributed to the record levels of unemployment in the early 1930s. Yet here is Hoover's Secretary of Labor, James Davis, congratulating his boss's "accomplishment" in May 1930:
There never has been a crisis such as we have had as the stock market crash that threw … millions out of employment that there wasn't a wholesale reduction in wages. … If Hoover accomplishes nothing more in all of his service to the government, that one outstanding thing of his administration — no reduction in wages — will be a credit that will be forever remembered not by the working classes alone but by business men as well, because without money in the pay envelope business is the first to suffer.[2]
When recoiling against a leftist professor's praise for Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, there is a dangerous tendency to lavish hosannas on "right-wing" presidents. Although Calvin Coolidge was a fantastic president compared to his peers, he obviously was at least partially to blame for the massive stock bubble that developed in the final years of his administration.
Even so, David Greenberg, as a history professor and author of a book on this period in US history, should know better than to recycle the myth that Herbert Hoover was a laissez-faire ideologue. Even one of FDR's subordinates admitted — years after — that the New Deal had simply extended the pioneering interventions of the Hoover years.
If one wants to draw a straightforward lesson from Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover, it is this: tax cuts and budget surpluses go hand in hand with phenomenal economic growth, while tax hikes, budget deficits, and radical growth in government go hand in hand with economic disaster. |
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U.S. Nuclear Power Plants, safe distance?
March 24, 2011, by Ken Jorgustin
Map of U.S. Nuclear Reactor Locations
Given the the nuclear reactor meltdown disaster in Fukushima Japan, and the local area Fallout contamination that is now entering the food chain and water systems there, I have constructed a location map of the current (and decommissioned) nuclear power reactors in the United States.
Without discussing For or Against nuclear power, it may be smarter and a better use of time to learn some lessons from what happened in Japan that led to the the Fukushima meltdown, and to consider the potential risk for those living in the U.S. near one of these reactors – should a worst-case-scenario occur.
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The problem at Fukushima: All electrical power was lost to the plant (earthquake – tsunami – backup generators destroyed – battery backup dead). This led to a lack of cooling of fuel rods in the reactors, which then led to a meltdown situation.
The underlying issue was a complete lack of electrical power, power sufficient enough to run the powerful cooling pumps.
Taking a simple look at the risks that may exist around any nuclear power plant, including the locations in the U.S. map above, the worst-case-scenario is always going to be one where the ‘issue’ leads to complete power failure. Without electricity, any one of these nuclear reactors will melt down, just like Fukushima, or worse.
A nuclear power plant being what it is, we would like to think that there is the utmost highest regard and oversight for safety built in to the design, construction, and operation of each one. But still, we had the disaster in Japan.
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Not being qualified to asses the nuclear risk of the ‘what if’ scenarios, I still cannot help but think, what if this or what if that were to occur over here in the U.S. for example.
What if a ‘Carrington Event‘ solar flare were to occur, like what had happened in 1859. Astrophysicists know that it WILL happen again, it’s just a matter of when. If an extreme solar event like that were to take down the electrical power grid, and-or damage electronic systems from its EMP effects, how long would it be before any, some, most, or all of these nuclear power plants would runaway to meltdown?
What if a true EMP weapon, or weapons, were to detonate and take down all electrical systems of a region, or wider, what then? Are the backup generators and their associated electrical control systems impervious to EMP-type effects for example? What about the control systems of the reactors themselves, are they EMP proof?
What if the New Madrid fault zone were to unleash a magnitude 9+ earthquake, which geologists agree is possible, then how would the nuclear plants avoid catastrophe at the reactors in northern Arkansas, eastern Missouri, or others nearby?
What if the San Andreas tears loose in California, how will Diablo Canyon and San Onofre handle it?
What if there is an unforeseen ‘physical’ attack on one of these reactors? What can the containment vessels withstand with regards to missiles of various strengths?
What if there is a cyber ‘virus’ attack along the lines of the Stuxnet computer virus that attacked the Iranian nuclear development facilities?
These simple questions led me to create a map of all U.S. nuclear reactors, both operational and decommissioned, so to have a look see where the danger zones ‘might’ be, should a worst-case-scenario occur.
It is difficult to impossible to answer the question, “How far away is a safe distance from a nuclear reactor?”, so I’ve created 100 mile radius zones (200 mile diameter) around each nuclear plant to provide some visual perspective. Yellow zones are around decommissioned plants.
Remember, it’s all about the wind direction too. The prevailing winds in the U.S. are typically from west to east while normally dipping down into the south-central U.S. before bending back up the east coast.
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Reply Aaa : March 25, 2011 at 8:06 AM If all of these active and spent rods melt down, what do you think the radiation levels will reach in the US? Where in the us do you believe will be the most sheltered from radiation? Thank you for your diligent posting on this issue…..
Reply Anonymous : March 25, 2011 at 10:45 AM The solar flare a few years ago was a X19 and if it had been directed more towards the Earth, there could have been a lot of blackouts to the electric grid, to nuclear reactors especially. This will probably happen again at the next solar maximum, and it will depend on the direction of the solar flare.
New Madrid fault will probably break again when there is an earthquake in the Mid Atlantic ridge zone that is big enough to trigger it. The Mid Atlantic ridge and the New Madrid fault are thought to be connected from the ancient land masses that were once all connected and when the Mid Atlantic ridge moves it puts strees on the New Madrid fault system.
When the San Andreas breaks it will be the duration of the shaking that damages the nuclear power plants in California or it sets off hidden blind thrust faults that are under these plants that people are not aware of. In Mongolia a few decades ago a similar fault to the San Andreas broke and set off thrust faults in the area. EMP weapon is a terrible risk to the nuclear reactors and the entire electrical system of this country and Canada because it would not take a very sophisticated missile to get a nuclear device detonated into high enough orbit to cause a lot of months or years long fry outs. Some longer range Scud missile launched from some ship off the coast could do this. What worries me about some attack is the screening processes at these nuclear plants of the employees that could possibly do something to the plants from within, more so than from outside. The last and probably the most likely type of nuclear reactor disaster would be a cyber attack from some foreign country that is an enemy of the United States. Other countries have the resources and the brainpower of many individuals that are quite capable of bypassing just about any computer system in the world. The computers at these plants are most likely not near as protected as military complexes, and these so called impenetrable military computers have been broken into before by suspected countries like China and others. Look at what Isreal and the US was suppose to have done with the Iranian nuclear plant.
1) When a nuclear reactor “scrams” that does NOT mean it is now safe. The residual heat still needs to be taken away by continuous cooling, otherwise the core will melt. 2) The cooling systems are powered by the electrical grid (i.e. externally). If the whole grid goes down for an extended period of time, the only backup is the diesel generators. These have, at most, 4-5 days of fuel on site. After that fuel is used up, more diesel needs to be trucked or flown in to the site to keep them running… otherwise, the core will melt.
3) In the case of core meltdown, all previous estimates by the NRC and IAEA estimated that only 1% of the radiation would ever leak from the containment vessels. At Fukushima, there were 4 reactors that experienced meltdown, so we got a chance to compare those estimates to reality. It appears that in all four reactors, pretty much 100% of the radiation escaped, not 1%. The design parameters of these BWR reactors was woefully inadequate.
If a large-scale power grid failure occurred due to a solar flare for instance, we would be relying on the continued supply of diesel fuel to every nuclear reactor site affected, until the grid was restored. If the diesel supply was interrupted to any of these plants for any reason, the cores would quickly begin to melt down and it is reasonable to expect a similar result to Fukushima. I am not anti-nuclear, for the record. There are newer plant designs that have passive cooling systems, i.e. don’t require constant external power supply to keep the cores cool. They are truly “fail-safe.” Unfortunately, none of the U.S. nuclear facilities uses this new design – they’re all similar to the Fukushima design (as far as I know). It is a testament to the arrogance/audacity/greed of our species that these fragile and dangerous reactor designs are still in use 50 years after their initial design.
Reply Bryan : October 22, 2011 at 3:14 PM I live within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant which is designed to withstand a DIRECT HIT by an F5 tornado with winds of approximately 300 miles per hour. It is also designed to withstand a direct magnitude 6 earth-quake (which would be a major issue in Ohio where earthquakes, especially ones of that size, are VERY rare). You can pretty much design for anything, the issue is “how much will it cost” and “how likely is the event that they want us to design for?” There is very little reason to design American nuclear facilities/reactors to withstand a magnitude 9 earth-quake or a 40-50 foot tsunami.
The plant I live near can also withstand a direct hit from a commercial airliner (i.e. hijacked airliner scenario). Containment is such that I would be shocked if any sort of conventional missile were able to penetrate containment. Containment is 12.5 feet thick of concrete with a biological shield that is 2 feet thick of steel. It is not some flimsy wood or simple brick structure. They take safety VERY seriously.
People who talk about nuclear plants or reactors as though they are ticking time bombs have probably never spent a day at a plant, or even engaged in basic study of the nuclear industry.
If a reactor is shut down the only thing to worry about is residual heat removal (the heat produced by the radioactive decay of the fuel source), which is easily accomplished.
Reply Bryan : October 23, 2011 at 10:41 AM I know several people who work in the nuclear industry, I have a very good friend who works in maintenance at a nuclear plant, and as for your friend poster, I am presently studying nuclear engineering technology (as in- actively enrolled as a student). I’d like to add a few things about the nuclear power situation…
From what I have learned of nuclear missile siloes via my limited exposure to them (i.e. Ellsworth Air Force Base South Dakota), the typical American nuclear power plant’s containment/shield building is able to withstand a lot more than your typical nuclear missile silo. The silo was not designed with a nuclear strike in mind; since most nations have a doctrine that entails “launch on detection” so the siloes were not built with the idea of having to withstand a direct hit. They were built with the idea that they might have to withstand a near hit of a nuclear weapon or a near/direct hit with a conventional weapon. However, back to my original point, I am confident when I say that a typical nuclear reactor is more “hardened” (if you prefer to use that term) than your typical nuclear launch facility (aka missile silo).
As for my close friend in the nuclear industry, he informs me that typical plant security is very hardcore, usually ex-military, ex-police, armed with (well I won’t go into what they are armed with in the event any nefarious individuals with nasty intentions come across this post), and they are protected/armored with (specifics of their armor will not be discussed- but you can rest safe knowing they are well armed/armored), and most all nuclear plants have an in-house shooting range so they are always able to get range time. They also have a few tricks and aces up their sleeve (hidden bunkers, hardened foxholes, ambush sites, observation posts, etc, in and around the facility grounds).
My friend also tells me that it would be very easy to keep a plant running as long as they have two things, a fuel source and security. Most plants are on a two year fuel cycle, meaning that every two years they do a 30-40 day shut-down for removal of spent or nearly spent rods, a replacement of those rods with fresh rods, critical maintenance that cannot be done while the plant is operating, and the rearrangement of some rods in the reactor core to achieve symmetry in the event they lost symmetry for whatever reason. There’s probably no reason why they couldn’t stretch things out and skip one refueling cycle, if something major had just happened and their refueling outage was coming up, or work with a fuel fabrication facility to enrich beyond the 3-5% that is typical for the American plants (submarine reactors for the navy use about a 20-30% enrichment for a 10 year refueling cycle)… Anyway, the point is, my friend told me that in a disaster/collapse situation, if about a half-dozen individuals are willing to provide security for the plant, a small team of 4-10 trained personnel can keep the plant operational and producing some level of power for the community, or at the very least keep the plant’s residual heat removal systems running, and he doesn’t ever expect to see every single worker abandon the plant and leave it to melt-down, he expects to see at least some workers banding together to keep the plant from falling apart and melting down and beyond that, to keep the plant operational and producing power to help the community.
Just imagine what a great asset it will be, an operational nuclear power plant turning out 1300-2500 MW of power when the coal burning plant has shut down because the trains stopped bringing coal and the oil burning plant has shut down because the trains/trucks stopped bringing oil and the pipeline went dry. As long as about 10-15 people at the plant can get on-board with the idea of continuing their work, there is no reason any American plant will ever have to be left to slide into a partial core meltdown.
As for myself, assuming I find a position in the nuclear industry, as long as my family is safe and there is no more pressing issue that requires my skills (such as they are), then I would be find with staying at whatever plant I was working at, continuing my work, and keeping the plant operational and safe.
Anyway, in a collapse situation, a well-maintained and still operational nuclear plant will be one of the safest places to be, as long as security is provided/available. The building itself can withstand the 300+ mile per hour winds of an F5, the facility is hardened against a magnitude 6 earthquake, and the facility can withstand a direct hit by a civilian airliner. It would also allow the facility personnel to engage in a lot of bargaining/bartering. If I and 10 other individuals are devoting our time to not only keeping the plant safe, but delivering power that is being used by local farmers, then we would expect that they deliver some food to us on a regular basis so we don’t starve, after all if we are delivering power to them we are helping them keep their farms operating at a level above the “bare minimal” that they would be at without power for their mechanized operations. Keeping a power plant running is a win-win situation for everybody.
I know a lot of people are “off the grid” or have plans to “make do” when the grid goes down, but I’m sure most people would appreciate a steady supply of uninterrupted power in the event of a nationwide societal collapse.
I believe nuclear power is the answer to virtually all of the energy problems that are facing the USA and that will be facing the USA in the coming decades. Every state should have at least one nuclear power plant with an output of 1300 to 2500 MW (Mega Watts).
Looking at that map, I believe that the story it tells is of a lack of nuclear power in some states, and thus a need for new plant construction… In South Dakota, one or two plants, in North Dakota one plant (maybe two), in Wyoming one plant, in Idaho one or two plants, in Montana one or two plants, in Nevada two or three plants, in New Mexico one or two plants, in Oklahoma one or two plants, etc.
In the USA we are burning a HUGE amount of coal for the purpose of generating electricity. In my opinion coal (as cheap as it is) is too precious to burn because it should be used in the production of steel. If we divert American coal from energy to steel production, we might be able to revitalize the dying American steel industry. Also, you may find this interesting, you receive more radiation if you live within 50 miles of a coal burning plant than you do if you live within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant.
If you live within 50 miles of a coal fired electrical utility plant you receive approximately 0.03 mrem per year, compared with 0.009 mrem per year if you live within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant. That is approximately 330% more from coal-fired than from nuclear. Now .03 mrem is neglible and largely irrelevant, but I thought it was worth mentioning, it just speaks to how dirty coal truly is when it is used as a source of energy.
If you’re a smoker you receive approximately 1,300 mrem, or 1.3 rem, per year. Just for a reference, the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) has a limit for annual exposure, no nuclear power plant anywhere in the nation will cause any member of the public to be exposed to any level that is equal to or greater than 100 mrem in a single calendar year from both external and internal sources of radiation in unrestricted and controlled areas.
I can run the question by one of my professors sometime in the next week and relay what his answer. I am not clear on exactly what sort of shielding/grounding is used for lightning protection, and if it does or does not carry over into EMP protection. I can make some inquiries with the nuclear professors and then if necessary make some more inquiries with the electrical/electronic professors (I am in a nuclear program and an electronic/electrical program- so I can bounce questions off professors in the nuclear department and the electronic/engineering department).
Most plants have systems that will automatically shut down the reactor to prevent a major issue… Lightning CAN shut down a plant, but it usually takes a lot to achieve such a thing.
The plant in the article, that was shut down by lightning, was hit by 24 lightning strikes before a final strike hit the lightning rod on containment and tripped the electronic reactor protection system, thereby shutting down the plant. Even though they sustained 24 lightning strikes and a system was tripped that shut down the plant, damage was limited to an auxiliary system for monitoring reactor coolant temperature.
That’s another thing about nuclear plants, you’ll often read about “secondary systems,” “backup systems,” “auxiliary systems,” they have redundancy like you wouldn’t believe… If they have a primary you can bet they have 4-5 other ways to do what they need in the event the primary fails. If they have an A valve for a system, they’ll also have a B valve, C valve, D valve, and sometimes (not often, but sometimes) an E valve.
The plant in my area had to go down for a few days because one of their transformers (which allows them to draw power from the grid, outside of the plant) went down. Even though they still have their other transformer and their auxiliary diesel generator, the NRC wouldn’t let them operate without BOTH transformers available in the event they needed to draw power from outside of the plant. The point is, they have a LOT of redundancy, for something bad to happen a LOT of things have to go bad at the same time.
They even have to design for ONE design based accident to occur during the middle of a natural disaster. A typical worst case scenario plan might be “what if there is a loss of coolant accident which occurs seconds before an F5 tornado slams into the plant” their design specs have that covered.
They have multiple systems that can deal with a LOCA (Loss of Coolant Accident).
If you’re interesting in learning more (I could go on and on about some of these things, but not necessarily many of these things as my knowledge is limited) you might consider googling “acceptance criteria for emergency core cooling systems for light water nuclear power reactors” and seeing some of the criteria they have for emergency core cooling systems.
I cannot see how a Chernobyl could EVER happen in the USA, and at this point people would REALLY have to try hard to make a Three Mile Island happen again (I doubt it could happen again due to all sorts of safeguard systems that were made mandatory for new plants and that had to be installed as upgrades to existing plants, after the TMI incident).
The “worst case” scenarios that I can foresee would mostly involve a plant that has shut down (not actively producing power) losing the ability to adequately perform residual heat removal. Residual heat removal must be achieved even if the plant is not producing power. There’s no such thing as shutting down the plant and walking away from it, never to return. Residual heat must be dealt with, period.
I don’t believe that there will ever be a terrorist nuclear incident, there may be a false flag “terrorist” incident, but it will be very unlikely that there will be a genuine terrorist nuclear incident. No state would want to be the one to give terrorists the warhead because they would become the target of massive retaliation. The leadership in North Korea does not want to wind up obliterated as their country gets obliterated via an American nuclear strike, they want to stay in power and pursue their goals, one such goal being the reunification of the Korean peninsula into one Korea. They cannot pursue that objective/goal if they are dead.
There is no such thing as a “rogue state” since all states want the same basic things. All governments want the same basic thing, to stay in power, protect the boundaries/borders of the nation, and pursue the advancement of their ideology and their internal policies. The term “rogue state” is a loaded phrase invented by Western corporate/state media to describe non-western states that won’t play ball with the NWO cabal.
Reply Bryan : October 23, 2011 at 11:41 AM Approximately one-third (1/3) of all reactors in the USA are boiling water reactors, and they are made by General Electric.
Approximately two-thirds (2/3) of all reactors in the USA are pressurized water reactors and they were made by Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Babcock and Wilcox Company, and Combustion Engineering Company.
Reply Bryan : October 23, 2011 at 12:34 PM Part of the problem with the nuclear industry is that a lot of the regulatory bodies are literally PACKED with people who have no background in the industry and are without even basic education in nuclear engineering/nuclear power. For instance, in South Africa the head of their nuclear regulatory body was a political hack, just a loyal party commissar of the ANC (ruling socialist/communist party in South Africa) who was selected just because she was a loyal party member. She actually stated she was tired of the plant managers/staff treating her like an outside bureaucrat and that she didn’t believe she needed a background in nuclear engineering/power to oversee the implementation of regulations for nuclear power.
The situation is similar but not as bad in places such as Sweden, Canada, USA, etc. In the USA a large part of the problem also centers on unqualified people (usually women) being pushed ahead for reasons of PC feminism. My friend who has spent probably 25-30 years in maintenance at nuclear plants told me he personally knew a female co-worker who was literally given the answers to a test because she had repeatedly failed the test (it was some sort of certification test that was needed to be assigned to a specific sector of the plant). My friend was basically pointing out that because of political correctness, there exists the possibility that a crisis that occurs at some given plant may have to be handled by people who failed the tests and were finally just given the answers so they could pass.
At some point in time there may very well be a major incident in an American nuclear power plant but it will not be because of some inherent danger in nuclear power or some inherent problem in the nuclear industry, it will likely be because of political correctness and the placement and promotion of unqualified individuals into sensitive areas where they don’t belong. Of course the organized anti-nuclear movement will never see it that way and if even if they did realize what the problem was, they would ignore the issues caused by rampant Political Correctness and instead focus solely on how “dangerous” nuclear plants are.
Reply Bryan : October 23, 2011 at 6:37 PM I’ll reply in detail to those points, point by point shortly. For now, I’ll just say, a small nuclear device, what you speak about, a 10 kt device, I don’t know if a near hit would destroy a nuclear power plant. Keep in mind that there were bank vaults that were intact in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and we’re talking about bombs that were 18kt (little boy) and about 21kt (fat man). I don’t know how thick/hardened those bank vaults were, but I doubt they were 12-16 feet thick of concrete and 2-3 feet thick of steel. I realize that damage was pretty intensive right at the impact point/ground zero, I don’t know what impact a near hit from a small nuclear device would have on containment and/or the shield building. I know that very little can be done about a direct hit (short of a deep and well-constructed bunker, and even that is no guarantee), but I don’t know how effective a small device with an inaccurate delivery system would be against containment/shield building. Not to mention, if you try to approach a nuclear power plant from the air there are probably protocols in place for scrambling interceptors.
I wouldn’t be surprised if plant security might even have access to man-portable shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, but I won’t speculate on that and if I knew they had them I wouldn’t confirm it online or talk about it… Suffice to say, it is said that secret service has them to protect the president from aerial/air-based threats, so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if nuclear power plant security teams had one or two man-portable air-defense weapons, such as the Stinger. I know if I were in charge of setting policy for plant security, I would make sure at least two guards on every shift are qualified/certified to operate some sort of shoulder launched SAM. I would hope the bureaucrats in the NRC and the folks at ATF would recognize the value in having shoulder-fired SAMs available to defend nuclear facilities and thus allow plants to have access to such weapons systems if they wish to have them. I know a bit about some of the small arms that nuclear plant security has available, but I won’t comment on any of that because good guys aren’t the only ones with internet access.
I don’t know if most terrorists would know where to aim the plane. I imagine most would aim at the cooling tower as the cooling tower is typically the most recognizable feature of your typical nuclear power plant. They’d also be doing flying the plane while nervous and under pressure, they might miss the facility and it would be a near hit, which might not compromise the integrity of containment/shield building.
Is the US Mint really that high priority of a target? How much new money do they put into circulation? Also, that’s just one mint, right? There’s other mints across the nation, right? Not to mention the Federal Reserve handles printing the money, don’t they?
Reply rob : February 24, 2014 at 6:55 PM an earthquake, shift in earth under the plant would cause collapse. the thickness of anything wouldn’t matter if it fell…
American survivalists should be MUCH more worried about the chemical industry than the nuclear energy industry. If I had to make an estimate of how many people have died (worldwide) from chemical industry negligence/accidents since 1980, I would say the low estimate is about 10,000 with a high estimate of perhaps 20,000. That is in addition to about 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 being heavily sickened by the chemical industry.
The disaster in Bhopal India saw approximately 2,500 dead within minutes of the release of the isocyanate chemical. Short of a nuclear weapon/explosion, there’s basically no way for a nuclear disaster to cause 2,500 deaths within minutes. I guess you could cram 2,500 people inside containment during a core melt incident, that would probably do it, but why would those people be there? The people most at risk in nuclear incidents are the plant personnel and the emergency workers responding to the scene. Even with TMI (Three Mile Island) the releases to the general environment/public were incredibly negligible. Even if a nasty Chernobyl situation were to occur, it might result in a 10-20% increase risk of certain types of cancer.
If a major accident occurs at a chemical production plant, it is possible that an entire community could be killed within minutes depending on what agents/chemicals are involved.
With nuclear incidents, it is very rare for people outside of the plant to be put at risk. With a chemical plant, any moderate/major problem will generally put the nearby community in immediate danger/risk.
Reply Bryan : October 24, 2011 at 9:07 AM I don’t know what the world reserves are in regards to uranium, but so few countries use uranium, so there ought to be enough to go around, even though uranium is far more rare than crude oil. Although we don’t have to use explicit nuclear fission to obtain power. We could use radioisotope thermoelectric generators, which provide heat via the radioactive decay of the fuel element. The Soviets had a program where they made somewhere around a few thousand small generators, a lot using Strontium 90 and some using Cobalt-65 (I believe they used Cobalt in some of them), although they failed to properly dispose of a large number of them. Every so often people find some metal object in the woods somewhere and they get very sick after going near it.
I believe it was in Georgia (former Soviet Republic, not the US state of Georgia) where one Strontium based generator had been discarded in the woods, and three men who were walking from one village to another saw that the area around “the metal object” -as they described it- was free from snow and as they approached it was very warm so they slept next to it for the night. The three also carried the sources on their backs and they wound up becoming very ill. The army had to bring in a team of specialists to cover the reactor and then prepare it for transport and each man was only allowed to work next to the reactor for about 60-90 seconds before he had to leave the area and let the next man in the work crew take over.
Basically what happened when the Soviet Union collapsed was that a lot of people stripped the generators of their shield metal because it was valuable as scrap metal, and they tossed the unshielded generators into the woods, swamps, hills, just dumping them throughout the countryside. If I had to make a wild guess, there could be at least 500 and perhaps as many as 1500, radioisotope thermoelectric generators, scattered throughout the countryside of the nations of the former Soviet Union.
Reply Bryan : December 9, 2011 at 2:38 PM Oh, addressing the EMP issue. My professor answered the question I posed to him about the threat posed by solar flares or other possible scenarios that might cause massive electrical interference in the form of an EMP. The primary/major systems inside the shield building are all grounded.
The shield building itself essentially operates as a shield against electrical interference, it is a steel+concrete jacket and when the airlocks are sealed the building is sealed from the outside world.
The professor was of the view that the operations of the plant would not be impacted by an EMP, solar flare, or any sort of electrical interference. He did concede that there was once an issue caused by a lightning strike because the people who did the grounding had done it improperly, grounding the wrong system to the wrong location. But, the system in question was not a primary system but an auxiliary one.
Plants are often struck by dozens of bolts of lightning in single storm situations, and as long as the grounding was properly done, there are no issues. Indeed I can only think of two or three instances where a plant had an issue, and none of the issues involved primary systems.
The threat posed to nuclear power plants by an EMP is probably very minimal, especially if the device is detonated far away.
I have only limited education/training in IT and I would think that one way to avoid a virus would be to make sure none of your critical systems or systems directly connected/linked to them have outside/internet connections. Computers dedicated for plant operations really don’t need to be online anyway, probably not. It’d be difficult to get a virus if the virus has to be physically introduced to the system.
Reply TripodXL : December 9, 2011 at 5:23 PM @Bryan & Ken; the crux of that problem is that systems get upgraded and a lot of times the upgrades come via some physical transport involving a data carrier. The data carrier is infected with an almost genetically specific virus and stays nice and quiet til it finds the environment it was intended for. It is speculated that this is how the stuxnet virus arrived in the nuclear fuel processing centers in Iran. They purchase a lot of their stuff from Europe and in Europe Siemens is their GE. In the case of the stuxnet it was looking for Siemens PLCs…and found them. The PLCs would control all of the mechanical functionality of the Uranium processing AND they ALL talk to each other on a modified token ring “like” proprietary network. I f the system is designed as such and Siemens typically does this, is that all the PLCs talk to each other so that when there is a firmware upgrade, it can be “pushed” from one central controller. Voila, completely infected. Several years ago, the Air Force realized that all their computer systems were getting infected with “thumb drives” and other removable drives. Now only ISSUED drives and thumb drives can be used and they have security programs imbedded on them to prevent infection. Bryan is correct about having isolation from the internet, that is how basic security is achieved in the military and other government systems. DOE is more fanatic than the military about this. Survive well.
All nuclear plants depend on MECHANICAL devices to avoid meltdown in a coolant loss situation therefore they are ALL ticking and highly fragile bombs.
Reply Bryan : April 28, 2012 at 12:36 AM Gerard, your comments/remarks fall into one of two categories… Remarks made out of your ignorance or remarks made with an agenda counting on the ignorance of the general public/masses in order to be accepted as valid.
You state that- “simple malfunction of the cooling systems is all that is needed. A small bomb in a water intake would suffice to get the reaction started.”
“To get the reaction started” what do you mean by that? It is IMPOSSIBLE to cause a nuclear explosion at a nuclear power plant. You could take five hundred nuclear scientists/engineers, along with dozens of military nuclear experts and they could not cause a nuclear explosion at a power plant. Power plants use U-235 enriched to about 3-5%, which is well below the level needed for a nuclear explosion. Weapons grade uranium is enriched to around 95-98%, while the lowest threshold for a “low grade” weapon would be around 35%. The most you will ever see for enrichment would be about 15-20% enrichment for nuclear submarines, especially with the old Soviet navy as they did not like to do refueling for their submarine reactors (refueling entails cutting open the haul of the submarine, cutting through containment, removing the old fuel bundles, putting new ones in, then welding things back together- America does this, the Soviets never really did this, they just enriched to about 20% so that their submarines were good for 20-25 years and they were just decommissioned when the fuel reached the end of the line).
As for your remark that “one small bomb could take out the cooling systems” which system?
There are MANY ways to deliver coolant into the reactor pressure vessel.
High Pressure Core Spray (HPCS)
Low Pressure Core Spray (LCPS)
Reactor Core Isolation Cooling (RCIC)
There is also Stand-By-Liquid Control which can dump borated water into the core and thus stop all fission as boron is a neutron poison.
Remember that in 2003 there was a MASSIVE blackout in the Northeastern USA, parts of the Midwest, and into Ontario… This blackout caused about a dozen or so nuclear plants to experience a LOOP, Loss Of Off-site Power, meaning they had to rely on their own emergency generators to power safety systems… Some plants had to deal with this problem for 3-4 days, yet there was not a single problem or any threat to the public.
When you talk about a “small bomb” disabling the coolant systems you are admitting there are multiple systems… So which system would they disable?
A “simple malfunction” in the cooling system has never resulted in a “melt-down” anywhere.
Fukushima was due to a massive disaster that was beyond what they had built/designed for, which washed away the diesel tanks that held the tens of thousands of gallons of diesel necessary to power the safety systems once the plant scrammed (shut-down) and had no access to off-site/grid power. In the USA, for the most part (I cannot speak for every nuclear power plant as I have not been to every nuclear power plant) the standard is to keep the diesel tanks buried, not exposed above-ground.
Three Mile Island was due to poor training and the operators inability to recognize and identify a loss of coolant accident for what it was. This could NEVER happen again in the USA due to automated systems, redundant systems, back-ups to those redundant systems, tremendous improvements in training (as in 18+ months of training just to be a non-licensed operator working in the plant, 18+ months of training/classes just to be allowed to sit for an RO- reactor operator, exam, and requirements that each Reactor Operator/Senior Reactor Operator spend X weeks per year in the simulator… Usually it is 1 week every 5 weeks has to be spent in the simulator).
For hostile individuals/terrorists/invading commandos/paratroopers/whatever/etc, to cause a melt-down they would need much much more than “one small bomb” and they would need unrestricted/unhindered access to the plant, for multiple hours, and they would need to know their way around the plant, and know how to electrically AND mechanically disable about 7 or 8 different systems.
US and Canadian nuclear plants have very well trained security teams that are very well armed/equipped. They are subjected to tests by military special forces teams that try to gain entry into the plant… As far as I know not a single special forces team has ever made it into a radiologically significant area (meaning an area where they could cause damage to the plant, steal radiological materials, put the public in danger, etc). At the plant near where I live the most the special forces teams have been able to achieve was to penetrate the first fence, which is the basic security barrier to keep out the general public, and make it to the outside of the general plant building (this is not radiologically significant and they could not harm the public from that location).
They’ve never made it into the control room or the shield building.
If special forces teams cannot pull it off, I doubt that jihadist terrorists would be able to manage to do such a thing.
So not only would they have to be able to overcome the security forces (something that special forces have been unable to do), they would need to know how to identify the crucial systems/controls, how to operate those systems/controls, and then how to electrically and mechanically disable various systems, all of which are redundant and can draw power from various sources.
So in short, no, the nuclear power plants are not “ticking time bombs” waiting to destroy the communities in which they are located.
For industry and for cities/suburbs, nuclear is the way forward.
If we want to stop burning oil, which is really too precious to burn for the sake of producing electricity, then we need more nuclear plants. We also need more oil refineries, but due to massive regulations they cost several billion dollars each and take years to build and bring online. Since they also reek beyond imagination, few people want one in their area. We have a massive refinery capability in this nation but it still is not enough… We need all oil resources devoted to petroleum and petroleum products, we cannot afford to squander oil by burning it to produce electricity.
Wind power is beyond laughable, it takes up a huge amount of land… There is a wind farm in Texas that sits on 600,000 acres of land and produces an underwhelming 700 MW (Mega-Watts) of power. Compare with any given US nuclear plant which has about 1,000 to 1,500 acres of land (most of which is for security/buffer reasons) with each reactor producing around 1,300 MW (Mega-Watts) of power.
Also, given that you cannot get something for nothing, wind turbines are doubtlessly impacting the climate in their areas… When you remove kinetic energy from the wind and convert it into mechanical energy or electrical energy, you are lessening the wind, changing a storm system. To my knowledge it has not been properly investigated or documented but I have no doubt that the rise in massive wind farms in states such as Texas, such as that 600,000 acre wind farm in central/west Texas, contribute to and even cause draughts down-wind.
http://www.gardenridge.net/wind-turbines-changing-weather.htm
The largest wind farm in the world goes online in Texas and then BAM the worst drought in Texas history…
Why? Because nothing is free, energy is neither created nor destroyed, it only changes forms. Potential energy to kinetic energy… Chemical energy to electrical energy, etc…
When you use the wind to create power you are taking energy out of the storm/system, thus you impact what happens down-wind of where the energy is taken out of the storm/system. Kinetic/wind to Mechanical and/or Electrical… It is not free, it has an impact.
It’s not exactly my area of study/focus but I would strongly suspect that if you were to build millions of wind turbines across the Western states, you would soon see a drought of Biblical proportion.
Reply Bryan : April 28, 2012 at 12:57 AM Actually it seems that a fair amount of people, indeed experts/scientists, are raising the alarm about the threat posed by windmills.
“Large groups of power-generating windmills could have a small influence on a region’s climate. All large wind turbines disrupt natural airflow to extract energy from wind.” Science Daily
“Results from climate modeling studies by myself and others suggest that large-scale use of wind power can alter local and global climate.”
“Researchers are investigating the potential for large wind farms in one region to alter weather patterns in another region downwind.” |